Kyle McCann

[Hawknick]

There has been a lot of talk on here about Kyle McCann and how he should not have been a starter however the stats show that he did have very competitive stats. He even got starts his freshman year because Fry liked the touch he put on the ball. Let's review the competition for each year.

Kyle McCann career stats: 338 of 577 4188 yards, 7.3 ypa, 23td, 21 ints, rating 125.4

1998-1999

Randy Reiners career: 142 of 279 for 2008 yards, 7.2 ypa,16td, 11 int. 122.4 rating.

Scott Mullen career: 229 of 428 for 2625 yards, 6.1 ypa, 11 td, 16 int, 106.0 rating

McCann had a slight statistical edge over Reiners, and an even bigger edge over Mullen.

For 2000 Reiners graduated and add Jon Beutjer to the mix. In a small sample his numbers were slightly better.

Beutjer Iowa career: 77 of 125 841 yards, 6.7 ypa, 6td 3 int, 129.2 rating.
However his rating would drop over the long haul at Illinois to 126.8. Once again there was a good case to start McCann.

On to 2001 McCann had both his best season and his best competition. Gone were Beutjer and Mullen in was Brad Banks.
Let's go over the 2001 stats alone.
McCann 2001: 148 of 226 for 1867 yards(66.5% 1st in the Big 10) 8.3 ypa, 16td to 11ints, 148.5 rating (2nd in the Big 10.)

Banks 2001 stats: 41 of 68 for 582 yards, 8.6 ypa, 4td 2 int, 145.7 rating. 39 rush for 160 yards.

For 2001 McCann was one of the most accurate and efficient passers in the Big 10. His passing numbers were better than Banks. With Banks have the edge in rushing. Most coaches would picked the better passer in that case.

So in conclusion McCann had some close competition all of his career. However he had a strong case to be starter each year and is generally underrated.

 

[MisterLucky]

Still think Banks should have played more that season, Kyle, but thanks for stopping by.

 

[528646]

Had to come in here to make sure you were talking about the Kyle McCann that played qb for us 12 years ago and not some other, possibly relevant, Kyle McCann that I didn't know about yet.

 

[PCHawk]

Good post. Maybe my memory is off it just seems like our offense noticeably stalled when he was in and was noticeably smoother when Banks was in. Stats aren't everything but its hard to argue against number 1 in the big 10.

 

[Hawknick]

Well the team did average 398.5 yards per game and 32.5 points per game. That level of production is fine by me.

 

[ICHawk24]

Good post. Maybe my memory is off it just seems like our offense noticeably stalled when he was in and was noticeably smoother when Banks was in. Stats aren't everything but its hard to argue against number 1 in the big 10.

For some reason, most fans "seem" to think that the offense runs better under the backup QB, whether its true or not.

 

[MisterLucky]

It's nothing personal against McCann. I just think most of us, having experienced the 2002 season, would have liked to see more of Banks during his brief stay at Iowa.

 

[SteveL]

It's nothing personal against McCann. I just think most of us, having experienced the 2002 season, would have liked to see more of Banks during his brief stay at Iowa.

Go back and watch the second half of Wisconsin game that year. Banks played the full half. Enjoy yourself !!!!

 

[NickM]

Go back and watch the second half of Wisconsin game that year. Banks played the full half. Enjoy yourself !!!!

Iowa gets blown out by 3-4 scores that game if Banks didn't come in to put out the fire (same for the Michigan game). Playing his first road game, coming in down 2 scores (might have actually been 17-0 when he came in) with zero momentum he helped get Iowa back in the game at Camp Randell. KF actually benched McCann the second half - he did so for a reason. Banks didn't play great down the stretch when I recall it started raining and Iowa was in a position where it had to pass on every down. It was a great performance under the circumstances. This was the week coming off of the Michigan debacle and a couple weeks off of McCann's 4 interceptions at MSU who was starting 3 defensive backs that literally were playing offense for the Spartans the week before. I get's pounded against MSU but for Iowa blocking 2 punts inside MSU's 10 yard line.

McCann loaded up stats in the non-con (except ISU on the last game of the season due to 9/11) and Indiana, NW and Minnesota. He was really, really bad against MSU, Purdue, Wisconsin and Michigan, and pretty bad against ISU. But the 2001 team was talented enough to win 9-10 games with solid/consistent QB play. I don't know if Banks was the answer or not. Those people who say Banks only knew 8 plays are the same ones that say Iowa only ran 8 plays in 2002 when it won the Big 10. If it's all about execution what difference does it make if he knew 8 plays or 80?

I'll never forget being in Ames at the end of the 2001 season when it took the offense with senior QB, senior runningback, senior receiver and veteran O-line about a minute 40 to move the ball 11 yards in its hurry-up offense down 3. That was the game where Podalak literally had to leave the booth in order to avoid saying something that would have gotten him fired.

For the revisionists, here is some interesting reading:

Defeated, depleted: Uncertainty at QB again, defensive unit hurting | TheGazette

Still looking for clues: Flubs force Hawks into a long day of catch-up | TheGazette

Big chance slips by: Michigan claws from hole, Iowa QBs struggle | TheGazette

 

[Hawknick]

Remember the Alamo? McCann had completed all 12 of his passes. Banks came in and did not do much. That stalled Iowa a bit. So in some games Banks looked better in other ones McCann looked better. This is why I look at overall trends rather than specific games. Don't forget too that tean lead the big 10 in scoring offense. So having 2 good QBs is not bad at all.

 

[OUTofTOWNHAWK]

So where was I for all this Kyle Mccann talk? and when did we get ice cream?

 

[Hawknick]

So where was I for all this Kyle Mccann talk? and when did we get ice cream?

It was in some of the Ruddock threads and we never got ice cream that I know of.

 

[imported_ankle23]

i remember banks coming in v. Michigan and stepping out of bounds 1 yard short of a 1st down on a 3rd down play - a play in which, if he would have been aware, he could have easily stepped out for a 1st down.

people seem to think the coaches aren't aware of the pros and cons of their own players, and which best help them win games. it's amazing to me that people think that coaches put in players that won't best help their team win games.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Sack bait McCann....slow footed............he is still getting sacked as we speak. There is a reason he got the nickname "McCan't." Good kid, worked hard, a hawkeye, but give me much more Banks in 2001.

 

[ICHawk24]

There is a reason he got the nickname "McCan't."

Fans are stupid?

 

[Hawks19]

The stats were fine, it's just that Iowa lost every key game when he was the starter. People tend to remember things like that.

 

[briney11]

Kyle had a knack for driving the offense down field and then blowing it. At isu after an int and his nice fumble trying to run the ball on the 5 after a nice drive right before half at sparty come to mind. But there were many others. He was very accurate inside of 10 yards, but he always seemed to have trouble with the longer passes. 2001's offense with kyle vs. 2002's offense with Banks is enough said for me.

 

[Hawks19]

. 2001's offense with kyle vs. 2002's offense with Banks is enough said for me.

Both offenses led the B1G in both scoring and total O, the only times Iowa has done that in the last 25 years. You aren't exactly a football genius, are you?

 

[rider22]

We really need the season to start so we can stop arguing about stuff that happened 12 years and start arguing about this years current team

 

[PCHawk]

i remember banks coming in v. Michigan and stepping out of bounds 1 yard short of a 1st down on a 3rd down play - a play in which, if he would have been aware, he could have easily stepped out for a 1st down.

people seem to think the coaches aren't aware of the pros and cons of their own players, and which best help them win games. it's amazing to me that people think that coaches put in players that won't best help their team win games.

Every coach has their list of pros and cons in order of what's most and least important. Every coaches list is different thus the differences of opinions on who should start. Is is awesome tho that 2 threads are going on something that happened that long ago.