The collapse of Keith Price vs. James Vandenberg

Billso

Billso

Well-Known Member
Sometimes it seems like we complain about issues as if we're the only team in college football experiencing them. Sometimes it helps to pop your head up and look outside the borders of our state to get some perspective.

I don't know why JVB regressed this year, and neither do you. Was it the new system? The O-line? Receivers? Something else? Well, Washington Husky fans are asking the same question about Keith Price, who outplayed RGIII in the Alamo Bowl but was mediocre this year.

Keith Price's play guarantees his future isn't guaranteed | Steve Kelley | The Seattle Times
 
Since Iowa finished as the only school to have just 1 QB take every single snap, this season; I presume the Huskies had another QB that took snaps (though I haven't looked that up to be certain). The idea of a player struggling at Iowa, or any other school, is the nature of the athletics. It happens everywhere on a relative basis. I think most fans understand this.

However, with no other QB taking even one snap for Iowa; this exacerbated fan frustration. How could any BIG team not have a second string QB worthy of at least some snaps when the starter was so obviously struggling? So, regarding perspective; unfortunately, Iowa is alone this season because no other school played only one QB for every snap.
 
The QB change was the least of the issues with the 2012 hawkeyes. There were 21 other positions that needed attention. Maybe Hyde and Ferentz were playing well consistently but. Thats a lot of things to fix. Changing QBs was like rearanging the deck chairs on a sinking ship. It would have played well with the media and fans but ultimately I think (now) that it would have been more of a distraction from the larger and more urgent issues with the 2012 team.
 
Backups at Washington attempted just 6 passes, against Price's 432.

I too would like to have seen some snaps for Jake, but I think it's a separate issue from diagnosing JVB's decline.
 
Billso said:
Sometimes it seems like we complain about issues as if we're the only team in college football experiencing them. Sometimes it helps to pop your head up and look outside the borders of our state to get some perspective.

I don't know why JVB regressed this year, and neither do you. Was it the new system? The O-line? Receivers? Something else? Well, Washington Husky fans are asking the same question about Keith Price, who outplayed RGIII in the Alamo Bowl but was mediocre this year.

Keith Price's play guarantees his future isn't guaranteed | Steve Kelley | The Seattle Times
Click to expand...

Good qualitypost, Billso. Hope all is well and Merry Christmas!
 
There is something pretty weird though about JVB taking ALL the snaps. It could mean several things, none of which is really positive. We can spin it positively, but it is weird.
 
ILHawk said:
There is something pretty weird though about JVB taking ALL the snaps. It could mean several things, none of which is really positive. We can spin it positively, but it is weird.
Click to expand...

I think the snap count idea is a little over rated. Look at how many successful QBs come in as true freshman around the country and are successful. How many snaps did Tate or Chandler get before they started their 1st games? The thing I was more concerned with was the decision to stick with a guy that continued to be unsuccessful. I am not sure if KF thought there was lightning in a bottle just waiting to be opened and wanted JVB to have a chance but it didn't happen. I just hope this was a learning experience for KF/Davis and something like this doesn't happen again. I am not going to worry any about the quarterback situation over the off season. I will start worrying once I see the starter take some snaps, hopefully the competition in practice proves the right winner.
 
It really is remarkable how bad he was this year compared to his junior year and where he could have been. I did not see that coming at all.
 
I think you have a good point but where better to start the "fixing" project than at the nucleus of the team?

QUOTE=NCHawker;1017735]The QB change was the least of the issues with the 2012 hawkeyes. There were 21 other positions that needed attention. Maybe Hyde and Ferentz were playing well consistently but. Thats a lot of things to fix. Changing QBs was like rearanging the deck chairs on a sinking ship. It would have played well with the media and fans but ultimately I think (now) that it would have been more of a distraction from the larger and more urgent issues with the 2012 team.[/QUOTE]
 
I really think Kurt thought that since this was obviously a change of OC year, that he owed JVB the snaps since it wasn't his fault for the huge learning curve. The other coaches admitted early on that they hadn't figured it out yet. They have all the experience to train these guys but couldn't do it effectively since they themselves were trying to figure it out. You could tell that JVB transitioned from being frustrated to just losing all confidence in his game.
 
The problem with saying JVB regressed or played much more poorly this year compared to last year is it isn't entirely true. He played poorly on the road last year, but well at home. He just happened to play poorly everywhere this year. So he just became consistently bad instead of inconsistent.
 
The most unattractive male name in the world is "Keith". I have nothing else to add to this discussion, please proceed.
 
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