The Shadow Returns

D

Duke

Well-Known Member
Some things in life are a given like the swallows returning to Capistrano or the Shadow returning to his favorite haunt in Iowa City. My Dark Friend was back on his stool at the Wig & Pen on Tuesday. Always friendly bartender, Chris Querrey, was serving him plain lemonade. So, all of his observations are made with a sober mind.

1. A friend of the Shadow from San Francisco visited Iowa City for a game last season. He was given a tour of the Jacobsen Building. One item of importance was a chart on the wall showing top grade point averages. Jordan Lomax was first with a 4.0. Sitting at second was C.J. Beathard.

2. In 2012, a football staff member commented on the upside of C.J. Beathard, “He could become the best quarterback of the Ferentz era.â€￾

3. A student of history will tell you that when Iowa has a top rated quarterback, they compete for Big Ten titles. Brad Banks, Drew Tate and Ricky Stanzi all had to overcome the previous starter.

4. We aren’t talking about rocket science. Iowa has a fairly simple playbook. Dynamic quarterback play is pivotal to a great Hawkeye offense. That could be the difference between 8-4 and 11-1.

5. A prominent voice in the NFL was a frequent visitor on the sidelines as Iowa prepared for this year’s Outback Bowl with LSU. After the game, he remarked that Iowa needs a new starter at quarterback.

6. Jake Rudock is a father’s and a coach's dream. He is a remarkable young man who has given his all to be the best team player for the Hawkeye football program. However, this is Division One football and C.J. Beathard is the more talented quarterback. Greg Davis told the Shadow last year that Beathard has the best skill set.

7. Now can that quarterback history repeat itself again for our beloved Iowa Hawkeyes? Let the Sunshine in!
 
One difference in the Stanzi overcoming the previous starter...Rudock doesn't throw the ball at his receivers feet and is command at all times. Big difference. I like them both...but sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.

Rudock has been through the big game stuff against defenses much better than Pitt. There could be some serious pain having to have CJ get his feet wet in that situation. That being said, the throw he made to Hamilton on a big third down is a throw Rudock could not make...back foot with a guy in his face...Jake takes the sack or throws it away.

It's an interesting situation...and one that will likely be going on for awhile.
 
CJB better be our starter if we want any chance to win the division otherwise our ceiling is 7 or 8 wins. The defense isn't dominant enough yet to have a game manager at QB.
 
What did the Shadow say about shorting natural gas before tomorrow's injection report?
 
Jake has faced the good defenses in the Big Ten....MSU, Wis, OSU, and LSU/NIU.....we lost all those games. I just think that we need a guy who can not only face them, but beat them. CJ is that guy, imo.
 
With all that being said JR keeps beating the great one out as starter for the 2nd year in a row.

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Duke said:
3. A student of history will tell you that when Iowa has a top rated quarterback, they compete for Big Ten titles. Brad Banks, Drew Tate and Ricky Stanzi all had to overcome the previous starter.
Click to expand...

There were two pretty decent quarterbacks on the Fry teams. Not saying any of these guys are as good, but Chuck Long and Mark Vlasic were pretty decent - both took starter snaps in the NFL. And Vlasic had to wait until Long graduated.
 
Knight78 said:
There were two pretty decent quarterbacks on the Fry teams. Not saying any of these guys are as good, but Chuck Long and Mark Vlasic were pretty decent - both took starter snaps in the NFL. And Vlasic had to wait until Long graduated.
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Dan McGwire was pretty good, too.
 
okeefe4prez said:
Dan McGwire was pretty good, too.
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No he was not. He was 3rd string behind Hartlieb and Pohosky.

Speaking of, Fry had quite a few decent QB's. Chuck Hartlieb, Matt Rogers. They were pretty decent.

Should I mention Matt Sherman? Maybe thats a stretch. Even Kyle McCann started for Fry as a freshman.
 
HawkPrdatr40 said:
With all that being said JR keeps beating the great one out as starter for the 2nd year in a row.

giphy.gif
Click to expand...

Kirk pretty much said in his presser when asked about how much thought goes into picking a starter that Jake won the job last year. I took it as him saying allot of thought went into it last year but this year there was no thought because it was already decided. I might be wrong though, there's a first time for everything.
 
Knight78 said:
There were two pretty decent quarterbacks on the Fry teams. Not saying any of these guys are as good, but Chuck Long and Mark Vlasic were pretty decent - both took starter snaps in the NFL. And Vlasic had to wait until Long graduated.
Click to expand...

This is the best comparison I've seen yet, in terms of comparing JR and CJB.

Both are very good QB's, who can be successful. Jake has already lead the
Hawkeyes thru a successful season. (Some might want to review last years Nebraska & Michigan games.
And Minnesota too. Yeah, throw in last years Clown game, as well.)

I'm not worried about QB.......we have 2 very good guys there.
I'm much more worried about Meier & Spearman stepping up to BigTen level defense.

Oh and one other thing. GO friggin HAWKS
 
The pass Beathard made to Hamilton under duress on third down is a pass only an elite quarterback completes. Further confirmation of his skills is unnecessary.

I dont know if he'll develop into an all big ten or all American QB. But I do know, without doubt, that he has the physical gifts.

Riddick does not.

If I'm the coach and I've got the talent on offense that this team has, I'm rolling the dice on greatness and I'm playing the QB with the live arm.
 
ThunderHawk said:
The pass Beathard made to Hamilton under duress on third down is a pass only an elite quarterback completes. Further confirmation of his skills is unnecessary.

I dont know if he'll develop into an all big ten or all American QB. But I do know, without doubt, that he has the physical gifts.

Riddick does not.

If I'm the coach and I've got the talent on offense that this team has, I'm rolling the dice on greatness and I'm playing the QB with the live arm.
Click to expand...

I agree with you, but I'm not sure that Riddik doesnt have the physical skills, I mean, look at how many deep balls he's overthrown for example. He's obviously a good athlete, but he definitely is lacking something at this point in his career. To me, he COULD make the throw that CJ made, but plays too safely to even attempt it (which, IMO, has kept him his job for as long as he has). What CJ has are the intangibles, the moxie, the swagger, the cockiness, the testicular fortitude to make plays like his pass to Hamilton, which is why I want him at QB. i just warn those that want him that he will make some Tate-like decisions, because he does have that swagger, which I'm fine with.

Look at Ruddok's numbers. Looks like a pretty darn good QB, completing 2/3 of his passes, with the low INT numbers, looks like something anybody'd take. He just doesn't appear to be willing to take the chances necessary to make the big play to keep a drive alive, in order to avoid mistakes.

I think we're seeing the type of QB Krik really wants, as we didn't already have some idea of that.
 
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