Congratulations to Greg Lee on 1st Rd Selection

[fleaflicker]

Neither was Brad Smith, and if Pat White goes out for the draft, he probably won't be drafted as a QB either. And do you know why? It isn't because they stink at QB, so get that out of your head. It's because they have the athletic ability to be a receiver, teams have a higher demand for receivers than QBs, and drafted wide outs have more of an opportunity to make an immediate impact. Think about this a second.

Ok, Pittsburgh drafted a QB. Is he ever going to have an impact anytime soon? Not likely. He has two guys ahead of him in the lineup, and Ben Roethlisberger is solidly entrenched as the Steelers starter for years to come, save a devasting injury or something of the like. That is true for a few QBs around the league, like Palmer, Brady, Brees, Vick (unfortunately), Manning, and McNabb. Now, saying if they have an aging QB that's going to leave soon, like Kerry Collins, Mark Brunell, Kurt Warner, or Drew Bledsoe. These teams usually have an heir apparent, if they don't, they draft one. But there are also teams that depending on how their QB does, may or may not need one, such as Buffalo (probably will), Detroit (maybe, depending on how Josh McGown does as an heir apparent), and San Diego (probably not). So there are a lot of logistics in it, and remember, there can only be 32 starters around the league at any one time. That means that there isn't demand for more than 96 total QBs.

But think about this: What has Phillip Rivers done the past couple years while Drew Brees was in San Diego? The answer: Nothing of any interest. And this was the fourth overall pick a few years ago! He hasn't made a difference in any of San Diego's games. His job was to sit on the bench, hold a clipboard, and take notes, and maybe if he was lucky (like in a blowout), he would get some meaningless play in garbage time well after the game was decided. And plus, no matter how fast the guy is, you don't want him on special teams or anything, even if he could do something, because the last thing you want is your second string QB to get hurt.

Now, let's look at Matt Jones, a QB drafted last year by Jacksonville to be a wide out. He had 36 catches for 432 yards and 5 touchdowns. That was his rookie year, after playing QB for Arkansas for the four years before that. Chances are, next year he'll be able to line up some in the slot or in the X wide out spot, and catch some long balls or whatever and really make an impact. And this goes for any QB with a change in position being considered. With their knowledge of the game, speed, and athletic ability, they have a greater chance to make an immediate impact. Why sit them on a bench at a position that isn't in demand when they could go and make an immediate contribution at another spot?

[The Ancient Enemy]

My answer to everything is money because that's what it all boils down to in NCAA football.

Besides the fact that Robinson has a great college QB last season, there are other reasons why he was player of the year. Whatever small amount of technical problems MRob had, he overcame them by taking over the team as the team leader. Considering how "bad" you all claim PSU was, you should be heaping praise on this kid for what he did. But, no, of course not. He could cure cancer and you'd say he just okay.

Ken Dorsey was the best college quarterback since Dan Marino and how is HIS NFL career panning out?

[El-Moldo]

Hey. It's one thing that Robinson couldn't get drafted as a QB when he was the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year, but what about Brett Basanez of Northwestern??? You remember, the guy who shredded Big Ten secondaries to pieces the last couple of years. Basanez was a 4 year starter for the Wildcats, making 46 career starts at QB. Holds 30 records at NU, including every major passing and total offense record. Ranked second ALL TIME in the Big Ten for pass completions, pass attempts, passing yards and total offense for his career. Ranked 13th ALL TIME in the NCAA for total offense and 28th in NCAA ALL TIME in passing yardage. BUT...NO ONE wanted him. NO ONE drafted him. Despite destroying Big Ten defenses over the years, he was passed over. What's that say about the Big Ten's defenses? No one cared about Basanez, OR Anwar Phillips, who many projected to be a 2nd round pick. And don't forget Rice.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Too bad Phillips and Rice are on NFL teams right now. Where's Greg Lee?

Brett Basanez, sure he did well for NU, but so did Zak Kustok. Ty Detmer had the college record for 15 years, poor NFL showing. Timmy Chang, maybe the best QB since Marino (either him or Dorsey) and throws harder than any QB we've seen in years. Where is he? Rhein Fire. How about Kliff Kingsbury, BJ Symons, Sonny Cumbie, and Cody Hodges?

All are products of the offensive system that their college team runs.

Game is different between college and NFL, Moldo, you know that. Arguing just to argue with no real point being made.

[El-Moldo]

There is a point. NFL owners see many Big Ten players as a flash in the pan. If the Big Ten was so great, a guy with Basanez' career would have been selected by someone. He made some Big Ten defenses look pathetic. I mean 13th ALL TIME NCAA in total offense from a big time conference and no one wanted him?

[El-Moldo]

Where's Greg Lee? With the Arizona Cardinals and with as much of a chance as making it in the NFL as Paxson And Smolko.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Maybe since Northwestern has been doing pretty well since Walker took over that maybe they are not that bad of a program? Ever consider that? This is a team that annually wins games they should never win. They equally lose stupid games. But that's the beauty of Northwestern. We're not talking about THE CITADEL here.

Basanez did well against Big Ten teams because their offense is so unorthodox and its hard to prepare for them b/c you haven't seen anyone like that. He would not have done as well if he was at Wisconsin or someplace. But Basanez was lucky enough to play under Kustok when he was succeeding and also was lucky enough to have the RB's he did. It's completely the system, Moldo.

Here's the guy he had help from, IN THAT SYSTEM:


Tyrell Sutton:

2005: Sporting News Offensive Freshman of the Year and first-team Freshman All-American ... Consensus Big Ten Freshman of the Year ... Rivals.com first-team All-American (all-purpose position) ... Runner-up in Rivals.com national freshman of the year voting ... True freshman ... SI.com's honorable mention All-America ... Named the 2005 Greater Cleveland Sports Outstanding Collegiate Athlete ... Doak Walker Award candidate ... NGN Offensive Newcomer of the Year Award recipient ... Honored as the Freshman of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus ... Made, arguably, the most impressive debut by a true freshman in school history ... Went over the 1,000-yard mark for rushing against Michigan (season's eighth game), giving NU nine 1,000-yard rushers in the last 11 seasons ... Had he gained 1,000 rushing yards by his seventh game, he would have joined Emmitt Smith, Marshall Faulk and Adrian Peterson as the only freshmen in NCAA history to gain 1,000 yards in seven games ... Finished with the third-best rushing total (1,474 yards) in NU history ... Ranked 16th nationally in scoring (9.0 ppg) and eighth nationally in rushing (122.8 ypg) -- the best marks by a freshman ... Big Ten's third-leading rusher behind Laurence Maroney and Brian Calhoun ... Notched six 100-yard rushing games, including three of 200 or more yards ... Team's fourth-leading receiver with 44 receptions ... Notched the second-best single-season reception total by an NU running back ... Tabbed the Rivals.com National Freshman of the Week for performances against Northern Illinois (Sept. 10) and Wisconsin (Oct. 8) ... Was atop the Big Ten list for rushing for one week after his 244-yard performance against Wisconsin (the sixth-best single-game rushing effort in NU history) ... The 244-yard game was the 16th-best in Division I-A football in 2005 ... One of four nominees for the Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week award for his performances against Northern Illinois and Wisconsin ... Tabbed the College Football News Co-Big Ten Player of the Week with teammate Tim McGarigle for his Wisconsin game ... Earned an ESPN College GameDay "Helmet Sticker" for the Wisconsin game ... Featured in the Oct. 6 Sports Illustrated as one of college football's "Young Guns" ... Established a number of NU firsts, many of them by mid-season: first NU freshman to be named a Big Ten player of the week, first freshman to score four touchdowns in a game (he did it twice), first freshman to rush for more than 100 yards in his first game, first freshman to total two 200-yard rushing games and first freshman to score more than six rushing TD's in a season (he has 16) ... Set NU's rookie mark for season rushing yards in fifth game (vs. Wisconsin) ... Equaled NU's freshman record for touchdowns scored (six) after his first two games ... Ranked fifth nationally among running backs in cbssportsline.com RB ranking -- a ranking that is computed on player statistics and strength of schedule ... Debuted with 104 yards and two TD's vs. Ohio (Sept. 3) ... Came back with a 214-yard, four-TD performance against Northern Illinois (Sept. 10) that earned him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors ... Also named the College Football News Big Ten Player of the Week for his effort vs. NIU ... His four TD's equaled a single-game record held by many ... Just missed his third straight 100-yard game with 98 yards on 15 carries (6.5 ypc) against Arizona State (he did not play the final quarter) ... Totaled 112 rushing yards and two TD's on Penn State's stingy run defense ... Also had three receptions for 32 yards vs. PSU ... Averaged 8.4 yards per carry (29 for 244) with a career-long 62-yard TD run vs. Wisconsin ... In addition to his three rushing TD's, he caught his first TD reception, a 9-yard pass ... Finished with 13 carries and 89 yards at Purdue (6.8 ypc), but caught a career-high 10 passes for 89 yards, giving him 178 total yards ... Scored the game's winning touchdown on a fourth-down 1-yard plunge with 1:50 remaining ... Notched his fifth 100-yard game (109 yards on 21 carries) at Michigan State ... Added 47 receiving yards vs. the Spartans, including a career-long 41-yard reception ... Limited to a season-low 10 carries (50 yards) vs. Michigan ... Had six catches for 56 yards vs. the Wolverines ... Rushed for 65 yards and two TD's vs. Iowa ... Added four receptions for 28 yards vs. the Hawkeyes ... Averaged 6.6 ypc on 14 carries (93 yards) at Ohio State ... Scored his second receiving TD of the year on a 5-yard catch ... Notched his third 200-yard game with 212 yards (career-high 34 carries) at Illinois ... Also had five receptions for 24 yards vs. the Illini ... Rang up 151 total yards (84 rushing, 67 receiving) against UCLA in the Sun Bowl ... Caught seven passes against the Bruins ... Registered 100 or more total yards (rushing and receiving) in every game except Arizona State (98 yards), Iowa (93 yards) and Ohio State (98 yards) ... Finished rookie year with 396 receiving yards (on 44 receptions) for 1,870 all-purpose yards, the 12th-best figure nationally ... Among players with no punt or kickoff returns in their all-purpose yardage, ranked sixth nationally in combined rushing and receiving yardage ... Scored two or more touchdowns in six of his first career 12 games.

[El-Moldo]

I know you're not talking about The Citadel here. But I-aa QB's do get drafted, such as Furman's this past draft. How about that. Furman's QB gets drafted and Basanez doesn't. And you're saying that Basanez benefitted from Sutton playing with him. Well, what about the 3 years before that? No Sutton there. Did you ever consider that Basanez made Sutton what he is, and NOT the other way around? Say whatever you want. Basanez, with all those accomplishments against 8 Big Ten schools per year, DID NOT get drafted.

[frostlion]

What is Pitt going to do if Rich Rodriguez develops a third running play to use against them?

The NCAA better allow 18 men on the field if Pitt hopes to stop WVU!

I would be worried if I was a Pitt fan.

It's one thing to get stomped in Morgantown, but to get stomped at the Steeler's stadium, in front of 60,000 fans (57,000 of which are WVU fans) might be too much for the Pitt Trustees to handle.

Wanny's job might be in jeopardy!!

[The Ancient Enemy]

Noah Herron was the RB before Sutton, Moldo, and he got drafted by the Steelers.

I'm trying to explain to you that Ingle Martin is not some country bumpkin QB. This kid was legitimately screwed at Florida by Ron Zook, who gave into fan pressure to put Chris Leak on the field instead of coaching HIS team. Ingle Martin wa sone of the most highly touted QB's in his incoming freshman class. Don't you remember you and I getting into it before the Furman game when I kept teasing about Martin destroying Pitt? He is a very good QB who was always good enough to play at the I-A level, and was always good enough to be drafted.

I am not saying that there are not other I-AA QB's that get drafted out of relatively nowhere (Ryan Fitzpatrick from Harvard to the Rams) but Martin is a bad example. Besides, if you are a team who needs a drop-back passer, would you go draft Eric Crouch? Well why the hell not, the kid won the Heisman. It's not that cut and dry. That's why I said it's all about placement and timing with these NFL drafts.

No QB's from the Big Ten got drafted this year. Tate will go, you know Henne will go, Troy Smith will go as a specialist, Blake Powers will absolutely get drafted, and Bryan Cupito will probably sneak in there late. Brett Basanez is not a pro-style QB and we all know that.