Is a QB's 'clutch' in his genes? Here's what the real experts say
Published: 10/26/2010 5:01 PM
Last Modified: 10/26/2010 5:01 PM
NORMAN — In working on tomorrow’s cover package — it’s about whether quarterbacks can be coached how to perform in the clutch or whether it’s simply in their DNA — I interviewed today several head coaches known for producing clutch quarterbacks.
The story is based on Oklahoma’s Landry Jones and how his consistency and confidence early in games (his efficiency rating is 149.9 during quarters 1-3) somehow turns unsteady in the fourth quarter (when his rating drops to 92.6).
One of my questions was whether the “clutch” quality can be identified during the recruiting process.
Here’s what they said:
Utah’s Kyle Whittingham: “Yeah, I think that does show up at times. Some guys you’ve recruited and they’ve been on a team that was so good they were never challenged, or maybe wasn’t put in situations consistently enough to get a good read on how a player will react in those circumstances. But I think often times you can get a pretty good idea of . . . how good a quarterback will handle pressure situations based on what he did in high school or junior college.”
Cal’s Jeff Tedford: “Well, you can see it on tape. If they’re ever in that situation. Sometimes you can go a whole season and never see someone in that situation. But yeah, I think you can tell. Especially after a game when you can watch ‘em in person. You can tell a little bit more because you can tell their demeanor, their leadership qualities, their attention to detail. And then do they have a great grasp on what the system is and what they’re doing. That’s a lot of it, I think, as well. I think you can tell better in person than you can on tape.”
Arizona State’s Dennis Erickson: “It’s hard, but I think the biggest thing is you’ve got to watch them play, of course. You watch tape and watch ‘em make plays like that in high school. Then the competitiveness they have, not just on the football field, but let’s say they play basketball, or other things. To me, identifying a quarterback — I think they have the same trouble in the National Football League. . . . I think you’ve just gotta really investigate ‘em as you recruit ‘em.”
Oregon State’s Mike Riley: “Well, I’ve always thought that the best predictor of production is past production. So if a quarterbacks’s been productive, and he’s been in those situations and won games — a couple years ago we recruited two kids, Jack Lomax (son of former NFL QB Neil Lomax) and Cody Vaz, who took their teams to championship games and were productive on the way. So I think that counts for something. I think that playing on winning teams is not necessary, because some guys just aren’t gonna be blessed with the talent around them. But I think that production is a big, big deal. So we look at that. And then we try to find out as much about them and how they handle their team and their situation as we possibly can.”
Penn State’s Joe Paterno: “I doubt it. Maybe some people can, but I doubt it. I think when we look at a quarterback, we’re looking for good kids that fit into our philosophy. He may not be the most polished kid in the world, but a guy that we think is coachable and that we can work with, and eventually is gonna be a guy that we can win with. Sometimes we’re right and sometimes we’re wrong.”
A preview can be found today at TulsaWorld.com/SportsExtra. The full story will run in Wednesday’s Tulsa World and can be viewed online in the morning.
— John E. Hoover
Written by
John E. Hoover
Sports Columnist
