Yep, Jeff Tuel is still awesome

by Grady. on Nov 1, 2009 8:22 AM PDT in Cougar Football Comment 23 comments

You may be thinking after last night's 40-14 loss and two touchdown, two interception performance: "Nothing's going right!!! Even our savior Jeff Tuel isn't that good!!! What's Robb Akey's cell phone number!?!?!"

Well, hang on.

Tuel is still a big step above our other options at QB. He's no Reid Forrest, but he should still be our starting quarterback the rest of the way. Observe (best viewed in widescreen mode): [h/t cfbstats.com]

	Name	Yr	Pos	G	Att	Comp	Pct.	Yards	Yards/Att	Int	TD
1	Jeff Tuel	FR	QB	5	111	66	59.5	766	6.9	5	6
2	Marshall Lobbestael	SO	QB	6	105	49	46.7	475	4.5	5	2
3	Kevin Lopina	SR	QB	4	48	28	58.3	313	6.5	2	1

Even with a less-than-stellar performance against Notre Dame, Tuel still tops our other quarterbacks in virtually every statistical category you can think of. This, from a true freshman, whom we weren't sure had the size or the capabilities to really do anything this season but gain experience.

Plus, you can see the difference on the field. Tuel's more mobile, more accurate, and seems to have a better command of the offense than the two guys who have more experience. Plus, Tuel's numbers are even more impressive when you consider the teams he's played (USC, Oregon, ASU, Cal, ND) versus those Lopinastael have played (Stanford, Hawai'i, SMU). Seriously, though: four out of the five teams JT's played are currently ranked!

Now, before you get too excited about the final three games, remember that Notre Dame's pass defense is awful (105th coming into last night's game - 8.2 YPA allowed), and one would've hoped that Tuel would've torn it to shreds. Still, Tuel gets to face an even worse Washington pass defense (109th, 8.4 YPA allowed) and a mediocre Oregon State pass defense (58th, 6.8 YPAA) before the season is out. Arizona and UCLA are better (both 34th before yesterday's action), so don't expect a breakout performance in either of those.

Still, Jeff Tuel is a promising young QB. One of the few good reasons left to watch the remainder of the Cougar football season.

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oh, well yeah

I wasn’t worried that Tuel wasn’t the answer. Even if he was only comparable (or even slightly worse) than the other two his potential is obvious and the game experience will pay off in a couple years.

by johnnycougar on Nov 1, 2009 10:02 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I am a little bit upset that some people are already looking toward Halliday.

Seriously? Tuel has been everything we could have asked of him and more. He and Karstetter are pretty much the only reason to watch the Cougs anymore.

by displacedcoug on Nov 1, 2009 11:03 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It would be great if Tuel is good enough that we can redshirt Halliday

That could have us set at QB for the next five years: 3 for Tuel, 2 for Halliday. Of course it’s unrealistic to look that far ahead

by Grady. on Nov 1, 2009 11:34 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Halliday?

Who is overlooking Tuel for Halliday? That is the first mention of that, that I have heard. We are not going to play a true freshman QB for 3rd straight year (Levensellar, Tuel, then Halliday) thats no way to build a program.

Tuel starts, Halliday redshirts and if we are lucky, we get 3 solid years of Tuel and then 2 of Halliday.

Either way I’m more worried about O-Line and D-Line recruiting.

by MattPD on Nov 1, 2009 11:45 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I have just heard it here and there.

Its really frustrating.

by displacedcoug on Nov 1, 2009 3:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I've heard it on the Cougfan forums, FWIW

by Grady. on Nov 1, 2009 4:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A lot of that was knee-jerk reaction after the Oregon game.

Which was pretty hilarious. I wonder if USC fans have given up on Barkley and are annointing whoever they’re bringing in at QB now that he’s lost at Autzen?

by jj_fekl on Nov 1, 2009 6:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

CORP!

by cougfan on Nov 2, 2009 12:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

MUSTAIN!

by cougfan on Nov 2, 2009 12:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

We should just play Reid Forrest at every position at once

Like that Bugs Bunny Cartoon where he played every position on the baseball team at the same time. It will work, Trust me.

by GoCougs on Nov 1, 2009 12:37 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Have you read USSM's analysis of that game?

It’s well worth the read. Linky.

CougCenter WSU's second main blog

by Dancing Football on Nov 1, 2009 12:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That piece was in this book

http://www.amazon.com/Best-American-Sports-Writing-2007/dp/0618751165

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 1, 2009 3:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I look forward to next year's edition featuring my Reid Forrest Heisman article.

CougCenter WSU's second main blog

by Dancing Football on Nov 1, 2009 3:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not too sure about that analysis.

… and I’m pretty sure Lopina would get you at least the same results you are getting with Tuel minus the constant pounding and the burning of the red shirt. Really, I’m a little befuddled that the fan base isn’t more irate. Why put a true freshman behind that line and take away a whole year of extra development and accomplishment? Mind-boggling.

Damn, my eyeball tastes good.

by Gekko Mojo on Nov 1, 2009 11:52 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

No, and it's not even close

To recap the beginning of the year:
1) Lopina doesn’t make reads and constantly hit his outlet. Watching closely, he didn’t even bother to go through progressions. This was when we had a healthy line
2) Lopina wasn’t a leader and, by many accounts I’ve heard, didn’t study film or do the necessary work to succeed.
3) Lopina can’t make the throws needed to run an offense
The list goes on.

When the decision to pull the redshirt was made, the line didn’t look like this. If you watched the first quarter of the season, you’d know why the redshirt was pulled. I didn’t like it at the time, but I understand it. Going just by the stats comparing Tuel to Lopina is a bit misleading. Lopina got Stanford, Hawaii, and a bit of Stanford. His stats also represent a small sample. Tuel got USC and Oregon, among others and a better sample size.

I’m also not sure why you say mind boggling about this move now. When the decision was first made, maybe, but after the initial outrage pretty much everyone has been on board with it, even before he actually hit the field

by cougfan on Nov 2, 2009 12:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Do you think he would develop more standing on the sidelines or playing?

I guess that’s the question. If he had looked completely overmatched out there, you’d have to say the former. If he looks competent, then you say the latter. Clearly, it’s the latter.

Sure, we might achieve similar results playing Lopina (although I doubt it). But that does absolutely nothing for the program going forward. I was as much against this move as anyone. But it’s proving to be the right move. The growing pains Tuel is going through right now are going to pay big dividends next year, and beyond.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 2, 2009 6:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, of course he would develop more with a whole extra year of practice.

…is that even debatable? If not, why redshirt anyone?

I guess my point is that the benefit of losing to ND 40-14 instead of 40-7 (and that assumes he’s worth an extra 7 a game at this point of his young career) seems a dubious tradeoff against what could have turned out to be an amazing two year run his juior and senior years when he has mastered not only his own offense but the games of his opponents. Oh, and he would have missed all the hits that this o-line cost him.

But, if you guys aren’t mad about it, I’ll pipe down.

Damn, my eyeball tastes good.

by Gekko Mojo on Nov 2, 2009 6:42 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I understand the skepticism

But you weren’t where we were a year ago. Yeah, you didn’t win a game, but there was always a belief that it had more to do with the coaches than the athletes. We were coping with what had to be the worst year for a BCS conference team in the history of major college football.

So, yeah — there actually is some tangible value to having him go out, perform better than either of the more experienced quarterbacks (if even marginally) and infuse some hope into both the team and the fanbase. It does matter.

I guess it’s a cost benefit thing. In a perfect world, yeah — you let a guy redshirt and hopefully be better down the line. But it’s clear that we need him to be ready to lead this team next year. And if it’s inevitable that he has to go through some growing pains to get there, better that he take his lumps now rather than then, we need him to be ready to lead this team to some wins.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 2, 2009 8:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Also, staggering QBs

I’ll preface it by saying I have no idea if Halliday will pan out, but by not redshirting Tuel he’s created a situation where we have staggered QBs eligibility. Tuel ideally goes 4 years, Halliday is a backup and when Tuel graduates Halliday is a RS Jr. Just something else that factored in.

I wasn’t happy when we pulled the redshirt but after seeing all the reasons why and processing what was going on (before he even hit the field), I understood why it was done. He’s getting valuable experience now and should be better next year.

by cougfan on Nov 2, 2009 10:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs