A project more than a prospect?
After attending the PSU-NU game, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah published an article entitled “Christian Hackenberg looks more like project than prospect” yesterday that is bound to piss off those who think Christian Hackenberg is a ready-made, first round NFL quarterback.
This turkey has a word to describe those people, but I’ll be kind. Suffice to say that I think they think they’re more enlightened than they really are, which makes them think they can see things that are not apparent to us mere mortals. I’d accuse them of not actually watching Hack on Saturdays, but I’m sure they do. (In fact, Artificially Sweetened is very sure that Hack’s grandma is watching closely and participating in this blog under a pseudonym). These pseudo-cognoscenti might just be watching with their hearts instead of their cynical brains.
To a great extent, I think they are like crocodiles — in de Nile!
I say all that because Jeremiah is bound to be lambasted by that same collection of Hackophiles — if for no other reason, because he is a member of the media, which automatically places his credibility below that of the established, biased, homey fan. We all know better than these hack writers, right? Especially if they disagree with our assessments, wishful thinking as they may be, right?
There is no such thing as a good article if it is critical of our boy. Do you have the stomach to read this one and comment on it objectively, or will you not bother to read it and use it nonetheless as a launching pad for your anti-media rant? I’m having great fun here.
Read it, I implore you!
I think it hits the mark. His criticisms make sense. He debunks the standard defenses of Hack not fitting into the Franklin system and blaming the offensive line.
He had a lot of forced throws and poor decisions from a very clean pocket, one that was much cleaner than he’s ever going to see on Sundays. I watched his game against Temple earlier this year, and his offensive line didn’t give him much of a chance that day. That wasn’t the case vs. Northwestern. The O-line gave him a chance, and Hackenberg was very average.”
Jeremiah concluded the article with some very favorable comments about Austin Johnson, Carl Nassib, and Saquon Barkley (not to mention Dean Lowry, Deonte Gibson, and Nick VanHoose, of the enemy squad).
You’ll find it here.
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K. John says
I read the article and most of it is uninformed click bait likely made up by a simpleton who doesn’t understand football. As TNT noted, he is a member of the media and writing an opinion piece designed to get web hits. Complete and total BS writen by someone that doesn’t understand football. That is pretty much my response to much of the misinformed scorn #14 has undeservably drawn by simpletons with a superficial understanding of football. He isn’t perfect and he needs work and no he isn’t NFL ready, but who is (Peyton Manning is the only NFL ready college QB I have ever seen)? What he is is the safest bet we have seen in some time.
Big Al says
This paragraph from the article summarizes Hack’s “issues” perfectly.
“There are a lot of people in the NFL that have evaluated quarterbacks for a long time, and they will tell you that touch and accuracy are two of the toughest areas to improve in. Those things are two of his biggest problems”
And he’s probably not going improve his touch and accuracy by staying at Penn State another year with Rahne and Donovan “coaching” him. The best thing for him would be to get drafted by a team where he can be a back up quarterback and work on his technique for a couple of years.
K. John says
When someone discusses Hackenberg’s accuracy in general terms instead of specifics, you know they don’t know what they are talking about. Touch and accuracy are not problems for #14 in any meaningful way. Go watch some film. There are certain throws he struggles with because he doesn’t have quick enough feet to shift and reset before throwing but those are college throws few if any pro quarterbacks throw on a regular basis. His accuracy on almost everything else is second to none. Contrary to what some say, he doesn’t struggle with accuracy at all. Touch is a valid concern at times but only in the short game and most of that could be attributed to the small windows he has fit balls into due to Donovan’s play calling.
Again, Hack isn’t perfect but these folks in the media throwing out blanket criticisms, well, their comments say a lot more about them than Hackenberg. 14 has the lest number of questions to answer of any QB in the next two draft classes. Personally, I think he will be back however. Given what we have seen of the offense and the fact that Hackenberg and the defense are the only reasons they have a winning record under Franklin, I can’t imagine how ugly next year is going to be if he leaves or transfers. Looking at next year’s schedule, I only see one sure fire win if he leaves. Could be a 2003 type of year that ends with a new staff.
The Nittany Turkey says
Heap big K. John speak with forked tongue. I get that you’re Hack’s biggest supporter, but come on already!
You decry those of the media making blanket judgments about Hack’s accuracy and touch, but then you go ahead and opine the opposite with no specifics, either. Then, in the typical manner in which dilettantes attempt to quash arguments they cannot win, “Go watch some film.” Right, then what would we see? Same thing we’ve seen all along. I think we’ve all watched Hack and can draw our own conclusions. Yours are no more valid than the rest of ours. Look it up! LOL
Why is throwing out blanket criticism more of a character flaw than throwing out blanket praise? Because you’re taking the moral high ground? Because no one else could possibly see through the complexity of Hack’s delicately redemptive nuances?
I think AS was right. You’re Grandma Hackenberg operating under the K. John pseudonym.
The most telling statement you made was “Contrary to what some say, he doesn’t struggle with accuracy at all.” If he’s not struggling with his lack of accuracy, then perhaps he’s given up on ever having any. Then, you go on to blame his short game woes on everyone else. This is equivalent to your approach in justifying Penn State losses by blaming the refs, the coaches, the gods, and everyone but the players. At some point there will be a day of reckoning for all of them.
For some college standouts like Ryan Leaf the scouts would prove to be wrong and would wreak upon us the biggest NFL bust since Tony Mandarich. For others, like Peyton Manning, who was selected just in front of Leaf, a long and fruitful NFL career was in store. We have no way of knowing which way Hack will go if and when he is drafted. In any case and contrary to your assertion, the proof will be in the pudding. We won’t know whether he can play until he starts in the NFL.
I’d also like to see you try to support that Hack’s sideline throws are “college throws few if any pro quarterbacks throw on a regular basis”. You can’t get away with that kind of bullshit here.
Were you just trying to see if I was paying attention?
—TNT
K. John says
My caveated praise, as opposed to blanket praise, has a fair amount of film to back it. That is why it is better.
Joe says
You’ll get no argument with anything mentioned in the article from me. Anyone who thinks Hack is anything other than a project (and perhaps a risky one at that) is just not watching the same guy I’ve watched each Saturday for the last three years. What frustrates me is that he can have a game like he did against Illinois where his feet had some bounce and the short, intermediate and downfield passes were working and then go out and have a stinker like he did on Saturday.
So, as much as he meant to rebuilding the program, he really should get out of Dodge at the end of this year and hope he can impress the scouts at the combine. Maybe he latches on with someone who can correct his flaws and he has a long and productive NFL career or maybe he becomes another Ryan Leaf. Staying is not going to make him better!!
The Nittany Turkey says
Staying is going to expose more of his inconsistency to the NFL scouts, so I’m thinking he’s damned if he stays and damned if he goes. If he stays, then we fans will continue to ride the roller coaster for perhaps another 16 games. Can we handle it? Well, I guess we lived through Morelli. We’re a hardy lot.
I’m being extremely cynical. Hack doesn’t deserve my consummate negativity, especially the allusion to AM, but it sure as hell is frustrating thinking about what might have been. Whatever has gone wrong, some of it is on his shoulders.
—TNT
The Nittany Turkey says
So, assuming that he enters the draft after this season, in what position will Hackenberg be drafted? Let me speculate.
I think after the year he’s had with inconsistent performances and some very fundamental things missing from his game, he’s not a first rounder. That’s probably good for him, because as a third- or fourth-rounder, he’ll get a backup role and enter relative obscurity where he can make or break himself. There’s always hope. After all, Tom Brady famously was drafted in the sixth round.
If Hack goes in a high position through someone’s draft day lunacy, he’ll be pressured to start immediately and he will be playing for a team in need, a rebuilding project, which means he’ll just have more expensive traffic cones in front of him but still Hack’s feet, so he’ll wash out quickly.
Hey, here’s an idea! The Texans are 3-5 and O’Brien has been unhappy with the play of his quarterbacks, continually fooling around, shuffling Hoyer and Mallet. So, maybe…
Reunited and it feeeeels so goooooooood! Reunited and it’s understooooooood! There’s one perfect fit and baby this one is it!
Hey, hey!
—TNT