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Jordan Jefferson Has No Excuses

Carter "The Power" Bryant Sunday, January 29, 2012 , , , , , ,
Why couldn't Brees be a Tiger for one game?
Photo via NFL Trade Rumors
Sorry for the delay on another post. Life has been difficult with media appearances, school work, life and movies starring Gina Carano. 


I am not a former quarterback or a professional talent evaluator at the position. I have never played the position outside of football camps or in the sandlot. While quarterback is the most glamourous position in sports, it is also the hardest. 


There is so much that needs to go right in order to play quarterback at any level. Do you have the weapons surrounding? Do you have the protection from the big men up front? Are you in the right scheme with a consistent playcalling? Can you handle pressure? How do you react to the good, bad and ugly? Do you have the work ethic? Can you rip apart film and then apply it to your abilities on the field?

As I began to type this column (which was weeks ago), Saints superstar quarterback Drew Brees tweeted he had arrived in San Francisco for their playoff game showdown versus the 49ers. Here is the Tweet...



Notice the words "Study time." Brees is constantly studying film and his opponents. He knows the playbook. He knows all the checkdowns and when he can rip an opponent apart with an explosive play down field. That's why Brees is one of the best quarterbacks you will ever see play the game. 

Because of all the studying and preparation that goes into playing quarterback, I usually find it difficult for a college quarterback to fully grasp the position as a passer. A college quarterback has plenty of surrounding pressures, whether it be girls, schoolwork, stealing laptops, popularity, etc. For an NFL quarterback, that is his job. 

That's why I believe college quarterbacks struggle versus Alabama. This year's Crimson Tide are as close to NFL personnel and schematics on defense I have ever seen from a SEC team. That's why pocket quarterbacks don't survive. It took a fluky performance from Jefferson to beat the Tide on Nov. 5. 


And the performance was fluky. Jefferson's longest pass was completed on a busted assignment from Alabama and his throw was awful to Russell Shepard before the end of the first half. His successful options and scrambles are both easily adjustable for a defense.

Jefferson had no excuses either. There was no school for him to worry about, so hopefully he spent most of his time over the break shredding tape on the defense. He should have studied like Brees. If he did, this play would have been completed for a touchdown to Deangelo Peterson instead of a 19 yard gain.  


Jefferson had the chance to be the starting quarterback of the greatest LSU team in history. Instead, according to Paul Finebaum, JJ was in Harrahs Casino. 


It wasn't Greg Studwara's best game as a play caller. In fact, the fullback dive to JC Copeland may have been the worst play call I've ever seen. But if the quarterback is fumbling snaps, no play can be run.   


I am so sad I lost my "Jefferswag." 

Follow me on Twitter @CarterthePower.

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