re: Etling is better than most think

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The graphic he posted is for passes attempted more than 15 yards down field i believe. I assume he got it from the thread on the SEC rant.

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It is, and my bad. I didn't post the qualifying attempts.

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Etling is not a good quarterback, but he plays his heart out and gives every ounce of ability he does have. His arm strength is not good enough for the long ball and his patience for a second or third option, when he has a little time, is suspect.

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This.

His anticipation and finding secondary options is HORRENDOUS.

ETA - i posted this before i knew MadKing was involved in this discussion. I'm out...

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ETA - i posted this before i knew MadKing was involved in this discussion. I'm out...

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A 35 yard pass is definitely not an intermediate throw.

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Its sure not a DEEP ball for a SEC QB. Eight yard drop and and 27 yard throw beyond the line is intermediate. Yes he has thrown a couple of 50 yard passes. And almost all of them have been under thrown, Mr. Etling. I would welcome seeing him overthrow Davis, Chark, or Sullivan on a fly pattern but I don't think it is physically possible for him unless he releases it immediately after the snap. And that is what he needs to do all the time - throw earlier instead of waiting until the DB's close the gap.
There are 4-5 high school QB's in Baton Rouge that throw better 25-30 yard passes than DE (posts, deep outs). Doesn't make him a bad kid or take away from his toughness, which I respect a great deal. But he doesn't have a SEC arm, by any knowledgeable standard.

Sorry but just because they write about football doesn't mean they know anything about it or that they have seen the kid play.

BTW, your last link is written by Treasure Washington, who I am sure will be a fine journalist when he grows up since he wrote the internet blog you quoted when he was a JR student last year at LSU. I am sure Mr. Washington was very experienced at comparing arm strengths of SEC quality QB's and COMPLETELY OBJECTIVE. His quote was "Etling also has one of the strongest arms in the SEC". Compared to who, Mr Washinton? Not Franks, Mond, Patterson, Lock, Stidham, Shurnur, Eason, Dormandy, Fitzgerald, Allen, even Hurts. Might not be accurate but I think that all of them have more zip in their arms. Leaving off a few because I haven't really seen the others.
So give me a break! You are delusional if think his arm is strong. Stronger than last year, YES. I was hoping that he was going to be our answer but it didn't take me long to realize that lack of arm strength was only one of the missing components needed to be a truly top QB. Decision making, timing, reading 2nd & 3rd progressions, patience in the pocket, etc.
As for his high QBR, understand this: if I am a shooting guard but I only take shots when I am in the paint my shooting % will be INCREDIBLY HIGH. But if I play like a normal #2, then my % will be somewhat less since I will be shooting from 20+ ft. DE is not asked to do too much because Canada realizes how limited he is in the passing game. That's the frustration that Canada has had and has caused friction with Coach O. Canada wants to play Brennan who has a gifted arm and can make all the throws needed in Canada's offense. But we are never going to see that since Canada will be gone as soon as the season is over. Mark it! But Canada is afraid to let DE16 throw the deep outs and posts and crossing patterns as his inaccuracies will lead to interceptions. So instead we run, and run and run like we are a middle school team without a QB who can throw. Back to the same ole LSU for the past 10 years with the exception of Mettenberger.
Regardless, I hope DE16 finishes the season strong and continues to improve so we can have a better passing game. He has been a classy kid and I am glad he transferred here. Just never thought he would be our starter.

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He is not terrible but he is not great. Hes what this team needs this year, plays with heart and gives you 100% of what he has. If every LSU player played with the heart he did we would be undefeated.

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I agree with this. Bama will however feast upon him. He crumbled against them last year.

What you don’t realize is how many of those attempts were of the quick release variety (because they couldn’t afford to let a long pass downfield to develop....).....

Alabama’s D made Etling look bad by limiting his time to operate an offense....

The same thing holds true for L Fournette...they made him “look” bad....but does that mean Fournette is a bad RB....no

Both played and coached the position many years ago. Still hang with college and high school coach friends who constantly talk about the great players. They know who can "spin it" and who can't.
And noting I say is biased. I don't have a dog in the fight. I just know a live arm when I see one and he does not have one. Brandon Harris is the definition of a live arm but he couldn't hit the south side of a north facing house. Same reason he wasn't going to play here is why he isn't playing at UNC.
Sorry you are sold on the kid but he doesn't have it in spite of what someone said after a HS Elite camp 5-6 years ago. Maybe at that time he did have a good arm for a 17 year old but not now for a SEC QB. Maybe he had a shoulder injury or his arm strength topped out early. But just watch his throws and then watch the games on Saturday. At least 1/2 of the QB's on TV this weekend will have much greater velocity on the ball (not the only measure of a QB, I know). Probably more like 80% of the Power 5 starters, even the guys that are known as runners. They can throw the deep out and the deep post on a rope. DE16 can't.

So if it were possible to trade players in mid-season, are there any QB's in the SEC that you would trade for DE16?

I love the guy and see the majority of criticism here. Here is very much an outlier.