re: Etling is better than most think

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Just checked your link it’s not the same stat. Yours is completion avg what I’m talking about is average distance the ball travels in the air on each attempt.

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The link ranks the QBs by IAY (Average Intended Air Yards).

Still don’t know if it’s the same thing, out of 40 QBs that qualified only 2 were above 10 aDOT and none over 10.56 your link shows 6 guys over 10 IAY with 11.6 as the top guy. They’re probly similar but just seems to be a wide margin of players over 10 IAY to the aDOT stat PFF is using in this mag. Might be though.

Obsess much?

Most are just young and they have good spots but there’s no consistency, plus we have an all conference guard having to play center so that takes away a strength. It seems to be highlighted most in pass protection. I watched Charles for awhile vs Ole Miss and he’s ok if he can stay connected but his top half leans forward when speed rushers get outside of him. Instead of riding them past the pocket he chases them and gets offbalance.

I agree that Lee is similar to Elting. I think Lee had the ability to win us some games though. Elting has a lower ceiling but a higher floor, though both of them didn't have the mental toughness for Alabama. Lee would just freak out against Alabama and start throwing into coverage.

I agree, hopefully that will change for Elting in 2 weeks and he will play much better against Alabama. I don't see how we could beat them without good play from him.

LSU will never win a Championship with Etling I said it last year This site wants to win a Championship Get a Quarterback NOW

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10 pass plays over 40 yards, regardless of how it’s happening it’s more than any other QB at LSU since 2000.

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That is the worst statistic to ever quote when trying to prove how good your QB is. It is simple. Most DC's know we aren't throwing the intermediate routes (tendencies shown on tape) so they don't defend them. This allows our WR's to occasionally get behind the DBs for a deep ball. But another poster has shown GIFs where several long balls should have been TDs but were so badly under thrown that DB caught up and made the tackle.Others were defended when a properly thrown (lots of air) ball would have been six. Even the first TD by Drake Davis almost didn't happen because he had to stop in the SEZ and wait for the ball to get to him.

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Lastly

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We f**ing wish!

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we never complained when Ro was throwing behind the line bubble screens to Josh Reed

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Of course not, it was a legit part of a well rounded aerial attack that included a QB with a cannon who could make all the throws required. So when DBs have to back off to defend the post and corners, then the bubbles and flats are open and it only makes sense to take what they give. But don't confuse (as you consistently do) with what they are asking DE16 to do and what they have done with other QBs who had legit arms. Making the tough intermediate throws 6-8 times per game will lead to a lower average completion % but will also yield a more well round passing attack & make the LBs back up. Wish we could do those things now. Instead we are relegated to the high percentage short stuff and an occasional deep ball that we just pray is either caught or the WR turns into a defender and bats it down to avoid an interception. DE16 does a nice job on the short touch passes and makes it easy for RBs to catch and run.

Totally agree and thankful that we are not turning it over. But the fact remains that our OC and HC are flat out SCARED of our passing game. Evidence: Ed has repeatedly said he wants to be near 50/50 but we are far below that. Even with a poor pass blocking OL we should be able to throw quick hitting slants and curls, etc if the QB were accurate and made good decisions with a good arm. But we have abandoned than part of our game completely.

If we had 5 interceptions by DE16 in crucial times we would have 4-5 losses right now instead of 2. Of course, if we threw better we would only have one!

Conclusion: stats DO NOT tell all the story of how good your QB is playing or how much talent he has. To people that have been trained even a little (played, coached, been in film rooms, geez, even watched Gruden's TV show I imagine) you can notice the subtleties of QBs that allow them to get the job done. Sometimes those things show up in the state line in big ways and sometimes they don't. If you had a scatter sheet of DE16 completions it would be very telling about the confidence or lack thereof of the OC in our passing game. BTW, a shovel pass to JD Moore for 11 yd TD looks great in the scoring summary and might be thought of as the same as a crossing pattern from the F position in heavy traffic. But we all know that didn't & probably isn't going to happen.
Same with Moreau's 60 yd TD. Wide open on mistake by OM & a throw that Caleb Lewis, McMillian, or Russell Gage would have made. Yet some believe that is a feat of QBing expertise that is to be held up for great praise.
I am grateful he made the throw, as everyone would have done at this level, and JC ball, & high school, and most middle schools. It was a given due to a great play call & execution. Give DE16 credit for a great ball fake, BTW. That helped get him open

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He's a really average passer, which is exacerbated by having very little time to throw the ball.

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This, it's not really a knock it's just reality. Now to say he's terrible that's hyperbole. But he's at best average with what he brings to the table.

He's going to have to make decisions much faster than he did last year against Alabama. There were moments even in that game where the line was able to give him a little bit of time but he didn't do anything with it. This year I imagine he will get even less with all our O-line difficulties.