I can’t help but be wary of the hype that is beginning to envelop USC freshman quarterback Matt Barkley.
In my mind, the problem here is that people are looking at him and making him into something he is not.
There are comparisons to Elway, Manning, Palmer and Montana already.
Now, I am not a shrinking violet when it comes to dubbing players as budding stars.
But I think in Barkley’s case, he is being hyped for the wrong reasons. I’d feel much better about it if the hype was properly placed.
Let’s look at what Barkley is NOT: He is not a physical phenom. He is not 6-4 or 6-5 and he does not throw lasers. Nor is he particularly mobile or athletic. In these respects, he is not comparable to guys like Manning, Elway or Palmer.
He is probably a shade under 6-2 (he is listed at 6-3). He is stocky at 230 pounds and shaped like a box. He is a guy who was physically developed before everyone else in high school and thus he is unlikely to grow much more (save sideways). He has a tendency to overstride when throwing, which can make his release point even lower.
He’s got a strong arm, but it’s not the kind of arm that makes your eyes pop out (not like Elway or Palmer). He’s decently accurate, but not incredibly so.
His senior year of high school, he had a 23-to-18 TD-to-INT ratio. Even his junior year stats, while excellent, were not the stuff of legend.
Now, that said, let’s look at his strengths.
He’s got a preternatural understanding of pro-style passing offenses. He has an amazing feel for the game and a steady confidence that keeps him steeled through adversity. He seems to know where his receivers are at all times, even when his shoulders are perpendicular to the line of scrimmage. He’s very competitive and thinks every ball he throws is going to be caught (this mentality can get him into trouble). He’s a leader beyond his years.
The point I am trying to make is that his exceptionalism is rooted in his mental, not his physical gifts. Therefore, he has some limits to how good he can be. He’s not going to be flying sideways through the air like Elway to get a first down.
In other words, I think he is a perfect fit for his pro-style system and he will maximize it in the college game. He will be a star, but not a transformational player and he will always have some limitations due to his lack of mobility and height.
Much of the hype surrounding him comes from his playing at Mater Dei High School, which of course was where Matt Leinart prepped, and his association with (supposed) quarterback guru Steve Clarkson who is a master of applying hyperbole to his clients (he once said that Jimmy Clausen was the LeBron James of high school football). And Pete Carroll and his staff are really excited about him (for good reason).
Barkley is going to be very good, maybe even great. He will show flashes of that this year (and tomorrow against OSU) and will probably be a Heisman candidate before his sophomore year is through.
But let’s enjoy him for what he is, not what he isn’t, okay?
What a game. Sloppy. But wow.
After watching tonight’s game I agree HP. Musberger/ESPN tried to make him sound like the savior who willed them to victory on that final drive, when it was the offensive line and McKnight who were the key players. Right now he looks like any other USC QB who can throw it up to freakishly athletic wide receivers that can out-jump the defensive backs while being protected by a five-star offensive line. The good news for USC is he looks like that as a freshman rather than as a senior like Booty, so there’s lots of room for improvement.
I think that, in time, the coaching staff is going to take the training wheels off of Barkley and let him make plays with his arm.
Until then, he certainly looks like the real deal.
How’s his arm feeling today?
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