Qb or not to Qb, that is the… question.

Fu springs
2017 officially opens for… business.

Very curiously enough, spring has officially sprung down in the -warming as I type- New River Valley. That means nights on Arnold’s back poach or over on The Balcony (T.O.T.S., to the younglings among you). It also means biology lab on Slusher Beach, going to the river or to the falls.

This also means pigskins get pumped up, re-inflated and are flung on the au natural practice field or inside the synthetic Beamer Barn. Likewise, this further means another Qb derby is underway down in the 24o6o. Our third in four years if you are keeping score at home. As multi year starting, Qb1 rein holding annualized Pivots (Canadian Football League for: Qb, eh) –are becoming fossilized in the modern-era of basketball on grass, quantum specialization, and a game that keeps speeding up no matter how much the rule-book keeps trying to slow it down. Though what are the powers that be, that comprise the still somewhat new O&M junta, actually seeing on-field? Read on to find, out…

(READERs note: this article will break the Qb.VT.derby down into several different categories based upon a o-10 scale, with 10 being highest or best; and o being lowest or worst. 1 point is basically awarded objectively for each year in the program in some categories; or 1 point(s) as best that R.A.T.T. objective observation(s) so warrant, or at least, hint…)

Qb1 thru Qb4...
Qb1 thru Qb4

Metrics: (in ascending science-fact, order)

#6, A.J. Bush: 6’4”, 219 lbs., Jr., age=21.

#2, Hendon Hooker: 6’4”, (up to) 196 lbs, t-Fr., age=18.

#17, Josh Jackson: 6’1”, 211 lbs. r-Fr., age=19.

No matter who you are picking or even rooting for as Qb1 goes; there is no denying the pecking order here. JAX is the littlest engine who could; height is an issue here, so is his partial sidearm release point, ergo, so will be deflections and a few tipped passes. Metrics=4.

Hooker looks like he’s balling out at his Sr. Prom more so than he is looks ready to get doinked by 25o-3oo lb. opposing defensive-linemen. Although he has found ten odd pounds of right mass since his last football game for Dudley (high school) to his, coach Hilgirth and our dining hall’s credit. That’s the news, the good news is he still has room to grow and fill in, although you’d hope he can hang a more sporting looking ~2o5 lbs. of right mass if he wants to ball this year. Metrics=6, even though he may be closer to an 8/9 as metrics go in three to four years time.

A.J is easily the (seemingly) largest of the three; although he too looks just a bit wispy across his neck shoulders and upper-body. Very nimble, graceful, bouncy deer like vibe to his game. Bush is a very flexible pliable looking guy, like a long rubber band that you can not snap with just one hand. As Bush is probably one of those pure freak athlete hi’ metabolism guys who will stay bikini season fast-twitch thin for the rest of the game of life. Metrics=7.

Hookin', ain't, easy!
Hookin’, ain’t, easy!

Experience/Playbook:
If you ask me… and you did via reading these very words… experience is the most o-ver-ra-ted (clap-clap-clapclapclap) thing there is. Or as my reposed father (Fb/MLb V.P.I. 1949-1951) put it to me, don’t get older, get better. As this very category seems to be the very reason(s) so many traditional forth-estate Hokie pundits are already anointing Jackson as the heir apparent, or at least no less than the next Qb1 in waiting. Now to be 100% transparent, I’m not so much here as to say that that proves to be ‘rong -at least not in 2017 terms- as I am here to attempt to quantify experience and playbook acumen for you. As it may not calculus quite so shinny as those who have never worn a jock, would have you, think…

Does Joshua Jackson have an incumbent advantage here? Yes. Do we deny this? No. Nevertheless, just how big of an advantage is it? As I broke the 10 for the experience category into five points apiece for being in the program and getting quality Qb1-Qb3 reps and five more points on an annual basis for seasons played which would account for a med-red-shirt or a 5th year senior pivot smartly enough.

Jackson Experience/Playbook score=2. Why? Well Jackson scores a zero for actual playing-time itself; and his real Qb(1-3) reps slipped or outright waned after his red-shirt was custom fitted and confirmed. Yes, he got a little more work and/or repping up post-Pittsburgh, just in case Evans could not go. Though still, nothing like when he was tailgating Evans for Qb1 status back in August. So we’ll grant him two points or one point each for playbook and one for experience in the Hokie program itself. Although Joshua clearly holds an O&M playbook literacy edge over the other two would be Qb1’s at this moment; make no mistake on that.

Hendon Hooker Experience/Playbook score=1, maybe? As he did have the Fu’fense playbook and some game tapes to study at home. Although he has six more days Virginia Tech football practice experience than I have and zero collegiate game experience to boot.

A.J.  Bush Experience/Playbook score=4. Bush -same as Hooker- has been studying up on the Corny playbook and that’s one narrow point awarded right there. Bush however is the only Pivot with any real live college game experience(s) to draw upon. Having balled one year on the Ju.Co. circuit -@Iowa Western: 6o2 yards passing on 47% with 285 on the ground and 5 rushing Td’s- and having been the Nebraska Qb3 for two years. So that’s close to ~four total points earned.

Those not named Terry Bradshaw might call this a: "Bush" league grip. Don't see index on the tip sans very large paws.
Those not named Terry Bradshaw might call this a: “Bush” league grip. Don’t see index on the tip sans very large paws.

Throw-game:
Now this is where Josh Jackson has a leg up in the 2017 arms-race, courtesy of his aforementioned play-book and experience edge in Corny’s Fu’fense alike. That being credibly said, there are mixed reports outta camp already as to who brings the best throw-game arm-talent to the 2017 Virginia Tech football Qb sweepstakes derby…

Some say that A.J. Bush throws the best sideline out {sic: pattern} they have seen since Cory Holt actually had a good day(s) throwing. Some say that Hendon Hooker may be the leanest of the lot in terms of tipping the Toledo’s, and yet he has the biggest gun (arm strength) on the team. One source even indicated that the best overall pure passer was the sleeper 2018 Opie Taylor looking Qb1 of the bunch who is not even eligible to play (i.e. KU transfer 6’4” 211 lb. t-Jr. year Ryan Willis). So with some differing points of view; I’ma gonna try to list the zeta, and work my way up towards the alpha; if/when and whereas I can.

I view it fair to say that Josh Jackson does not the most Coach God given arm-talent of the 2017 big-3. His arm is good enough for the short to mid-range Fu’Fense quick-release temporal pressuring passing attack. In point of fact it might just be a better than average arm (think: a C+++/B— fence) with even better accuracy than that (A—); and it surely deploys the quickest-release just like Dan Marion, on the field. The biggest arm on the team is -pun intended- literally up for grabs. Bush and young Hooker both get a lotta juice on the ball. And to put it another way; if Hooker does not (quite) have Bush beat on arm-strength this year, he might just have him beat by next year once he sheds his homecoming king skin. So I’ll give the nod to Bush here by a hair; although this is comparing highest possible A— apples (Bush) to the lowest possible A– apples (Hooker).

Technique/throw-game mechanics paints a different picture entirely… as mentioned, Jackson has a slightly sidearm follow-through and a lower release point to begin with. Bush enjoys ginormous mitts with the likewise associated highly peculiar index throwing finger right on the nose of the football irregular grip. And Hooker shoots his throws in a very textbook perplexing way as his release point is not quite sidearm per se, although in boxing we would say he fights… small. As he has a very unusual gap between the football itself and the right ear-hole on his helmet. He also has a peculiar habit of flaying his off-hand (i.e. his left) palm open like a T.Rex with minor forelimbs ordering a triceratops to: “STOP”. Almost makes you wonder if he’s ever had some throw-shoulder (right-side) trauma and he compensated by widening his release point horizontally away from his helmet, more so than lowering it vertically. Jackson=8, Hooker=7, Bush=7.

"action" Jackson=Qb1?
action” Jackson=Qb1?

Run-game:

Same as above, let us pronounce this one relative to one another or vis-à-vis as one must be resourceful to cover this part -same as the throw-game- sans any O&M game tape to break on the Top-3 —at Virginia Tech. Someone knows someone who knows someone who said coach Corny himself said that Jackson “…is a better runner than you think.” This someone welcomes that; as this someone has Jackson pegged as Bryan Randall lyte. To be clear, yes, that is probably north of average rushing, say an easy C+++ or thereabouts. That’s not code for Sean Glennon going Arbor Day all week and routinely getting planted like a tree, although it ain’t code for MV1, or even T-mobile either. I like to view JAX as a mover more so than as a runner; or a Qb who can scramble and get the 1st down; even if he is somewhat limited to what he can accrue beyond that. He’s not a bad runner, he’s not a great runner, and he’s an okay+++ smart runner.  Nonetheless, it would remain to be seen just how much read option work you could run -efficaciously- with a kid like this; and how much would that cause/effect the overall Fu’fense’s pet play matrix itself.

Obviously enough, Mister Bush and Mister Hooker are superior ground gainers to Jackson. And yah, the sun is rumored to be, hot. The one true differential here is that Bush is noticeably larger in terms of right-mass than Hooker is and if nothing else that gives him an objective power conference D-1 contact-catching check-mark here. As the Fu’fense could run even more Qb read option plays with Bush than it could with Hooker as force does still equal mass times acceleration. And even if both dual-threat Qb’s have more acceleration than the quasi pocketed JAX does, only Bush has the most mass.

That being said, Bush strikes someone as the smoother looking runner thus far. Kinda like a John Stallworth smooth ball-carrier who does not appear to be going that fast until you realize he is pulling away from you when you give chase. Bush industrializes lottsa slip-moves, feints, shoulder dips and the like. Although he’s a better pure rusher than Evans just was; I’ll put it that way. Hooker on the other hand has a more cutty darty ankle breaking style to his run-shape. Perhaps a little more explosive and Hooker is at least no less elusive than the other two Qb(s) in the 2017 Pivot Derby. If possible, one could dare to opine that Hooker might have the highest game breaking rushing ceiling of the three (long-term). Even if Bush is jut a scosche ahead physically speaking at this very moment. Making Bush and Hooker are your 1, 1a or 1a, 1 top-2 Qb rushers with a bullet; …take thy pick. Jackson=6, Bush=8, Hooker=8.

Intangibles:
Always the least objective category to weigh –barring a known (published), training-room, classroom, or off-field condition. That caveat firmly in place, here goes…

Josh Jackson: stop me if you’ve read this one before, though rain is rumored to be wet and there are those who hint that Joshua came up in a football family and a football environment. He’s basically been immersed, submerged or baptized -which is actually Greek for: “drowning”, as he’s basically been drowning in football since he was old enough -or big enough- to pick up a football itself. Not many kids can rightfully say that; and that gives him the credible leg-up here. Everything else checks out swell enough, with no bad rumors or whispers here; even seems a bit old-school “clean-cut” by modern fb.com ethos era standards. Score=9.

Hendon Hooker: if anything, Hooker may be even “cleaner cut” than Jackson is. With two visible tats for JAX and none for H2o. The vibes say he showed up and starting leading like it was “his” team from day #1. Or as a kid who internally fully expects to start this year. That either goes over really well, or not well at all, as there is no real middle-ground on the reception any loquacious 18 year old rookie would be alpha Qb is given. Some hit, some miss, and some have to learn patience and play the wait-(n-see) game. As Hooker reminds me more than a little bit of the Vince Howard kid or the 2nd Qb from Friday Night Lights TV series fame. Nonetheless, I’m encouraged here; as this is an extremely self-confident via being extremely self-determined kid; so here’s hoping this nugget or rookie year swag’ baller is well received by the upperclassmen, plural. Score=6.

A.J. Bush: same as H2o above is not as well pronounced or as well known as a potential Qb1 commodity goes as say JAX is. The hints here read that A.J. indeed did clash with his offensive coordinator at Nebraska. Accordingly, it is my personal playing and covering the game experience that that sorts out to 19 times outta 20. Or about 95% of the time that is someway/somehow more on the baller and less on the coach | and about 5% of the time there is some kinda real or perceived coaching vs. playing hygiene that is just no good (or more cynically on the staff). Bush has more of a happy-go-lucky persona, he has smiles (plural) and he’s an easily affable guy. Though still, three colleges in your four year collegiate career could be seen as two colleges too many. The early vibes are that he has been a pleasant surprise, both on and off the field; still yet, there is a history here and that thins his intangible tally a bit. Score=4.

VT 2017 Qb matrix

IF, we just had to play wvu tomorrow, your starting Qb would be... who???

View Results

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Now, and here’s a thought for all of you… what if the 2017 Virginia Tech football starting Qb1 is not the 2018 Virginia Tech football starting Qb1? Or in other words … depth … which is still the only good problem to have in all of sport.

As this is almost assuredly the best Qb1-Qb2-Qb3-Qb4 (eligible next year); top-4 gunslingers since Bryan Randall and MV2; or since MV1 on his own merits alone; or in the history of Virginia Tech football itself. Take thy pick…

***

Though do not bet everything that you own, then steal thy neighbor’s dog and bet him too that this years starting Qb1 won’t be next years back-up Qb2.

And remember, you read that one… here; first!

Jackson=29, Hooker=28, Bush=3o

LETS GO!

Hokies!

bourbonstreet**

V.A.D.A. approved

Palm Sunday Entry of TRIUMPH

19 Responses You are logged in as Test

    1. Now that’s what big-O, myself and the Magic Johnson all call a … triple-double entrada.

      bravo!
      b.street

  1. Not really sure what this article was trying to say. Tried to be way too clever and it comes off as unintelligible goop (yah, the sun is rumored to be hot).
    Apparently the readers don’t agree with the analysis contained herein & the QB matrix that indicates it should be Bush because Jackson got 76% of the vote.
    ???????

    1. 1. and to be perfectly direct… I’m pretty surprised/impressed Bush was afford that much of the vote.

      2. no worries!
      Hate. Like. Read. Preach.
      It is all good here. We have no TOS and guess what?
      we’ve never once had to ban anyone. Odd how that has worked (out); right?

      thanks for reading and replying Warped.
      b.street

  2. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and for Fufense beauty is a read-option machine that takes care of the ball w/ a 12 gauge to hit the deep ball by catching the Safety cheating. Once again your analysis is spot on, as there are multiple factors deciding VT next Gun slinger. A thought to consider—Fufense hates turnovers, whomever is most mature to not try and force the action and become a superstar wins this air raid derby battle. Most mature = Jackson. GSO’s finest looks good in red this fall, whilst Señor Bush is the back-up.

    Good luck Easter egg hunting and thanks for the QB article as we’ve been living in a void of information and each bit is well appreciated.

    Let’s Go…Hokies
    T-13 days till lift off…..

    1. That is certainly -if not entirely- possible.
      The individual Turnover Margin could eliminate 1 or 2 Qb’s.
      Might even win it for the other one.

      However; this this O will -at some point- need a Qb who can MAKE a play happen and create for himself, or for others; on his own. As Tb is not dominate. And the other play making position (Wr’s) need time. Last year we had the returning starting Wr’s to cover all of that. Now? Not so much.

      So “yes”, the leaner turnover Qb could start out the winner.
      Though what if that O stalls too much vs. wvu and Clemson early on?

      Makes me wonder if that risk:reward matrix gets revisited outta Tb, Wr, and right-side Oline necessity later on.

      b.street

  3. B’St. Bud said at a recruiting event that HH had already put on several pounds. So he is north of the listed 196. To be honest it sort of drives me crazy that the Hokiesports site did not update the players heights and weights after winter conditioning. But maybe thats just me.

    1. Oh really?
      I thought the 196 to be THE update itself?

      Well that would be worth +1 in metrics if true.

      thank you!
      b.street

  4. Could the 2018 starter not be on campus yet? BTW my Dad graduated in ’50 and I’m sure saw your Dad play. Very lean years to say the least

    1. Ah-ha.
      VERY sharp Eye!
      +1.

      I know of at least one source who say: “yes”.
      the Illinois kid (Q.Patterson) is the true cock of the walk.
      Just as soon as he arrives on campus.

      b.street

    2. Really trstwtoruhy blog. Please keep updating with great posts like this one. I have booked marked your site and am about to email it to a few friends of mine that I know would enjoy reading..

  5. B-street’s writing style is a breath of fresh air. Keep it up bro. My money is on Josh J to be the man this year.

    1. Thank you.
      And most of the b-speak is kaput; at that.
      Go fig’, right?

      b.street

  6. I wish you wouldn’t be so creative with your choice of words. Just a little too hard to follow …that sometimes I just skip the article as I just don’t have the energy to concentrate as hard as I need to ….

    1. This may stun you; though I (truly) found it to be, thin.
      As in dilute.

      I was this close (index mashed to thumb) to going in last nite and creating room for 2 really fun words to dress it up as I honestly thought it, just a bit, dull.

      b.street

      1. Bs,
        NG, bro. Only 30% AR. Need to tighten it up.
        No matter who barks @ Q, Bu’fense gonna have to cover for Ju’fense. Shades of Beams, from years, gone by.
        All just lazy spec. Hooks gonna be uncooked & cornfused, as in don’t know if Lincoln was shot or hit with a pineapple cornfused.
        Bushman here as Father Time for baby new year.
        JJ has to stick, it & show why Fu NASDAQ’d him last year. As good or better than 4?
        We shall see, bro-hammer. We shall, see.
        Solid?

        1. Hooks hates the VT drama club?

          +1 for NASDAQ.

          And yah; I was wondering if Sept. might regress to something of a Beamerball total O wise until they improve and/or sort out… we shall see.

          solid,
          b.street

        2. &nm;a;&nbspsEspenSpmbe her Vegar. Så ALDRI på det under race. Men pulsbelte er uansett vondt å ha på seg. Brukte det sist på intervall økt, men når det viste 211 i pausen da jeg føltes ut som jeg hadde 130 så gadd jeg ikke mer!Tror et batteriskifte må til! Men enig at det er kult å se på i ettertid igrunn.Løper du på Onsdag vegar?

  7. Yeah, my first reaction with my female Shepard (paragon and nice to her) was absolute horror. My Shepard would not hit on a loern-rawked crew member that was in essence her secretary. No, no, no, no, no.Which is a pity, because she seems like she’d be an interesting person with whom to have a relationship (again, if you can get past being her BOSS).

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