So, instead of calling out film times and specific plays let me lay my opinion out like this. I've basically watched about 6 hours of the various "tape" that has been posted on TGG and other sites and this is what I see. I see a kid, who as a Freshman, was hand picked by Bill O'Brien to come in and run his system. He did it as about as flawlessly as could be expected for an 18yr. old kid. In fact more so...his football IQ was a revelation to the country and if you read his back story he's basically been groomed since a child...and groomed is the wrong word for it because, as his father tells it, he wasn't going to shove football down his neck....Christian WANTED it. To hear his father...ALL his coaches tell it...he was insatiable. Watching him break down tape on the whiteboard for Gruden....don't watch Hack...watch Gruden...you can almost see him orgasm. I would say, from a cerebral perspective, he may be on par with or maybe MORE of a football brain as Pennington...the best part...without the noodle arm. Now, I've seen his horrific tosses to RB's feet and you can definitely see the "touch" issues on the RB swings and short receiver outs and curls. On some of the plays it's the footwork and on others it's the lack of patience and then on others it's the pressure. The patience will come along with experience and the footwork is probably the most fixable aspect of his game. There is, however, no excuse for the amount of pressure this kid was under the last two years. James Franklin should be absolutely ASHAMED of the offensive line he fielded as a D1 Big 10 football program! I have to think if I've seen a line THAT bad at the HS level let alone D1 ball. While I'm on the topic of James Franklin...yeah, he won't be coach at Penn State for long. Really...you try to shoehorn a talent like Hackenberg into "his" version of an offense? Upon doing that...implementing a read option pistol...you don't put together a D1 capable Offensive Line to "protect" your asset? They had exactly TWO offensive players worthy of being on that field...Saquon Barkley, the RB everyone is commenting on, and Hackenberg. Yeah, it does sound like a truck load of excuses but there is no greater team sport than football. Yes, it does focus around the QB...however, he can't catch the ball, he can't block, he can't tackle... Between the dropped passes and lack of time after the snap it's a wonder he won any games at all. I did some digging and couldn't find a dropped passes statistic for all of college football but I'd bet Penn State was in the top 10 of ALL of college football. Not saying Christian is exempt but I can make a very strong case, based on what he did as a Freshman, and seeing the CLEAR delineation/cut to James Franklin and his freak show mess he brought to Penn State. It's stark and immediate.
Of he can fox his footwork and touch passes hell be a candidate to start in 2017. I like what i see in reads. Thisbis the part of the game that most qbs struggle with. Its Genos biggest problem. At this level the physical talent is about as good as its gonna get. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
Love this guy. His Leonard Williams video was excellent. Also he tore apart Oakman in the same set of vids. Going to the gym now. Will watch while walking on tread.
The most concerning part of Hacks game is the accuracy in tight coverage. When WRs are WIDE open he hits them all the time with accuracy and velocity on the throw. Where he needs work is when the WR is in tight coverage he usually misses high, he doesn't throw his WR open he just launches it too high where the WR can't make a play.
I am kindof hoping that bringing Hackenberg in one of the requirements for his development and the Jets success is continuity of the offensive system. Hopefully bringing in the rookie means Gailey has signed on for the long-term.
Seems like the guy is a sponge and LOVES football. That's always a good thing. From a mental and personality perspective he seems quite perfect.
This guy was full of s.hit snd wrong about Mariota. If I remember correctly, he preferred Mettenberger over Mariota. He has a QB type that he jacks off to. Hack is his type.
For me watching the Gruden camp was very very interesting. I think Gruden may have nailed what happened to him when he changed up his footwork. Early on his left foot was always the back foot and then the new CS wanted him to make his right foot the back foot – now rewatch the other film and look prior to the snap which was the back foot and then review the accuracy of the throw. Agree that Gruden RAVED about his ability to whiteboard – not sure many 18 year olds would have been able to run what was in effect the Patriots offence per the conversation. Initially was bummed by the choice but the more I see the more I like it
He changed it because he was asked to, he went back to what was comfortable as time went on. If you get a chance, watch the Gruden clip on you tube, it was insightful, and I do like Gruden, he is straight forward and simplistic in his approach.
That Gruden video was excellent. I'm coming around also after watching Gruden. I don't listen to Mayock, or Bucky, I'll listen to Gruden before any of those other clowns on NFL network.
I gotta say, after watching Gruden's QB Camp on Hackenberg, I'm slowly starting to come around. I'm fine with experimenting with a QBs footwork to see if it can be better, but it was obviously not working and the coaching staff clearly wasn't letting him do what was comfortable and worked. If your footwork is off, your timing is going to be off, it's going to feel wrong, and all of that will in turn making throwing the ball more awkward reducing accuracy. He has some touch issues, but I think with NFL quality receivers and time spent with them, this could drastically improve. As for what I do like, I like his mental game. He isn't a one-read QB (Geno) and unlike Sanchez, can hit a RB on a screen. During games, you can see him visually going through his reads when his first or second options aren't open and he doesn't try to force it to his first reads anyway. I also like his pocket presence. Despite a garbage offensive line, he showed some good presence to step up in the pocket to buy himself a couple more seconds to let a receiver get open and he has surprising speed for a pocket QB. All in all, his positives are things that are tougher to teach and his negatives are things that someone as intelligent as him should learn from good coaches and teammates (if we ever get a legit vet on the team which doesn't appear to happen this year).
I like Gruden a lot as well. I don't think I'd like him as much as the Jets' HC, but I like him as a commentator on TV.
You know...I want to make one more point. You all can read into it however you want... Upon the completion of Penn State's last bowl game on 1/2/2016...what did Christian Hackenberg do? In his post bowl comments he said this... He announced he was done with Penn State Football and entering the draft. That kid couldn't get out of there fast enough. He didn't have to say James Franklin and that horror of an offense sucked...you saw it, I saw it and he made no mistake how he felt... Stating you are leaving your school before you've taken your jersey off and removed your eye black is a pretty damning testament.
Are you kidding - this is a kid who could have transferred out of Penn State before he arrived and again after BOB left for the Texans - he stayed there and gave it his all. I have not heard any negative comments by his teammates. He waited until after the Bowl Game - how many Juniors declared in 2015 long before they had finished their season including some taken in the top 10- Leonard Floyd, Ezekiel Elliot & Ronnie Staley. What is your view on them you must really think they are even worse as theyquit on their teammates even with games still to be played. APOLOGIES MEZZAVO - SEE OP CLARIFICATION LATER IN THREAD
Thank goodness this thread came about. All the bitching, cursing and moaning in the other Hackenberg thread had the smell of a 4 year old's tantrum on Christmas. After looking at what is out there I think we have ourselves a very smart qb that was in a shit situation. Look what happened with our system and tools to an at best average but smart qb last season? Imagine if Fitz had the arm this kid does. He didn't leave early because he thought he was that good, he left because the situation he faced was THAT BAD. Most of us have been in a situation where our employer ran a shit show, and even though you might be doing the best you can, the end product becomes crap. Penn State was poised for a collapse after the disgusting things that happened there. This guy stuck it out as long as he could. And was he throwing a fit like a ego maniac like Cutler? Nope, he tried and he is moving on. I posted a video that largely got ignored in the other thread and one of the biggest things I took away was that the new coaches tried to change him into a trendy system. The Pistol was a big reason why his footwork looked so bad and translated to bad throws. A horrible line that couldn't give him time and he has to throw with no set up and no time. He was doomed to abandon what he was previously taught and probably knew better. His failure is like a straight A student getting a D for a change, you can either accept it and get better or flame out and blame it on someone else. I don't believe he will flame out. Thank goodness he escaped Penn State. And we should welcome a very intelligent talent. Not bank on our history of ineptness.
I apologize, Will, I didn't word this properly...you missed my meaning. I LOVE that he came out and I love the pick.... The point I was TRYING to make, let me try this again, is.....That kid had every opportunity to leave. The sanctions hit...he could have changed commitment. When O'Brien left Saban was in his ear begging for him to come to Bama...he could have flushed a year and transfer yet he maintained his commitment to the team, University and fans. However, two years in that shit ball offense and getting his ass kicked up and down the field...with no support from his coaches...he had had enough. This kid had had so much of enough that he didn't wait until he showered...he didn't wait until the jersey was off...he ended his career right then and there. To support how much of a stand up guy he was you made my point for me by reiterating how some of these other asshole athletes do it...declaring before a season is finished etc... He respected his teammates enough to not let it become a distraction in season...although, if it would have helped the blocking maybe he should have.... Hopefully my point was better made with this post. lol
Thats more of a footwork issue honestly, whenever he misses high or low he's throwing all arm and no lower body. When he sets his feet he fits the ball into tight windows and anticipates throws really well. A lot of his issues are mechanical.
I just watched the Gruden special. If I heard him correctly, it sounds like for his last game he went back to his shotgun footwork from his freshman year. Seems like there was an internal struggle going on between him and the coaching staff about that.
I think calling it an "internal struggle" is putting it kindly. It sounds as if it was an internal BATTLE! Crazy insane...
