I look at it this way, the kid can already run the pro offense. He has a very strong arm, quick release, underrated athletic ability. If his only major issue is to improve his footwork on throws, then I have to say that's not a huge problem to have - compared to QBs like Geno Smith who need to be told where to throw the football because he can't read defenses.
Geno's got a better arm and is a far better athlete at the position. Both have issues with their eyework and footwork in the pocket. Cook this game showed a lot of accuracy issues, on the final drive for instance he was so anxious and gunhappy with so many high throws. It was tough to watch, such gimmie throws against a pretty soft secondary and defense. Cook's got a lot of work to do heading into 2015.
Geno has better physical attributes - but his football IQ is shit. I think Cook still needs more seasoning, but he's a far better pro prospect than Geno Smith. Cook showed in a big game he could overcome adversity after that interception. Not even worth the comparison IMO.
Completely disagree. Footwork is a MAJOR issue and is the same issue Geno suffers from. If your footwork is poor, then you will always be an erratic thrower of the ball because it's your foundation. I'm one of the biggest Geno critics on here but I've always give him credit for his ability to make the right reads considering his age and lack of experience in a pro-style offense. If you go back and review all of his INTs, you see that the vast majority are due to bad throws or late throws not bad reads. That said, I don't think his footwork is as bad as Geno's. I also agree that his arm strength, quick release and athleticism are all what one looks for in addition to his size.
Yeah the first two shots at the endzone sailed like crazy. He was probably scared to make a mistake after that dumb int.
He does not have the same footwork issues as Geno Smith - even so footwork is always coach-able. The kid can take snaps from virtually anywhere on the football field. Geno never demonstrated that ability in college. Cook has and well it is inconsistent now it can improve. It's the only knock on his game right now. Geno had plenty coming out of college, footwork was just 1 of them. MSU is a well taught football program as well. In regards to your bold, the coaching staff lost so much trust in Geno Smith that they told him where to throw the ball pre-snap so I don't see the value in this argument.
Cook will be the far better QB than Geno. That's just such an insult. Cook has his faults, he needs to work on a couple things this offseason, but Cook never gives up and actually can be relied on in the clutch. Cook has come through so many times in the clutch. Geno faded in college when things got tough.
Without a blocked FG, Baylor wins this game. No questions asked. Connor Cook doesn't get to become a hero without that block. MSU's defense BLOWS WVU's D out of the water when Geno was around. Like its not even comparable.
Geno got to play in a weak conference (Big East) and then a conference that neglects defense (Big 12) This wasn't Cook's first time leading a comeback. Watch the Rose Bowl, or Big Ten Championship game from last year. Geno is ranked around 29/30th QB in the NFL. Do you really think Cook won't be able to achieve more?
The Purdue's, the Maryland's, the Indiana's aren't really known for their defenses. Right now Cook isn't ready for the pros. Its why I said he and Christian Hackenberg need to really step it up in 2015 to reach their upside. With Geno it comes down to consistency and turnovers which have plagued him. With the amount of missed throws Cook has shown today or vs Notre Dame last year, he would get eaten alive by pro defenses on opening day 2015. Teams will fool with him with disguises he doesn't get to see because of the athlete difference in the pro level.
Well, yeah the bottoms of any conference would be known for that. Hackenberg? He had more INT's than TD's. Cook had 24 TD's 8 INT. I don't even see the comparison. You keep bringing up Cook's first career start as a sophomore against ND. That means absolutely nothing. Geno threw three picks against Syracuse as a sophomore in college. Why did we draft him again?