I don't generally watch college football. I don't like the game. It's slow, the offenses are terrible, the defenses are worse. The best thing about it is the atmosphere. Which is incredible. But the games, eh.
I watched the Ohio State vs. Michigan game because I had family in town. And they live in Ann Arbor and bleed blue. About halfway through the second quarter, I turned to my relative and said, "team is great. Your QB is very not great." I will admit, at that time, I'm not sure i even knew his name.
And then all of a sudden, all of these things started coming out about McCarthy challenging for one of the top spots, or a great deal in a trade down. So I decided to take a look. I watched every play of the Michigan vs. Alabama game and took notes.
Bottom line up front: He stinks. Based on my 2 games watching him. One very closely, one not as closely.
Other thoughts:
- He's late to throw a lot even though he's looking right at the receiver which is his primary read.
- While he was 16/23, at least 8 of his completions were screens or balls that traveled less than 10 yards in the air.
- He didn't pre-read the field at all. He was told where to throw the ball, and for the most part, did. The best example was on a 3rd and 9. The receiver to the right was CLEARLY 1:1, there wasn't a second defender within 15 yards. The CB was playing press-man. If McCarthy recognized this, and again, it's 3rd and 9 and you have a 1:1, that's a win for a QB from a read perspective, they would have had a TD. The WR chucked the CB on his ass. If McCarthy just moon balls one out there, it's a first down at worst, and a TD at best. Never looked at it pre-snap or post snap. Threw directly to a TE who was covered and immediately tackled.
- On another third down and 8, he was looking directly at a crosser running completely free wide open 4 yard short of the sticks, turned it down, presumably because it was short of the sticks. Pressure came, he bailed the pocket, ran right, and threw underneath to another receiver who was 4 yards short of the sticks who was tackled. If you're going to turn down the easy throw to the short guy who's on the move in the pattern of the play, you can't bail and then check it down.
- He has to wait for receivers to make their break to throw the ball.
- Michigan schemed some guys so wide open, most HS QBs could hit them.
- His best play was a modified flea-flicker where he threw the ball to a receiver to his right, who threw it back to him and then he threw the ball down field. The problem was the pass back to him was atrocious, and he had to jump up and catch it, then organize himself to make his throw, both of which he did very well.
- Whenever he threw deep to the outside, the ball was late, slow and high. BAD BAD BAD.
- He had 3 plays which were either completions for big yards or an incomplete which would have ended up with his receiver being escorted to the blue tent after the ball was intercepted in the NFL. (Unless JDR was coordinating the defense, then it might have been ok.)
Overall, the tape stunk. Just awful. I am going to go do the same thing for Maye an Daniels at some point this week. I'm not going to bother with Williams. He's going to be picked by the Bears.
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