watching Hackenberg on Gruden QB camp

[needmorecowbell]

and I am more convinced than ever that Franklin and crew screwed him up. The offense he ran as a freshman was very sophisticated and he used a lot of NFL concepts. Gruden asked him why did you change your feet? And he started killing his footwork. Then it was noted that the coaches changes up his footwork and that's what they wanted him to do. I feel bad for the guy. He had the #1 pick wrapped up and then he gets screwed up. Hopefully he ends up in Houston.

 

[ScarletNYC]

Not to mention, he played behind the worst O-line in the Big Ten.

 

[Caliknight]

That kid is a stud. Penn States coach is an utter moron.

 

[160louis]

I think he's simply not that good. Jay Cutler type. Great physical tools but not particularly accurate and low football IQ

 

[Caliknight]

If you watched him as a freshman, you wouldn't say that. Of course, he played for a real coach then.

 

[vkj91]

and I am more convinced than ever that Franklin and crew screwed him up. The offense he ran as a freshman was very sophisticated and he used a lot of NFL concepts. Gruden asked him why did you change your feet? And he started killing his footwork. Then it was noted that the coaches changes up his footwork and that's what they wanted him to do. I feel bad for the guy. He had the #1 pick wrapped up and then he gets screwed up. Hopefully he ends up in Houston.

What did Gruden respond about the coaches suggestion to change his footwork?

 

[Beancounter88]

Why do people feel they need to apologize or justify why the guy sucked the last couple of years. Wouldn't you think at least half of the QBs in college have to deal with a coaching change during their 3-4 years and it's not like he didn't have good RBs or WRs. A lot of experts say that, while his OL was not great, a lot of sacks are on him for not having pocket presence and holding onto the ball. How great were the OLs on Cal, N Dakota St and Memphis - I don't hear any excuses about those guys.

 

[Caliknight]

Because he was arguably the first pick in the draft as a freshmen. Then his coach left and his play completely changed. The system wasn't right for him and Franklin clearly wasn't able to adapt.

 

[MADHAT1]

Hackenberg chose Penn St and what happened while he was there is his problem.
But it seems like he felt misused by the time he left the Nit FB program and that's on Penn St.

 

[ScarletKnightRider]

How many wide open receivers does he have to miss for people to realize that he's simply not as good as everyone initially thought? I don't care what system you are in, if you're that inaccurate, that is a problem that won't just magically go away once you get to the NFL. He's not the first QB in the history of mankind to post a promising freshman year before steadily declining. It's excuse after excuse with this guy.

 

[needmorecowbell]

What did Gruden respond about the coaches suggestion to change his footwork?

Gruden just stopped and said something like, you got to get that straightened out, then they moved on. Gruden then asked him what was the difference between O'brien and Franklin and Hack didn't kill Franklin but the first thing he said was he likes to recruit and let his assistant coaches take care of the details.

 

[needmorecowbell]

How many wide open receivers does he have to miss for people to realize that he's simply not as good as everyone initially thought? I don't care what system you are in, if you're that inaccurate, that is a problem that won't just magically go away once you get to the NFL. He's not the first QB in the history of mankind to post a promising freshman year before steadily declining. It's excuse after excuse with this guy.

The problem is, in his freshman year he was hiting open guys and then mysteriously when Franklin was his coach he started missing them. Gruden identified drastic changes in his footwork that he said was clearly the issue. The coaches made the changes. The QB position is very technical and this kid was just given bad technique. I think he turns out to be a good pro. I'm not saying he's a pro bowler but I can't wait to see him with some real coaching again.

 

[mdk01]

If the rumors are true about the Browns trading their 1st rd pick I wouldn't be surprised if they grab Hackenberg with their pick in the 2nd.

 

[Lionguy32]

His freshman year stats were helped tremendously by Allen Robinson.

 

[Rokodesh]

 

[Cheesesteak Vegas]

If you watched him as a freshman, you wouldn't say that. Of course, he played for a real coach then.

Hackenberg wasn't particularly accurate as a freshmen either. Pro Football Focus graded his 2013 season at -24.7, worse than his junior season. He also benefited greatly that year from Allen Robinson both taking routine catches for big gains and finding a way to bring in questionable passes. Don't get me wrong, when you consider his age and the complexities of O'Brien's offense, Hack's freshmen year was his best. He also absolutely was a round peg in a square hole under the new staff, but he has plenty of his own issues that will need to be coached up in the NFL.

He does have loads of potential, though, if he can get himself right. He looks like a relatively high-risk, super high-reward selection to me. If he can land in a good spot where he can learn for a year or two - say Arizona, maybe - I think he could end up being the best quarterback in this class. Gruden saying that he would be "shocked" if Hack doesn't go in the first round is a little strong to me; I'm thinking the second round is likely.

 

[PatrickRU92]

Cry me a f***ing river. Guy was the top QB recruit in the country, could have gone anywhere and he willingly CHOSE to go to Culty Valley 5 minutes after their twisted culture was exposed.

Stupidity is hard to sympathize with.

 

[PSUPALY]

Cry me a f***ing river. Guy was the top QB recruit in the country, could have gone anywhere and he willingly CHOSE to go to Culty Valley 5 minutes after their twisted culture was exposed.

Stupidity is hard to sympathize with.

 

[rurichdog]

 

[Caliknight]

With the right coaching, the kid is an NFL starter. Let's revisit in 3 years. He needs to be deprogrammed from Franklin.

Franklin is a terrible coach. The guy lucked himself into a head coaching role when he is at best an ace recruiter on a real staff handling defensive back duties.

Schools like Ohio St. don't make coaching mistakes like that.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I actually will be rooting for him in the NFL. I feel bad for the kid. Franklin screwed him up.

 

[PSUPALY]

I actually will be rooting for him in the NFL. I feel bad for the kid. Franklin screwed him up.

maybe....but I think there's a lot to be said that Hack didn't fit in his system...at all.

oh...and our OL was possibly the worst OL in D1 football....that didn't help.

 

[Cheesesteak Vegas]

With the right coaching, the kid is an NFL starter. Let's revisit in 3 years. He needs to be deprogrammed from Franklin.

Franklin is a terrible coach. The guy lucked himself into a head coaching role when he is at best an ace recruiter on a real staff handling defensive back duties.

Schools like Ohio St. don't make coaching mistakes like that.

Franklin has some questions to answer regarding his in-game coaching, that's fair. But he's just not a pro-style guy. It was poor timing for Hack, who has plenty of his own developing still to do.

 

[kjb32812]

I think he's simply not that good. Jay Cutler type. Great physical tools but not particularly accurate and low football IQ

Correct about his accuracy but his football IQ is off the charts. He had been on campus for four months and was coming to the line with three plays called and then pulling the trigger from there. You can question a lot of things, but football IQ isn't one of them.

 

[kjb32812]

I've said this before, but your hatred of Franklin is misplaced in this instance. There is only one Penn State Football Head Coach who screwed over Christian Hackenberg and his name isn't James Franklin.

Nobody ever says that though because the guy who got the Big Four together with their families and lied to them isn't considered sleazy or a snake oil salesman so its okay that he blatantly lied to them and made promises he couldn't keep.

GMAFB