Does the Broncos Answer at Quarterback Lie In the Big Ten Conference?
Jan 12, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA;Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones (12) throws during the first quarter in the 2015 CFP National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Oregon Ducks 42-20. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The good:
He has an absolute cannon for an arm (hence his nickname “12 Gauge”), is incredibly mobile for being 6’5, 250 pounds, throws an amazing deep ball, and is overall pretty accurate. What’s not to like about Cardale Jones?
His sample size may be as small as they get (three games), but he showed more than enough in those games to prove that he belongs amongst the ranks of college football’s top quarterbacks. Against Alabama and Wisconsin, two of the best defenses in the country, Jones picked them both apart, throwing for a combined 500 yards and four touchdowns to just one lone interception.
The bad:
No matter how you look at it, three games is three games regardless of the competition. Jones will have to beat out the likes of J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller to retain the starting job at quarterback, then he’ll have to prove to the rest of the world that those three contests were no fluke.
Performing at a high level for less than a handful of games is vastly different than producing at such a rate for an entire season. As for what Jones still has to work on, his poise in the pocket and ball placement must improve if he is to keep his lofty first-round draft projection.
Signature moments:
- 2014 Big Ten Championship vs. Wisconsin: 12/17, 257 passing yards, 3 TDs/0 INTs, 255.8 QB Rating
- 2015 Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama: 18/35, 243 passing yards, 1 TD/1 INT, 113.5 QB Rating
- 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship vs. Oregon: 16/23, 242 passing yards, 1 TDs/1 INT, 163.6 QB Rating