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Articles
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Improving on passing efficiency
A binary quarterback Malamute, 16 March 2009
With a healthy, mobile Jake Locker returning at quarterback, Washington has a good chance to make a marked improvement in that number. Add to his return a leaner more mobile offensive line, better QB mentoring, a pro-style offense, and an improved receiver corps. Of all of Washington's shoddy numbers from last season, passing efficiency has the best chance to improve. But any sanguinity about an improved rating -- which translates into a higher-completion percentage, more yards per passing attempt and a positive touchdown-to-interception ratio -- is faced with a binary quarterback. As far as passing-efficiency per game goes, Jake's rating is either on or off, either good or horrid. Over his 16-game career, the Junior to be has had a rating of 100-plus-per-game in 9 of them, for an average rating of 129.14. In the other 7 games, he has a mediocre average rating of 77.14. The question is, in a per game sense, which Locker will step up to the plate -- the 0 or the 1, as far as throwing goes? See our article "Two-armed Jake." Also, see Table 1 below for a summary of Locker's career passing statistics. (Notice the numbers highlighted in bold). Locker missed the Cal game in 2007 and sat out the remainder of the 2008 season after being injured in its fourth game against Stanford while throwing a block. Last season, Ronnie Fouch filled in at quarterback for Locker, playing in 12 games, while completing 113 of 250 passes for 1339 yards, along with 13 picks and 4 touchdowns. His passing efficiency rating was 85.1. At times, Fouch was hampered by poor pass blocking, little or no run support, and some questionable play calling. He has the ability to throw the long ball. Playing behind Locker for much of the first four games, Fouch completed 25 of 47 passes for 325 yards, with 2 touchdowns and no picks. This translates into a rating of 125.32, and demonstrates his potential. His season's rating of 85.1, though, is not a good number. For example, Mike Hartline of Kentucky finished 100th in FBS football in passing efficiency last season with a rating of 104.71. Locker's career rating over 16 games is nearly that, at 104.68. His rating last season over 4 games was 103.6 and, the year before, in 12 games played, was 105. He's completed 48.7% of his passes over his career at Washington. To improve on his passing proficiency in 2009, Jake's passing skills will need to survive tough defensive teams like LSU, USC and Notre Dame; otherwise, if the last two seasons' numbers are any indication, his PE will be sputtering near 105 again. His pass receivers will need to get open in those games and be more sure-handed. To help him complete some throws, the offensive line will need to buy him time. Coach Steve Sarkisian's mentoring should make Locker a better passer, along with his pro-style offense. As a consequence of that offense, he should run the ball less often than he has in the past and sustain fewer hits that could whittle away at his throwing accuracy as a game progresses. Locker's mobility is a huge threat: (1) to nullify the pass rush, and (2) to take the ball down field. Led by D'Andre Goodwin (60 catches, 692 yards in 2008), Washington's young receiving corps is looking for improvement. I look for Locker to throw more to his tight ends, which will be led by an improved Kavario Middleton (So., 6-5, 255). Goodwin ranked fourth in Receptions/Game in the Pac-10 last season, and will be the leading player back in that category, as the three receivers ahead of him have graduated. The bad news is that Goodwin only caught one TD pass in 2008. After having spent a year with the scout team, WR Anthony Boyles adds some much needed height (6-foot-3) to a "Lilliputian" receiving corps. (*) Highly regarded freshman James Johnson could make an immediate contribution to a wide-receiving corps that returns intact. However, this group only caught six touchdown passes last year. ---------------- (*) For example, Goodwin is listed at 5-11.5 inches on dawgman.com, the only player to get a one-half inch boost in height. :) Table 1. Jake Locker's
career passing efficiency. Black = games played in 2007. Purple = games
played in 2008. The numbers in bold highlight his +100 games.
Richard Linde can be reached at malamute@4malamute.com |
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