http://newsok.com/osu-quarterback-m...ce-hell-avoid-sophomore-slump/article/5441842
STILLWATER — This time last year, three big-name, second-year college football quarterbacks entered the 2014 season with loads of hype following strong freshman campaigns.
But each passer — Texas Tech’s David Webb, Oklahoma’s Trevor Knight and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg — finished the year well short of lofty expectations.
Webb, fresh off a Holiday Bowl win against Arizona State, threw 13 interceptions in eight games.
Knight, a Heisman Trophy candidate after beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, is in jeopardy of losing his starting role after OU lost five games.
Hackenberg, considered a top-flight NFL prospect after just one season, tossed more picks (15) than touchdowns (12).
So, what might this mean for sophomore Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph?
“I think every situation is different,” OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said.
The term “sophomore slump” for college and NFL quarterbacks has been around for decades, used to describe the challenges of continued improvement in year two after setting the bar high in year one. It’s far from a certainty, though, as plenty of sophomore passers have excelled throughout the years — something OSU coach Mike Gundy and his former Cowboy coach Pat Jones know firsthand.
Gundy set an NCAA record in 1986 for consecutive pass attempts without an interception for a freshman (138). In his sophomore season, Gundy’s accuracy (59.2 percent), total passing yards (2,106) and touchdowns (13) were all higher than his previous year.
“We didn’t really worry because he always studied the game, and he worked hard,” Jones said. “Mike was always a little bit more mature, a little older. We obviously had a great supporting cast, too.”
Ask those around the OSU program today and the factors that contributed to Gundy’s sophomore success appear to mirror Rudolph’s current status. In Yurcich’s opinion, the execution of the players surrounding Rudolph will play as important a role in his 2015 development.
Optimism is high, thanks to five returning offensive linemen with starting experience, a deep core of wideouts and key transfer additions at left tackle (Victor Salako) and running back (Chris Carson).
“Quarterback play in a lot of cases is predicated on the other 10 guys,” Yurcich said. “It’s a team game, and that’s what makes it so special.
“We don’t want to put anybody on a shelf — he’s a young guy; he’s an old guy. We have experience. We feel good where we’re at, but we’re not there yet. We need to keep improving. Everybody does. The quarterback is a big part of that. He needs to improve. Mason is doing a great job. He’s always in the film room.”
The problem for Rudolph, though, is there just isn’t much game film to assess his progress. At least, not yet. But with three starts under his belt, there is certainly one area he’s focused on improving next season.
“I’ve got to eliminate the turnovers,” said Rudolph, who threw four interceptions last season. “I feel like I had way too many last year in a short three games. Some of them were just stupid mistakes I don’t need to make, but I feel like we can move on and have corrected those.”
Gundy was asked back in March to identify why some quarterbacks hit the sophomore slump. He knows from experience what it takes to improve in year two.
"Sometimes quarterbacks try to do too much," Gundy said. "We see it in every sport. Guys struggling at the plate trying to make plays instead of just taking the pitches they get. The same thing in basketball — you have to dish to the guy that's open. You can't try to do to much if you're getting double-teamed. Same thing in football. And as (Rudolph) grows in that area, I think we'll be a better football team."
STILLWATER — This time last year, three big-name, second-year college football quarterbacks entered the 2014 season with loads of hype following strong freshman campaigns.
But each passer — Texas Tech’s David Webb, Oklahoma’s Trevor Knight and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg — finished the year well short of lofty expectations.
Webb, fresh off a Holiday Bowl win against Arizona State, threw 13 interceptions in eight games.
Knight, a Heisman Trophy candidate after beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, is in jeopardy of losing his starting role after OU lost five games.
Hackenberg, considered a top-flight NFL prospect after just one season, tossed more picks (15) than touchdowns (12).
So, what might this mean for sophomore Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph?
“I think every situation is different,” OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said.
The term “sophomore slump” for college and NFL quarterbacks has been around for decades, used to describe the challenges of continued improvement in year two after setting the bar high in year one. It’s far from a certainty, though, as plenty of sophomore passers have excelled throughout the years — something OSU coach Mike Gundy and his former Cowboy coach Pat Jones know firsthand.
Gundy set an NCAA record in 1986 for consecutive pass attempts without an interception for a freshman (138). In his sophomore season, Gundy’s accuracy (59.2 percent), total passing yards (2,106) and touchdowns (13) were all higher than his previous year.
“We didn’t really worry because he always studied the game, and he worked hard,” Jones said. “Mike was always a little bit more mature, a little older. We obviously had a great supporting cast, too.”
Ask those around the OSU program today and the factors that contributed to Gundy’s sophomore success appear to mirror Rudolph’s current status. In Yurcich’s opinion, the execution of the players surrounding Rudolph will play as important a role in his 2015 development.
Optimism is high, thanks to five returning offensive linemen with starting experience, a deep core of wideouts and key transfer additions at left tackle (Victor Salako) and running back (Chris Carson).
“Quarterback play in a lot of cases is predicated on the other 10 guys,” Yurcich said. “It’s a team game, and that’s what makes it so special.
“We don’t want to put anybody on a shelf — he’s a young guy; he’s an old guy. We have experience. We feel good where we’re at, but we’re not there yet. We need to keep improving. Everybody does. The quarterback is a big part of that. He needs to improve. Mason is doing a great job. He’s always in the film room.”
The problem for Rudolph, though, is there just isn’t much game film to assess his progress. At least, not yet. But with three starts under his belt, there is certainly one area he’s focused on improving next season.
“I’ve got to eliminate the turnovers,” said Rudolph, who threw four interceptions last season. “I feel like I had way too many last year in a short three games. Some of them were just stupid mistakes I don’t need to make, but I feel like we can move on and have corrected those.”
Gundy was asked back in March to identify why some quarterbacks hit the sophomore slump. He knows from experience what it takes to improve in year two.
"Sometimes quarterbacks try to do too much," Gundy said. "We see it in every sport. Guys struggling at the plate trying to make plays instead of just taking the pitches they get. The same thing in basketball — you have to dish to the guy that's open. You can't try to do to much if you're getting double-teamed. Same thing in football. And as (Rudolph) grows in that area, I think we'll be a better football team."
