After some research, I've come around on Dekkers

[Cyinthenorth]

Currently ranked 1st in the Big 12 in passing yards, completion %, completions in general, and somehow tied for 2nd in TDs despite playing in the conferences worst offense. Yes, he also leads the conference in sacks taken and INT. But I have been overly critical of him down the stretch, to the point where I've wanted the staff to roll the dice with someone else behind center in what has been ultimately a lost season.

Say what you will about some of the intangible stuff, the poor reads, the turnovers, hanging on to the ball too long etc. The tangible stuff is good enough to work with and build off for next season and beyond. The offensive staff is doing him a disservice, in my opinion. Why we ever run the ball inside the 10 yard line is insane with a QB like Dekker's arm. The fact that we haven't scored more points with Dekkers gaudy yardage and completion numbers is a huge indictment of the offensive coaching staff.

I am making this thread basically to say, I have come around on accepting Dekkers as ISU's guy moving forward. It has been a frustrating season and I have been pointing blame around everywhere, but moving forward, I won't be pointing my finger at Dekkers anymore. The kid has been decent to good all season long, with a few moments of great sprinkled in.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Currently ranked 1st in the Big 12 in passing yards, completion %, completions in general, and somehow tied for 2nd in TDs despite playing in the conferences worst offense. Yes, he also leads the conference in sacks taken and INT. But I have been overly critical of him down the stretch, to the point where I've wanted the staff to roll the dice with someone else behind center in what has been ultimately a lost season.

Say what you will about some of the intangible stuff, the poor reads, the turnovers, hanging on to the ball too long etc. The tangible stuff is good enough to work with. The offensive staff is doing him a disservice, in my opinion. Why we ever run the ball inside the 10 yard line is insane with a QB like Dekker's arm. The fact that we haven't scored more points with Dekkers gaudy yardage and completion numbers is a huge indictment of the offensive coaching staff.

I am making this thread basically to say, I have come around on accepting Dekkers as ISU's guy moving forward. It has been a frustrating season and I have been pointing blame around everywhere, but moving forward, I won't be pointing my finger at Dekkers anymore. The kid has been decent to good all season long, with a few moments of great sprinkled in.

Line play a major factor in this. Brock being hobbled or out all year a major factor in this. The way Dekkers was changing his arm angles Saturday shows he’s trying to adjust to being hounded by defenses all year. Guy is out there with 2 seconds tops on every passing play, they had to move the shotgun back two yards because the line is so poor (having CPR days flashbacks there). As the line goes so goes any ISU QB. Having a good RB would help in both pass pro and keeping defenses honest but it all starts with the line.

 

[BryceC]

I think people who want to dismiss him completely are absurd.

I think with a solid running game he could be quite good. Hopefully the staff gets the offensive line and scheme to a point where Norton can eat up chunk yards next year and give him time.

 

[Cyclonepride]

He has all the tools that we want except experience (and by translation, decision making). He reminds me a bit of some of those Texas Tech quarterbacks that weren't all that at first and then became really tough to stop.

 

[BCClone]

He has his issues, but it is hard to make a concrete analysis when the line is getting blown up all the time. He will be the QB next year, to start anyhow, so we might to accept it.

 

[RustShack]

Get his a QB coach and OL coach. If we don’t have good TE’s, use less TE’s. It’s not like our TE’s block this year anyways.

 

[CloniesForLife]

He has his issues, but it is hard to make a concrete analysis when the line is getting blown up all the time. He will be the QB next year, to start anyhow, so we might to accept it.

Yeah he has some things to clean up but he's also looked really good at times. Line play and running game need to be better. He's pretty far down my list of concerns about the offense

 

[CycloneEggie]

I watch 2 football games a week. The Cyclones and the Chiefs. The seasons have been very similar. Lots of close games. The difference is special teams and Mahomes ability to lead the team to victory in these close games. Butker has had an off year missing a few PAT and FG, but in clutch time he comes up big. He has hit the longest FG this year at 64. The other differences is Mahomes wills the team to win these close games. I fully understand Dekkers is not the talent of Mahomes, and he doesn't have a TE like Kelce. Purdy seemed to have similar ability to will the team to close wins, had Kolar and Chase and our special teams play was better. This is the difference in multiple games this year. (i.e. winning in the margins)

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Line play a major factor in this. Brock being hobbled or out all year a major factor in this. The way Dekkers was changing his arm angles Saturday shows he’s trying to adjust to being hounded by defenses all year. Guy is out there with 2 seconds tops on every passing play, they had to move the shotgun back two yards because the line is so poor (having CPR days flashbacks there). As the line goes so goes any ISU QB. Having a good RB would help in both pass pro and keeping defenses honest but it all starts with the line.

He has absolutely earned my respect for standing behind that line and taking it on the chin 11 Saturdays this year, coming up on 12.

The yardage and completion numbers are probably a bit inflated from where they should be. Since Iowa State can't run the ball, Dekkers has dropped back an insane amount and attempted far more passes than any other Big 12 QB. Dekkers as thrown 433 times this year. The next guy is Spencer Sanders at 368, but the rest of the pack is 100+ behind him.

 

[Gunnerclone]

He has absolutely earned my respect for standing behind that line and taking it on the chin 11 Saturdays this year, coming up on 12.

The yardage and completion numbers are probably a bit inflated from where they should be. Since Iowa State can't run the ball, Dekkers has dropped back an insane amount and attempted far more passes than any other Big 12 QB. Dekkers as thrown 433 times this year. The next guy is Spencer Sanders at 368, but the rest of the pack is 100+ behind him.

Jesus. Didn’t realize the discrepancy was that bad.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

I watch 2 football games a week. The Cyclones and the Chiefs. The seasons have been very similar. Lots of close games. The difference is special teams and Mahomes ability to lead the team to victory in these close games. Butker has had an off year missing a few PAT and FG, but in clutch time he comes up big. He has hit the longest FG this year at 64. The other differences is Mahomes wills the team to win these close games. I fully understand Dekkers is not the talent of Mahomes, and he doesn't have a TE like Kelce. Purdy seemed to have similar ability to will the team to close wins, had Kolar and Chase and our special teams play was better. This is the difference in multiple games this year. (i.e. winning in the margins)

You hit on a good point. Hopefully Hunter develops that edge to will the team to wins. It's really hard to say if he has that or not. The line play has been so bad, I'm not sure Purdy or even Mahomes would be making a lot of difference on this team.

 

[stewart092284]

Currently ranked 1st in the Big 12 in passing yards, completion %, completions in general, and somehow tied for 2nd in TDs despite playing in the conferences worst offense. Yes, he also leads the conference in sacks taken and INT. But I have been overly critical of him down the stretch, to the point where I've wanted the staff to roll the dice with someone else behind center in what has been ultimately a lost season.

Say what you will about some of the intangible stuff, the poor reads, the turnovers, hanging on to the ball too long etc. The tangible stuff is good enough to work with and build off for next season and beyond. The offensive staff is doing him a disservice, in my opinion. Why we ever run the ball inside the 10 yard line is insane with a QB like Dekker's arm. The fact that we haven't scored more points with Dekkers gaudy yardage and completion numbers is a huge indictment of the offensive coaching staff.

I am making this thread basically to say, I have come around on accepting Dekkers as ISU's guy moving forward. It has been a frustrating season and I have been pointing blame around everywhere, but moving forward, I won't be pointing my finger at Dekkers anymore. The kid has been decent to good all season long, with a few moments of great sprinkled in.

Not going to be a huge downer but I will say this -

the completion % and completions and yards are added by the number of short, relatively safe throws. He is tied for 98th in the nation in yards per completion (out of 104 players) and 80th in yards per attempt. So while impressive - the number of quick slants and flare passes do somewhat add those numbers.

Now, the lack of running game has not helped him at all but the sacks and INT are on him as much as the OL at times in regards to the sacks. Sometimes they suck and he gets hit and sometimes he has time and runs into a sack or holds onto the ball.

Now some of that is experience - to be honest I'm more concerned by some of the reads he seems to make. Yes, he's young but at this point , 11 games in... IDK. The game should be starting to slow down mentally but I"m not sure it looks like it is.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Jesus. Didn’t realize the discrepancy was that bad.

It's bad. Could be a bit muddled since a lot of other Big 12 teams have not stuck with 1 QB all year. For example if I add up Texas Tech's 3 QB's, Shough, Morton, and Smith, TT has attempted 478 passes. But it's still an insane amount for one individual

 

[VeloClone]

Not going to be a huge downer but I will say this -

the completion % and completions and yards are added by the number of short, relatively safe throws. He is tied for 98th in the nation in yards per completion (out of 104 players) and 80th in yards per attempt. So while impressive - the number of quick slants and flare passes do somewhat add those numbers.

Now, the lack of running game has not helped him at all but the sacks and INT are on him as much as the OL at times in regards to the sacks. Sometimes they suck and he gets hit and sometimes he has time and runs into a sack or holds onto the ball.

Now some of that is experience - to be honest I'm more concerned by some of the reads he seems to make. Yes, he's young but at this point , 11 games in... IDK. The game should be starting to slow down mentally but I"m not sure it looks like it is.

There are 131 FBS programs. Who are the 27 schools who haven't had a single QB qualify for inclusion?

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Not going to be a huge downer but I will say this -

the completion % and completions and yards are added by the number of short, relatively safe throws. He is tied for 98th in the nation in yards per completion (out of 104 players) and 80th in yards per attempt. So while impressive - the number of quick slants and flare passes do somewhat add those numbers.

Now, the lack of running game has not helped him at all but the sacks and INT are on him as much as the OL at times in regards to the sacks. Sometimes they suck and he gets hit and sometimes he has time and runs into a sack or holds onto the ball.

Now some of that is experience - to be honest I'm more concerned by some of the reads he seems to make. Yes, he's young but at this point , 11 games in... IDK. The game should be starting to slow down mentally but I"m not sure it looks like it is.

Agree on all points. I have been frustrated by a lot of this all year. The reads he makes, or doesn't, the sacks he takes that are due to holding on to the ball too long etc. he is not without some of the blame at least. I just had a chance to dive into the numbers, and have concluded that I won't bag on him anymore this season. Iowa State's issues are much deeper than at the QB position.

The short passes are essentially ISU's run game this year, since that has been non existent, and defenses know they can stack the box and pin their ears back for 4 quarters basically. They have certainly padded Dekker's stats some, and I would not be surprised if some of the issues get worked out --improved play at OL, RB, and TE-- his overall numbers may come down some, but his Yards per target, yards per completion numbers should increase. I think it's a big if that those problems go away entirely anytime soon though. Even with a new OL coach or OC next year, there will be struggles and a learning curve.

 

[Big_Sill]

I'm good with Dekkers as the guy going forward. He has the skill to make any throw a QB needs to make at this level.

Hopefully his pocket awareness, touch, decision making, audibles (I think he needs to get us out of bad plays, (mostly run plays) will all take a step forward next year.

He also needs to pick his spots to take off and run better as well. I'm never going to be sold on his natural running abilities, but there are yards and first downs out there to be had by using his feet.

I also have no clue what he has been coached to do.

 

[RonBurgundy]

Here is another very disturbing trend. Maybe someone with more time can do the research, but when was the last time an ISU QB led a late drive to tie or win a game?

This year, correct me if I am wrong, but in 6 of our 7 losses, we had the ball late in the fourth quarter with a chance to win the game (at least take a late lead) or to tie and we FAILED every single time. Is that all on Dekkers? No, he didn't shank the tying FG at KU and he is not calling the plays, but leading the team late is the hallmark of a great QB. And it seems we have been lacking that for a long, long time.

Even going back to Purdy, when was his last comeback win? I remember endings like the Big 12 championship game, or letting his knee touch the turf on the Baylor two point conversion (pass failed anyway).

When was the last fourth quarter comeback win? Texas when Dicker missed?

 

[stewart092284]

There are 131 FBS programs. Who are the 27 schools who haven't had a single QB qualify for inclusion?

Because some of them are tied for rankings. So there's actually probably more than 104 players listed.

 

[stewart092284]

Here is another very disturbing trend. Maybe someone with more time can do the research, but when was the last time an ISU QB led a late drive to tie or win a game?

This year, correct me if I am wrong, but in 6 of our 7 losses, we had the ball late in the fourth quarter with a chance to win the game (at least take a late lead) or to tie and we FAILED every single time. Is that all on Dekkers? No, he didn't shank the tying FG at KU and he is not calling the plays, but leading the team late is the hallmark of a great QB. And it seems we have been lacking that for a long, long time.

Even going back to Purdy, when was his last comeback win? I remember endings like the Big 12 championship game, or letting his knee touch the turf on the Baylor two point conversion (pass failed anyway).

When was the last fourth quarter comeback win? Texas when Dicker missed?

Iowa game this year

 

[NoCreativity]

Dekkers is fine. I've been telling you guys all year our offense sucks so bad because of our running game. We have by far the worst running backs in the Big 12, whether that be from injuries, inexperience, whatever.