Becht vs Fifita

[HFCS]

Fifita also went 10-3.

He's back but half the team and all of the coaches are gone.

Arizona is as unknown a quantity as possible in cfb.

I think it's great he and a few other weapons on offense are back because it still gives them a chance and they're kind of my second favorite B12 team now because I have some local Arizona grad friends I'm going to watch Big 12 with going forward.

 

[HFCS]

I don't care that he's ranked higher, I'm just trying to wrap my head around him being ranked 6 spots higher than Rocco given how similar they appear to be. I didn't watch any Arizona football last year so I'm trying to figure out what the stats are showing that make Fifita this special

They had actually been pretty dangerous on offense for a few years but had just brutal defenses. Two years ago their previous QB also put up some pretty huge #s. They have had lots of athletic long receivers lately.

 

[ClubCy]

He's back but half the team and all of the coaches are gone.

Arizona is as unknown a quantity as possible in cfb.

I think it's great he and a few other weapons on offense are back because it still gives them a chance and they're kind of my second favorite B12 team now because I have some local Arizona grad friends I'm going to watch Big 12 with going forward.

What do your Arizona friends think of their chances this season?

 

[clone52]

I don't care that he's ranked higher, I'm just trying to wrap my head around him being ranked 6 spots higher than Rocco given how similar they appear to be. I didn't watch any Arizona football last year so I'm trying to figure out what the stats are showing that make Fifita this special

I love Rocco and wouldn't trade him for Fifita, but based on the numbers, I don't know how you can possibly call them similar? It just blows my mind. Unless you are only looking at yards.

72.4 and 62.9 completion percentages are not similar AT ALL. Thats like the difference between Mahomes and Will Levis in the NFL.

Also, the #2 QB and the #8 QB could hypothetically be identical if you have 7 QBs that are all about the same. A ranked list does not give an accurate portrayal of the difference between 2 QBs. The #2 QB in the Big 12 might me barely better than the #8 QB in the Big 12 while the #2 QB in the Big 10 might be miles ahead of the #8 QB in the Big 10.

 

[mred]

I'm just trying to wrap my head around him being ranked 6 spots higher than Rocco given how similar they appear to be.

This is less about Rocco vs. Fifita and more about Rocco vs the QBs ranked between them.

 

[clone52]

Wouldn't that mean Rocco gets more yards per completion? Meaning his attempts are further down field on average?

Their yards per attempt are identical. Becht's yards per completion is much higher, but that doesn't mean much if he throws a quick slant caught 8 yards down field that goes for a 50 yard TD. We really need to know air yards per attempt. I don't know if that exists for CFB, but I did see a Top 10 list of total air yards and Arizona was in there and not Iowa State was not.

 

[ghyland7]

Wouldn't that mean Rocco gets more yards per completion? Meaning his attempts are further down field on average?

Yards per attempt does not include completion percentage at all. Its total yards divided by passing attempts.

Rocco attempted 367 pass attempts for 3120 yards.
Fifita was 330 attempts for 2869 yards.

Yards per completion DOES take into account that metric.

Yards per completion in 2023:
Rocco: 13.5
Fifita: 11.9

Both YPA and YPA don’t figure in for YAC, air yards per attempt, talent of receivers, opponent defense, etc.. but any of the metrics have flaws. It’s hard to say that Rocco throws the ball down the field more, even if his YPC is a yard and a half higher. You’d have to look at WAY more statistics which I can’t easily find.

Overall, Fifita had better passing stats last year. I think Rocco will likely improve, and who knows what could happen this year! The second half of the year Rocco turned it on.

Again, my only point is that I have NO problem with pundits rating Fifita higher in a preseason ranking. He really did perform exceptionally well last year.

It feels like there’s a log jam of good QBs in this league, and I’m really glad that Rocco is ours.

 

[HFCS]

What do your Arizona friends think of their chances this season?

Generally surprised they are picked to be so good. Joining the Big 12 was something they'd wanted for years, but having their fb team picked apart by Washington beyond just HC was traumatic.

 

[t-noah]

Fajita going to underperform.

But he tastes pretty good fully loaded! And extra cheese.

Beef or chicken, take your pick.

 

[TitanClone]

Fajita going to underperform.

A lot to live up to when competing with Mark on Welch when he comes to Ames