No, Richardson has played ok for us.
He torched Kansas.
He was terrible throwing and excellent running against West Virginia. He didn't outplay Geno Smith. Richardson was playing against one of the worst defenses in the country and put up a wicked stat line of 13/31 for 162 and 3 TDs. Geno Smith against a better defense put up 22/31 for 236 and 2 TDs (f you Tavon Austin). Sam was EXCELLENT running the ball but a completely one-dimensional offense isn't going to win many games and his lack of ability to throw was the reason it was one-dimensional. WVU had held one team in conference up to playing us under 40 points.
The Liberty Bowl he was sick. He had 1 good pass the entire game (Ernst Bruns' rumblin' stumblin' bumblin' TD) and was terrible outside one huge run.
UNI this year was a much better game. 22/32 for 242 and 2 TDs. That's acceptable but any of the top half teams in the Big 12 would call that terrible for their quarterbacks, especially against an FCS opponent.
Iowa this year he buried us (sans Bundrage's first TD catch) for the first 50 minutes of the game. He was absolutely awful. He was easily outplayed by Rudock.
Tulsa this year the passing game was much better. 26/41 for 255 and 2 TDs against a bad defense is ok. Blake Bell (who we all know isn't exactly the cream of the Big 12 quarterback crop) threw for 413 yards on 27/37 and 4 TDs against that same defense.
It doesn't matter how Sam Richardson stacks up against Steele Jantz, Jared Barnett, Todd Bandhauer, Seneca Wallace, Austen Arnaud, Waye Terry, Austin Flynn, Bret Meyer, etc. Sam Richardson needs to stack up against Baker Mayfield (who we'll see if he is the real deal), Bryce Petty, JW Walsh/Clint Chelf, Treyvon Boykin/Casey Paschall, David Ash, Blake Bell, etc. or we're not going to go anywhere as a team. He's played ok as a Cyclone but there isn't a good team in the Big 12 he'd be taking snaps for.