What Did We Learn from Miami QB Jacurri Brown’s First Start?
Not many people likely expected three touchdown passes for Jacurri Brown during his first start behind center for the Miami Hurricanes.
They should not have. The final score predictions certainly did not provide evidence he would pass the football that well.
Freshman quarterbacks have been famous for their failures. It’s always been a part of the process of learning the hardest position on the gridiron. Here’s a look back at Brown’s performance against Miami against Georgia Tech, with some thoughts about what’s next for him as well.
Passing Game
While statistics will be measured first by many, that’s not the best way to gauge Brown’s passing from yesterday’s game against the Yellow Jackets. Here’s Brown’s passing numbers:
14 of 19, 73.7%, 136 yards, 7.2 yards per attempt, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Those were solid numbers for a first start. Impressive in fact. Those statistics were still not the true measuring stick.
Watching his feet first and foremost, mattered the most. Was he too antsy in the pocket? Did Brown power through his passes with his lower extremities instead of being an upper body-passer? Did he actually attempt to go through his progressions?
He wasn’t perfect with any of those categories by any stretch. Even so, Brown was more calm than most of the young freshman quarterbacks that have been under center this season. Seeing how calm he was gives hope for a quick ascension up the college football quarterback ranks. Now it’s time to talk about some of the technical aspects of the position as it relates to Brown’s Saturday performance.
Young quarterbacks often throw with little movement from the hips down. That’s a poor way to not only generate velocity on the football, and accuracy as well. Brown’s motion has materialized over the past season when he was still at Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes County, even if ever so slightly. It showed against GT.
Brown threw with a natural over-the-top motion. He generated power from the upper and lower body. Sure, it’s not where it needs to be just yet in terms of consistency, but Brown’s overall throwing motion was already ahead of many other quarterbacks that are older than him. Brown’s passing motion also allowed for a key component to take place.
Touch.
Can he throw a bullet? Absolutely. That’s not always the best choice. Each pass needs a different trajectory and different level of touch. Brown showed he understands that aspect of the quarterback position fairly well.
Even while a little short, the touch on the touchdown pass to Colbie Young was really good. No need to throw a dart, and Brown did not. Same with the touchdown to Will Mallory. He lofted the passes to Young and Mallory to provide time for them to adjust. It's also a big part of why the following video has some great throws:
How often does a young quarterback airmail that type of pass to Young or Mallory and cost his team? Great sign that he understands the moment and does not allow himself to be too excited when an obvious touchdown can be had.
This next category was not as complex.
Running the Football:
There’s a reason Brown was receiving offers in the ninth grade. His athleticism was always above the curve. That's why the following statistics were not all that surprising:
His rushing totals included 19 carries, 87 yards, a 4.6 average, with a long of 24 yards.
Brown’s long-striding gallop was impressive. He didn’t look like he was even moving that fast, but in fact the opposite was true. Georgia Tech players that had the edge were soon left behind. At least they didn’t take any punishment as Brown ran by them.
The defenders that took him on saw the physicality Brown possessed. While Miami’s coaching staff needed to be careful with how many carries he had, Brown proved he’d move the pile when he could.
Moving forward, the biggest thing for Brown taking off with the football would be knowing when to avoid contact. Even if that means gaining a yard or two less, it’s imperative that he keeps out of harm’s way.
Slide or run out of bounds. He’s not used to that as he’s been a powerful runner since his days as a prep football player. That must change now. Brown is a good bet to be the future signal caller for the Canes and he must protect himself, and his team in the process, by staying away from hits.
Brown’s Ability to Improvise
This aspect of evaluating Brown should not go too far in depth just because it’s one game. It’s the hardest area for a quarterback to be successful. It’s also the area that will take Brown, like any given young signal caller, more time to master.
That does not mean he didn’t come up with a few unique plays yesterday, such as this screen pass turned into a Brown rushing attempt:
This type of behavior is often frowned upon because it can lead to turnovers and negative plays. Sometimes it’s still needed because there’s really no other option. That fine line has been why it’s so hard to grade.
Brown leans towards not just taking off at the first sign of trouble. Many other young quarterbacks look at one read and then just take off, let alone seeing an opposite colored jersey flash in front of his eyes. Brown has not been as jumpy in the pocket as many probably thought he’d be, thankfully.
Between now and next fall, Brown will have gone through thousands of physical and mental reps to help him better understand when he should take off or stay in the pocket. It’s an art, not a science. While time consuming, Brown will be a far better quarterback as he learns the nuances of improvising behind center.
Leadership and Respect Already Showing
Fair or not, a quarterback needs to have the respect of his teammates more than any other position.
He’s charismatic; Brown exuded confidence when he made a play. Look back in time at any of the three touchdowns for evidence. Brown’s teammates celebrated with him like an old friend.
It also appeared that they respected him. Hopefully that proves to be true in the future even when he’s not at his best. That stated, there’s no doubt that Brown was off to a fast start with his teammates.
Watching the body language of the Hurricanes players, they were gravitating to Brown more and more as the game moved forward. It’s a good sign. While just one start for Brown, he certainly looked to have accomplished that task with flying colors.
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