Mayfield on pace to break his own record
NORMAN — Baker Mayfield is trying to beat himself.
A year ago, the Oklahoma quarterback rewrote college football record books with his 196.39 passing efficiency rating, shattering Russell Wilson’s record of 191.78 set in 2011.
This year, Mayfield is poised to make a couple more edits to the annals.
Through 12 games, Mayfield is registering a 203.3 rating, according to NCAA calculations, a mark that would shatter the record he set last year.
At the same point last year, Mayfield’s rating was 197.8.
“I’m surrounded by a great supporting cast,” Mayfield said. “They make my job easy. It’s about getting the ball out of my hands and putting them in the best position to win. It’s not that hard.
“I’ve learned how I need to handle myself and put us in a good spot. It’s getting ball out of my hands by handing it off and getting us in a good run play, recognizing coverages and being that guy that keeps us moving.”
The passing efficiency rating, which considers the number of passes attempted, passes completed, yards passing, touchdown passes and passes intercepted, has long been a predictor of a team’s offensive success.
The more efficient the quarterback, generally better the passing offense.
“I think there’s some accuracy to (the calculation), and I think if you go back and look at some of the guys that have had great seasons, I think you’re able to see how well their teams and offenses as a whole have performed,” coach Lincoln Riley said. “I think it falls in line.”
Riley attributes Mayfield’s improved rating to a better start to the season. Unlike a year ago when Mayfield struggled to find his footing in the nonconference schedule, Mayfield opened this season with impressive performances against UTEP, Ohio State and Tulane.
“We played a little bit better around him early,” Riley said. “Did a better job of preparing him early, especially with all these new guys like we’ve talked about. Then he’s been able to continue it.
To Mayfield, more familiarity with Riley’s game plans has been just as important in increasing his accuracy as building a chemistry with his receivers in the offseason.
“The thing about accuracy that most people don’t realize is if you know your game plan you recognize coverage and you know where you’re supposed to go with the ball, a lot of the time you’ll find out that the receivers are open or you can put where only they can make a play on it,” Mayfield said.
“If you know where to go with the ball most of the time, that’s why the completion percentage is so high. It’s based on precision and knowing where you’re supposed to go with the ball.”
Mayfield’s lead over other NCAA Division-I quarterbacks is practically insurmountable at this point in the season. The next closest efficiency rating is 182.9, posted by Central Florida’s Mckenzie Milton. Toledo’s Logan Woodside and Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph recorded ratings of 170.5 and 170.0, respectively.
Mayfield’s situational efficiency rating is equally impressive.
Against West Virginia, Mayfield completed all 10 passes between the numbers for 241 yards and three touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. That would give him a passing efficiency rating of 401.44 for those throws.
And, when kept clean from pressure, he completed 10-of-12 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns for a 297.43 rating.
“You work to improve,” Mayfield said. “If you don’t have that mindset, you’re probably not doing it right. There’s always something I need to get better at. Right now, it’s going for a third Big 12 title in a row and we’ll see what happens after that.”