Redshirt freshman QB just keeps getting better
Time for reading comprehension 101. Let’s see how you do. True or false? C.J. Stroud looked as good as Justin Fields on Saturday.
The answer is true, of course. But you have to read closely to get it right. The key word is … SATURDAY. For one specific day, Stroud played like a Heisman Trophy hopeful, which is what Fields ended up as despite being the most talented quarterback in Ohio State history. (Troy Smith still ranks No. 1 on most all-time lists because he won the Heisman and beat Michigan three
times, but Fields was “better,” if that makes sense?)
Again, it was one day. One game. And Stroud is not the runner Fields was. Consistency on his deep ball? TBD. But my goodness THIS Stroud still can take you a long way. Just as Fields did. That’s all I’m saying. But that is not what I’ve been saying. Not exactly. Before Saturday’s 66-17 win against overmatched Maryland in the Horseshoe, I marked Stroud as a game manager whose sole responsibility against the Marylands and Rutgers of the world was to not lose the game. He didn’t have to win it, not with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-njigba and Treveyon Henderson and Emeka Egbuka and … well, you get the picture.
Stroud needed only to put the ball where it was supposed to go, not even perfectly on target, and the offense would put up enough points to allow the Buckeyes’ defense to bend and sometimes break. At least that’s how it would go against Big Ten teams that begin with an M or N. Or any school not starting with P followed by E. Or possibly I followed by O.
Things would be different against teams abbreviated with AL and GA; Stroud would need to thread the needle against the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs (or Bearcats or … Sooners?). Until last week at Rutgers, I didn’t see the redshirt freshman up to that task. Even then, it was Rutgers. Not exactly the 1985 Chicago Bears.
Then Maryland happened. Sprout was borderline spectacular. Yes, I know. Maryland is to Rutgers what an iphone 7 is to an iphone 6. Nothing wrong with either if slow and close-to-dying is your thing. (I should know. #lastinmyfamilytoupgrade). Actually the Terrapins’ offense is decent, but their defense? Parents, cover your kids’ eyes.
It is fair to point out that if Maryland’s defense is that bad — both of the Terrapins’ starting cornerbacks were out with injuries, prompting coach Mike Locksley to compare his inexperienced secondary’s coverage technique to “guys looking like they were falling out of airplanes” — how can Stroud’s performance be that good? And, wow, was it good: 24 of 33 for 406 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions and some throws that were as good as anything
Fields — or any quarterback — could throw. Seriously, Stroud would have completed most of his passes even if the nation’s best defense lined up across from him.
“I know they had a couple corners banged up, but they played some zone and (Stroud) saw it well and handled it,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “He made some nice throws down in the red zone. Our protection was good. Our receivers played well. But certainly when we’re executing at a high level we have a chance to be pretty good on offense.”
Translated: “When we’re executing” = When Stroud plays this well.
I asked Day to compare Stroud’s Saturday to OSU quarterback performances of the past two or three years. He gave the standard coaching responses … “need to get to the film,” and “have to get through the season and then look back.” But Captain Blackbeard did zero in on what Stroud does best.
“See the field,” Day said.
Don’t underestimate that talent, because seeing the field — who is open, what coverage is being played — is the most difficult challenge for any quarterback, not just a young one. If Stroud is already there … look out.
For those wagging a finger and mouthing, “Tap the brakes, bro; Stroud isn’t Fields,” I point you back to the opening paragraph. On Saturday. Not last week. Not Sunday. Against Maryland.
Can Stroud’s improvement and comfort level continue? That was the question going into last week’s win at Rutgers, and he proved it could. The same question arose entering Saturday, and check, check.
“We’re starting to roll, get used to each other,” said Stroud, who recorded the eighth 400-yard passing day in program history. “The coaches are trusting us more and more.”
One big reason why: Stroud is seeing things that maybe even Fields would have missed.
“They had some looks we didn’t think we were going to get,” Stroud said, explaining that Maryland’s defense went against type right from the start. “There were some specific play calls where we thought they would clear out a safety … and they did the opposite.”
Stroud picked up the wrinkles and ironed them out. He’s not Fields. But for one day, and likely more days to come, he was pretty darn close. roller@dispatch.com @rollercd