Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

Jeff Tedford has coached some guys up to be outstanding college QB's, but most of them have been mediocre or outright busts in the NFL until Aaron Rodgers. Yes, Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl with Baltimore, but he was the weak link of that team. You might say that they won "in spite" of who their QB was.

You have to look at guys like Akiili Smith, Joey Harrington and David Carr too. All chosen in the top-3 of the draft and all have been labeled as busts. However, in all fairness, let's take a brief look at each one.

Akiili Smith was injured his first season and then got thrown into the fire without any decent talent around him.

David Carr was sacked more than any QB in league history. Also, he had the misfortune of being drafted by the expansion Houston Texans.

Harrington was better once he got out of Detroit, but he earned the nickname "check down Joey" for a reason. It seemed like he'd just taken one hit too many the first couple years and rather than standing in the pocket and looking for the deep ball he'd get rid of it asap.

Honestly, Aaron Rodgers had a huge advantage on these last three by being picked 24th rather than going so high. He was able to sit on the bench and learn for three years before being thrown into the fray. I don't know if that would have helped Smith so much because he really didn't seem suited for the pro game, but I really believe that Harrington and Carr would have been much more successful if they could have been brought along slowly.

Anyway, Tedford can now tell recruits that he's tutored two Super Bowl QB's. Whether he's really had anything to do with their success or not, facts are facts.

I agree... Rodgers being brought along slowly was a HUGE advantage. That and the CANNON in his arm.

Like most duck fans, I have an irrational love for Joey Harrington, and will look for any excuse to explain why a guy who did what he did in college couldn't do the same thing in the NFL. I agree with the OP, but Joey did have some disadvantages as well. He wasn't a good scrambler and he didn't have the strongest arm. He was accurate if he was aiming at a stationary target, but not when he was trying to anticipate movement or read a defense. I think the NFL game was just too fast for him. Maybe some time as a back-up would have helped with this...who knows?

Anyway, I hope he runs for Senator or President or Dictator-for-Life, the guy is just an outstanding human being. Maybe he could have Danny O'Neill as his running mate. Two of my favorite ducks of all-time.

Wouldn't that be a combination in the White House?