I've heard it said many times that Braxton has a gun, and sometimes he looks like a killer, but other times he significantly underthrows balls.
I've watched every game he has played and noticed this a bunch of times, Devin Smith winning TD is an example.
So what is the cause of this?
1) Doing it on purpose?
2) Late with the ball?
3) He doesn't have a cannon/he's not set and/or on the run
4) The guy posting this is full of it...
I'm a huge Braxton fan, but I've been wondering about this for a while.
You can see the cannon on those short routes when he rifles bullets and a lot of times hits guys in the numbers if his feet are set. He seems to miss guys coming open down field on deeper routes and throws it late. I'll agree his deep passes seem to have a little more loft under them than is necessary (especially when a guy is standing by himself 40 yards down field) but I've seen him rifle the ball around with some heat plenty this season already...even if it is on those short routes.
I'll go with 3.2 and experience. They always criticize his footwork, so that's the reason for the ducks. However, he is also trying to learn to underthrow longballs, so that WRs have a chance at them. See last year when he overthrew them for an explanation. He seems to be improving though, so I'll take it.
Remember, he's ONLY a sophmore. He's still very uncomfortable in the pocket, and he's running a completely new system. Even though he ran a Spread at Huber Heights, it way different, not even the same game. His reads are not very good, but they don't have to be yet, and what's best is his athleticism makes up for a lot of it, he has a long way to go.. Look at Troy Smith (who was a mediocre at BEST qb when he arrived on campus) from Sophmore season to his last. Braxton will come around.
Plain and simple, Braxton is a work in progress.
He's definitely improving big time. He makes better decisions than that one QB before him (and no I don't mean Joe Bauserman) and he throws a much better ball (plus he's much more elusive in the pocket and doesn't seem to be taking as many sacks). I cannot wait to see Brax in a year or two. It's going to be disgusting. I watch him rifle bullets to guys on quick in routes or out routes and it shows me he has the strength, really reminds me of Troy on some of those throws. You'd always sort of gasp when Pryor would throw an out route because everything he threw was a lob pass. With him you could tell he just doesn't look like he has a big time arm...or at least the mechanics to throw the ball like that. With Brax you see flashes of it and it just seems his mechanics need tweaked more so than overhauled like Pryor really needed.
Braxton does have a gun! Example is the back shoulder touchdown to Smith! He threw that thing on a rope and it was a beautiful pass. Braxton has the arm he just doesn't have the footwork down to set his feet for those deeper balls. But even still he can get it to anywhere on the field, it is just more of a duck throw than a beautiful looking pass.
What I've noticed is he throws those wobbly balls under thrown when he gets to his 3rd and 4th option and feels like he has to rush the throw. He gets antsy and his feet get messed up and he throws a duck.
Sorry Urban, Woody is still my favorite
Did anyone notice at the end of the first quarter, Spielman said the coaching staff wants him more dedicated to film and playbook studies? (paraphrased)
Spielman would make a good OSU coaching staff consultant. I wonder if OSU players ever watch TV broadcast video with sound, to gain knowledge, or if they just stick to Game Film.
I've been saying for 5 years that Chris Spielman should be brought in to teach tackling during camps. I also think when a kid misses an easy tackle, or doesn't wrap up in practice, he should be pulled, and put his backup in for a few plays. You have to send the message that poor tackling technique won't be tolerated. If you keep embarrassing guys in practice, they will improve in fear of losing their job. Our HS coach would do this to us, and it pissed guys off, but it def worked. We were an outstanding tackling team from DT to corner. Every guy wrapped up, and pursuit would finish the job if the guy couldn't get him down.
The Bigelow run was unacceptable. That play should never happen against a Buckeye Defense. That was a piss poor effort, and Shazier(who will be great), needs to know the wrap up tackle is more important to the team, than the low percent knockout shot he's trying to dish out.
Dustin Fox was our leading tackler as a corner.... because his guy always caught the ball.
I also wonder what impact injuries has on tackling in practice. You have to wonder how often they really go Live in practice opposed to just wrapping or fitting up. I think the fear of knee and ankle injuries in practice is responsible for the crappy tackling we see today across the country.
Dustin Fox was our leading tackler as a corner.... because his guy always caught the ball.
He will get there. Still learning. I also found the Spielman comment interesting though. That came out of left field and no one's really talked about it much, but it reminds me of last year when Braxton was sitting on the bench without headphones or anything and ignoring what was going on and Urban ripped on him for it while he was announcing the game on ESPN. I'd still say that it's just a part of learning and maturing, but def interesting.
Look when a guy can throw a duck for a pass over 50 yards then he has a Cannon but with bad foot work and lack a Mech. when he throws thing will come out short. Remember he did not have a real QB caoch last year. Another words yes he might have 1 year as a starter but this is his frist real year with a good QB coach.
My two cents: Braxton has problems with precision on crossing routes and post routes. He's not getting the timing right and is either under-throwing, throwing behind, over-throwing, etc. Part of the problem might be that his receivers are not getting space for him and he's uncomfortable trying to thread passes thru defenders to them. I can't fault him for that as I too am not very confident in their ability to fight off a defender for the ball.
When he's planted his other throws (Down & Outs, Flags, and Flys) have looked like technically well-thrown balls. But those are passes beyond the defenders so his confidence in not getting intercepted is greater.
When he's scrambling is when he's throwing those floaters. They are all arm. I'm okay with those as he's been pretty conservative about putting those up. Usually the defender has to be wide open like Smith was Saturday.
I have no idea how to fix this other than time and more practice.
#fistpumpgobuckeyes
One thing I definitely do like about Brax is that he doesn't seem to make terrible decisions and throw into double and triple coverage. The guy typically has to be open or Brax is looking elsewhere or running. He doesn't throw too many balls when the minute it leaves his hands you're like noooooo! what was he thinking?? His int against Cal just looked like an errant throw rather than a bad read or a force. Then again I was watching in the stadium and haven't seen the replay.
His interception wasn't an errant throw, just well played by the CB. Looked like they were in a "Cover-2" had he not drifted back off his own man that throw would've landed right in the WR hands.
I am going out on a limb(well sorta) by saying he is the most talented qb I have ever seen at Ohio State. He is worlds better than troy smith and TP at this stage in their careers. When he puts it all together he will win the heisman. I would like to see some 5 star Olinemen come to play here to be a part of it.. I still like our Oline this year better than last...
Agreed that his interception wasn't an errant throw and would have been on target, but the problem was more that he was late with the pass. If he had recognized the coverage earlier, and threw it to Smith on his break, it would have been a completion. He didn't quite get through his progressions quick enough, and ended up being late with the throw, which allowed the shallow corner to react and make the pick.
The thing I've noticed with Braxton is too often he tries to float balls into areas where it is not necessary. He's aiming them instead of relying on his mechanics to make the throw. Just like the floater he threw to Stoneburner against Miami OH, he did the same on the winning pass to Devin Smith on Saturday. He sees the man so wide open that he "thinks" a little too much and tries to be so fine with his throw he ends up floating it a little too much.
It's going to take time and consistently working on the footwork/mechanics of the QB position, but I have no doubt he will be a fine-tuned machine when all is said and done.
"What we do in life echoes in eternity"