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What is Different About JT Barrett?

+9 HS
bakerjon's picture
October 30, 2017 at 1:56pm
69 Comments

Something clicked on Saturday night for JT Barrett. I've seen people say "another gear" or "another level" or a "different JT."  He's been much better since the Oklahoma game earlier in the season.  Let's look at numbers for the last 2 seasons for more evidence. This has been coming for the entire season maybe. 

2017 JT Completion % and QBR by Game
Date Opp Comp %  QBR Pass Yds
8/31 @Ind 57.1% 158.4 304
9/9 OU 54.3% 92.5 183
9/16 ARMY  75.8% 164.5 270
9/23 UNLV  70.6% 270.9 209
9/30 @RUTG 65.2% 212.7 286 
10/7 MD  64.5% 167.2 261
10/14 @NEB 81.8% 214.6 325 
10/28 PSU  84.6% 189.1 328
2017 TOTALS   69.5% 176.25 2166

  

2016 JT Completion % and QBR by game
Date     Opp Comp % QBR  Pass Yds
9/3 BGSU  67.7% 219.7 349 
9/10 TULSA  63.6% 120.5 149 
9/17 @OU 70.0% 199.8 152 
10/1 RUTG  72.4% 180.0 238
10/8 IND  42.9% 86.3 93 
10/15 @WIS 58.6% 128.6  226 
10/22 @PSU 65.1% 120.7 245 
10/29 NU  65.6% 124.2 223 
11/5 NEB  68.4% 167.3 290 
11/12  @MD 66.7% 169.8 253 
11/19 @MSU 45.5% 93.3 86 
11/26 TTUN 46.9% 73.2 124
    61.5% 135.3 2555

Stats from http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/jt-barrett-player-game-log

In all 3 categories above, JTs highs have been much higher, and his lows haven't been nearly as low as he was last year.  Even JT's so-called "good games" last season were nowhere near the level of his masterpieces this season. Reference the last 2 games in particular where he has had more TDs than incompletions with eye-popping completion rates of 81% or higher. While there is still a lot of season to play, his completion % and QBR have seen dramatic change over last season for the positive. He will likely crush his total passing yards from 2016, surpassing in one of the next 2 games. 

So the question is, what is different? I'm no QB guru, but is there something changed that we can see in his mechanics? It's easy to say play calling or coaching, but what exactly plays better to JTs strengths. We've seen Kyle's descriptions of what is different in X and O, but why is that better for JT? 

It's easy to say pass blocking is better giving him more time (and it is) or that the receivers are playing better (they are), but he's anticipating throws and throwing when the receiver is still in the route. This is what I see that is different. If I had to point to something, it would be that JT is recognizing the matchups better and throwing to receivers that have a favorable matchup before they are out of the break giving the receiver the best chance to catch the ball. 

But there could be more here. Anticipation doesn't account for accuracy of 80%. What else is going on with JT here that has propelled him to new heights. I'm looking for someone with technical/coaching knowledge to point something out we mere mortals don't see. 

 

TL;DR - Why is JT really better?

 

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