Edward Explains It All

SIU's Nick Hill Wants to be 3rd

eegros — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:56:00 GMT

The breakdown is simple: there are two free agents and one 3rd string quarterback spot available for the Chicago Bears. In the maroon and white corner, a 6'2" 214 pound QB from Southern Illinois, Nick Hill. And in the green and white corner, a 6'2" 236 pound QB from Colorado State, Caleb Hanie. Before even breaking down how each quarterback performed in day one of Bears rookie minicamp, the stats each put together in college tell two contrasting styles*:

Nick Hill

YEAR CMP ATT YDS CMP% YPA LNG TD INT SACK RAT

2005 15 20 288 75.0 14.40 57 3 0 0 245.46

2006 121 196 1721 61.7 8.78 80 15 4 15 156.67

2007 258 361 3175 71.5 8.80 69 28 7 21 167.06

Caleb Hanie

YEAR CMP ATT YDS CMP% YPA LNG TD INT SACK RAT

2004 85 147 1204 57.8 8.19 42 8 7 10 135.05

2005 13 29 251 44.8 8.66 54 2 0 2 140.29

2006 209 342 2427 61.1 7.10 83 11 12 37 124.31

2007 188 293 2455 64.2 8.38 70 18 15 34 144.58

First, the pros for Hill: He has fewer interceptions, and finishes better statistically in completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdowns and quarterback rating. Also, Hill is more of a runner, he has rushed for more than 100 yards in every season, something Hanie never did. It would seem Hill has a distinct advantage until you consider that Hanie has more experience as a college quarterback and plays a much tougher schedule.

As for now, perhaps the toughest adjustment for a college quarterback is learning not just a new system, but a much tougher and denser system. Playbooks in the NFL are exponentially thicker than in college so any additional studying a player can do in his off time is extraordinarily beneficial. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner made sure to point that out when complimenting Hill after day one. In terms of fundamentals, both QBs did have some trouble completing out routes and more complex patterns and Hill did have an interception or two. But the training for these young guys has to be positive when you consider just how stout the Bears defense has been the last few seasons. So the competition between the two should remain fierce and there's always a chance it will not get settled until the roster deadline.

Sidenote: This of course assumes Chicago doesn't add a veteran quarterback to its roster, perhaps Vinny Testaverde.

*Courtesy espn.com

Nick Newcomb Wins OVC

eegros — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:15:00 GMT

College sports are often more psychological than professional sports. Give a young man or woman some added confidence and they seem to shine on the same grandiose stages than their older counterparts. If you need another example of this, read Nick Newcomb's scorecard. The Racer began the OVC tournament shooting a two-over 38 for his first round front nine. He was likely the most critical of his game than anybody else and likely noticed the four Eastern Kentucky players shooting better first round scores. But that's the beauty of college golf. When you watch the PGA, even the players sinking the occasional eagle putt are often not those on the first page of the leaderboard. But in the college game one hole can make all the difference, and that's exactly what jumpstarted Newcomb's final round. After sinking an ace on the second hole, he went on to shoot a two-under 70 and watched as his opponents started to stumble. It was a clutch performance by a player named after Jack Nicklaus and it was another example of how the college game can produce stars just like the pro ranks.

I Will Never Eat Gummi Bears Again

eegros — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:44:00 GMT

This year's NCAA Tournament had a number of players put together brilliant performances, not the least of which was Memphis Freshman Derrick Rose. Thru the first five games of the Big Dance, Rose averaged 21.4 points and had a minimum of 4 assists each contest. He could be considered the high-flying catalyst who helped put that Tiger squad past the Elite 8 hump and into the National Championship game. Then, all of a sudden, a candy addiction and a diet even an eight year old would consider unhealthy toppled even the mightiest of NBA up and comers. Though Coach Calipari said he was okay to play, Rose struggled throughout the first half. You can blame a massive and physical frontcourt and uneven ball distribution on Memphis' behalf, but there were plenty of open looks early on where even if he misses, the shots will make the Jayhawk defense more honest. Even after his second half spurt, the moment when his team needed him the most, Rose would miss one of two. Can you blame that on nerves, law of averages, Chris Douglas-Roberts missing his pair just seconds ago? Or can you blame the Memphis choke job on fatigue? Kansas proved to be too physical and too strong for Memphis. It was when the Jayhawks resorted to zone when Memphis, and subsequently Rose, began its run. This game required a lot of tenacity, an inner-strength the greats all have and, most importantly, focus. If you are sick, you can't focus. If you eat too many gummi bears, you slow down. Not that I will ever be playing in a National Championship game, but if I were, I would make it a point to make my nutrition a priority. Don't be mistaken, Rose is still an incredible talent, but we all make mistakes.

P.S. John Calipari should receive little blame for his coaching calls down the stretch...He built a mid-major program into one of the elites in the country.

My First Blog for WPSD-TV

eegros — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:08:00 GMT

Greetings to all,

I am Edward Egros, your newest sports reporter. I've only been here for three weeks but the insanely fanatic basketball crowd and the cool but not incredibly freezing weather has already made things here pleasurable. I hope to provide sports insight on this medium that hopefully will spark conversation and perhaps some healthy debate. I welcome your opinions and look forward to some fantastic sports here!