Harty: Stanzi making serious run at all-Big Ten
Why not Ricky Stanzi?
As uncertain as the Big Ten football race is at this point, the competition for first-team all-Big Ten quarterback is even more wide open.
It would be a no-brainer if only statistics were used to pick the top quarterback, with Michigan sophomore Denard Robinson winning by a landslide. His problem is that he is a statistical anomaly on a mediocre team.
You could say the same about Indiana’s Ben Chappell, who is the only quarterback in the Big Ten to average at least 300 passing yards per game. His problem is that Indiana currently is winless in conference play and battling hapless Minnesota neck-and-neck for last place.
Ohio State junior Terrelle Pryor entered the season as the consensus all-Big Ten quarterback based largely on his MVP performance in the Rose Bowl, and partly because he is Terrelle Pryor.
But when the Buckeyes needed him the most against Wisconsin, Pryor failed to deliver, as did his team.
This isn’t to say that Pryor is undeserving of the honor — just don’t hand it to him already.
As for Stanzi, he threw his 17th, 18th and 19th touchdown passes of the season during Saturday’s 37-6 thrashing of previously undefeated Michigan State.
He also went another game without throwing an interception, leaving his season total at just two, although one of his interceptions, which resulted in a pick six against Arizona, probably should have been caught by receiver of Marvin McNutt.
So the same guy who was notorious for being careless with the football as evidenced by him throwing four pick sixes last season now is a model of consistency and proficiency.
We already knew that Stanzi was a good leader and a respected teammate, but now he has glitzy statistics to go with it.
His statistics are comparable to the numbers compiled by former Iowa quarterback Brad Banks during his march to Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2002.
“I can’t say enough about the way he’s led our football team, first and foremost,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said after Saturday’s victory over Michigan State. “His statistics are fantastic.
“We all feel pretty good when he’s out there taking snaps for us.”
Stanzi has struggled at times this season, but mostly under duress. He hurt his team by being sacked in the closing seconds of losses to Arizona and Wisconsin.
But to blame Stanzi for those losses would be unfair because he still did enough for Iowa to prevail.
Michigan State quarterback Kurt Cousins also hurt his team and his chance of making all-Big Ten by throwing three interceptions Saturday. Even though football is a team sport, it’s hard not to blame Cousins for what happened to the Spartans. He even said so after the game.
One quarterback who often gets overlooked, even by me, considering I waited this long to mention him, is Northwestern junior Dan Persa.
He is a slower version of Denard Robinson, but a more accurate passer. Northwestern also is 6-2 overall after edging Indiana 20-17 Saturday on the road.
Persa threw two touchdown passes before leaving the game midway through the fourth quarter with an apparent concussion.
He entered the Indiana game ranked second in the Big Ten in total offense and passing offense with per-game averages of 313.0 and 264.3 yards, respectively.
If the vote for all-Big Ten quarterback were today, you could make a strong argument for Stanzi or Persa.
But all the Big Ten teams either have three or four conference games remaining, so there still is plenty of time for each quarterback to help or hurt his cause.
Stanzi can’t afford to have a letdown at Indiana this coming Saturday because that could hurt the team as much as his chance to be Iowa’s first all-Big Ten quarterback since Drew Tate in 2004.
The good news for Stanzi, although, you’d never get him to say it, is that three of the four teams left on Iowa’ schedule are either mediocre or bad on defense. That includes lowly Minnesota, which is next to last in the Big Ten in total defense, ahead of only Michigan’s sieve.
The lone exception is Ohio State, which Iowa will host Nov. 20 to close out the home schedule.
That game could go a long way in determining the Big Ten champion and the all-Big Ten quarterback.
But it won’t matter if Iowa loses to either Indiana on Saturday or at Northwestern the week after.
This is a developing story, just like Stanzi is a developing quarterback.
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football
Pat, did you even look at the whole picture? If “only statistics” were used, Denard wouldn’t run away with it. Not unless you only use rushing numbers.
Don’t get caught up in looking only at yardage totals and Rick’s numbers are comparable or better than anyone out there.
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