Since when is winning not enough?
The Auburn Tigers starting quarterback Nick Marshall is not the fastest, does not have the strongest arm, and isn’t the most accurate of passers. The one skill that Marshall has though, is that intangible called will.
His will is greater than a lot of his opponents skill.
I have heard every negative aspect of Marshall’s game for the last two years and I still see a man who takes a lot of criticism even in the middle of games that the Tigers win.
Well here is a fact for you. Two numbers — 15-2.
That is the record that Marshall holds as the starting quarterback for the Tigers. Who were those two losses against? One was against the LSU Tigers inside of Tiger Stadium. The other was a three-point loss to the Florida State Seminoles in the 2014 National Championship game.
Two great teams and nothing to have shame about.
In his junior season when Marshall threw for nearly 2,000 yards and rushed for over 1,000 yards, he would’ve heard his name called in the 2014 NFL Draft and would have a career as a professional quarterback.
Instead of leaving when his stock was high, I am now terrified that the scouts in the NFL are going to nitpick at his game and tear him apart even when he is having another great year (a concept that I do not understand).
Teams want consistency, but yet draft players who were inconsistent in college. If Marshall has played consistently great for two years and teams know what to expect from him then why should his draft stock fall?
This year Marshall is picking up right where he left off. In his first game against the San Jose State Spartans, Marshall threw for 100 yards and a touchdown and added in another score with his legs rushing for 103 yards.
Even when his doubters said that the San Jose game was a cupcake, Marshall went out and proved it again. Playing against the No. 20 ranked Kansas State Wildcats on the road in the Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium, Marshall again played well.
There were times in the game, where I even said “What was that.” But in any football game how often do we all question the decision-making of quarterbacks?
Marshall was still impressive. He threw for 231 yards, and two touchdowns and added 46 more yards on the ground.
If his wide receivers didn’t drop the ball often (Sammie Coates, D’haquille Williams that would be you two) Marshall would’ve had over 300 yards and closer to four touchdowns. There were times in the Kansas State game where the throws Marshall made were right on the money, but his receivers could not reel it in.
However there were many times when the receivers and Marshall connected and it looked wonderful. Marshall is able to lead his receivers with just enough touch on the football to throw to an open window.
Come April, we are going to hear the way the NFL routinely tears collegiate athletes apart instead of looking at their complete body of work. Entering the combine we know what to expect from each prospect’s games.
I don’t care if he isn’t drafted in the first round, I wouldn’t take him that high either. I just don’t want to see someone black balled out of the NFL when they have enough talent to play in the league.
However because of the lack of size that Marshall has (6’1 190 pounds), he makes up for it in heart.
One of the players compared often to Marshall is the former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. Though a terrific athlete at Michigan, Robinson and Marshall are not in the same class at quarterback.
Marshall has accumulated a bunch of better statistics than Robinson while playing in one year of college football in a more difficult conference. Some of these stats are yards per completion average, completion percentage, passer efficiency rating and touchdown to interception ratio.
One of the greatest advantages that Marshall has going for him is that the NFL is beginning to accept the dual-threat quarterback. With players such as Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III and Cam Newton the NFL is becoming more into having quarterbacks that can control an entire offense. Even Aaron Rodgers, Geno Smith, Josh McCown, EJ Manuel, Ryan Tannehill and Alex Smith have mobility outside of the pocket. How many more quarterbacks should I name?
Marshall understands the league is becoming more athletic and in an interview with Joel Erickson of Al.com said this:
"“We’re more dual-type quarterbacks, and that’s what the league’s really coming to right now. … I like my chances playing quarterback in the NFL….I know that I’ll be able to play quarterback at the next level.“"
After the drubbing I just saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take from the Atlanta Falcons, I have even more confidence that Marshall could’ve had a better game than Josh McCown.
What’s the worst that can happen from drafting someone who isn’t the prototypical quarterback mold?
“Woe is me…he wins games.” Give me a break, and give the man a chance.
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