Nation’s best QB?
By Jimmy Durkin
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 at 9:41 pm in General.
I’m kicking off my season of watching high school football a bit early with tonight’s ESPN2 game between Mater Dei-Santa Ana and Carson. Mater Dei features USC-bound QB Matt Barkley, heavily regarded as the best prep quarterback in the nation.
While he’s shown a strong arm and has made some great throws, I don’t know after watching him if I can call him the nation’s top prep quarterback. He’s thrown four interceptions, including one in double-overtime. Granted, I think two of them have come on deflected passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown. But still, even against a top-flight opponent in Carson, a guy shouldn’t be throwing four picks. Two of them, including the one in double OT, were terrible passes. Maybe I’m being picky, but I think there should be high expectations from the supposed best QB in the country.
Speaking of that game, it’s been a wild one that’s featured dreadful special teams. Both teams scored TDs on their first plays of the first overtime, only to have the PATs blocked. Then in double OT, Barkley threw his fourth pick, but Carson couldn’t take advantage. On third down, they elected to go for the game-winning FG. The snap was bad so the holder fell on it to allow them to re-attempt on fourth down. But that attempt was then blocked, leaving Carson kicker Juan Sanchez 1-5 on PAT attempts and with that one missed field goal. Finally in the third OT, Sanchez delivered with a successful FG, but Barkley just threw his sixth TD pass of the day to give Mater Dei a 46-43 win. Barkley finishes the day 15-of-31 for 304 yards, six TDs and four INTs. Welcome to the prep football season.
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September 3rd, 2008 at 11:39 pm
I was tuned into ESPN 2 for that one, too. What a crazy game! Can’t wait for prep football in our area!
September 4th, 2008 at 7:54 am
At the end of the day, he’s 18, playing on national TV — maybe he was trying to do a bit much….I still think he’s the best, some of those touchdown passes came on throws that high school kids just don’t make.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:02 am
4 picks
September 5th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Frankly, he has shown his skills over a long period of time. Did he look awful? Absolutely. But if we (Rivals) were going to rank prospects game by game, then last year Bryce Givens (4*, Rivals100) would have been a 5* in the regular season, but a 2* in playoffs.
Gatorade National Player of the Year as a junior. Has shown at camps to be the most college ready QB in the country. Will this game cause us to take a closer look at him? Absolutely. But, not trying to mock you, how many other top flight QB’s in the country have you gone out and seen? They are all high school kids so mistakes will happen, but Barkley makes LESS. His physical tools set him apart as well as his game time play making ability.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Settle down Will. And don’t pretend like you’re in charge of ranking Barkley for Rivals.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Quite calm over here. Just engaging in some conversation.
The only reason I brought up the rankings talk is because I talked to Jeremy Crabtree the other day about this exact topic, and he IS in charge of ranking prospects.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Will,
I wasn’t say he wasn’t the best QB in country, I was just throwing it out for conversation since I figure a lot of our readers saw him play in this game — and for most of us it was the first time seeing him. Is there another elite QB I’ve seen? No. But my first impression of Barkley was that he’s very good, but made enough mistakes in a big game to provide some questions that he’s the absolute best in the country. I couldn’t give you a name of someone who I think is better, but it’s certainly worthy of discussion. Without discussion, what’s the point of a blog. In the end, nobody will know who is really the best for at least another four or five years once these guys perform in college and maybe eventually the pros.
September 10th, 2008 at 12:53 am
I know, just giving you a hard time….
What did you think of Novato against VC?
September 10th, 2008 at 3:17 am
Right on Jimmy.
My impressions of the VC Novato game was that VC is rated about right and Novato was WAY overrated. Frankly, their offense is terrible. If #12 Campas isn’t touching the ball, they go NOWHERE. It was really hard to watch.
VC made a lot of first game mistakes. At first, I was really questioning the game plan of VC. Marshall didn’t touch the ball for the first two series. But in the second half once the Novato defense was tired, they banged Marshall up the middle and off tackle constantly. VC looks like they will get SMASHED by Bellarmine (unless they get a lot better) but SHOULD beat San Leandro.