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With So Many Quality QB’s in the Spotlight, Landry Awaits His Turn
As Auburn’s Cam Newton and Stanford’s Andrew Luck dueled all season to see who would be named the nation’s top quarterback, former NSR prospect and Oklahoma sophomore signal caller and Sammy Baugh Trophy recipient, Landry Jones, went about his business week after week, putting up impressive numbers and taking the Sooners to the Big 12 Championship. In any other year, Landry’s efforts probably would have translated into serious First Team All-America consideration. But, the life of an NCAA top-tier QB in today’s media happy world can be humbling.
Just ask Arkansas’ Ryan Mallet who was very high on the Heisman Trophy watch list until in Week Four of the season he threw two fourth quarter interceptions against then top-ranked Alabama fueling the Crimson Tide’s comeback win. From then on, even though Mallett was exceptional, his name was never again mentioned with the top QB contenders Newton, Luck, Boise State’s Kellen Moore and TCU’s Andy Dalton. For Mallett, a redshirt junior, his chances to capture any of the significant post season accolades ended with those two INT’s.
Newton’s off-the-field troubles in the end may have worked in his favor with reporters and other vote-holding onlookers. His name was in the headlines practically every day since early October attached to a pay-for-play recruiting scandal involving his father, Cecil, and a Mississippi State University alumnus. Cam’s eligibility status was talked about ad nausea, so watching him play every Saturday was similar to standing trackside while anticipating a train wreck – you hated to see it happen, but you just couldn’t look away. By the time the NCAA panel made its decision in his favor, practically everyone in the country had seen him play numerous times. And, let’s face, the kid is extremely impressive on the football field.
Just outside all the ruckus was an ever-improving Landry whose arm and leadership continued to lift OU toward achieving their goal of capturing the Big 12 title. Sooner Head Coach Bob Stoops hasn’t always been one of Landry’s greatest or most vocal fans, but as the year progressed and Jones became more adept in the art of quarterbacking, Stoops warmed up more to the New Mexico native. In a post game interview following OU’s seesaw battle with in-state rival Oklahoma State in late November, Stoops saw some light ahead for his second-year QB. “You watch some of the great quarterbacks — the Joe Montanas and those guys — they’ll have bad days and then they’ll have a fourth quarter that wins the game and that’s all anybody talks about. The important thing is to stay after it. You’re still going to have opportunities to make your plays. And maybe, (Landry’s) getting that.”
Like the Chicago Cubs mantra, there’s always next year! In the case of Landry Jones, he’s certain to gain more attention next football season, albeit we expect it to be the right kind – you know, the type of attention which wins awards for all the right reasons and without the train wreck scenario.
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.