Lions: Jake Rudock 'light years' ahead of Brad Kaaya in backup QB race
Interesting article highlighting the advantages Jake Rudock has in Lion's training camp:
Jake Rudock’s one year of experience in offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter’s system has given him a big edge in his competition with rookie Brad Kaaya, according to Detroit Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman.
Apparently he has picked up the Offensive scheme, and is performing well in the backup role:
“Rudock’s experience and knowledge of Jim Bob Cooter’s scheme is light years ahead of Kaaya’s right now, and that’s shown on the field in minicamp,” Twentyman wrote. “Rudock appears to have clearly established himself as the No. 2 quarterback heading into training camp.”
Hopefully, he can continue to remain ahead of the pack as the article highlights what lurks behind him:
Kaaya’s a more physically gifted quarterback, and if he can improve as quickly within the system as Rudock did this time last year, it could be a much closer race at the end of training camp than it was at the beginning.
RUUUUUDDDDDDOOOOOCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!
Paves the way to be one of the two most popular athletes in Detroit. (Lions Back-Up QB and Red Wings Back-Up GK being neck-and-neck over the years.)
Hell yeah Jake!
God i wish we had year Rudock last year.
I'd have rather had any of Molk, Lewan, Schilling, Schofield, Omameh, etc.
If Rudock would have had a full year performing like he did in the final 5 games of 2016 (and stayed healthy), we would have went undefeated heading into the Playoffs and had a clear shot at the Nat'l Championship. Iowa and Ohio St. were both played by a broken Speight (at least by the end of the Iowa game) and still was a walk-off field goal and a couple officiating calls away from an undefeated regular season.
That being said, I really liked what I saw from Speight, and I think he's going to surprise some doubters this year. The injury was extremely unfortunate but shows what kind of toughess Speight has in him. If the O-line can be efficient and at least mediocre, I think we are going to be very happy with our offensive production. There are weapons all over the field.
Agreed. If we had an OL that could perform in crunch time, we bleed the clock and win the OSU game. Hands down. Barrett doesn't get another chance to get back on the field.
QBs, more often than not, only go as far as their OL can take them. I'd rather have an elite OL and an average QB than the other way around. If you have an OL that can buy you all the time you need in the pocket, or open up any running lane you need, then you've got it made.
There isn't one. No such thing. It's a retconned myth of sorts, that I'm convinced came about because the data shows successful offenses tend to have better Time of Possession. That is true. But emphasizing ToP puts the cart in front of the horse. ToP is an effect of marching across the field, not turning the ball over, and having a good defense. If you go run-run-pass-punt on every drive against a defense prepared to stop it, you're not going to get much ToP. As an aside, you won't score either. Oh, and just as a bit of meaningless trivia, you'll tend to lose.
There is such a thing as a grind-it-out offense, but that's as much a product of limitations and advantages as anything else. Again, when you're just trying to get a damned Rutgers game over with because you're up 50 and the other side just isn't stopping anything, you're going to rack up ToP with all these 7-, 10-, 12-yard runs. You'll also score almost 80 points. Harbaugh went MANBALL at Stanford because it was something he could do with what he had to mess with what he was up against. Today's offenses have their pick of speedsters and option QBs with not much interest in an Owen Marecic, and today's defenses weren't conditioned to defend a super-heavy package with six offensive linemen, tight ends and a fullback. So they'd grind because that's what they were good at. But when Luck had a wide-open TE running up the seam for a quick score, the ball went there.
Disagree. If we have a healthy Rudock we win OSU and Iowa and are in the playoff.
I agree with this take...
Ruduck was just hitting the Harbaugh zone ini the bowl game, guy was showing calmness like Tom Brady. Would have been awesome to have last year with that.
He's a winner.
I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that our OC has the name of an auto mechanic in rural Mississippi...
Which Georgia?
The Cooter Turtle or the other one (NSFW)?
While true, it's also true that good ol' Jim Bob has been the best OC the Lion's have had in 15 years. Maybe more...
Duh? (not at you, OP, at the article).
Rudock played a lot of preseason and has been a professional for a full year.
Kaaya just got drafted.
Should we expect any different?? I would be stunned if Kaaya was past Rudock at any point. And if he is more gifted than Jake, I would expect him to move up the depth chart as he learns the system.
there is a school of thought that you want your higher drafted players to eventually "be the guy".
With Kaaya's physical skills, where he was drafted, age, etc., I can imagine some would want him to get the snaps a Backup would get...
He was drafted in the 6th round... He wasn't a 2nd round pick.
And because no QB in NFL history drafted in the 6th round has EVER done anything of note.
He is saying that he should be getting actively worked as a backup of where he was drafted, implying he thinks Kaaya was picked higher.
Brady is the absolute, absolute exception to the rule.
And... HELLO!
In defense of Tim, he has to write something in the offseason. What I'd like to hear is that his downfield accuracy has improved. Anytime he had to throw it downfield, or put a little mustard on it, it would sail on him.
Are you old enough to have lived through the Eric Hipple era? I kid, I kid.
Yes, I am. And Gary Danielson. And Rodney Pete. And Andre Ware. So what's you're point?
is that the Lions have had some pretty bad quarterbacks during my lifetime
Don't forget Jeff Komlo!
From what I can remember he was a decent QB that couldn't get the stink of the Lions off him.
And I agree, Stafford is the best of my lifetime.
Heard he has developed more zip on his ball as well. 97.1 on Saturday (Caputo maybe?) was raving about his development.
for Lions. Got to believe he sees some non-garbage time this year.
If Stafford gets hurt.
That is the one and only scenario. He will not step foot on that field as long as Stafford is healthy.
And I am not even that big of a Stafford guy.
Go Jake!!
Except, who in their right mind wouldn't go by "Dick Cooter"? I mean, that is a missed opportunity on a grand scale.
I kid, I kid...
and into retirement.
Is this "Rudock" character related to the Jake Ruddock that we had at QB a couple years ago?