Ex-Cal QB Rodgers bucked trend with solid numbers in his first year
By Jay Heater
BERKELEY - If anyone understands what Cal quarterback Joe Ayoob is going through as a junior college transfer student starting his first season in major college football, it would be Bears coach Jeff Tedford. Back in 1981, Tedford was a Cerritos Junior College transfer starting for coach Jim Sweeney's Fresno State team. Tedford competed 132 of 250 passes for a 52.8 completion percentage with 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Not every throw is going to be perfect for a first-year starter, regardless of whether that player is a freshman or a transfer getting used to a new system. Tedford was asked Tuesday why it has been so hard for Ayoob (49.4 percent completions, 15 touchdowns, 10 interceptions) to pick up Tedford's system. "There are a lot of things to learn, and you have big, fast people chasing you," he said. Those players might not be a lot bigger than those on the junior college level, but they are a lot faster. Getting used to the speed of the game is a common theme to most junior college transfers. Consider last season's group of seniors who were junior college transfers. J.J. Arrington went from backup tailback to the nation's leading rusher with 2,018 yards. Linebacker Francis Blay-Miezah almost doubled his tackles from the previous season (46 from 25). Tight end Garrett Cross went from 173 yards in receptions to 339 yards in 2004. Safety Matt Giordano went from part-time player to a first-team All Pac-10 rover. Linebacker Joe Maningo went from 21/2 tackles for loss in 2003 to nine tackles for loss his senior season. Defensive end Ryan Riddle went from 61/2 sacks as a junior to a Pac-10-best 141/2 sacks. Then there was quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who played well both seasons. His completion percentage started at 61.6 percent in 2003 and increased to 66.1 last season. He threw for 19 touchdowns his junior year and 24 his senior season. Most of all, in his senior season, he proved enough that he was drafted in the first round by the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, perhaps, has spoiled Cal fans, who might not have a lot of patience for Ayoob. In terms of junior college transfers bucking the trend, he was the exception as he excelled from the start. Rodgers didn't suffer like most junior college transfers do in their first season. But he also bucked the trend of any quarterback suffering in his first season of starting. Fans might forget that Kyle Boller was a 38.6 percent passer his first season in 1999 or that Dave Barr threw 15 interceptions in his first year in 1992. As a freshman in 1986, Troy Taylor threw one touchdown to eight interceptions. Gale Gilbert was a 12-touchdowns-to-12-interceptions passer in his first season as a starter in 1982. In his first season as a starter in 1978, Rich Campbell threw 19 interceptions to 14 touchdowns.
Boller, Barr, Taylor, Gilbert and Campbell all played in the NFL. It simply takes time to become comfortable with the responsibilities of being a major college quarterback. "Ayoob is a really talented athlete," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "He can run the ball and make you pay the price. He has just missed the consistency to become a great player." Carroll said that his current quarterback, Matt Leinart, was fortunate he didn't have to start his first two seasons at USC. "With Matt, it took him into his third year (to get comfortable)," Carroll said. "He didn't do anything his first year or his second year. It was not until the opener against Auburn (in 2003). That's a long haul. "But we respect that process. It takes time to eliminate the mistakes."
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