Quarterback guru David Cutcliffe, who groomed both Peyton and Eli Manning, knows how important the man under center is to his team.
“I don’t think there’s any question that a quarterback is considered a leader naturally on the team,” he said. “All players realize how hard that quarterback has to work, particularly in this day and time, to prepare mentally and physically, to know everyone’s assignments, all of those things, so it puts you in a position that your team depends on him.”
This year in the ACC, teams have relied on not only a quarterback’s preparation and skills, but also his experience. According to data compiled by The Chronicle, the teams with the most experience at the quarterback position are the ones at the top of the conference standings.
Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor, a senior who will take on the Blue Devils this Saturday at noon at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., exemplifies the benefits reaped from substantial game experience. As a true freshman in 2007, he played in 11 games, starting five. As the primary starter during his sophomore campaign (after the coaching staff reversed its decision to redshirt him), he threw two touchdowns and seven interceptions. Despite his negative turnover margin, he led the Hokies to an Orange Bowl victory.
As an upperclassman, Taylor has minimized his turnovers, throwing 25 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions over the past two seasons. He has also rushed for eight additional touchdowns, developing into the best dual-threat quarterback in the country, Cutcliffe said.
“He’s just so much more comfortable,” Cutcliffe said about Taylor as a passer. “The guy’s got tons of reps. He came out as a freshman, like a lot of young quarterbacks, and he threw some interceptions. He’s grown, he sees the field, he’s very comfortable with his receivers and his accuracy has improved. They’ve done a great job coaching him.”
Duke, along with Wake Forest, the other five-loss team in the ACC, had no starting experience at the quarterback position coming into this season. With the exception of Maryland, all ACC teams breaking in new signal callers have losing records.
Boston College has suffered from inconsistent play at the quarterback position and recently turned to true freshman Chase Rettig. And Virginia’s Marc Verica is back under center after starting nine games in 2008 and only one game last year.
Blue Devils quarterback Sean Renfree, as a redshirt sophomore, has spent three years learning the offense. Coming into this season, his playing time had been limited to spot appearances in five games last year before an ACL tear sidelined him for spring practice and much of the team’s summer workouts.
As the starter this year, Renfree has thrown 10 touchdowns along with 14 interceptions, more than any other quarterback in the country. He has also fumbled the ball in each of the past three games. Before last week’s matchup against Miami, in which he threw five interceptions, Renfree said that all of Duke’s young players have benefited from the added game experience, including himself.
“The more games I play, the more comfortable I feel back there,” Renfree said.
Cutcliffe said this week that Renfree’s inexperience is not a contributing factor to his performance. Rather, it’s him hurrying himself and trying to force plays.
“He doesn’t have to force and make plays. I think he’s gotten outside of himself a little,” Cutcliffe said. “I’ve got complete confidence in him as a person and his ability to handle this. We just have to do a great job to get him back on track playing quarterback. It’s not youth, it’s not anything other than doing what he does best.”
Renfree’s primary backup, Brandon Connette, will continue to see playing time when Duke is in the red zone, and his role in the offense will increase, Cutcliffe said. The true freshman has seen action in all six games this year, completing six of 10 passes for 42 yards and rushing for 127 yards. Last weekend against Miami, when Duke started at its 8-yard line after the Hurricanes fumbled the opening kickoff, Connette earned another first, one that statistics show will help him and the Blue Devils achieve future success—his first collegiate start.
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