Defense is no Fun; I Blame the Quarterbacks

One day, I will almost certainly look like an idiot for calling Terrelle Pryor or Matt Barkley "mediocre," but that's what they are right now. Their performance has been uneven throughout, and perhaps that's a credit to the outstanding defense being played by both teams, but more likely, it's a combination of both.

In matters of college football knowledge, I'll always defer to either Spencer Hall or Peter Bean, but I will say this: a good quarterback makes a world of difference in defining the aesthetics of the game. And while both Pryor and Barkley have shown flashes of brilliance in this and past games, neither have been able to put together any sort of consistent play tonight. At 15-10, with teams trading field goals, interceptions, and even a safety(!), yeah, you could say the aesthetics leave something to be desired.

As I type this, Pryor just one-hopped a throw to an open Brian Hartline in the endzone (also known as a "McNabb"). THAT is not the defense. So, perhaps it's my commentary jinx, or perhaps it's the athletic defenses, but I think the shoddy quarterback play is a big reason while this game has been a tease thus far. Who knew I'd be pining for Jacory Harris on a Saturday night?

But that's enough; now back to your regularly-scheduled well-reasoned analysis from Messrs Bean and Hall.