Putting Washington Huskies Quarterback Jacob Eason Under The Microscope

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Friday, October 04, 2019

NICHOLAS BARTLETT, Oregon Sports News

Since his arrival in Seattle, quarterback Jacob Eason has been getting a lot of hype. The former five-star recruit transferred from Georgia to Washington in February 2018, and there has been a buzz around the UW football program ever since. He is undoubtedly one of the most physically gifted signal-callers in the country, but is he really as good and his physical attributes would lead us to believe?  

Strengths

The man has a cannon of an arm. He arguably throws the ball harder than most NFL quarterbacks. This weapon allows him to make throws on the field that other signal-callers simply can’t make. Some of these throws include deep outs, quick slants in traffic, and the jaw-dropping long-bomb.

Even when defenders are in perfect position, Eason can rocket passes right by them into his receiver’s hands, assuming he doesn’t break one of their fingers.

There is no amount of coaching that can teach this skill; he was born with a LeBron James-type talent that should be admired and respected.

Eason also has experience playing in the best conference in college football—in the SEC. (Sorry Pac-12 fans, but let’s just be honest for a second). He started games as a true freshman at Georgia and finished the year throwing for 2,420 yards, 16 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. These stats are impressive for any freshman, but to do it against some of the best defenses and hostile atmospheres in the nation is special.

This experience could prove wonderous when UW plays teams like Washington State, Utah, and Oregon. He’s seen it all before so nothing should hinder his confidence.

Speaking of confidence, the kid is chock-full of it. There is a certain swagger Eason possesses that is felt whenever he steps on the field. It could be bordering on the line of cockiness, but I’d rather have a self-assured signal caller than one who questions his own abilities.

The quarterback position will generally be the leader of a football team; it will be interesting to see if his swagger rubs off onto the other Huskies players.

Weaknesses

One of the biggest knocks on him is his understanding of the game. A rocket arm is great, but it can only be used to its maximum ability by reading the defense.

Eason likes to throw passes into tight windows, and while this may be cool to watch against lesser opponents, these throws can turn into game-changing interceptions versus elite teams. Last week, he fired a slant between Trojan defenders that could’ve been a pick-six.

It is ok to make passes like this once in a while, but to make a habit of it is downright dangerous.

Speaking of dangerous: Eason’s arm might hurt his own wideouts.

Against USC, he threw three separate screens at maximum velocity. Screen passes should be thrown with touch, that way the receiver can catch the ball and get down field—they should not be thrown like 100 mile-per-hour fastballs.

The third attempt resulted in a dropped pass by Chico McClatcher, who was probably scared for his life.

Along with learning when to use his arm, he needs to work on his throwing accuracy. He misses one to five throws every game that should be easy completions.

Last week Eason missed wideout Aaron Fuller on a comeback route that should have resulted in an easy first down. These are the type of throws that must be completed in big matchups; they can often be the difference between winning and losing.

As much hype as he gets, Eason still lost the Pac-12 opener against Cal in a contest where the Dawgs only scored 19 points. These types of performances could hinder UW’s success this season and leave fans wondering if they can bring back Jake Browning for a 5th year.

Conclusion

Eason has had some highs and lows thus far, and it’ll be interesting to see how this season plays out. He has posted amazing stats this year with 1,243 yards, 10 touchdowns, and two interceptions. His arrival on campus has left Husky fans wondering if he’s the missing piece to a national championship.

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