I just recently got around to reviewing Landry Jones' game versus FSU. It was a stern test against a very talented defense, that played just about as well as they could possibly play against Oklahoma's offense that night.
I thought Jimbo Fisher and his defensive coaches really had a solid game plan defensively this time around, they were much more prepared than they were last season against Oklahoma. It was pretty much the usual for Oklahoma's offense in terms of personnel and formations that you typically see (3X1, 2X2), but the FSU defensive backs were much more prepared, and fundamentally sound in their assignments this time around. Jimbo took a page out of his mentor's book (Nick Saban) on how to match up with this type of offense. Changing up his fronts from 3 down lineman when Oklahoma was in their 3X1 sets, and 4 down linemen when the Sooners were in their 2X2 sets, or 5-wide empty backfield sets.
FSU did a great job of disguising their coverages and blitzes. They'd switch up from Cover-1 with man across the board, to Cover-4, etc. in an attempt to give Jones some different looks and force him into mistakes. It worked on quite a few occassions.
FSU's DB's were all over the flat routes that Oklahoma likes to kill you with. The defensive backs were prepared, and did and excellent job of recognizing, and coming up to make tackles quickly for little or no gain on the bubble screens, quick WR screens, and flares to the RB's in the flat. They forced Jones to make plays throwing the football down the field. I thought Kenny Stills bailed Jones out twice on deep throws where either the throw was late (i.e. the last TD pass to Stills where he just outjumped and outmuscled Greg Reid for the ball), and another deep throw earlier in the game where the ball floated, and the safety was inches away from taking Stills' head off right as the ball arrived.
What was good about the last TD pass to Stills even though the throw was late, is the fact that Jones recognized the inside leverage that Reid was playing, which indicated that he had no safety help over the top. He pump faked to the flat causing Reid to bite, and then hit Stills over the top. But like I said, the throw was late and Stills bailed him out on that one.FSU's DB's and linebackers were jumping those flat routes so good, that Jones hit 'em twice with the exact same play. Once to Broyles and once to Stills for big 1st downs. It's essentially a curl/flat concept against Cover-2 zone. He pump faked the bubble screen/flare to the RB in the flat, and hit the receiver on a 10-12 yard out in the "honey hole" in front of the corner.
Jones' ball placement and decision making was spotty and inconsistent in this game. There was good and bad in both aspects, but more good than bad, which is why the Sooners won this game.
He made some big throws in key situations on 3rd and long.... hitting Stills for a big gain on 3rd and 12 right between the hashes against Cover-4 for a huge 1st down in the 4th quarter when the game was tied 13-13. He displayed poise in the pocket and made the correct reads and tough throws when he needed to in this game. Made good decisions in the red zone when nothing was there, he didn't force it and cost his team points by turning it over.
Most of the negative plays/inaccurate throws happened when he was pressured, or forced to move his feet and reset to deliver the ball. The first interception was against a delayed blitz where he was forced to move his feet... he let the blitzer get on him and hit his arm as he was releasing it, resulting in the interception. He was actually just trying to throw the ball away.He mishandled a perfect shotgun snap and was extremely fortunate to be able to recover it.
The second interception he threw was just a bad decision where he threw the ball into double coverage on an out-and-up.Jones really only attempted 7 passes over 10 yards in this game... but completed 6 of them. Although as I mentioned earlier, two of those completions are a result of Kenny Stills bailing him out more than anything else.
Jones is one of these quarterbacks that is able to adjust his throwing motion and deliver the football from a variety of different platforms. You have to be able to do that.
Overall, he was faced with a good test against a talented FSU defense that was prepared and up to the task, and he passed. Not with flying colors, but passed nonetheless.He doesn't have any glaring flaws that immediately raise a red flag with me (slow-elongated delivery, overstrider that struggles to throw with bodies around him, lack of poise/pocket presence, anticipation, etc.)
My opinion of Landry Jones after reviewing this game is about what it already was.... he's a good quarterback prospect, but not quite franchise material. I think he's more of a late 1st/early 2nd round prospect, who's capable of being more of a good game manager type in the NFL, rather than a true difference making, franchise type quarterback.
