GREAT IN '05, CAN QUINN BE EVEN "MIGHTIER" IN '06?
Assertions to the contrary, entering the 2005 season,
Brady Quinn's career was at a crossroads.
Yes, he had made modest improvement during his sophomore year in '04. But it was far from a breakout campaign and doubt about his ever becoming a star was real and justified.
The jury was clearly out as to whether the impressive physical specimen from Ohio was destined to be more hype than substance, more potential than actual on-the-field- results.
Granted, Quinn was somewhat limited by Ty Willingham's rather unimaginative and staid offense, not to mention being hamstrung by an often listless team that surrounded him.
But Quinn was hardly blameless. At times, he looked indecisive and gave the appearance of someone who could be rattled. And throwing bad picks was hardly foreign to him.
No, make no mistake about it, Brady Quinn was far from being a sure thing. He didn't exactly inspire the utmost in confidence that he could get the job done. You certainly wouldn't have bet the house on him.
So as the Charlie Weis era dawned, no one could predict in what direction the junior signalcaller was headed. Could he successfully assimilate and execute Weis' sizeable playbook and clever scheme or would he regress, become overwhelmed and turn into one big disappointment?
The time was now. Mediocrity wouldn't do! The fate of a once proud but now moribund program was, to a great extent, in his hands. The pressure to not only succeed but to excel was enormous. Quinn was about to walk through a minefield of expectations. The prospect for failure seemed very real indeed.
But history now shows Quinn was more than up to the task. Mark it down as expectations met, surpassed and then some!
Quinn's improvement quotient was simply off the charts. No college player developed more quickly and dramatically than Brady did in '05. He rocketed from definite question mark to unqualified standout. How far has he come?
As he walked off the field after the demoralizing Insight Bowl loss to Oregon State, Quinn seemed dazed, almost as if he couldn't fathom the depths to which Notre Dame's star and to a lesser extent, his own had fallen.
Less than a year later, the third-year starter had engineered the Irish into a BCS Bowl with his dynamic play and had arguably become one of the top-five perfomers in all of college football. It had been a monumental turnaround for both player and team alike.
What Quinn accomplished under Weis' watchful eye bears reexamination.
To begin with, the numbers are simply astounding! Quinn literally dropped an atomic bomb on the Irish record book this season. He smashed every conceivable career and season passing mark.
Given another year of comparable productivity, the dashing Quinn will probably be bouncing his grandkids on his knee before anyone seriously challenges the standards he'll establish.
Numbers aside, Brady's remarkable growth manifested itself in other tangible ways.
Seemingly fully immersed in Weis' X's and O's, Quinn is almost a sure bet to make the right read and pitch it to the most opportune receiver. Nowadays, it seems as if Quinn makes a bad decision as infrequently as his coach calls a poor play.
Brady has also become a "Mighty" Quinn when it comes to clutch play. Number 10 was brilliant when under the gun in games against Michigan State, USC, Tennessee and, of course, Stanford when he orchestrated a late scoring march that not only secured a breathtaking win but also put a cool 14.7 million in the ND coiffers. Talk about your money drive!
In short, Quinn appears to have matured into the complete package. Bright, strong with the ball when both throwing and running and now a true leader in the huddle, the Irish stud qb is staring greatness straight in the eyes. The question is will he embrace it or will it get the better of him and make him blink?
Because to become a true legend, to be a threat to win Notre Dame's eighth Heisman Trophy, Quinn can't simply maintain the staus quo. He must push the envelope. He must take his game to an even higher level. And though that will hardly be easy, it's almost essential that he does.
The Irish schedule in 2006 is daunting with the likes of Georgia Tech, Penn State and UCLA jumping on board. If Quinn's play levels off to any degree, ND might be hard pressed to go beyond their nine wins of this year.
National championship and BCS Bowl aspirations can only be realized if Quinn functions even more efficiently next year as Weis' alter ego on the field. He must become a virtual maestro while conducting Charlie's gridiron symphony. That's asking a lot but aside from getting more stout play from their defense, nothing is more critical to the Golden Domers' success in Weis' second year than Quinn continuing his meteoric rise.
Will he do it? Can he once again measure up when faced with a considerable challenge? A year ago at this time, the burning question being asked was whether Quinn had what it took to be a consistent performer, a star. His play gave a resounding answer in the affirmative. Now, the insiders wonder whether he has what it takes to be even better, to evolve into that truly memorable athlete.
Can Brady be an even "Mightier" Quinn in '06 than he was this past season? The Irish nation will watch with hopeful hearts as the answer unfolds.