We all know that Ponder is book smart or school smart. You don’t graduate with a degree in finance in 2.5 years if you’re not. But football intelligence does. not. equal. “school intelligence”.

I’ve argued that his out of football intelligence may actually be a hindrance more than a helper. That it precludes him from being able to simply feel the game, play the game, make plays. When he’s running, not throwing, you can tell he is able to turn this overbearing predilection off: he makes reads off blocks and seams that one can only make when they’re reacting, not thinking.

How does the saying go? If you’re thinking, you’re a step slow? It avoids me, someone help.

Anyway, I don’t think Ponder can turn it off in the passing game, or at least through 12 games hasn’t shown the ability to. He knows how the play is supposed to be run, where the correct read pre-snap is, but then locks on to that receiver and over-thinks the throw. When things don’t go completely according to plan, like, for example, if there is any pressure in the pocket, instead of assessing, coping, reacting, he panics.

The most glaring example of all of this encapsulated into one play was during the UF game. Ponder had 2.5 seconds to survey, but then pressure reached him via one man through the middle. There were lanes to step into the pocket, but instead he bailed out towards the sideline. Even still, the play wasn’t over. Bert Reed was W I D E (very very very wide) open in the back of the end zone. Like there was no one within 10 yards and he was virtually standing still. Now, granted, the play had been significantly diverted off it’s axis and receivers were not where they were supposed to be, but this is what I want Ponder to be able to do. Make that throw, not throw it into the 15th row.

Unfortunately, it is my assumption that this problem is inherent and cannot be ironed out like some unfortunate wrinkle. The list of qb’s that consistently rattled (either by some ethereal foreboding caused by 1….1 game in which he was punished, or some irrevocable scarring) and then were able to about-face psychologically is very short. Weinke had his NC State game, Ward may have had his against them as well, but those were, like, within their first 3 games. The light turned on, the rest is history.

Another corollary, if not casual evidence, that this argument is not one of amount of experience can also be dug up from FSU’s past: the mythical RS-JR hegemony. Ours, it seemed, always came into their first starts, as USC’s have recently, without the ubiquitous jitteriness and nervous (lack of) composure. The ones that did were not given 12 games to hope it goes away, simply the player that had it, that untangable it that so governs the success of Qbs, was plugged in.

Or, if it doesn’t displease you to do so, look much more recently to UF’s success. Both national championships won with QBs that played mucho their freshman years and never threw 6 Tds to 13 Ints.

Once again, we’re not Wake Forest, at least not yet. We don’t need to stoop to the level of letting our good players take their licks for 3 years in hope that we can have 1 good year per cycle. We have the capacity to recruit game breakers to the program. We now have to show the gall and the balls to start these potential game changers over “good players” regardless of experience or loyalty or whatever. The coach has to look his team with a utilitarian’s eye. The greater welfare of the team is >> more important than that of any one player. UF, to our chagrin, has done this infinitely better the last few years. Both at recognizing those potential game changing players in their nascent recruiting phase, and then implementing them into the correct scheme for them, and thus the team, to excel. Like Tebow, Harvin, Janoris Jenkins over a RS-JR, Joe Haden over a Soph, etc.

I think once we move on from this failed “ad hoc” attempt at a solution, and cleanly break from the past, we’ll start seeing this happen much more efficiently. I think Bowden has personnel and play-calling power far beyond what we’ve hoped, maybe not because he’s demanded it (though likely) or because Jimbo relinquished it (unlikely) but because of Jimbo’s loyalty to Bowden and the Bowdens. He owes his career to that name, and like Bowden calling the fake FG and Jimbo not stepping on his toes, I think Jimbo shows respect even at times in which it would hurt his chances to win games.

Though a long winded tangent, I often move from the QB discussion to it because the QB position serves as such a potent allegory for the team at whole. QBs need some level of intelligence, this much is certain. Though Texas dumbed down the playbook to such a degree that Mr. 8 on the Wonderlic Vinny Young would be able to lead them to a MNC, those cases aren’t the norm. But with the intelligence, I argue you have to have the necessary psychological frame of mind and composition. Which, I think, is even more important. Vince Young had it. He was never rattled or nervy. Especially not for 12 consecutive games. Tebow has it. Stafford had it, Sanchez had it.

LSU’s first two tries at the QB position this year didn’t have this necessary psychological composition and toughness. Lee and Hatch were like Wake-Ponder every game. But, Jordan Jefferson has it. In droves. They plugged him in, and you could just tell. Immediately.

We haven’t seen if EJ has this what I consider the most important virtue for a QB. We won’t know until he plays his first game. The “Drew Weatherford” conumdrum, if you will. But we will know before his 12th game, and that’s my point. If he doesn’t, then we move on. Like a program with our resources and capacity, should.