Keenum the reason for the season
Keith Cordero Jr.
Sumlin absolutely made the right decision in naming Keenum starting quarterback before the game against Southern. The Cougars rocked the Jaguars 55-3 in the first meeting between the two schools.
Keenum played great, completing 33 of 43 passes – a 76.7 percent completion rate – for 392 yards and five touchdown passes, and his longest pass of the night went for 36 yards. The job is Keenum’s to lose, and he has it all to himself after a game like that.
The Cougars will need another performance like this one from Keenum when they travel to Stillwater, Okla. next week to face Oklahoma State. The Cowboys had an impressive season-opener with a road win over Pac-10’s Washington State 39-13.
Keenum had great control of the offense and leadership on the field and will need to show the same great composure for the Big 12 opponent Cowboys on Saturday.
Keenum a good fit for new system
Ronnie Turner
Keenum didn’t need Saturday’s game to prove he was capable of being a starting quarterback; he did that last season. He did need to prove that he could effectively run Sumlin’s high-octane offense, and he more than did that.
Keith, I think your statistical analysis was OK, but it’s lacking a bit. 26 of Keenum’s 33 completions went 14 yards or less, meaning that a lot of short passes were employed to move the Cougar’s offense, but there’s nothing wrong with that because Keenum thrived at this sort of passing game last season. It also shows that Keenum might be an even better fit for the Cougars’ offense than originally thought.
Keenum’s mobility, pocket presence and accuracy give him some of the tools needed to run the Cougars’ offense. Plus, he’s pretty good in the medium-passing game (seven passes of 22 yards or more against Southern). Keenum will face a tough battle against Oklahoma State, but he’s prepared for the task.
Still too early in season to tell
Rodney Leonhardt
Saturday night’s game does not answer this question. You can’t go with stats from a game played against a cupcake team like Southern to determine the season successes of either the quarterback or the team. So Keith, thanks for the pass percentage references, but who cares? Keenum displayed his athleticism last season when he led the Cougars through their schedule, including a Texas Bowl appearance. He’s got the tools to do it again this season.
With seniors vacating the wide receiver and running back positions, the offensive side of the ball needs a strong foundation at quarterback -- someone who has experience. Keenum not only seems to fit Sumlin’s playbook, but as a sophomore, Keenum is still young enough that learning this new offense shouldn’t pose a problem.
The team’s 55-3 victory is certainly a breath of fresh air, but I’m sure both Keenum and Sumlin are done celebrating and looking forward to Oklahoma State.
Rodney’s right, but Ronnie still wins
Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd agrees with Rodney. You can’t judge Sumlin’s decision based on one game. The man had an entire summer to evaluate his quarterback situation, and when it came down to it, he realized that Keenum had the intangibles and the overall skill set to put him in position to win. Keenum has the awareness, vision and legs to make something out of nothing after any given snap. He may not have the strongest arm, but last season he had running back Anthony Alridge and wide receiver Donnie Avery to help pad his stats. This season, sure-handed senior tight end Mark Hafner and freakishly athletic sophomore wide receiver L.J. Castille should be targets he can use in the short to mid-range game to methodically move the ball downfield and control the clock.
That’s the way the Cougars are going to have to play against teams like OSU, East Carolina, Tulsa and Rice. And in those cases, Keenum gives the team the best chance to win.
Verdict: Ronnie Wins
