Decisions, Decisions!

"Does the best quarterback in the country really want to play in front of this crowd?"

I’ve been around the game of football my entire life and what I've learned in the process is that genetics play a tremendous role in a person's ability to be successful. Ninety percent of it is being born with the size, speed and physical tools to play the game. The other ten percent comes down to what you do with it. However, that ten percent is the most important part of the equation. I’ve seen guys with all of the physical ability in the world make bad decisions in handling that small percentage only to end up wasting the treasure that they’ve been blessed with.

That’s why I would like to see Gunner Keil, the nation’s #1 rated quarterback prospect for the class of 2012 reconsider his decision to attend Indiana University. He chose the Hoosiers over Alabama, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Now as an IU alumni, I would like to see the Hoosiers do well but it just doesn't make sense for the best quarterback in the country to play in Bloomington. All week I’ve heard the excitement of the people in the local area as a result of his decision. Take your fan hat off people. Would you encourage your son to play at IU if he were that good?

Now maybe if he were the best punter in the country it would make sense to go there because he’ll have the opportunity to put up big numbers. Being a highly regarded prospect increases the likely hood that he’ll be on some one’s NFL draft board in three years. That’s why it’s critical that he choose a school that will force him to grow as a player over the next three years.

Elite players become even better when they are surrounded by other elite players. We're all familiar with the colloquialism, "the rich get richer." We'll it's even more evident in the world of college football. There is a reason why schools like Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida and Texas are ranked in the top 10 every year. Simply put, they can recruit and sign the best players in the country in their sleep. Their rosters are full of All-Americans and that means better competition at practice daily.

Indiana hasn’t won a Big Ten title since 1967. There is a reason for that people. They just don’t get the players that it takes to win at that level and having one won't help the cause. Has IU sent guys to the pro’s? Sure they have, but those guys developed their skills after playing over a 4 year period. Legends like Anthony Thompson who finished 2^nd in the Heisman balloting in 1989 and Antwaan Randle El, who was one of the most electrifying quarterbacks we’ve ever seen, weren’t the #1 players in the country in their positions coming out of high school.

The only reason Randle EL ended up at IU was because they told him that he could play quarterback while the powerhouses recruited him as a receiver. I know that Gunner was impressed with Wilson’s resume during his nine seasons at Oklahoma with 22 offensive players drafted into the NFL, including seven in the first round. However, the key word here is Oklahoma! He had the players with the physical ability to be drafted. Remember, he was at Northwestern before he landed in Norman and he wasn‘t sending guys to the league at the same rate.

Don’t follow the coach, follow the players and tradition of winning. The coach can only send guys to the league that have the talent to go to the league. Gene Chizick just won a national title at Auburn, had the Heisman Trophy winner and the #1 pick in the draft in Cam Newton. Keep in mind that he was at was 5-7 at Iowa State the year before taking over at Auburn.

Did he just all of a sudden learn how to coach? No, he all of a sudden had access to great players. My point is, I believe the kid should go were he can be developed and have the opportunity to play with equal talents that will push him to get better. Playing for the Hoosiers will probably do him more harm than good and here‘s why.

He’ll start as a freshman whether he’s ready or not. Sometimes it’s better to sit and learn for a year or two. Keep in mind that Hesiman Trophy winner and former #1 pick Sam Bradford set behind another Heisman Trophy winner in Jason White at Oklahoma before he took over the offense. White was a redshirt sophomore when the Sooners won a national title in 2000. Being around winners breeds winning!

He’ll spend more time on his back than up right therefore increasing the risk of injury. He won’t have the receivers to throw to that he would have had at a better program. Thus, causing him frustration because guys aren‘t catching the ball. He’ll lose more than he ever has because this isn’t basketball where one guy can turn a program around. Therefore, it may have a negative affect on his attitude. Why, when he can get what he needs at Alabama, Oklahoma or some other school at the same level?

Schools like Indiana are places where guys go that didn’t have any other major conference offers and they were a touchdown or tackle away from playing in the MAC. The best kid in the country going to Indiana would just be selling all of that talent short because the best need to play with the best.

Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Twitter:@jaygravesreport