You’ll hear “Christian Hackenberg is overrated,” or something to that effect, just about as much you’ll hear “Christian Hackenberg is the next big thing!” Sometimes, you’ll hear both of these diametrically opposed positions during the same game week, multiple times.
Hackenberg is a product of the social media age, in which attention spans are shorter than they’ve ever been, and the “takes” by sports media personalities are hotter than ever.
In short, Christian Hackenberg is not as great as you’ve been told he is. He’s also not as bas as you’ve been told he is.
This topic came up yet again, on an ESPN Media Conference call for the College Football Playoff of all places. ESPN Commentator Todd Blackledge, a former PSU QB obviously, was asked about Hack. Transcript of Q&A follows:
Q. I wanted to get away from the Final Four a little bit here and talk about Christian Hackenberg. Assessments of him are kind of all over the place. He’s going to be the next Troy Aikman and then there’s other people who have a problem with his accuracy, and a lot of people think his numbers are impacted by the offensive system he’s in, the offensive line he’s playing with. Where do you kind of fit on that? What’s your take on his career and the year he’s had this year and what kind of an NFL prospect?
TODD BLACKLEDGE: Well, I think a lot of the things you mentioned all have played a part in his production, in his development. I think the fact that he’s played a couple different systems ?? I think everything that you’ve pointed out is a factor.
Here’s what I think about Christian: I think Christian has all the skills to be an outstanding NFL quarterback. However, I think he needs to be kind of retooled and re?coached fundamentally. People talk about his accuracy. Anybody that plays or coaches the position of quarterback knows accuracy has more to do with your feet than it does with your arm, and I think his footwork and his fundamentals and those kind of things, he’s regressed a little bit, I guess, in some of that.
And part of that is protection breakdowns. Part of that is not trusting your protection. But part of it is I just don’t know how well he’s been coached in that part of it over the last couple years, and I just think that whoever gets a hold of ?? whatever he does and whatever he does for next year, I think the key thing for him is he needs to get back to the basics and get kind of retooled from a footwork and fundamentals standpoint to go along with the arm talent, the brain, and his toughness.
He’s got all the skills, but I think his production has been a little inconsistent because I think his fundamentals are inconsistent. I guess that’s my assessment of him.
A recruit with astronomically high prospect rankings, he was signed to State College by one coach, began his career under another, and continues his junior year under a third leader. Along the way, the Mel Kipers, Todd McShays and Mike Mayocks of the world have been scrutinizing him heavily.
It all came to a head in November, as Hack played a game in the nation’s third largest market of Chicago. Of course, he had one of his best overall games of his college career in the media capital of the world, New York City in the Pinstripe Bowl last December, but hey, we have more scrutinization to do since then.
Welcome to “Christian Hackenberg NFL Draft Stock Column 2015,” it’s bigger and bolder than “Christian Hackenberg NFL Draft Stock Column 2014.”
When asked about the scrutiny from all NFL scouts attending the game, Hackenberg gave the perfect, tests well on focus groups, cliche corporatespeak answer:
“I worry about what my teammates expect of me, and what I need to do here at Penn State right now to be the best football player I can be for this football team. Whatever they ask me to do, that’s what I’m trying to do to the best of my ability.”
Yes, with perfectly canned response, yearbook answers like that, Hackenberg will no doubt ace the interview portion of the the scouting combine in February. Of course, what do you want him to say? What should you expect him to say? He’s got the industry standard NFL postgame press conference platitude game down pat already.
Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Pace was in the press box (look up the Twitter feed of any Chicago Tribune writer in attendance, you’ll find a tacky, amateurish name-dropping Tweet in there somewhere) along with three scouts from the Chicago Bears. You also had personnel from five more NFL teams: Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers and Minnesota Vikings.
They’re no doubt impressed by Hackenberg’s speed and mobility, as Penn State Coach James Franklin claims that Christian Hackenberg runs a 4.7 40-yard-dash. The problem is that he spent most of the day fleeing the Northwestern pressure. The Wildcats defensive front dominated the PSU offensive line, much like the Nittany Lions OL has been beat up most of the season.
There’s even a catchy puntastic hashtag for it- #SACKENBERG
Yes, it’s very easy to criticize. “Fun too,” as Homer Simpson would add. Seriously, though the O-line is the reason that Hackenberg’s NFL Draft stock has been so up-and-down, and so conflicted.
One week he’ll be the greatest thing since sliced bread. The next week he’s a guy that will get whatever NFL GM drafts him eventually fired. That’s a lot more analysis and scrutiny than your typical junior in college will endure. So let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.
“Spectre,” the latest installment in the James Bond series opened this weekend, and that franchise has certainly taught us this absolute truth- “you’re judged by the power of your enemies.”
What’s unfortunate for Hackenberg is that he’s being judged right now by the power of his friends, and by that we mean his teammates. Specifically, the five guys in front of him, who are just not good at pass protection. They’re allowing him to get pummeled like a random villain after a fight scene with 007.
Ok, so we knew that already. We also know that he excelled under Bill O’Brien much more than he’s done so under Franklin. We also know that the Houston Texans are really bad, so they’ll have a high draft position come April.
They also have issues at the QB position and they released Ryan Mallett a couple weeks ago. So you know where we’re going with this script. Just waiting on Houston to green light it.
In the meantime, whatever you’re going to write about Christian Hackenberg, and his NFL Draft stock, to quote George Harrison’s appearance on The Simpsons, “it’s been done.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous television and radio talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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