Year of the QB

Keyword
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Scoreboard
Schedules
Rankings
Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Message Board
Teams
Recruiting
CONFERENCES


SHOP@ESPN.COM
TeamStore
ESPN Auctions
SPORT SECTIONS
Tuesday, October 8
 
ESPN.com QB evaluation: Seneca Wallace

By Gary Danielson
Special to ESPN.com

Untitled

Seneca Wallace22Iowa State15QB
PLAYERAGESCHOOLNO.POSITION

Height 5'10"
Weight 193 lbs.
Year Senior
2002 stats 124-192, 1,801 yards, 11 TDs, 6 INTs
Career stats 291-461, 3,845 yards, 22 TDs, 15 INTs

QB SPECIFICS
Arm Strength
B
Seneca's arm strength is adequate. He throws within himself. You rarely ever see him try to throw a ball too hard or too soft. This is immaterial, though, because of the other facets of his game that are so well-developed.
Escape Ability
A+
There is no one better. Jason Gesser is in his class, but there is really no quarterback with a better feel for the pocket. Seneca can burn you with his feet if he wants to, and most coaches would love to have him run more, but he hangs in the pocket and throws and with their sprint-out offense he gets a chance to make some plays on the move.
Quick Set Up
A+
His feet are a blur and Seneca has total control and perfect balance in the pocket. Things can always be refined, but I don't see how he could do things any better. His feet are almost magical in the pocket.
Accuracy Long
B
Throwing the deep ball is not Seneca' strength. He is more of an underneath thrower and that is what the Iowa State offense does. His deep ball is not something you fear because his game is more like a Chinese water torture.
Accuracy Short
A
This is what makes you marvel. In practice and games Seneca is uncanny in his ability to throw the ball in the proper spot every time, whether in the pocket on at a full run. He throws very few bad balls.
Locate 2nd Receiver
A
The offense isn't built for multiple reads and Seneca is more of a sprint-out quarterback and he keeps people off balance that way. But he is good at reading the field and running the offense, and while he doesn't run a lot of five-receiver sets he is decisive and knows how to operate the offense. I don't see a weakness.
Running Ability
A
Anyone who has seen Seneca play knows about his ability to run. There may be better runners, like Brad Smith at Missouri, and there may also be stronger runners out there, but no one has more skill when they decide to take off. He is also a smart runner. He does not take unnecessary hits and knows it is important for him to be healthy. Seneca seems to know when to gamble and when not to, and his ability is something you cannnot teach.
Quickness of Delivery
A
He has a very smooth, effortless delivery. Seneca does not try to throw the ball too hard and it always in the right position to pull the trigger, even at a full sprint in any direction, which is when his throwing hurts most defenses. He reminds me of a point guard who can pass the basketball right off the dribble the way John Stockton does. Seneca can just flick the ball wherever he is throwing it and it is fun to watch.
Judgment
A
It is a testament to his ability that his completion percentages in big games have been unbelievably high. Seneca completed 18 straight passes against Baylor last year, and his completion percentage has been above 62 percent in six of seven games this season. Teams rarely blitz him because they so are worried about his ability to pick things apart and go to the right receiver, so he rarely runs into problems.
Poise
A+
Seneca has a calmness about him and an absolute belief in his own ability that transfer to everyone on the team, even the coaching staff. He is a mature, calm player and is totally unruffled even when things are not going his way. Seneca is so even-keeled that his teammates take a cue from him and that is how they play. He is just a special quarterback.

SUMMARY
Seneca is one of the feel-good stories in college football, what the game should be. He knocked around and played at a few different places, but he believed in himself and when he had his opportunities he made the most of them. If there is one quarterback in college football who fits this time frame in terms of what offenses are doing, it is Seneca. He is the perfect college quarterback. Teams may be able to stop him at some point, and Oklahoma may be able to do it this weekend, but it will not be easy and definitely will not lessen my opinion of him. I don't know how this translates to the next level, but I would take my chances with Seneca in any league.

Former NFL quarterback Gary Danielson is a college football analyst for ABC Sports.






 More from ESPN...
Year of the QB: Chris Simms
Gary Danielson grades Texas ...
Year of the QB: Jason Gesser
Gary Danielson grades ...

Gary Danielson Archive

 ESPN Tools
Email story
 
Most sent
 
Print story
 
Daily email