He played QB his junior year and at TCU for his limited snaps. The exception was his senior year when a more polished QB (current Auburn starter) jumped him on the depth chart (he moved to WR so he could see the field).
Wilcox brought in Finley to have competition from a guy who HAD played a good chunk of P5 ball, and Jackson still won out.
We all noticed it took until the end of fall camp to name a starter. I am thinking Jackson won out because today's coaches are in love with the idea of having a dual threat on the field. There is nothing that Jackson has showed that makes me believe is a a good P5 quarterback or even becoming one. It is extremely difficult to coach a guy to stay in the pocket and go through his check downs when he is first inclined to leave the pocket and improvise for yards on the run. The best quarterbacks in the Pac 12 this year - Penix, Nix, Williams and Ward - are fantastic at escaping pressure. But their first instinct is not to take off and run down field. It's to elude some defenders and still find an open guy downfield. If Jackson becomes that kind of guy, I will change my tune.
He played QB his junior year and at TCU for his limited snaps. The exception was his senior year when a more polished QB (current Auburn starter) jumped him on the depth chart (he moved to WR so he could see the field).
Wilcox brought in Finley to have competition from a guy who HAD played a good chunk of P5 ball, and Jackson still won out.
Finley was 4th string at NC State and played because of injuries. He is serviceable but beating him out in a QB comp doesn't mean that much.
We all noticed it took until the end of fall camp to name a starter. I am thinking Jackson won out because today's coaches are in love with the idea of having a dual threat on the field. There is nothing that Jackson has showed that makes me believe is a a good P5 quarterback or even becoming one. It is extremely difficult to coach a guy to stay in the pocket and go through his check downs when he is first inclined to leave the pocket and improvise for yards on the run. The best quarterbacks in the Pac 12 this year - Penix, Nix, Williams and Ward - are fantastic at escaping pressure. But their first instinct is not to take off and run down field. It's to elude some defenders and still find an open guy downfield. If Jackson becomes that kind of guy, I will change my tune.
edit: (current Auburn starter)
Fixed!