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by Connor Hughes
It was the most common criticism of Christian Hackenberg coming out of Penn State, and the Jets' rookie quarterback didn't ease any concerns during his two preseason appearances.
Accuracy, or rather lack thereof.
In college, Hackenberg hit on just 56 percent of his throws. Against the Giants and Eagles this summer, he completed only 17 of 47 passes (36.2 percent). Ugly numbers, no doubt. But one former NFL great says Jet fans shouldn't be concerned with Hackenberg's early struggles.
"If I'm coaching a quarterback," Rich Gannon told NJ Advance Media at the NFL on CBS media day last week, "I believe I can make him more accurate."
Gannon played 17 seasons in the NFL for the Vikings (1987-1992), Redskins (1993), Chiefs (1995-1998) and Raiders (1998-2004). But it wasn't until 2000, his second season in Oakland, that he completed more than 60 percent of his passes.
While Gannon played in a different age, he said it takes time for a quarterback's accuracy to improve.
"Say I gave you a gun, and you and I went out to shoot skeets," Gannon, now an NFL analyst, said. "If I told you in three seconds, it's going to come up from that area right there, you'd see it, I'd pull, and you'd have your shot.
"Now, if I said that in three seconds, the skeets are going to come from either there, there, there, there or there, it would be a lot different."
Hackenberg needs experience, Gannon said, in order for his accuracy to get better. Right now, he's flustered. In time, he won't be focusing on everything, but just what he needs to see.
"When you're able to take the field and cut it in half based on your experiences," Gannon said, "It makes a huge difference. You can look at it and say, 'Oh, it's a high-low read. I need to throw it to the X [receiver] or in the flat.' Once that starts happening, your accuracy starts to get a lot better."
In 2001, Gannon completed 65.8 percent of his passes. In 2002, he completed 67.6 percent. He went from one of the league's most errant passers, to arguably its most accurate. And he believes Hackenberg can see similar improvements.
Hackenberg may never be a pin-point passer, but he can get better.
"When you're able to process information more quickly and efficiently," Gannon said, "that's when you're able to understand the personnel around you. Everything slows down, and completing those difficult passes isn't as hard."
"You're not going to take a guy that's a 50 percent passer, and make him hit on 70 percent. But I do believe you can see improvement.
by Connor Hughes
It was the most common criticism of Christian Hackenberg coming out of Penn State, and the Jets' rookie quarterback didn't ease any concerns during his two preseason appearances.
Accuracy, or rather lack thereof.
In college, Hackenberg hit on just 56 percent of his throws. Against the Giants and Eagles this summer, he completed only 17 of 47 passes (36.2 percent). Ugly numbers, no doubt. But one former NFL great says Jet fans shouldn't be concerned with Hackenberg's early struggles.
"If I'm coaching a quarterback," Rich Gannon told NJ Advance Media at the NFL on CBS media day last week, "I believe I can make him more accurate."
Gannon played 17 seasons in the NFL for the Vikings (1987-1992), Redskins (1993), Chiefs (1995-1998) and Raiders (1998-2004). But it wasn't until 2000, his second season in Oakland, that he completed more than 60 percent of his passes.
While Gannon played in a different age, he said it takes time for a quarterback's accuracy to improve.
"Say I gave you a gun, and you and I went out to shoot skeets," Gannon, now an NFL analyst, said. "If I told you in three seconds, it's going to come up from that area right there, you'd see it, I'd pull, and you'd have your shot.
"Now, if I said that in three seconds, the skeets are going to come from either there, there, there, there or there, it would be a lot different."
Hackenberg needs experience, Gannon said, in order for his accuracy to get better. Right now, he's flustered. In time, he won't be focusing on everything, but just what he needs to see.
"When you're able to take the field and cut it in half based on your experiences," Gannon said, "It makes a huge difference. You can look at it and say, 'Oh, it's a high-low read. I need to throw it to the X [receiver] or in the flat.' Once that starts happening, your accuracy starts to get a lot better."
In 2001, Gannon completed 65.8 percent of his passes. In 2002, he completed 67.6 percent. He went from one of the league's most errant passers, to arguably its most accurate. And he believes Hackenberg can see similar improvements.
Hackenberg may never be a pin-point passer, but he can get better.
"When you're able to process information more quickly and efficiently," Gannon said, "that's when you're able to understand the personnel around you. Everything slows down, and completing those difficult passes isn't as hard."
"You're not going to take a guy that's a 50 percent passer, and make him hit on 70 percent. But I do believe you can see improvement.
