One of the myriad reasons why Andrew Luck will (probably) be taken No. 1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts is a high football IQ. For example, the former Stanford quarterback was, unlike 99.99 percent of the QBs at the collegiate level, given the authority to call his own plays in the no-huddle offense, a fact that Luck’s ex-head coach wasn’t shy in trumpeting.
“He can get to anything in the offense,” Shaw said following an early October win over UCLA. “He was phenomenal. His (calls) were a little better than mine.”
Earlier this year, Matt Barkley‘s head coach, Lane Kiffin, told reporters that “he would challenge Barkley by expanding his responsibilities at the line of scrimmage”, the Orange County Register wrote in January. Asked about those added responsibilities, the USC QB seemed to take exception to those who thought that he hasn’t been Luck all along. And appeared to take a subtle shot at Shaw’s public Luck trumpeting in the process.Asked Thursday if he had more freedom to change plays now, something Lane Kiffin had suggested earlier in the offseason, Barkley replied: “Like Andrew Luck?”
It was a response dripping with snark, missing only the accompanying eye roll.
Barkley continued: “Last year we did just as much as anyone in the country was doing, play-calling-wise, changing plays at the line of scrimmage. I don’t think we were as public about it.”
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Besides the obvious disconnect between head coach and quarterback regarding the latter’s on-field responsibilities last year, there could also be something else in play here: Shaw’s not-so-subtle jab at Barkley as the coach stumped last November for his player in the Heisman race.
“I keep hearing all of this stuff about all of these other quarterbacks and how great they are doing,” Shaw said during a teleconference. “We don’t have two first-round draft picks playing receiver for us.”
Barkley’s two main targets are wide receivers Robert Woods and Marquise Lee, former five-star players who are widely viewed as having first-round NFL talent.
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Oh, and one more thing: Barkley’s Trojans will face Shaw’s Cardinal in Palo Alto Sept. 15. You might want to mark that one on the calendar. I’m quite certain Barkley has.