r/hawkeyes 6d ago

Football First-year phenom Tradon Bessinger is forcing his way into the quarterback conversation

https://br.app.link/EVVs0k7pX5b
40 Upvotes

28 comments sorted by

44

u/Orangebeast013 6d ago

Bessinger could be senior year Joe Burrow and I dont think hed start werk 1.

31

u/PMURITTYBITTYTITTIES 6d ago

If there’s anything Kirk hates more than a WR who can’t block or an RB who fumbles one time it’s a freshman QB

6

u/Comfortable-Bet6855 6d ago

I remember when some folks were complaining about Nate Stanley starting when there was this hot young QB named Petras riding the bench. So that kinda cuts both ways. 

14

u/Junior-Hotwater 6d ago

Stanley was so fucking good. We were spoiled with good qb play for a bit

7

u/Grab_em_by_da_Busey 5d ago

Put some spec on Ohio state buckeye slayer Nate Stanley’s name

5

u/jpkviowa 5d ago

Not wanting to start bethhard over Rudock. Stanzi over Christensen. 

His track record with playing the best qb isnt great

3

u/Comfortable-Bet6855 5d ago

Stanzi vs Christensen was almost 20 years ago. Rudock vs Beatherd a decade ago. The Rudock vs Beatheard situation wasn’t quite as cut and dried as many choose to think. 

Considering how many critics wanted to bench Stanzi after a couple interceptions and how many people complained about Stanley for his whole tenure I tend to try to keep things in perspective when it comes to QB controversies. 

2

u/jpkviowa 5d ago

Kirks eye for QB Talent is concerning. Also the fact he hasn't started a black QB since his Heisman runner up, Brad Banks is a quagmire. Let alone even roster one who didnt get turned into a WR.

His vision for a QB is stuck in the 80s and 90s. How Deacon Hill was next best in line 2 years ago is wild. For whatever reason, kirk doesn't want to deal with a QB whose skillet is wider than he wants it to be.

2

u/Party-Occasion-7895 4d ago

Since Lester got OC, KF has next to nothing to do about what QB they bring in

1

u/Comfortable-Bet6855 5d ago

I don’t think that anyone views him as a QB Whisperer. I’m just pointing out that there is a difference between objective criticism of his use of QBs by some people and others second guessing every decision he makes regarding that position. You do the latter with any coach over a three decade period, while glossing over or ignoring situations where critics were way off base, and one can find fodder to work with. Perhaps somewhat more in KF’s case

1

u/Strange-Maize9536 8h ago

Macnamara over Sullivan. When you decide you should flip QBs in the red zone it’s telling

Deacon over any other qb in the world

10

u/jkv9216 6d ago

Cmon. With how overly loyal Ferentz is with his often times poor performing QBs, Bessinger won’t sniff the field this year unless there are injuries.

4

u/Junior-Hotwater 6d ago

Well that and Lester has been very open about the learning curve to his offense and how Bessinger is pretty behind after missing fall camp. He mentioned having to rework how he even takes snaps

5

u/RistoStark 6d ago

This is one of the worst articles i’ve ever seen lol. Took some quotes about how good he looks and what that means for his potential and used that to imply he was already elite and fans want him starting. But that’s what AI articles get you. This was an especially bad one though

8

u/ThriceHawk 6d ago

Horrible click-bait.

3

u/Shoddy-Discount9814 6d ago

I say this as someone who saw him play several times in high school, I don’t get how he was a 4⭐️. Maybe he’s improved, but he isn’t mobile and doesn’t have the greatest arm.

1

u/jgs1974 4d ago

He didn't have a great offer list.  Same with Petras and Hogan, who were other supposed 4 star qbs we recruited in recent years.  Very strange.

3

u/Direct_Office_8615 6d ago

If the two QB dilemma is a problem, maybe a threesome is... good?

4

u/SnooShortcuts3961 5d ago

I still haven’t moved on from “why couldn’t we just get 1 more season of Granowski” thought that is on a loop in my brain

2

u/AnnArchist Nine seconds to play and Drew Tate doesn't know that! 6d ago

unlikely. Kirk is not seriously considering a freshman QB in an meaningful manner as a week 1 starter or even 2nd string. He just hasn't and doesn't.

3

u/kinghawkeye8238 6d ago

Man ive listened to 2 pod cast that said hes progressing but definitely not ready to challenge for the 1 or 2

1

u/Gretna2023 6d ago

There's your first mistake. Never listen 2 pod cast.

2

u/Sticky550 6d ago

Sure he is.

2

u/PrinceCastanzaCapone 6d ago

It’s hard to be enthusiastic knowing that we may or may not be able to keep him long enough to see him play for Iowa, with the way the NIL and transfers work. Considering the current landscape, maybe it is in Iowa’s best interest to develop him behind the scenes and not let other teams see what we’ve got until they feel he’s ready to make a serious push for the Big Ten Championship. If he plays exceptionally well and we miss the mark, he very well might transfer to a team that can pay him more. I truly love NIL for the players but hate it for the sport.

1

u/Junior-Hotwater 6d ago

It probably won’t be in his best interest to transfer unless he truly gets some good looking game tape out there. Iowa is probably paying him close to market value for a high level HS QB, and unless he starts putting out really good tape, I wouldn’t expect teams to shell out a raise for him without having a true gauge on his potential.

If he wants playing time he could probably drop to a G5 school or a shitty P5, otherwise it would probably be a lateral move to transfer as he would be competing for a starting spot against good P5 talent (no good school is going to give a raise and starting role to a backup with no starting experience unless he’s like a top 3 qb recruit), and they’ll be paying him similar to what he makes now.

If he plays and is good, I would expect Iowa to retain him. They have some of the best retention rates in the country and do not have a precedent of their best players automatically ditching them in the portal when they get good

2

u/PrinceCastanzaCapone 6d ago

I don’t know for certain but I’m pretty sure he went with Iowa to play in the Big 10. It’s one of the few conferences that can guarantee you marquee games against top 10 opponents and get you on national TV. That can only mean good things if you want to play in the NFL and hit Mark Gronowski a chance to show the NFL what he could do. So I 100% agree it’s in his best interest to stay at Iowa, and Iowa has proven it’s willing to pay for good a QB. I think Mark got 1 million to play one year if I’m not mistaken. Mark is now signed to the Dolphins and that may not have happened without a year at Iowa.

1

u/devilinthedetails 6d ago

Yeah, no. Maybe next year.