Greg Paulus: Best Syracuse QB Ever?

by Sean Keeley on Sep 28, 2009 1:01 PM EDT Comment 17 comments

Okay, maybe not in terms of history or memorable moments or championships or even wins...but check out this nugget from Dave Rahme:

Despite being away from the sport for five years, Paulus is averaging 222 passing yards per game, behind only Marvin Graves’ school-record average of 231.5 in 1993. The last time an SU starter averaged more than 200 was Donovan McNabb in 2007 (207.3). If he maintains his current pace Paulus will end the season with 2,664 yards, a school record. Remarkable.

What? WHAT? WHAAAAAAAT?

Remember, it's not like Paulus is pulling a Matt Grothe and putting up these numbers against Wofford and Directional Florida Tech A&M. He's played three Big Ten teams as part of this schedule. All the more impressive.

At what point do Pat Forde, Anonymous Big East Coach and everyone else who painted Paulus' one-year reign as a spectacular failure-in-the-making get on their knees and start slurping? Any day now will be just fine...

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So McNabb started for SU in 2007? You would have thought we would have had a better year...

But in all seriousness Paulus has been much better than i would have even hoped for this year, and being as pessimistic as i always am it’s always nice to be surprised.

"Did you feel you did well against Lindland?" "
Hell no.. I wanted to break the law"
---Rampage

by TearsofaClown on Sep 28, 2009 1:29 PM EDT reply actions

Paulus

Has far and away exceeded any expectations people had for him this year – which is remarkable. If he gets anywhere near the yardage record that’s a combination of:

1) The pass-first spread offense SU now runs
2) 12 games on the schedule as opposed to 11
3) This team is abysmal running the football

It would be interesting to see what kind of numbers McNabb or Graves would have put up in this offense……

by Russianator on Sep 28, 2009 1:55 PM EDT reply actions

I wouldn't call the running game "abysmal"

Or are you insulting our hero, DC3?

by wildcatlh on Sep 28, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Carter has been a Beast

I’m not insulting DC 3 – it is through his sheer force of will he’s getting any yards at all. There are no holes to run though. SU is averaging 3 yards a carry and less than 100 yards per game on the ground. That is terrible. http://espn.go.com/ncf/teams/stats?teamId=183

carter is good – the offensive line – not so much

by Russianator on Sep 28, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions

And

The longest run from scrimmage SU has had in 4 games is 18 yards. Again, I think the running backs are playing very well, there’s just no room for them to run.

by Russianator on Sep 28, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions

well

by that logic Paulus also doesn’t have the benefit of the line, which means he’s a quick decision-maker and/or a good runner.

by actioncuse on Sep 28, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

He is

both of those things. Very happy he’s here. The o-line isn’t very good right now.

by Russianator on Sep 28, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

didn't dcarter just al bundy maine?

by orngfan on Sep 28, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he's just trying to say

Carter is much more likely to put up Jerome Bettis-type numbers (25 yds, 3 TDs) than a typical 120-yard, 2 TD performance.

Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician - The Syracuse blog that cares.

by Sean Keeley on Sep 28, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

You put McNabb, Graves, McPherson, etc in this offense and their numbers would look a lot better. It’s not taking anything away from Greg, he’s been phenomenal. Those guys just played in a different system that didn’t allow for gaudy passing stats.

by dkelz1888 on Sep 28, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

This is

exactly my point.

by Russianator on Sep 28, 2009 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

about your last thought...

One of the reasons Graves had such big numbers in 93 was because SU couldn’t run the ball then either. The graduation of TB David Walker and a few lineman (including all Big East tackle Terrence Wisdom) really hurt the running game… I think the running game in 93 was not much better than 3 ypc. So they didn’t spend a whole lot of time in the I running the option – they spent a lot more time in the gun throwing the ball. So Graves might not have thrown for a whole lot more in HCDM/Spence’s offense than he did in ’93. Then again, who knows…

by mcallj on Sep 28, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Jim Brown

was the best QB (or any position for that matter) in Syracuse history. He was also the best, lacrosse player, track athlete, basketball player (at all 5 positions), soccer goalie, field hockey coach, boxer, wrestler, chess player and literature professor ever.

by ryanwk628 on Sep 28, 2009 3:25 PM EDT reply actions

Duke’s QB situation, which was supposed to be excellent, is pretty futile right now. And Cutcliffe totally blew off any chance of Paulus playing QB for the Blue Devils. Thad Lewis has been benched a couple of times and hasn’t really proven much of anything this season.

Paulus would’ve probably been helpful for a Duke team that gives that takes more sacks than Reggie Love.

I'm about to write you a reality check. Or would you prefer the cold, hard cash of truth?

by BirdGT on Oct 2, 2009 4:13 PM EDT reply actions