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Rest assured Syracuse fans. Should we ever find our consciousness traveling uncontrollably through time, we have our constant: Ryan Nassib. For better or worse (read: better), Nassib is going to be our starting quarterback for the foreseeable future, solidifying the spot with a great spring practice.
The Grades:
Ryan Nassib: (A) - Pinstripe Bowl Ryan Nassib stuck around for spring ball, and really looked good almost every day in practice. He has the arm to make almost every throw, and is reaping the benefits of a full stable of talented, healthy receivers. He's almost completely rid himself of some of his worst habits, like the 'happy feet' he got in the pocket last year. His command of the pocket, and awareness of the pass rush is very good as well. It's remarkable how much he's improved in that regard. We're in good hands for the next two seasons with Ryan at the helm.
Charley Loeb: (B) - Charley's spring was pretty rough in the beginning. He struggled with putting any touch on his throws, and looked to be behind John Kinder for the back-up quarterback spot. However, the second half of the spring featured a much more poised, ever-improving Loeb. While a Nassib injury would be a pretty damaging blow to this team, I think that Loeb could come in and at least manage the team to a win, depending on what the defense throws at him.
John Kinder: (C+) - Almost opposite of what we saw from Loeb, Kinder opened up the spring very hot, and then as the defense began to improve and install more blitzes and packages, he struggled down the stretch. Kinder's a great athlete, but still has a lot to improve on before he's ready to start for a Division I program.
Jonny Miller: (D) - This grade is not all Jonny's fault, and I highly encourage him to retake the course. To be frank, Miller's throwing motion needs a ton of work. He was a star in high school back in Denver, and was one of the players in his class that I was most excited for. However, it does not appear that his arm has ever full recovered from the surgery he had, and as a result, his throwing motion has a really elaborate hitch. I hope that Jonny keeps on working and gets that arm back to 100%, because he proved in high school that he is immensely talented when healthy. He is also, by all accounts, a great kid, and an easy one to root for.
Overall Grade: (B+) - If Nassib stays healthy, there are very few concerns here. If injury does happen (knock on wood), I think Loeb could be serviceable, but that is not something that I want to have tested.