James Vandenberg vs Jake Christensen through Seven Games

[JonDMiller]

There were some of you comparing the two earlier this season, and I discounted it. Perhaps my memory of Jake is just too negatively clouded by how effective I thought he would be, which didn't turn out that way.

Marc Morehouse tweeted this a bit ago:

A friend e-mailed this to me: Jake Christensen--First 7 games of 2007: 121-217 (55.8%) for 1334, 11 TDs and 2 INTs.
And Vandenberg: First 7 games of 2012: 130-232 (56%) for 1304, 3 TDs and 5 INTs. Circumstances are different, new OC and all. But close #s.

Wow. Pretty staggering.

EDIT: I decided to look up the numbers myself...what Marc was emailed was very close, but not quite exactly accurate. I pulled up my old 2007 Iowa Cume stats through seven games and here is what the numbers are:

JC: 217-121 (55.8%) 11TD, 2INT 1,334 yards, rating of 122.8
JVB: 231-129 (55.8%) 3TD, 5INT 1,323 yards, rating of 103.9

Also, here is the national rankings of the 2007 offense for its 12 game season vs where Iowa is right now through just seven games. I suspect many of Iowa's rankings will get worse than they are now. 2007 is on left, Iowa's current 2012 season on right:



One of the things 2007 had going against it was the offensive line; that was a shaky group and Jake Christensen was sacked more than all but a handful of quarterbacks in the NCAA that year; Iowa allowed 46 sacks. This year through seven games, they've allowed just 11 through seven games, on pace to allow just 19 in 12 games.

In 2007 and through seven games, Iowa was averaging 6.1 yards per pass attempt and 11.0 per completion. This year through seven games they are averaging 5.7 yards per pass attempt and 10.3 yards per completion...with eight fewer touchdown passes and two more interceptions as a team (5 this year, just 3 through seven games in 2007 and two for Jake Christensen).

I just cannot believe these numbers, given that Vandenberg entered this year with 14 career starts and Jake entered the 2007 season having been the backup to Drew Tate, and even Jason Manson started the game for Iowa against Syracuse in 2006 when Tate was injured.

And given all of this, Iowa may one of of just a few schools in the nation who hasn't had their backup play one snap. Not one.

In the six Ferentz era years where iowa has won eight or more games they had either a rush or score defense in the national Top 10. There's the formula. Without that, no shot. That's way too many eggs being put into one basket.

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

This season is damn near mirroring 2007. James and Jake look identical. A crappy season opener barely beating NIU in Chi-town. Losing to an inept ISU team. Losing to a directional Michigan team. Beating MSU in overtime.

Comical really.

[INTIMIDATORHawk]

This thread is going to become an open can of worms for the "Bench JVB" crowd.

Those numbers certainly indicate how much worse JVB has been compared to Jake Christensen. The TD -INT numbers are horrible for James.

[Travisam]

Serious question Jon. I know you are a huge KF guy. There is a CLEAR pattern over the last 7 years and it is not a good one. What are your thoughts at this point on this coaching staff. I feel that he continues to get more and more stubborn as time goes on. I feel he gets more and more defiant with fans/media's criticism, and though it sounds ridiculous when I say it, it seems he coaches sometimes with a staunch middle finger up for those people. I think he did an amazing job in restoring what Hayden built, but I don't believe that his brand of football and leadership will allow for consistent success. If he can't do it with the worst B10 conference ever, when will he? He has wasted A LOT of NFL talent in the past few years. What are your thoughts/feelings right now?

[hawkfan1319]

Yes, I was beginning to think JVB was doing worse than JC but didn't think the numbers were that terrible.

[BLKNGOLD48]

Both are/were below average QB's.

[herkymurk]

The good news is we beat the mild cats that year.

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

Sadly, if somebody put a gun to my head and told me to blindly pick one of those stat lines I would choose JC6.

[latrans]

Wouldn't a more accurate comparison be to compare JC 2007 stats with JVB 2011 stats?

[INTIMIDATORHawk]

JVB's numbers through 7 games have to be at or near the top of the all-time list for bad QB play at Iowa.

I really hope someone asks Kirk Ferentz about those numbers in this weekly presser. I know what the answers will be, but the numbers make it hard to defend the decision to NOT give another QB a chance.

[okeefe4prez]

Wouldn't a more accurate comparison be to compare JC 2007 stats with JVB 2011 stats?

Yes, because that's when they were both first year starters. But it's just not a fair comparison because Jake had O'Keefe and James doesn't. Heck, compare James' numbers when he had O'Keefe. O'Keefe is an NFL caliber assistant, Davis got fired from Texas. End of story.

[okeefe4prez]

JVB's numbers through 7 games have to be at or near the top of the all-time list for bad QB play at Iowa.

I really hope someone asks Kirk Ferentz about those numbers in this weekly presser. I know what the answers will be, but the numbers make it hard to defend the decision to NOT give another QB a chance.

No one is ready.

[BLKNGOLD48]

Sadly, if somebody put a gun to my head and told me to blindly pick one of those stat lines I would choose JC6.

No need to put a gun to your head, just looking at the numbers would make anyone choose JC6.

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

No one is ready.

**** it. Sink or swim man.

[herkytime]

Most of us saw this weeks ago and and now that the turd has finally become so water logged it has sank to the bottom of the toilet bowl will somebody please flush it!