when you have 40 more minutes left in a game to correct your mistake, its totally different than when you have only 2 mins left in a game and one opportunity. Its not fans that get caught up in it...its reality and players too. When you only have one shot at something....vs time to make up for it...it really defines a player even more.
there is no sport that I didn't play, even as a player, that when it was clutch time it didn't matter that much more. It does. Period. So i respectfully disagree and I think looking at a players production in clutch says a ton too. sure, an INT on a stat sheet is the same no matter when it happens, but that is hogwash to a player...An hail mary INT at the end of a half looks the same as Tevins vs FSU with 1:30 left....I do think mistakes in the other 50 minutes CAN hurt less....as a player you know you can remedy it.
now I get the point the whole game matters. But clutch mistakes that are repetitive...is a trend...like missing clutch free throws over and over...it says alot...
Let's recap that final drive in the '12 ACC championship.
2:00............... 3 and 14................... ball on the 11...................... 17 yd completion off scramble/broken pocket................. first down
1:45................2 and 10....................ball on the 28.........................9 yd completion.................................................................3rd and 1
1:22.................4 and 1 .....................ball on the 37.........................qb keeper............................................................................first down
1:10.................1 and 15 (after false start by OL)......................... interception.........................................................................FSU runs out clock for the win
The int was actually not that bad a throw for accuracy, it was late which allowed the linebacker to make a play coming around Robbie Godhigh and it was a very athletic play at that. We were in must throw mode on that play and for most plays in that drive and we all know how good we are in that scenario no matter who the qb is, no matter what year it is.
I'm not here to argue Tevin was a great qb in crunch time, but he did make 3 clutch plays on that drive, two huge ones, before the int. Our ST's surely didn't help us out in crunch time getting us decent field position for that final drive. I remember a few other fine plays by Tevin in that game as well as I was at that game.
TW was not somebody who was gonna be able to pull off the "put the team on my back" scenario, but he never shrank from the moment and gave it his all. If he had a better D and a few more weapons on O, we'd have been a much better team. We had no business even being in that game in the first place and we scared the poop out of the Criminoles who expected a cake walk.
I think he'll make a great mentor for current qb's in perfecting the nuances of the craft. The devil is in the details when you play option qb and I can't think of anyone else better suited to helping our guys sort them out.
