Andrew Luck had three touchdown passes and four incompletions in Saturday's mauling by the Stanford Cardinal of the UCLA Bruins, well on his way to an incredible 85% completion rate. Luck took three-step drops and found his receivers in the flats, on short routes, and nailed them on anything well within the intermediate. It was the closest thing you'll see to an offensive scrimmage in a college football game, as the UCLA defense could only crumble at Luck's might. (That catch probably took a lot out of them too).
Luck threw only one real deep pattern, early in the third quarter on the tight end post pattern to Coby Fleener. Other than that, Luck kept everything short and manageable, exploiting mismatches and coverages well before Bruins defenders could recover. UCLA looked like they were determined to make Luck throw shallow and short and defend the deep ball, and Luck was up to the challenge. Everything was methodical and drive-sustaining, a slow death for a defense that was eventually worn down trying to prevent Luck.
If you're a football fan and enjoy process, nothing will please you more than these stats:
- 15 play, 93 yard, 8 minute drive resulting in Stanford touchdown.
- 10 play, 60 yard, 5-and-a-half-plus minute drive resulting in Stanford field goal.
- 7 play, 90 yard, almost 3-and-a-half minute drive resulting in Stanford touchdown.
- 12 play, 59 yard, six-and-a-half-minute drive resulting in Stanford touchdown.
Luck has yet to face a real defense that can challenge his efficiency as a college football quarterback. It's uncertain if the Pac-12 will offer him any such challenge this season.
For more on Luck, go to Rule of Tree.