It may be time for Desmond Howard’s friends to stage an intervention.
The ESPN college football analyst — and former Michigan Wolverines wide receiver — said something so incredibly dumb that I’m left wondering if he’s in full control of his mouth.
In a Wednesday segment on “College Football Live,” Howard was asked which quarterback he trusted more with the game on the line: Michigan’s Shea Patterson or Brandon Wimbush of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Howard picked Patterson, which is a defensible position. But his argument was such nonsense it needs to be called out.
“David [Pollack] was down here in South Florida when Notre Dame came and played Miami and I thought, that night, Miami’s defense, they exposed Wimbush and what his weaknesses were. I couldn’t really trust him to throw the ball when I need a quarterback to throw the ball to win the game for my team.
“Because of what I saw that night and everything afterwards, I would have to go with Shea Patterson. He’s just as mobile, if not even more mobile. But he’s a better pocket passer and a better thrower on the run too. I would have to go with Shea Patterson.”
In what bizarro world does Howard live in where Patterson, who missed the final five games of the Ole Miss Rebels’ 2017 season with a torn PCL, is a more mobile quarterback than Wimbush?
Before Patterson was injured, he had rushed for negative 16 yards on 47 attempts in seven games. Wimbush had 803 yards last season. Patterson’s longest career run? 29 yards. Wimbush’s? 65. Patterson’s career rushing touchdowns? 1. Wimbush’s career rushing touchdowns? 15.
Look, talking heads on sports shows say dumb things all the time. We could probably write an entire book on the homer predictions of former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz. Hell, Beano Cook once preemptively handed Ron Powlus two Heismans.
But, c’mon, Desmond. There’s an argument to be made for Patterson, but that he is “more mobile” than Wimbush isn’t supported by any available data.
Here’s the segment with Chris Cotter, David Pollack and Desmond Howard.
Desmond Howard on College Football LIve just now: "Shea Patterson is just as mobile, if not more mobile than Brandon Wimbush." Nope. Just nope.
— Jamie Uyeyama (@jamieuyeyama) August 29, 2018