I was going to pick up my baby boy from school today, when I heard a sports talk radio host say, over and over, that former Independence High star Chris Leak was a "mediocre" college quarterback.
Really?
Leak is one of the best high school football players this state has ever produced, and we all know that he didn't make it in the NFL.
But in college? At Florida, Leak was 29-9 against SEC competition and won a national championship. He was MVP of Florida's 41-14 win over Ohio State. After that game, this "mediocre" quarterback sat on the couch with Jay Leno, participated in Super Bowl week activities and made a few commercials.
He was also a finalist for the Sullivan Award, given to the nation's top amateur athlete.
I know, I know. That's pretty mediocre, too.
Leak finished his career at Florida ranked among the top 15 in SEC history in total yards gained, total passing yards and career touchdown passes.
Just way below average stuff.
After going undrafted in 2007, the Bears picked Leak up, kept him through training camp and then cut him. Leak later tried out with the Chiefs and signed on to play in something called the All-American Football League that never got off the ground.
These days, he's a backup for Canadian Football League power Montreal. On Aug. 20, Montreal's future Hall of Fame quarterback, 37-year-old QB Anthony Cavillo, suffered a bruised sternum during a game with Winnepeg. Leak replaced him and completed 10-of-15 passes for 99 yards in Montreal's 39-14 win.
Leak and the Alouettes play the BC Lions Friday. Montreal (6-2) leads the East division in the CFL. BC (1-7) is last in the West. Leak, now, 25, will start for Montreal.
"You try to prepare for this moment the best you can," Leak told SportsNet Canada. "You never know when it's going to come but at one point your number's going to be called to help your team win. This is a special moment. I'll try to make all these moments into memories."
Monday, August 30, 2010
Was Chris Leak a "medicore" college QB? He gets first pro start Friday
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21 comments:
Langston, I heard Brett Jensen spewing all that crap today on Frank N Buck and I tried so hard to call in. I think hes just going after ratings. Thanks for pointing out the facts. And Im a frickin Vols fan.
How can you say he was average in college? He was a Heisman candidate, that you didn't point out, and he was MVP of the national championship. Langston, you're a joke.
The best high school player this state has ever produced??? Leak was good but I wouldn't say he is the best player ever produced!
Great article Langston, it's too bad people don't understand sarcasm and then attack you because they don't know how to read.
I agree with you L-Dub on everything, but maybe Brandon Spikes of Crest or Maddox of AL Brown may be better than Leak outta high school. Great article. Glad to know he's playing and doing well
I heard it it too L. You know what's great about this topic is you already know the answer but it warrants a post on the blog and I enjoyed the read. Thanks.
Knotts didn't run the ball TEN TIMES when Leak was the starter. Independence was built around his arm and developing the other players to protect the QB and catch those projectiles he threw. I watched him catapult the ball against Anson County when he was a sophomore at Memorial Stadium. 15yo!!!! Man that's what it's about.
As a starter at Florida he was a solid, consistent football player and did a fine job calling signals. Great performance against Ohio State for his last game too. Just didn't have the height to convince the NFL he was worth a shot. Look at Charlie Ward with Fl. State in the early nineties. Same situation I think but, he could play basketball too and that's what he did.
Garcia BOUNCED Jensen too. Great stuff.
Are you coming to Catholic/CD Friday at Keffer?
Take it easy Dub,
The Footsoldier
Actually, Mario Crowe set rushing records for Indy while Leak set national passing records. Since they rarely punted, there ws enough plays for everyone. Maybe the success Drew Brees has had will make the scouts more open minded.
Agree with Vols fan that Leak was a great college QB and Im a Dawgs fan. And all this happened under Zook, not Spurrier.
I'm sure it took Mario Crowe all of five games to set rushing "records" at Independence before Knotts arrived. The only time they were ever any good before then was when Jester left WC for the HC position in 1979 or so and he brought them out of the SW4A toilet which was the only place they had ever been.
I watched four games with Leak under center at Indy. Twice at their place and twice at Memorial. They didn't run the ball more than 3-4 times each game. Gunslinging. That front line looked like a college team.
NOT to mention he had 3 new offensive coordinators his first 3 years. So thats 3 different sets of offenses, plays,and terminology
Only Bobby Bell fans from Shelby, U of Minnesota and the KC Chiefs, might have an argument. Carl Eller was pretty good too.
Julius Peppers, anyone?
I think you have to have continued success to be "the best"..
I am not and have never been a Chris Leak fan. Not at Indy, Fla or anywhere else he has played or tried to play. With that said, he was well above a "medicore" college QB.
However, that did not guarantee any level of success after college eligibility was complete.
Langston is referring to what was said on the radio about Leak being a "mediocre" college QB.
This was one of the stupidest things I've ever heard on sports talk radio - no small accomplishment. And they ignored the caller's question about how Christian LeMay might do in college to rant and rave about this for at least 15 minutes. Either Jensen is a complete moron or he's just trying to stir the pot.
Anyone that says Leak is the best football player this state has ever produce is either absolutely stupid in all things NC football or just extremely misinformed about the state of NC football and haven't a clue about the players the state has produced.
Lanston, thanks for keeping Chris Leak accomplishments alive and well here. It's such a jip that the NFL doesn't see the potential in this young man. I like the Drew Brees comparison and with that, 'if Jake Delhomme can play in the NFL, and Leak isn't, speaks volumes about the sorry coaching in the NFL. Leak can throw a biscuit too I bet.
Chris Leak may not be the best player the state has ever produced but is deffinately the best qb and since thats the most popular position some will consider him the best hes deffinately the best ive ever seen. As for being meteocre in college i dont think so he was good in college not amazingly great but good. Good luck to him in his first start its not the nfl but playin football professionally nothing to hate on
ok chris leak was better in HIGH SCHOOL than julius peppers deff not a better career
Mediocre is not the right word for QB's at top flight programs with oodles of talent. Was Leak a great QB? No, and if anyone remembers, the question often asked by UF fans was could they win a championship DESPITE Leak (which was why Tebow was seen as a saviour as a freshman), which was unfair, but did speak to his performance in alot of big games. The thing is, all these QB's at big time programs run up good numbers against inferior opponents - its how they do against equal opponents that tells the story. I'd call him good, successful - but I get the point that perhaps most decent college QB's would have been good and succesful with the talent UF had around Leak.
While he was no Tebow blame the media and family. Too muuch glut and hype for owners to stomach. The height excuse was bogus. Deja vu Lemay.
One day the Observer will learn to take Larry Davids advice and CURB it but maybe not. Lay the ego aside. Talk to TO, DBryant, D S Jackson, R Moss, D Hall. The owner fratboys hate competition.
The bad part it wasnt CLs fault. Blame it all on LWertz and Daddy. For real. They killed it for him.
Why would some radio DJ berate a former Gator QB anyway? Stop hatin on a guy you never even met. Sure he may be playing in the minor leagues up in Canada but he got the job done down south.
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