Before the season began, I wrote about the possibility of Sean Mannion becoming the greatest quarterback to ever wear black and orange. I scoffed at the silly quarterback “controversy” that had somehow loomed over the Beavers all spring and summer long. I presented the numbers to back up my case and in case my readers don’t lean on numbers the same way that I do, I discussed the size difference and the “eye test” differences between the more talented Mannion and the more stable Cody Vaz. Call it statistical reason. Call it blind fandom. Call it whatever you want, but as I sat in my usual seat in Reser Stadium waiting for the Hawaii game to kick off, I finally realized that by siding with Mannion, I was right all along.
The stadium was only halfway full, the fans lined up at the gates and slowly shuffling towards their seats. I had my eyes on the players, watching them warm up. Many times, this year and last, I have leaned over to my wife and remarked at how professional Mannion looks when he throws the ball. Maybe it is the defeatist attitude that every Oregon State fan has to constantly shake off, but I would usually follow up my observation by stating that although Mannion would definitely end up in the NFL, he would probably be a third string quarterback who drifted around the league. This time was different, though.
As I prepared to launch into my usual sequence, a man walked down the steps next to me, towards the field. He wore a navy polo that was tucked into slacks. I found the color choice odd, considering that it was neither the home team’s orange or Hawaii’s green. Then I noticed the Denver Broncos logo on the chest and the field pass clipped to his belt loops. Even though I already knew who the man had come to see, I gave my program a quick scan. The names Mannion, Sean and Cooks, Brandin leaped from the page. I had always thought that if Mannion were to come up short in his assault on the record books, it would be due to injury or poor performance. Yet, on September 7th, I realized that there is another way for Derek Anderson’s statistical title to remain in his possession. If Sean Mannion continues to pick apart every defense he faces, we might see him get drafted this upcoming spring.
The Beavers are 2-1, coming off one of the greatest PAC-12 games ever played. Sean Mannion was stellar in Oregon State’s first road test, an overtime win at then unbeaten Utah. Mannion converted multiple clutch plays as the game clock wore down, throwing for 443 yards and 5 touchdowns. Equally notable is the zero interceptions that Mannion threw, as Utah’s Travis Wilson threw three interceptions in a game in which any one play could have swung the outcome in favor of the other team.
I realize that Mannion has only played three games since I previewed him before the season. However, with the way that he has thrown the ball in these three games, someone needs to say it – Sean Mannion might be the best pocket passer in the nation today. He seems to have figured out the only issue that plagued him last season (interceptions) as he has racked up 12 touchdowns to only one interception. Additionally, he is completing over 72% of his passes and currently has 1,237 yards to his name at the quarter season mark, an average of over 412 yards per game. Currently, Mannion ranks first in the country in touchdowns, second in passing yards, second in completions, ninth in completion percentage, and twelfth in quarterback rating.
In these first three games, Mannion is doing damage to Oregon State’s record books as well. He has risen from fifth to fourth in both career passing yards and career touchdowns. With three consectutive games of over 350 passing yards, he now sits only three more behind Derek Anderson for the most all-time at OSU. At his current pace, Mannion is set to break the single season passing yards mark by 890 yards, and if we count a bowl game that number rises to around 1,300 yards.
Before I spotted that Denver Broncos scout, I was under the confident assumption that we had not only this season but another one as well to enjoy Sean Mannion slinging it. I have dreamed out scenarios where Mannion and Cooks end their careers in the final game of the regular season, not down in Eugene in 2013, but at Reser Stadium in 2014 with a Civil War win. Never had it crossed my mind that Oregon State might possess a talent at quarterback that would have the option to leave for the NFL after his junior season.
NFL scouts don’t travel to see winless FBS teams that are coming off losses to FCS teams just to check out a potential third-string quarterback. The Broncos are currently one of the hottest teams in the NFL, being led by one of the greatest pocket passers in history. With Peyton Manning turning 38 years old after this season, it would make sense that the Broncos would be searching for another talented pocket passer that Manning could educate before handing over the reins. From Manning to Mannion, the transition would be almost leisurely.
However, the Denver Broncos are not the only ones wise to Mannion’s abilities. When I got home that night, the first thing I did was attempt to find out if the man I saw walking in Section 10 was truly an NFL scout. It turns out that he most likely was, as the Broncos did have a scout at the game, along with the Oakland Raiders, and a third (unidentified) NFL franchise.
To the Beavers Faithful, let’s enjoy Sean Mannion while we have him. However long that might be.
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