[Goose]

Coaches usually are more concerned about mitigating risk and operating in the known, than a player's upside and ability to improvise. This is why they usually error on the side of playing a guy who "knows the system" more than someone who can make plays when the structure breaks down.  The plays always look great when they are drawn up.

Darnold didn't know the system as well as Browne, but he could make things out of nothing, or otherwise make plays Browne couldn't.  Stanford beat U$C 27-10 with Browne.  Had Darnold started, I doubt Stanford wins that game.  U$C hasn't lost another game since Darnold became the starter the following week.

Pretty much I would agree, except to add the very important point that neither Browne nor Darnold were really "known quantities". It could be that Browne was the "safe" choice, because he had been there longer, but he hadn't really done anything yet. Darnold makes some throws that possibly a coach would suggest he shouldn't make, the No! No! Yes! effect. Darnold can make those throws, but possibly the coaches were not willing to risk it until they had to. That improvised jump pass 30 yards down the field near the end of the Texas game was just begging to be intercepted. But it wasn't a duck and it was caught. Lucky or good? Probably both.

[Goose]

Coaches usually are more concerned about mitigating risk and operating in the known, than a player's upside and ability to improvise. This is why they usually error on the side of playing a guy who "knows the system" more than someone who can make plays when the structure breaks down.  The plays always look great when they are drawn up.

Darnold didn't know the system as well as Browne, but he could make things out of nothing, or otherwise make plays Browne couldn't.  Stanford beat U$C 27-10 with Browne.  Had Darnold started, I doubt Stanford wins that game.  U$C hasn't lost another game since Darnold became the starter the following week.

Pretty much I would agree, except to add the very important point that neither Browne nor Darnold were really "known quantities". It could be that Browne was the "safe" choice, because he had been there longer, but he hadn't really done anything yet. Darnold makes some throws that possibly a coach would suggest he shouldn't make, the No! No! Yes! effect. Darnold can make those throws, but possibly the coaches were not willing to risk it until they had to. That improvised jump pass 30 yards down the field near the end of the Texas game was just begging to be intercepted. But it wasn't a duck and it was caught. Lucky or good? Probably both.