[Goose]

The inability to evade a rush seems more likely a result of his knee injury, since this wasn't much of an issue last year (or, was less of an issue than for his predecessor).

While I certainly agree that his knee is probably the main reason he is a statue out there, it is also true that in 2016 he didn't face any good pass rush teams, except possibly UNC where, IMHO, he didn't look all that good. Against Arizona, he did get rushed a bit, and it seemed to really bother him. Then again, it was his first game.

While my instinct is with yours; that over the course of eight full games in 2016 and 2017, against a variety of opponents, most of them with sub-par defenses, Chryst has played below-average for a QB.  I don't necessarily subscribe to the idea that the QB whose game you haven't seen is magically better than the one you have in place.  But based on the (albeit scant) evidence we have to date: two nearly full games for Costello, eight full games for Chryst, I think Costello is the better QB.

I would agree. A lot of it is the "eye test". With Chryst, everything seems to be going in slow motion, while with Costello it seems to be going full speed ahead. However, that does tend to obscure some technical limitations that exist with Costello's game ATM. We may have more insight after seeing what happens against Utah.

But again, with two full games under Burns' belt last year, comparing him to the eight games we've had of Chryst, one might have concluded that Burns is the better QB.

BC

I think this is an excellent point. We tend to overlook these samples because we know what came next. I think that Washington basically destroyed Burns as a QB. It became like a golfer with the yips.  I think it entirely possible that at the start of 2016, Burns was the better QB. We can't know, but the coaches thought so. Unless some miracle happens, I don't think Chryst is going to improve much. So let's hope Costello does!

[Goose]

The inability to evade a rush seems more likely a result of his knee injury, since this wasn't much of an issue last year (or, was less of an issue than for his predecessor).

While I certainly agree that his knee is probably the main reason he is a statue out there, it is also true that in 2016 he didn't face any good pass rush teams, except possibly UNC where, IMHO, he didn't look all that good. Against Arizona, he did get rushed a bit, and it seemed to really bother him. Then again, it was his first game.

While my instinct is with yours; that over the course of eight full games in 2016 and 2017, against a variety of opponents, most of them with sub-par defenses, Chryst has played below-average for a QB.  I don't necessarily subscribe to the idea that the QB whose game you haven't seen is magically better than the one you have in place.  But based on the (albeit scant) evidence we have to date: two nearly full games for Costello, eight full games for Chryst, I think Costello is the better QB.

I would agree. A lot of it is the "eye test". With Chryst, everything seems to be going in slow motion, while with Costello it seems to be going full speed ahead. However, that does tend to obscure some technical limitations that exist with Costello's game ATM. We may have more insight after seeing what happens against Utah.

But again, with two full games under Burns' belt last year, comparing him to the eight games we've had of Chryst, one might have concluded that Burns is the better QB.

BC

I think this is an excellent point. We tend to overlook these samples because we know what came next. I think that Washington basically destroyed Burns as a QB. It became like a golfer with the yips.  I think it entirely possible that at the start of 2016, Burns was the better QB. We can't know, but the coaches thought so. Unless some miracle happens, I don't think Chryst is going to improve much. So let's hope Costello does!