Near the end of the second quarter Saturday against Alabama, Joel Stave took a three-step drop, planted his back foot and slung a 22-yard pass to Alex Erickson, who was running a corner route along the right sideline. Stave’s toss reached just above the outstretched hand of cornerback Marlon Humphrey, but was still sharp enough to protect Erickson from the converging Eddie Jackson.
Stave released the ball before Erickson went into his break toward the sideline and squeezed it through such a tight window that it looked like he misread Alabama’s pass defense over the top. However, he insists that he recognized the coverage the entire time.
“I think more than anything it’s just trust,” Stave said of the throw. “That’s something I’ve been talking about all camp is just throwing with trust, throwing with anticipation and I think that was kind of the product of a lot of work and then just trusting your guys. I had a good feel for the coverage, I knew what they were doing and once you know what they’re doing you just have to trust your guy and put it out there.”
In sharp contrast with last season, Stave has focused on staying ahead of everything, as he put it. A year ago, he simply couldn’t have played in this magnitude of a game. But with a newfound comfort afforded by head coach Paul Chryst, a full summer to work with his receivers and a game plan that takes advantage of his strengths, Stave flourished in Arlington.
Through the first two quarters, Stave completed 14-of-16 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown, but what truly impressed was his ability to hit his check down options and maintain his composure within a pocket that was constantly under duress. The combination of a solid showing from the offensive line and the reliability of Derek Watt (5 receptions, 22 yards) and Dare Ogunbowale (6 receptions, 39 yards) out of the backfield allowed Stave to get the ball out quickly.
“We knew they had good players up front and to be able to take those shots down the field, you need time to let that develop,” Stave said. “We didn’t know how that would work out going into the game. I thought, for the most part, they did a very good job up front keeping the defensive line back, keeping me protected.”
Chryst was impressed with the quarterback he helped recruit, noting his even-keeled nature throughout the game, even when things got ugly in the second half.
“I think he’s seeing the field well. A couple throws, they did a nice job,” Chryst said. “And the windows closed pretty quickly with this group. I thought he was decisive ... I loved his demeanor throughout the game.”
Stave himself attributed his success to staying “in front of the chains,” meaning he was able to cut down on third-and-long situations by consistently going to the mid-level passing game, as his 11.4 yards-per-pass indicates.
“I think that’s a big part of being able to get in a good rhythm,” Stave said. “When you’re able to stay ahead of the chains like that you can get the ball moving, you’re in more favorable situations when you get to third down.”
Stave’s performance against Alabama is extremely encouraging, but it isn’t definitive by any stretch. Look for him to live by attacking the middle level of the defense, but also work to continue to extend the vertical passing game and to give the Badgers a more dynamic scheme over the next few weeks. It’s too early to get overly excited, but Stave could finally be morphing into the quarterback he’s supposed to be.
