Was Joe Ayoob really the white Mike Vick?

I think everybody looks at the Joe Ayoob process as a failure. A highly touted JC transfer, Ayoob was truly awful. But out of the JC ranks, he was regarded as possibly the “next Mike Vick,” or some saying along those lines. So today, I compare the two to see if those comparisons weren’t really that far-fetched (okay it is, ridiculously so. Ayoob is awful. But I’m bored and I need to make a post!).

The one image I can find without a dog.

The one image I could find without an interception.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=maisel_ivan&id=2030539

After reading this article, one might see why he had so many problems. Anyway, we move on. Joe Ayoob’s one season as a meaningful starter:

2007: 125-254, 1707 yards, 49.2%, 15 TD, 14 INT, 6.72 YPA; 5 rushing TD, 7 games

Now Mike Vick’s stats (pre dog fighting) when he last started:

2006: 204-388, 2474 yards, 52.6%, 20 TD, 13 INT, 6.4 YPA; 2 rush TD, 16 games

Wow, that’s closer than I thought. MAYBE ALL THOSE EXPERTS WERE RIGHT! Of course, Ayoob did throw more INT’s in half as many game, but he threw 5 less TD then Vick did in 9 games less. If he played 14 games (still 2 less), he’d have 10 more TD then Vick did. But, boy the interceptions. Back-breakers all the time. /shudders. LET’S KEEP THIS STATISTICAL AND FORGET ALL THE AWFUL MEMORIES. Okay, I’m ready to resume.

Completion percentage, and YPA are relatively similar, and those are 2 of the more useful stats when looking at a QB’s baseline stats. But ultimately Ayoob’s knack for the interception hurts the comparison. But still, it’s much closer than one might think from remembering Ayoob’s…poor play.

Shockingly, I actually have a decent deal of respect for Ayoob. While he wasn’t up to snuff as a QB, he still worked hard, seemed like a nice enough guy, and didn’t transfer when he was demoted to fourth string. For that, I respect White Mike Vick.