While many have pointed to Jarrett Stidham's career in the Auburn offense as the reason the quarterback slid in NFL Draft to the Patriots last year, his college coach Gus Malzahn identified a few key moments that allows for some optimism regarding the QB.
"Jarrett is very steady," said Malzahn on the Zach Gelb Show. "The thing about it is with us he had the ability to play his best games when the stakes were the highest. In 2017 we played Georgia and they were No. 1 and he played his best game. Two weeks later we played Alabama and they were No. 1 he played his best game, led us to the SEC championship. He's a very solid person, kind of a gym rat. He understands the game of football, really from a coach's standpoint. The system that they run fits him really well and I expect him to be very successful."
The games Malzahn referenced took place during Stidham's sophomore season, which was the best of his two years with Auburn. Against Georgia, he went 16-for-23 for 214 yards and three touchdowns, and then going to complete 21 of 28 passes vs. Alabama, compiling 237 yards through the air and 51 more on the ground.
"I think the system that they run really fits him well and I expect him to be very successful." -@AuburnFootball @CoachGusMalzahn on @CBSSportsRadio about #Patriots QB @Jarrett_Stidham.Full interview on @DerrickBrownAU, @CameronNewton, @bo_nix10 here: https://t.co/OntBINyy3f pic.twitter.com/wbdd5ZIGhL
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) April 17, 2020
