Well I guess I may as well chime on this tired old subject one last time before hopefully this whole subject and situation is retired forever (doubtful). This whole thing went down and played out exactly how I said it would over a year ago.
I knew Brett was more prepared and ready to step in because of two major factors: 1-He played 3 years in a situation where he was in the gun and ran a varaiation of the offense he would run at Wyoming, and was one of the most prolific QB's in Oregon HS history and won a ton of games doing it. Pittser was nothing more than a wingT QB, with a ton of hype, and a BIG arm. The fact that he had all the Elite 11 shizz did him no favors at Wyoming (except make most of the guys on Wyonation fall in love with him, and have some go as far as to say that he will go down as one of the greatest QB's in Wyoming history LOL) because ultimately you have to be comfortable in the offense, and it seemed like he never was. I think he will be fine in a pro style offense, when he has a chance to hone his skills and learn how to read college D's, and sit back and use that cannon of his. There was no way he was going to win that job last year based on his skill-set and experience. It was completely wrong for this Offense and I bet he would tell you that. I'd be curious to know what offense ISU runs but I'd be willing to bet it is more of the pro style variety. He could have transferred to Northern Illinois, which they had a graduating SR QB and run an offense that allows their QB put up a ton of yards both running and passing but that is a Spread offense and he chose to go down to D1AA and give up the FBS dream to try and play right away. I think his confidence may have took a hit so he was fine with going down a level.
2-For whatever reason he didnt have the personality to win the job. It seemed he never had the team. Call it a head start, hell, call it whatever you want, but this was, is, and will always be, as long as he is in the program, Brett Smith's team, because Brett woudn't have it any other way. We heard DC say it over and over last year "he's never had a freshman, compete like him" and after the Weber St or Texas St game last year how "there is a lockeroom full of guys who have a GREAT, GREAT, GREAT respect for the way that young man competes." Most of the guys on that team would take a bullet for that kid and that translates very well on the football field. You have to have a certain mentality, confidence, swagger, etc. to play the position and your leadership capabilities have to be freakish in order to do it well as a QB, let alone as a true freshman and 1st year starter. B Smith has it and demonstrates it whreas Pittser never did, and I believe it made a huge difference to how the team repsonded to each individual QB. It's much easier to focus on the leadership aspect when you are making the right reads and line calls but if your struggling with that element you can't possibly come off as an effective leader to the team.
BSmith has a long ways to go and hopefully the off-season surgery will take care of the issue to his passing hand. He needs to continue to develop all phases of his game and I am confident that he will. Some have called his struggles throwing the deep ball because he lacks the arm strength. I believe he has plenty of arm strength to make the deep throws but its next to impossible and would like to see someone try and throw a football deep or with any type of real velocity or accuracy with only 4 fingers. Hell, I'd pay someone $1000 bux if they could even effectively hold onto the ball with only 4 fingers without losing control of it most of the time! I got word that this is what it was like as the season wore on, especially the last half of the season for Brett.
I wish APittser all the best and hope it works out for him at ISU. He seems like a nice kid and he obviously possesses a great deal of talent. He gets to be at home while going to school for free and playing the game that he loves with a fresh start. I hope he does well and I'd be willing to bet that he will be successful.