3 Transfer Options Emerge For Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler
3 Transfer Options Emerge For Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler
Spencer Rattler entered the 2021 college football season as one of the favorites to claim the Heisman. Not only did he fail to live up to those lofty expectations, he played so poorly that he got himself benched.
Him lashing out on social media this week only confirmed what everyone already knew: a transfer is inevitable.
Fortunately, despite Rattler’s struggles, he still has some decent options ahead of him.
Obviously the NFL is out of the question right now – but three colleges stand as very legit potential suitors for him in 2022.
Those three schools? Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee, writes Connor O’Gara of Saturday Down South.
“Rattler’s downfall at Oklahoma was reading drop-8 coverage. What did [Matt] Corral need to figure out this offseason? How to read drop-8 coverage,” wrote O’Gara. “Needless to say, he’s a master of it now. They’re both extremely similar from a physical standpoint, as well, though I’d argue Corral’s toughness as a runner is at a different level.
“Whatever the case, the blueprint would be there for Rattler. Few situations would be more favorable for him to step into than the one in Oxford … as long as Kiffin doesn’t bolt for LSU.”
The same rationale applies to Tennessee.
“If I think Rattler can execute the Lebby/Kiffin offense, you know I think he can execute the Josh Heupel offense,” added O’Gara. “Quick reads, downfield shots, up-tempo … these are all things that would work in Rattler’s favor. We watched Hendon Hooker play exceptionally well as Tennessee’s starter after he transferred from Virginia Tech. Rattler, I’d argue, is a more natural fit in the offense than Hooker, who doesn’t have the downfield prowess that the Oklahoma quarterback has.”
Georgia seems like a less likely option, though JT Daniels’ precarious status leaves the door open for them as well.
The big problem with Rattler is that he is not as good as he thinks he is. With him under center, Oklahoma averaged 6.3 yards per play. As soon as Caleb Williams replaced him, that number rose to 9.7 yards.
Beyond that, Rattler averaged 7.2 air yards per pass attempt this year, good for 113th out of 125 FBS quarterbacks. Williams has averaged 11.5 yards per pass attempt so far – good for ninth in the nation.
This week, ESPN NFL Draft insider Mel Kiper Jr. offered his thoughts on what Rattler’s next move should be.
That’s one way to dress to a baseball game. https://t.co/oeBgEan8bD
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 22, 2021
“I don’t think it makes sense for Rattler to enter the 2022 draft if he plays sparingly the rest of the season,” Kiper said. “He’s not going to want this tape being the last thing NFL scouts see. Rattler is probably going to have to transfer next year and find a new school, and I think he can reestablish himself there. If he can get back to the basics, he can still have an NFL future.”
Rattler had his chance to be a prominent starter in 2021. He failed. The same thing happened in 2020. Will 2022 ultimately be any different? Time will tell.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
