Oklahoma redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler had quite the starting debut on Saturday night, as both he and the Sooners stomped their way to an impressive 48-0 win over Missouri State. Accounting for 290 yards and four touchdowns on 14-of-17 passing, Rattler looked like a star right from the initial snap, commanding the field with exceptional grace and dominating the hapless Tigers defense in effortless fashion. It was an impressive performance, but for those who have been following his game for years, the quality outing was anything but surprising.
After all, for an electric athlete that has been shining since he was just a high school freshman, this game was years in the making.
Arizona Origins
The first passer that Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has specifically hand-picked, Rattler seemingly embodies everything the new-age quarterback is trying to achieve: elite arm talent, elusive mobility, and exceptional improvisational skills.
Coming out of Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona, Rattler used this raw ability to shred defenses for four years as the team’s starting signal-caller, earning a 5-star recruiting tag in the process. Playing basketball as a second sport during this same time period, Rattler also manned the shooting guard spot (alongside potential 2021 first-round NBA pick Nico Mannion) for three years, dominating at a high level before opting out of his senior season to focus solely on football.
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Basking in the spotlight from every angle possible, if succeeding in those two sports wasn’t enough, Rattler continued to magnify his exposure by appearing on the Netflix television show “QB1” during his time in high school, a decision that amplified his platform by an exponential measure.
Following his appearance on the show, Rattler finished the 2019 recruiting process as the No. 1 passer in the entire class, opting to commit to Oklahoma as his college program of choice. A team that gave him one of his very first offers back in 2016, the decision was seemingly a no-brainer, particularly because of the Sooners' recent success with Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.
Unfortunately for the 18-year-old passer, the growing hype train hit a sudden halt following the news that Alabama graduate transfer Jalen Hurts intended to join Oklahoma for the 2019 campaign. A move that forced Rattler to redshirt, Hurts’ decision to transfer (and bump Rattler from the starting spot) was a bit of a frustrating one—especially given Rattler’s advantage as a pure passer—but as we saw on Saturday, that time off may have just been the best thing for him and his future.
Future Outlook
Rattler doesn’t have the walk-on story of Mayfield, the two-sport problem of Murray, or the redemption arc of Hurts. He’s just a great player who has been precisely that for his entire life. So, how exactly does he deal with adversity? In his opening presser earlier this week, Rattler had a terrific answer to that question.
“I had a lot of hype and attention in high school and that definitely prepared me for this,” Rattler stated. “To me, pressure is a privilege. I look to embrace it. I’m not going to run away from any expectations.”
He certainly didn’t run away on Saturday, as after years of build-up, Rattler delivered under the bright lights. Bringing the off-platform ability of Murray, the pure facilitation skills of Baker, and the competitive nature of Hurts, Rattler looked like a combination of all three in the rout against Missouri State, proving exactly why he was worthy of the immense hype.
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Including a 50-yard bomb that he popped down the field with an effortless flick of the wrist, Rattler delivered in all facets, commanding the offense with a type of grace and elegance that brought back old memories of Murray and Mayfield.
Yes, Missouri State is a far cry from a legit test, but what this performance did was shed light on Rattler’s immense talent in a major way. After years in the spotlight, it’s not like he needed it, but he has a chance to be the best Oklahoma quarterback in recent memory. It’s steep (and potentially crazy) praise, but the talent and coaching are there. Rattler just needs to produce.
Saturday was a good start.
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