How did Payton Thorne grade out in his last full game against Penn State?

On the day after Payton Thorne, former Michigan State starting quarterback, was named Auburn’s starting quarterback, we have graded his last full game.

For those who are new to this format, it is a simple plus and minus grading system. Winning football equals a plus, losing football equals a minus. There are some plays where there is some grey area. If we cannot determine the play call or the reason for the outcome, that play will be excluded from the grading.

Thorne was in a different offense at Michigan State, but this the best evidence we have to go by to know what he might bring to Auburn.

Timestamps are given to follow along with each play. If you want to jump to a specific play, the timestamp for each play is provided.

Zone read/Run/Screen Grade: 88%

Keep in mind, there were RPO’s called in the game. If there was a pre-snap read, we have no way of knowing if that correct read was made as we do not know the play call.

In this category, Thorne executed four screen passes, 2 zone reads (More, but only two graded), 1 RPO, and 1 designed run. In those 8 plays, Thorne graded 88 percent.

The grade comes from good decisions, a touchdown run on a designed run, a good throw and decision on RPO, three good touch throws on screens, and one bad one.

Passing Grade: 65%

There were several tipped passes and throwaways that were not worthy of a plus or minus, so they were not graded.

Thorne graded out at 65 percent in 34 graded passing plays.

Thorne had some impressive throws, he had some good throws, he had some bad throws, and some dangerous throws. 65 percent is a decent grade.

He threw one bad interception when trying to force a throw while down big in the 4th quarter.

Drive No. 8 was a very impressive drive. He was on the money and made some gutsy plays when Michigan State had to have it. That drive ended in a rushing score by Thorne in the 4th quarter. Despite the final score, this drive made the score 21-16.

The intermediate routes were very good for Thorne. The deep ball was not great, and the shorter throws were pretty good.

Final Grade: 69%

Personally, I would like that grade to be a little higher. Of course, this was a loss for Michigan State even if it were close at times.

I thought Thorne had some flashes of brilliance, then he had some costly mistakes. Interestingly, when the game got tight, I thought he pressed more as Hugh Freeze said he did in a scrimmage. Also, he was good under pressure for the most part. So, it is a mixed bag on that.

A pretty good game for Thorne, but could have been better. He needed better protection a lot of times, yes, but I grade how he handles those moments and give him the benefit of the doubt with bad pressure plays.

This grade seems about right after studying each play in the game. If just 3-5 more plays had gone right for Thorne specifically, he would have a higher grade and Michigan State would have been closer to winning the game.

FOLLOW ALONG: PAYTON THORNE vs. PENN STATE

Drive 1

2:47: + Very smooth on the play action rollout and then short dump off to the shoot route. Simple and easy, and a first down gain.

SCREEN 3:21: – Bad throw on what should be an easy one. I know why he rushed it.. but it was still a bad throw. AND, it was a turnover being that it was a backward pass. Bad, bad play.

Drive 2

6:42: – I don’t like this throw.. It was a catch because the receiver made a great catch.. But it was in dangerous traffic. I thought the shoot route was a much better option.

ZR 7:18: + Just an easy zone read.. Thorne gives as the edge doesn’t dive down. Good read.

7:46: + This is the kind of risk I like. He pushes it to the deep route and the ball placement was as good as it gets. It had to be, too, as the safety was coming into the picture. His receiver had a step on the DB, he launched it and dropped in the bucket.. Receiver could not come up with it and might have been interfered with. He did all of this while taking a hit in the chest.

Drive 3

SCREEN 15:22: + Nothing crazy here. Just a good throw on the flair screen.

16:00: + Perfect drop, perfect timing, laser throw in the window. This is ideal.

16:18: + I like this throwaway. He had nothing safely open. He doesn’t worry about getting out of the pocket, just fling it toward a receiver but over their head. Smart play.

Drive 4

ZR RPO 29:55: + A look at Thorne operating an RPO play. He shows the run fake, pulls, then pops it out to the slant. Good job.

32:33: + An off-balance throw, and it was a little high, but a good play. He knew the late slant would come open. Not sure why his mechanics were wonky there. He had time.

33:03: – I don’t like the read here. He just trusted his receiver and didn’t read anything here. Bad decision, bad throw and should have cost him.

Drive 5

42:09: + I have to give credit for the rifle throw even if it was in a dangerous spot.

SCREEN 42:42: + It is hard to dock him for things.. He does a lot of the little things right. Yes, this ball was slightly behind, but it worked out with the blocking. Thorne got rid of it just in time and made a good play under duress with the screen.

46:00: + Excellent throw. Doesn’t get much better than that. A deep hitch/curl type route. The timing had to be perfect with the route break and it was.

46:27: + play action rollout, no one was open, throw it away. Good decision on 1st down.

ZR 47:04: + Good read on the zone read action here. He had a nice mesh point here and handed it off in time.

48:12: + Do not like the throw while falling back.. Have to give him a good grade for the zip and pinpoint accuracy on the throw. It seems he will throw off-balance when he is confident in the throw. That scares me some.

49:24: – This is a tough one to grade.. It is fourth down.. Looks like the play was to throw to Coleman on the slant.. It just wasn’t there. I’d like to see him have some discernment there and make something happen rather than stick to the plan that isn’t there.

Drive 6

1:01:31: + Another great throw. Steps in, delivers and is on target for a big gain.

1:01:47: + First of all, the tempo to get lined up and snap the ball was crazy. Secondly, he extends the play and throws near a receiver which helps draw a holding/interference call.

1:02:40: – I’m not sure what the plan was here.. A floater in double coverage. I don’t like that.

1:03:17: – A great read but the throw was behind the receiver and Thorne was off-balance again. He can’t be off-balance on a throw that deep.

1:05:10: – Tough drive. I like the idea here. He goes to the good matchup. The throw just isn’t good enough.. They sent the house, so this was tough, but he back pedals and throws off-balance again. Not great.

1:06:27: + Wow.. A redemption throw. Somehow he gets the ball off in big pressure, and off-balance again.. but the accuracy is perfect and gets a big first down.

1:07:44: + I’ll group two plays into one here.. Thorne surveys and finally checks down. He knows there isn’t much time. It gets them a little closer for a field goal.. Then he gets everyone set and spikes it with 1 second left. Great management.

Drive 7

1:19:12: – I knew there would be some bad throws in here eventually.. This was way too high on an easy throw on the mesh. Correct read though.

Drive 8

1:29:34: + Oh man.. Best throw of the night here. He has some space to his right and uses it to extend the play. He finds a deep route that worked back to him. Accuracy was on point while on the move.

1:30:13: – The ball gets tipped again.. If the ball does not get tipped, he will throw completion here. I still don’t understand why he’s drifting out of the pocket her with hitches being the call. So I say this one is on him.

1:31:39: – Penn State brought the house.. The plan was to get him off-balance, and it worked. Thorne was out of sorts and threw the ball behind his receiver. It was caught, but it wasn’t enough to move the chains.. A good throw had a better chance. Have to hang in there on these type of plays.

1:32:40: + This is the stuff that separates him. He snaps the ball before the replay is even over and then flings it at Coleman who is in single coverage on a go. He caught Penn State with 12 on the field then went to the best matchup furthest down the field. It’s like a free play. SMART.

1:34:26: + Perfect back shoulder throw under EXTREME duress.. Wow.

1:35:28: + Another wow.. Perfect fade throw for 6. Great catch by the receiver, but near-perfect placement by Thorne.

Drive 9

1:42:49: + Thorne actually stays on platform here and stops his backpedal while under duress to deliver a great ball.

1:43:22: + I can’t give a plus here. I realize he takes a major hit, but it looks like he was really anticipating it and it affected the throw. So, in a perfect world, he has to connect on this when he has an open guy like that. He gets bailed out with a pass interference. EDIT: I had to give him a plus. The DB grabs the receiver and I think the ball placement was actually good if that didn’t happen.

1:45:32: + What a rope.. This one was in a window and down the field. Awesome throw here. 

SCREEN 1:46:09: + I’m glad to see some improv from him. He has had 4 passes batted down so far.. He figured out how to get around that on this play and puts the ball in the right place with touch.

1:46:54: – Bad throw here. A little rushed because the window was closing. Could have been dangerous.

1:47:41: – He throws a big completion here, but I don’t like the backpedal throw, and I don’t like the placement. I think the receiver makes this play on a somewhat desperation throw

1:48:20: + I think this was pretty savvy. He double clutches and then throws inside. That makes the DB have to go through the receiver to get to the ball. The placement could have been a little better, but he drew the PI. Big play.

R 1:49:11: + A rushing touchdown for Thorne.. A designed run play to beat the blitz. Great play call, good execution to get around the end by Thorne. Big time drive while down in the 4th. Now it is a ball game.

Drive 10

2:02:55: + Looks like he was locked in on going to this matchup.. Good receiver with single coverage, not a bad idea. Ball placement was fine. Tough play. Don’t love the call.

2:03:34: – Bad throw. He gets pressured badly, but he has to live for another play here. Can’t just throw it up.. That will get picked more than not. This time it did.

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