Way back in July of 2000, Oregon quarterback Kellen Clemens told Bud Withers of The Seattle Times that he foresaw then-Scappoose High School star Derek Anderson choosing Washington State.
By September of the same year, Anderson proved that Clemens should stick to his day job: football. He made Clemens’ prediction inaccurate by choosing Oregon State.
Anderson’s decision has put his and Clemens’ path on a collision course, one that is going to come to a head Saturday at Autzen Stadium.
When the two were seniors in high school, Clemens was named the fifth-best quarterback in the nation by The Sporting News. Anderson was ranked three slots lower.
Just a month earlier, the two had attended the prestigious Elite 11 Quarterback Camp in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Twelve high schoolers attended the event, including current Purdue QB Kyle Orton, Florida’s Ingle Martin and USC’s Matt Leinart.
Anderson and Clemens have been ranked with the best of the best for years now, and only recently has either begun to blossom.
Clemens showed the confidence and consistency Oregon coaches were expecting when he led the Ducks to a 21-17 comeback win over California. That was followed by an outstanding performance against UCLA last week.
Anderson has been steady this season and a win over Oregon would cement a reputation for him as a big-game quarterback. He torched the Ducks last season, so he knows what it takes. It’s just a case of consistency for him as well.
But let’s play a little game. Let’s imagine what it would have been like if either had taken different paths and their roles were reversed.
What would happen with Anderson in Eugene? Would he have started in place of Jason Fife last season, or would he have been relegated to the bench like Clemens was for most of the year?
As for Clemens, would he have gotten a better chance to produce early with the Beavers? Would the presence of Steven Jackson, a running back Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti calls the best in the nation, help ease him into the lineup? Would the runner’s capabilities have given Clemens a blanket that would have allowed him to develop without criticism?
Better yet, would it have been the Beavers last season that went through a 1-6 drop late in the year? If Anderson had been in Eugene, would it have been the Beavers instead that fell so hard?
Maybe it’s the system. Maybe having Jackson in the backfield has been a boon for Anderson, giving him the chance to get used to the system while a first-class running back stomped out of the backfield.
OK, so it’s not so easy to predict what would’ve happened, much like the difficulties predicting their careers in high school.
My guess is that they’ve taken the right paths and that talent and an ability to remain “cool” can’t be taught.
Clemens has taken the slower path to stardom, but when it really comes down to it, he’s probably going to have the better career of the two. He’s got leader written all over him, evidenced by his confidence level. He’s said a number of times this season that his confidence doesn’t waver when results go sour.
That’s a pretty significant statement, especially for a redshirt sophomore.
Anderson may have the physical tools — at least more so than Clemens — but he hasn’t blossomed into that leader just yet. He’s a junior and has one year left, so it better come soon.
The major difference between the two surrounds the fact that Clemens will be around for two more seasons.
It may not show now, but it looks like the Ducks will have come out better in the deal.
Anderson would’ve been a nice choice too.
Just not in the long run.