Expert Analysis: Maty Mauk

On Thursday morning, Missouri picked up a commitment from Ohio quarterback Maty Mauk. To give Tiger fans more familiarity with the highly touted signal caller, PowerMizzou.com spoke to someone who saw every game of Mauk's junior season at Kenton High. Get the scoop on Mauk in this Q&A with OhioVarsity.com publisher Steve Hare:

PM: What are Mauk's strengths and weaknesses?

SH: "Mauk will arrive at Missouri with the tools and confidence to play early. The son of a coach, he knows the game and ever since he could pick up a ball he's been preparing for his future as a college quarterback. He learned the game from his father and older brother and that knowledge has allowed him to excel in all facets of the game. His strengths start with that knowledge, which then allows him the confidence to patiently wait for his receivers to make their moves and to deliver the ball to the best target.

He shows a lot of poise with the ball in his hands and has a strong enough arm to use the entire field--and he's forced to considering Kenton sends out five receivers on almost every down.

The primary weakness is his delivery, which reminds me a lot of Bernie Kosar's, although Kosar had several inches on Mauk. That delivery likely will force Mauk to remain mobile in the pocket and deliver a lot of his throws on the run. There's plenty of time to alter his delivery, which could have some effect on his overall mechanics and arm strength, but could pay big dividends down the road.

PM: Missouri fans are making the Chase Daniel comparison. Do you see that? If not Daniel, to whom would you compare Mauk?

SH: I haven't seen much of Chase Daniel, so I don't think it would be fair for me to make that comparison, but based on body sizes and production the comparison is inevitable. Both quarterbacks have been very productive in their careers and although neither is considered a true dual-threat, both quarterbacks are more than capable of making plays with his legs.

I do know Chase Daniel brought a winning attitude to Missouri and I think Mauk will do the same. As I mentioned before, he was born and raised to play quarterback and he has those intangible traits all the great ones possess.

PM: How similar is the Kenton offense to what Missouri runs (4 or 5 wides on every snap)?

SH: Kenton typically runs a wide open offense with five wide receivers creating havoc in the defensive backfield. Because Mauk is so good at what he does I've seen defenses try many different things to slow down the Kenton offense. Some defenses rushed only one or two players while dropping everyone else back in coverage. Others attempted a mass assault on the quarterback with six, seven and sometimes eight pass rushers.

Obviously, with the numbers Mauk put up, no strategy was effective.

Mauk reads defenses well and makes quick reads. Most often, it's the right read. His receivers were among the state's most productive, with both finishing in the top four in yards per catch. That means he's making quick reads and accurate throws to the right receivers.

PM: How long do you see Mauk needing before he's ready to compete for a starting job at a program like Missouri?

SH: Again, not knowing much about Missouri and the 2012 depth chart, I think this comes down to how much the Missouri staff tinkers with his delivery. If the coaches are content with him throwing with that 3/4 sidearm delivery, he could see early playing time. Mentally, he'll be ready. Physically, he's very similar to Chase Daniel, who was in that 6-foot, 215-220-pound range as a freshman.

With his experience and knowledge of the spread offense, it shouldn't take long for him to familiarize himself with Missouri's terminology. He'll be eager to play, that's the kind of quarterback he is. So, I'm confident he'll do whatever it takes to put himself in position to follow a similar path Daniel took to becoming one of Missouri's all-time greats.

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