Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca
TORONTO — Last week, we learned that Steve Daniel and the CFL stats department are changing the way we evaluate quarterbacks with a new metric known as QUAR.
With two weeks of results, we can now put these tools to good use by stacking up the CFL’s nine starting quarterbacks.
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While Ricky Ray, Bo Levi Mitchell and Trevor Harris have put up the big numbers through two weeks of play in 2017, Mike Reilly is quietly off to the best start if we apply the comprehensive evaluation.
Through the first two weeks and based on a 2-0 record alongside his 118.0 pass efficiency rating, Reilly’s overall QUAR of 92.9 (out of 100) puts him in a league of his own. His Week 2 rating was an astonishing 95.2, which is based on superior performances in all aspects of quarterback play on just 12 possessions in a win over the Montreal Alouettes.
QUAR combines the quarterback efficiency rating (which makes up 40% of the evaluation) with eight other statistical indicators that are new to the equation — total possessions, offensive points, net yards, first downs, sacks, fumbles, rushing yards and percentage of second down conversions:
League wide, the average QUAR has been very high at 76.2 — well above the 2016 average of 62.5. This rise is easily attributable to higher scoring on offence (52.4 points per game vs 49.0 in 2016 — up seven per cent) and a league-wide gain in pass efficiency (from an all-time high of 98.0 in 2016 to an even higher 103.2 in 2017).
The CFL completion percentage of 68.6 is also an all-time record high.
At the completion of each week of games, fans can stay up to date on the new metric at CFL.ca.
