Comparing the quarterbacks

Having faced USC’s Matt Barkley and Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater this season, Syracuse linebacker Dyshawn Davis said Geno Smith looks like a combination of the two.

“He’s got a mix of everything,” Davis said.

West Virginia defensive coordinator Keith Patterson, during his previous stint at Pitt, saw plenty of Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib. But the recent film Patterson has seen during bowl prep sessions shows Nassib’s impressive development.

“On Saturday, you’re going to see a quarterback who’s in command, in complete control,” Patterson said. “Last year I think you saw some indecision. This year he’s an operator.”

Though quarterbacks are always a pregame focal point, the Pinstripe Bowl presents a passer’s dream. There’s Smith — seemingly a first-round draft lock who has thrown for more than 4,000 yards in his senior season — and his counterpart Nassib, also a potential early-round pick who needs a 389-yard passing day at Yankee Stadium to reach 4,000 himself.

Check out the dazzling numbers in the graphic above and settle in Saturday for a pass-happy parade.







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