Should NC State Worry About Michael Brewer?

When Virginia Tech’s starting RS Senior Quarterback Michael Brewer broke his clavicle in the season opener against Ohio State on September 7th, he was given a timeline of 4-5 weeks for his return.  NC State fans everywhere grabbed their calendars to see if he would be back when they played the Hokies on Friday, October 9th.  Sure enough, the matchup fell right in between the 4th and the 5th week.  The fears of NC State fans were realized yesterday when Brewer was listed as probable for Friday’s game.

Do NC State fans have any reason to be afraid of Michael Brewer?  If he plays like he did in the season opener against the Buckeyes, then they have reason to sweat.  Before leaving the game with an injury, Brewer was 11 of 16 for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns.  His Passing Efficiency Rating for the game was 191.9.  Brewer performed brilliantly against the #1 team with the whole nation watching on a Monday night.

That version of Michael Brewer was a revelation, never playing anywhere near that level in his career at Virginia Tech.  His highest Passing Efficiency Rating in a single game last season was 138.71 against Boston College.  Brewer’s Passing Efficiency Rating in 2014 was 117.4, ranking 8th in the ACC.  He threw 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.  Do NC State fans need to be afraid of the 2014 version of Brewer?  Not so much.

Are the Hokies even planning on playing Brewer, or are they just trying to confuse the Wolfpack’s planning?  Brewer returned to practice on Tuesday, which means he would head onto the field Friday after only practicing three days.  Will they rush him back when Junior Quarterback Brenden Motley is putting up better numbers through 5 games than Brewer did last year?  Motley’s Passing Efficiency Rating currently sits at 133.4, passing for 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.  He has also rushed for 150 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Considering the way NC State struggled against a dual-threat quarterback this past weekend in Louisivlle’s Lamar Jackson, I don’t understand Virginia Tech rushing Brewer back onto the field.  Motley’s legs could be more of a concern for the Wolfpack than the return of Brewer.  Even if Brewer plays, expect to see a combination of him and Motley.