He does, and he did last year as well.
That is why I posted the stats for >2.5 seconds (that is the metric PFF uses... you can either search by more than 2.5 sec, or less than 2.5 sec).
As I have previously posted, I don't really blame King for the Bama game - guys like Will Anderson were blowing past our OLmen to the point where it would almost be an indictment on King if his 1st read wasn't open, and he held the ball for an extra second. He would've gotten hit very hard and probably coughed it up a few more times. I get it.
Vs App State, I don't get it. In my opinion, the OL is decent in pass protection. (I use the term "decent" lightly, because I am really just comparing it to our run blocking, which is absolutely awful... Miami OL couldn't get a push vs the much lighter App State DL. This is also why I find it laughable that ppl are saying Zion is a top 10 pick... he is an above-average ACC LT in pass protection, but he is an average to below-average ACC LT in run blocking. He is weak at the point of attack.)
But the pass protection vs App St was good enough, and King just doesn't keep his eyes downfield. In fact, I think that this is the thing that ultimately separates him from guys like Bryce Young. It has been said many times that King is an athlete playing QB... and I think it shows when looking at these stats.
A true "QB," like B Young, pretty much always has his eyes downfield, looking to extend the play by moving the pocket, but ultimately looking to get the ball to the WR weapons. I think that is the issue with King this year - he is not the same guy running the ball he was LY (understandably), but he is also still prone to tucking it and taking off. The numbers in my OP show as much.
This has allowed teams to stack the box even more than they would have after seeing the Clemson tape. App doesn't have the same caliber athletes on the outside that Clemson/Bama does... we should've been waiting for those 1-on-1 matchups to throw 50/50 balls. But we didn't.
Moving forward, what is going to change? If App can stack the box and make us beat them outside 1-on-1, what team on our schedule can't (besides the D-IIIIII team)?
This is why I posted in another thread that, on Saturday morning, it would've been crazy to think about benching King. But today... I will give him another game, but if King can't throw the ball 15+ yards downfield on a regular basis, he is handicapping the offense and he needs to sit. And I truly believe that.