You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via X, but you can also hit me up at jraystarkey@gmail.com. Let’s gooooooo ….
Burke O’Toole, @BurkeMan513: Dr. Starkey who would you rather the Steelers try to develop as QB, Drew Allar or Will Howard?
Starkey: Oh boy. That’s a fascinating and pertinent question, Dr. B. Both have the kind of size you like in a quarterback — Allar at 6-foot-5, 235, Howard at 6-4, 235 — and both have question marks surrounding them. Howard was a sixth-round pick. We don’t know where Allar will go, but it won’t be in the first round even after an impressive Combine in which he showed off his rocket arm.
Howard had a triumphant college season at Ohio State, winning a national title. Allar did not do that but did have a year in which he threw for 25 touchdowns and two interceptions. And for all his struggles (especially in his final year), Allar finished his career with 61 touchdowns against 13 picks.
Both have decent running ability, with similar college stats on that front. Allar clearly has the better arm. Howard is more accurate and was better in big games. We don’t know about either man’s all-important processing ability at the highest level of the sport, because that is the great unknown with every quarterback prospect (college simply isn’t a good enough testing ground on that front).
Both are plenty tough. Howard had the better team in college, although Allar had some serious talent around him in 2024, when Penn State made it to the national semifinals.
Did I answer your question yet?
I didn’t.
I’d take Allar because of his superior natural ability. I’m not sure either will be a long-time starter in the NFL.
Rob Judge, @theesportsjudge: How many games out of first are the Pirates by the time Konnor Griffin is on the team?
Starkey: Hahaha — fair question, Dr. (Don’t Call me Aaron) Judge. But I actually believe the Pirates will have a decent start before Griffin arrives within the first month. I’m not saying he won’t be here from the start, either, although I’d bet he starts at Triple-A. I hope I’m wrong.
This looks like a pretty good team to me. Let’s hope the rotation gets off to a good start. That feels like a question mark — aside from Paul Skenes, obviously — as we head into the season.
Gooseheimer2023, @gooseheime83054: Greetings Doctor Starkey. Which is the more ridiculous take. Bruce Pearl saying Miami of Ohio doesn’t deserve an at-large bid in the tournament if they don’t win their tournament or TJ Oshie saying the Penguins won’t make the playoffs?
Starkey: I hate to disappoint you, Dr. Goose, but I think both are defensible takes. That is not to say I agree — I definitely believe the Penguins are playoff-bound — but both are defensible.
First off, the Penguins still have a quarter of their season left, are playing without Sidney Crosby and now face a stiff upcoming schedule. I’m not sure who Oshie believes will overtake them — maybe the Capitals? — but they still have a challenging road in front of them.
Having said that, they are six points up on the ninth-place Caps with three games in hand and seven points up on Columbus with the same number of games left. That’s a pretty good place to be.
As for Miami, it has the 292nd-ranked strength of schedule, last I checked, and zero wins over ranked teams. They’d be advised to win their conference tourney, although they’d still have a case at, say, 32-1, if they lose the conference title game.
You might say: “32-1? Of course they’d have a case!”
I might say, “Yes, but what was their best win? And did you know they are just 86th in the Pomeroy ratings?”
Listen, I might still take them at 32-1, but it’s a legitimate debate.
Penguins Jesus, @PenguinsJesus: Top needs for Penguins trade deadline?
Disco Dave, @D1scoDave: Professor Starkey, should the Penguins go and get a center in the absence of Sid? What about an extra d-man?
Starkey: Good morning, PJ and DD. I’d say a solid, right-handed defenseman and depth at center, but what about something bigger? Couldn’t any playoff-bound team use a really good player at any position?
I keep hearing that bringing in, say, Vincent Trochek, would upset the apple cart and disrupt chemistry (and he’s just an example; I’m not saying that would happen). I get it. But I’d seriously seriously consider any really good player and figure out the lineup later, wouldn’t you?
The East is wide open, near as I can tell.
J, @Crossland895: Greetings Joe and Happy March. At the time of this question, it’s Big Ben’s 44th birthday. So my question is this: When you think Ben Roethlisberger, the player, what comes to mind?
Starkey: First ballot Hall of Famer, unique skill set, one of the great ad-lib quarterbacks of all-time and the architect of the greatest game-winning drive in Super Bowl history.
Also — and I wrote about this today at triblive.com — they should make a “30 for 30” on Ben’s final season here. How he got that team to the playoffs was nothing less than a miracle.
Mark, @MarkP1791: Joe, Do you think the Steelers will win a playoff game this season? If they do, would that put a blemish on Tomlin’s legacy?
Starkey: I do not, Dr. 1791. But if they do, it certainly wouldn’t be a great look for Tomlin. Shoot, if they just play a competitive playoff game down to the wire, that would be more than Tomlin did in his final nine years here.
Ed Helinski, @MrEd315: What currently piques your interest about Pittsburgh sports?
Starkey: Many things, Mr. Ed:
• Who is the Steelers’ next QB?
• Konnor Griffin, Paul Skenes and the new-look Pirates.
• The Penguins’ ongoing story and the upcoming trade deadline.
• Will RMU make the NCAA Tournament again?
Those are just a few examples. It feels to me like we emerged from a bad time in Pittsburgh sports and suddenly have some hope around here.
BoomBox Billy, @b1llyboombox: Good Evening Joe. I hope this message finds you well. In your opinion what other years in Pittsburgh sports has the coach outperformed your expectations more than Muse has done this year. Sully in ‘16-17? Hurdle in ‘13? Shelton in ‘22?
Starkey: Shelton?
Anyway, Dr. Box, I’d say for sure Hurdle in ’13. Do you remember when he predicted 95 wins and everybody thought he was crazy? And yes, certainly Sullivan in 2015-16, actually, when he took over. That might be the winner. The Penguins were broken. He won the Cup.
Muse has done a phenomenal job.
Josh Howard, @jhow2687: Hey Joe, in your Pittsburgh sports writing tenure, where would you rank this year’s Penguins team as far as Pittsburgh teams who entered the season being written off and then exceeded expectations exponentially?
Starkey: See above, Dr. Howard. Great minds think alike. Jeff Capel’s last NCAA Tournament team would also qualify here. They looked dead early in the season and bounced back big-time. The Kenny Pickett year at Pitt might also qualify.
And if we’re going all the way to the beginning of my career — well, that’s too far to remember. Let’s just stick with the 21st century. And don’t forget that the 2010 Steelers had only the 10th-best odds to get to the Super Bowl and got there.
Thank you for asking.
