I have always had the theory that Schaub’s biomechanics are inherently imbalanced, and therefore unstable. I base this on the postural misalignment evident in all of his team photos. I’m sure some of you have noticed it too, but I’ve never seen a discussion here on how it could affect his mechanics.
In the pictures below, the yellow lines are a square X and Y axis anchored in the center of the collarbone. The vertical blue line is the diverted angle of the cervical spine (neck) from the Y axis. Halfway through the vertical blue line, there is one vector point where it changes direction back to 0 degrees, indicating a compensatory tilt in the head. The vector point is placed at the base of the nose since that is approximately where the base of the skull meets the spine.
In figure 1, the horizontal blue line follows the estimated tilt in the collarbone. The tilt is only estimated since the jersey conceals the necessary reference points to track it accurately.
Figure 2 confirms that the misalignment on a younger Schaub to indicate that it has always been present.
Below, the figure on the left illustrates how his neck is tilting, and how the head tilts to compensate. On the right is an example of a neck with a normal vertical angle.
With a neck diverted to that degree, one would expect a compensatory curvature in the thoracic (middle) and lumbar (lower) spine. This often results in a tilting of the collarbone and pelvis, which would cause one arm to drop lower, and one leg to strike the ground harder when running. Below is an example of how a tilted neck is an indication of compensatory misalignments throughout the rest of the skeletal frame. Notice the pelvic tilt from horizontal.
Figure 1 indicated that Schaub’s collarbone and shoulders are apparently within a “normal” range of the X axis. Since I could not find any other team photos from mid-torso to compare to figure 1, I used the photo in figure 3 below, then emphasized the negative (black) space in figure 4 to demonstrate how uneven the shoulders hang. Also note differences in the shapes of the negative space around the neck.
For contrast, let’s look at the alignment of a random teammate, TJ Yates. His neck alignment isn’t perfect, but it’s about the best you could expect from anyone, much less a football player. Considering the daily effects of sitting on the bench, hunching over film study, and lurking on Texans Talk, TJ’s doing pretty good here. This cervical alignment is Texans worthy.
Question 1: Assuming that Schaub’s frame is as imbalanced as I’m theorizing, why does that mean his mechanics are unstable? That is because a quarterback throw is a motion of the entire body, much like boxing or baseball pitching. If you have ever taken boxing, you know that a good instructor coaches you on the form of your entire body to achieve an efficient transfer of energy from the planting toe to the fist. Power and accuracy are lost if your mechanics are inefficient.
Question 2: What makes me an expert on biomechanics? Not much. I’m presenting data, and this is my conclusion. I also have spinal misalignment, and my X-rays confirm a tilt in my collarbone and hips. It does not prohibit weight training, but long distance running is painful. Since I notice the imbalance in my own posture, I notice it in other people too.
Question 3: Is it possible that I am projecting my own spinal condition onto Schaub? Possibly, but from what I’ve researched, compensatory misalignments in the spine follow a predictable trend. I've never seen a case of only a crooked neck without a compensatory curve in the thoracic or lumbar spine. Also, this fact is revealing to me: I would not have been able to play football due risk of back or hip injury, but Schaub’s degree of misalignment is worse than mine.
Question 4: Why wasn’t Schaub’s mechanical imbalance a prohibitive factor before 2013? Because Schaub is a hard worker who overcame any mechanical issues during his developmental years. My theory asserts that his mechanics were only unstable, not consistently unreliable. Today, his mechanics are deteriorated because he is planting on a foot that is sending slightly inaccurate messages to his head. That is what this all comes down to:
The foot isn’t doing exactly what his brain thinks it is, and his coordination can no longer compensate for the imbalanced mechanics.
So there is my theory. It is founded more on my experience and observations than on academic study, so take it for what it's worth. I also look forward to CnD either confirming or shredding it.
) and that played into why Keenum leap-frogged him...
msr
