Can Vanderbilt QB Kyle Shurmur, Jesse Ertz of Kansas State keep up hot starts?

Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason watched all 20 games of Kansas State quarterback Jesse Ertz’s career.

What Mason saw seemed eerily familiar to the 20-game career of his own quarterback, Kyle Shurmur.

“I wanted to go back and watch the evolution and the history,” said Mason heading into Saturday’s home game against No. 18 Kansas State. “It’s not much different than Kyle Shurmur’s (evolution) — a young guy having to grow up, play games, figure out how to get it right and learn his personnel.”

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Shurmur and Ertz are top-5 quarterbacks in college football; that is, if you are a believer in the complicated stat of NCAA passing efficiency.

Ertz has a passing efficiency of 222.0, ranked fourth-best in FBS. Shurmur is at 217.2, fifth-best in FBS and No. 1 in the SEC.

Both face their toughest test

Two games into the season, the two quarterbacks tout impressive stats, 2-0 records and a seasoned grasp of their offense.

But are they both this good?

The head-to-head matchup Saturday (6:30 p.m., ESPNU) may help answer that, as each quarterback will face their toughest test of the young season.

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Like Mason to Ertz, longtime Kansas State coach Bill Snyder’s compliments of Shurmur seem similar to praise of his own quarterback.

“Shurmur is a young guy that really plays within himself quite well. He is accurate. He can put the ball where it needs to go,” Snyder said. “He takes what you give him, and he’s pretty good about that. That’s a real significant trait for a quarterback, and it only comes with experience.”

Neither QB was an overnight success

Shurmur and Ertz, both multi-year starters, have hit an early hot streak after gradually learning the small details of their offense.

A slow starter in his previous two seasons, Shurmur has been on fire to kick off his junior campaign. He completed 13 of 14 passes to begin a 28-6 win over Middle Tennessee State and went 12-of-12 in the first half of a 42-0 win over Alabama A&M.
Shurmur has a 76.1 completion percentage, seven touchdown passes and no interceptions.

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Some of the fine-tuning in his mechanics came in offseason work with offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, quarterbacks coach Gerry Gdowski, NFL and college quarterbacks at the Manning Passing Academy and private throwing coaches Tom House and Adam Dedeaux — who have trained Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and others.

“(Shurmur) is throwing from a better platform,” Mason said. “He’s not falling backward. He’s not leaning. He’s stepping into throws. I just like where he is. The rhythm is good.”

Ertz, a dual-threat quarterback with 1,012 rushing yards last season, struggled some with his accuracy a year ago, but a shoulder injury was partly to blame. This season a healthy Ertz has completed 70 percent of his passes with four TDs and no interceptions.

“Ertz has been unbelievable throwing the ball,” Mason said. “… He’s a much different quarterback than when he first stepped on the scene.”

Can they keep their hot starts going?

Both quarterbacks are on pace for the best passing seasons of their career, but it’s early. Saturday’s game will start a push toward midseason as they try to extend their hot starts.

Kansas State, after more manageable games against Baylor and Texas, will face No. 20 TCU and No. 3 Oklahoma over the next month. Vanderbilt will face No. 1 Alabama, No. 25 Florida and No. 13 Georgia in its next three games.

“But this is the main event,” Mason said. “I’ll find out who my football team is when we line up on Saturday.”

Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.

TOP 5 PASSING EFFICIENCY IN FBS

1. McKenzie Milton (Central Florida): 273.5

2. Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma): 228.8

3. Nic Shimonek (Texas Tech): 227.2

4. Jesse Ertz (Kansas State): 222.0

5. Kyle Shurmur (Vanderbilt): 217.2

Note: (8.4 x pass yds.) + (330 x TD passes) + (100 x completions) - (200 x interceptions) / Pass attempts

NEXT GAME

VANDERBILT (2-0) VS. KANSAS STATE (2-0)

When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday

TV/Radio: ESPNU/1510 AM, 98.3 FM