Back up QB

[SidewalkJacket]

Yeah I wouldn't put any money on moving TM in his senior year. He is simply too dynamic and will be better at reads next year. Passing... we'll see.

However, this is why my ideal scenario this season would have been MJ or one of the freshmen to win the job, and TM go back to AB. It would've just set up some nice class separation. As it is, we probably will lose one of the freshmen. Hate that, but it is what it is. We'll be fine either way. TM was better than any of us expected, and whichever freshmen (or redshirt freshman) takes the QB2 job next year will be all the more ready in 2019...

 

[Deleted member 2897]

We do have three young ABs who are not seeing PT yet, Jarrett, Gantt, and Mason + Two walkons with decent size and skills, Turner and Rew. We are recruiting a couple of good looking ABs in this class so numbers of ABs is not a problem.

Mmmmmmm, maybe. We typically like to rotate at least 4 of them. In 13 months, we will not have JJ Green, Clinton Lynch, or Qua Searcy. We will have 5 scholarship ABs, including the 2 in the current class.
Omari Jarrett (rs junior next year)
Xavier Gantt (rs sophomore next year)
Jordan Ponchez-Mason (rs freshman next year)
Tijai Whatley (true freshman next year)
Dontae Smith (true freshman next year)

Most importantly, none of them have had any real playing time yet.

So I think we could probably stand to take 1 more in this class.

 

[RedPete]

Well it's a fact. Arm strength can be improved.

Sure arm strength can be improved...marginally. The best way improve your arm strength SIGNIFICANTLY is to change your biological parents. [emoji57]

Hopefully TM can fix his accuracy with plenty of practice reps, but sorry we can't realistically expect him to develop an Aaron Rodgers-like cannon by next year.

 

[Philhutch80]

I think if LJ or JJ were that special they would be out there playing ahead of TM. They can transfer if they want but their best chance of playing FBS Division one collegiate football is to stay where they are and continue to work. Stuff happens and you never know when your opportunity will present itself.

Go Jackets!

LJ won't be going anywhere. JJ has been leaving an obvious trail this entire year that he probably will not be in White and Gold next year. I attribute it to us being flush at the position as well as lack of maturity plus him having sub par hands. I wish CPJ could work him on the field somewhere somehow just to see him in actual game play but I highly doubt we will get to see that and that is a loss for everyone.

 

[takethepoints]

I think TaQuon will be our QB again next year. A lot of his passing problems are the result of inexperience and poor pass protection, not a bad arm. As he showed against the Turkies, he's got a decent arm, though not as good as JT's. He does have one mechanical problem - he sometimes sidearms the ball when he's in a hurry - but he's aware of that and says he's working to get over it.

If anyone moves, I'm betting on Jones moving to AB or, perhaps, BB. He's such a dynamic runner that not having him on the field doesn't make much sense; he could be another Orwin Smith. Of course, he'd be just as dynamic at QB, but I think Johnson is further along and a more complete player for that position. But that's a matter for the competition to sort out. If Jones can get his passing to come around and learns the O better, he would be a pistol at QB. I think it's up to him. But if that doesn't work out, we have a precedent for him moving: Days.

I do think, however, that if all of our redshirt QBs want to stay at the position, then we may lose one as he gets impatient with a lack of playing time. But, again, that's up to them and things could work out several different ways going forward.

 

[B Lifsey]

Sure arm strength can be improved...marginally. The best way improve your arm strength SIGNIFICANTLY is to change your biological parents. [emoji57]

Hopefully TM can fix his accuracy with plenty of practice reps, but sorry we can't realistically expect him to develop an Aaron Rodgers-like cannon by next year.

We are Georgia Tech, we can do that!

 

[Skeptic]

I'm having difficulty imagining a scenario where the starting qb is asked to change positions for his senior year.

Navy, last week. Obviously urgent as their season was going south in a hurry and he was not effective. Moved an A back in and he rushed for almost 300 yards.

 

[Skeptic]

I think TaQuon will be our QB again next year. A lot of his passing problems are the result of inexperience and poor pass protection, not a bad arm. As he showed against the Turkies, he's got a decent arm, though not as good as JT's. He does have one mechanical problem - he sometimes sidearms the ball when he's in a hurry - but he's aware of that and says he's working to get over it.

If anyone moves, I'm betting on Jones moving to AB or, perhaps, BB. He's such a dynamic runner that not having him on the field doesn't make much sense; he could be another Orwin Smith. Of course, he'd be just as dynamic at QB, but I think Johnson is further along and a more complete player for that position. But that's a matter for the competition to sort out. If Jones can get his passing to come around and learns the O better, he would be a pistol at QB. I think it's up to him. But if that doesn't work out, we have a precedent for him moving: Days.

I do think, however, that if all of our redshirt QBs want to stay at the position, then we may lose one as he gets impatient with a lack of playing time. But, again, that's up to them and things could work out several different ways going forward.

This seems to be a message board issue, not a Johnson issue. If we want to know who will be there next year, ask Johnson. AS they say, he is the Decider, the only one.

 

[takethepoints]

Sure arm strength can be improved...marginally. The best way improve your arm strength SIGNIFICANTLY is to change your biological parents. [emoji57]

Hopefully TM can fix his accuracy with plenty of practice reps, but sorry we can't realistically expect him to develop an Aaron Rodgers-like cannon by next year.

I used to coach Pony League baseball and I improved the "arm strength" of several pitchers by cleaning up their mechanical problems. QBs have the same issues. When Godsey was getting ready to take over at QB, the Fridge told him to stop sidearming the ball if he wanted to start. Sure bet, he worked on it, stopped doing it, and looked like a changed man back there. TM still sidearms the ball occasionally, just like Nesbitt did. And he does it the same situations: short throws or when he's under duress. When he throws long, all this disappears, just like it did with Nesbitt. If he can get over this, I think everyone will be wondering where all the extra arm strength came from.

But, yes, he'll never be a Joe Hamilton. There are limits.

 

[UgaBlows]

Yeah I wouldn't put any money on moving TM in his senior year. He is simply too dynamic and will be better at reads next year. Passing... we'll see.

However, this is why my ideal scenario this season would have been MJ or one of the freshmen to win the job, and TM go back to AB. It would've just set up some nice class separation. As it is, we probably will lose one of the freshmen. Hate that, but it is what it is. We'll be fine either way. TM was better than any of us expected, and whichever freshmen (or redshirt freshman) takes the QB2 job next year will be all the more ready in 2019...

Yeah, thats not going to happen. I think we will see a lot more of LJ and/or JJ next season here and there to get them ready for 2019.

 

[Techster]

I think TaQuon will be our QB again next year. A lot of his passing problems are the result of inexperience and poor pass protection, not a bad arm. As he showed against the Turkies, he's got a decent arm, though not as good as JT's. He does have one mechanical problem - he sometimes sidearms the ball when he's in a hurry - but he's aware of that and says he's working to get over it.

If anyone moves, I'm betting on Jones moving to AB or, perhaps, BB. He's such a dynamic runner that not having him on the field doesn't make much sense; he could be another Orwin Smith. Of course, he'd be just as dynamic at QB, but I think Johnson is further along and a more complete player for that position. But that's a matter for the competition to sort out. If Jones can get his passing to come around and learns the O better, he would be a pistol at QB. I think it's up to him. But if that doesn't work out, we have a precedent for him moving: Days.

I do think, however, that if all of our redshirt QBs want to stay at the position, then we may lose one as he gets impatient with a lack of playing time. But, again, that's up to them and things could work out several different ways going forward.

I said this in another thread: Taquan is a fairly good passer....when the weather doesn't involve rain. No matter how much training you get, if your hands aren't big enough to have a secure grip in the rain, the rain will always win. LJ is 6'3 and I would venture to guess probably has fairly large hands, won't have issues with the ball slipping.

I'm 5'11, and speaking from experience, once that ball gets overly saturated, your hands need to cover a certain area or the ball will slip and you will lose the ability to use leverage to throw the ball down field. If you look at the horrendous passes that came out of Taquan's hands during the Clemson and UVA games when it was raining heavily, those are classic tell tales that the QB can not grip the ball. Pitching the ball will also become a problem.

The NFL likes QBs with big hands for a reason.

 

[alentrekin]

JJ has been leaving an obvious trail.

Source?

Not doubting. Genuinely curious.

 

[tech_wreck47]

Mmmmmmm, maybe. We typically like to rotate at least 4 of them. In 13 months, we will not have JJ Green, Clinton Lynch, or Qua Searcy. We will have 5 scholarship ABs, including the 2 in the current class.
Omari Jarrett (rs junior next year)
Xavier Gantt (rs sophomore next year)
Jordan Ponchez-Mason (rs freshman next year)
Tijai Whatley (true freshman next year)
Dontae Smith (true freshman next year)

Most importantly, none of them have had any real playing time yet.

So I think we could probably stand to take 1 more in this class.

Ponchez-Mason has moved back to Bback per CPJ, and is cross training at Aback so he might not even be an Aback depending on if he steps it up at BBack. We will also have Cottrell.

 

[tech_wreck47]

LJ won't be going anywhere. JJ has been leaving an obvious trail this entire year that he probably will not be in White and Gold next year. I attribute it to us being flush at the position as well as lack of maturity plus him having sub par hands. I wish CPJ could work him on the field somewhere somehow just to see him in actual game play but I highly doubt we will get to see that and that is a loss for everyone.

What do you mean by him having sub par hands? And I haven't seen him leaving an obvious trail, do you mind to elaborate? Not doubting, I just haven't seen it.

 

[Milwaukee]

Source?

Not doubting. Genuinely curious.

Same here. Need to know asap, can't just drop stuff like that on a board.

 

[tech_wreck47]

I think next year will be an open competition at QB again, with JJ, LJ, and TM.

 

[OldJacketFan]

I've heard that JJ doesn't have the hands to move to another position. Seeing him trying to field kickoffs and the like pre game I can see where that's coming from.

 

[Milwaukee]

JJ isn't moving to another position, for the umpteenth time.

But this stuff about him not being at Tech next year needs to be clarified.

 

[tech_wreck47]

I've heard that JJ doesn't have the hands to move to another position. Seeing him trying to field kickoffs and the like pre game I can see where that's coming from.

Even if that's true, CPJ doesn't want to move him. When asked about him playin another position, he said he's a QB. Almost with a confidence , like y'all don't even understand how good he can be. I think he gave a little chuckle.

 

[tech_wreck47]

JJ isn't moving to another position, for the umpteenth time.

But this stuff about him not being at Tech next year needs to be clarified.

Agree, he's to electric to not be at QB in our system.