How big a deal is the Scout Team?

[AE 87]

So in Ken's article on Shaq Mason, Shaq praises the play of JHD and KWhitehead in getting him ready.

It made me think about how often we hear comments on teams trying to prep for GT's O. We hear stuff about them bringing in and LB who played option QB in HS or playing without a ball. So, it made me wonder if the hidden problem for our D is simply a lack of strong competition on our Scout Team.

Last year's DL got better over the year, and perhaps having to play against Chris Griffin and Shamire had something to do with that. So, my question is how big of a deal is a lack of traditional skill players on the offensive scout team affect our D's progress, especially if our #1 QB recruits aren't playing on the scout team even when they RS?

My instinct has been that it's not that big of a deal, but Shaq's quotes made me think I should open up the question

 

[gtrower]

I see what you're saying, and it could cause some ill effects on our defensive preparation. But any thing we lose there we gain with other teams like you said. The biggest thing I've noticed change with our offense (other than QB homerun threat) is how much quicker the offense is being run in general. JT5 gets the play moving so much quicker that we're used to. That is going to make it so much tougher for defenses to mimic our offense in practice. They just aren't going to be ready for how fast we are running it. I guess it's a trade-off.

How many pro-set teams have a tough time preparing for a dual-threat attack?

 

[DTGT]

How many pro-set teams have a tough time preparing for a dual-threat attack?

All of them. A QB that can run, changes the numbers in favor of the offense.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I see what you're saying, and it could cause some ill effects on our defensive preparation. But any thing we lose there we gain with other teams like you said. The biggest thing I've noticed change with our offense (other than QB homerun threat) is how much quicker the offense is being run in general. JT5 gets the play moving so much quicker that we're used to. That is going to make it so much tougher for defenses to mimic our offense in practice. They just aren't going to be ready for how fast we are running it. I guess it's a trade-off.

How many pro-set teams have a tough time preparing for a dual-threat attack?

I think the OP is minimizing the hackneyed knock on CPJ's offense about "the defense always practice against it so of course they end up bad against most of their opponents." Shaq's comment was that two guys on scout team D this year would be defensive starters, so he has had the opportunity to practice against much higher level athletes than usual.

So the question is does that work in reverse since the D starters practicing against offensive scout players are not going up against equivalently strong competition in practice?

The issue is less about who is recruited to start at Tech than the depth of the talent that reaches down to scout team players not being challenging enough for the starters in practice. This is a problem at all non-factory schools. It also is the downside of getting freshmen in who are skilled enough to avoid redshirting as that means they don't help improve the upperclassmen starters by running on the scout teams.

 

[LargeFO]

Also, no offense to walk ons, redshirt guys, etc... But hunt-days and whitehead aren't your typical scout team defensive players. That's some good talent coming at shaq and co.

 

[GTech63]

All of them. A QB that can run, changes the numbers in favor of the offense.

Run AND PASS.

Tevin could move it on the ground but did not have the arm of JT5. Is the offense that much faster? Tevin seemed to run the O very effectively but he himself not as fast as JT5.

 

[33jacket]

Good scout team competition is key. It forces being at top of your game and reinforces the need to maintain technique. Its easy to block and tackle small and slow less talented players. You dont need your technique. The better quality the depth of your team the more competition does help a team during the season.

By the same token alot and i mean alot of reps vs the scout team are half speed, looks, assignment etc. they dont run full speed vs the scout team consistently over the week. They do in some sets. But its not full on scrimmage all day every day etc.

So good scout team helps. Because u have to practice against the plays. But alot of it too is slowed down especially installing the gameplan.

 

[DTGT]

Run AND PASS.

Tevin could move it on the ground but did not have the arm of JT5. Is the offense that much faster? Tevin seemed to run the O very effectively but he himself not as fast as JT5.

Symantics... A QB that can't pass is not a QB; that is a RB with game management responsibilities.

 

[Declinometer]

How cool is it that Shaq complements the scout team. Something's brewing folks

 

[zhavenor]

Symantics... A QB that can't pass is not a QB; that is a RB with game management responsibilities.

That's nothing but tripe. The QB position originally in a single wing system, which every one used until the late 1930's when University of Chicago and Stanford experimented with the T formation which before that it was called the standard formation, did nothing but block and run and lined up over a guard. The tailback and Fullback where the general passers. Of course the was nothing universal in naming of positions and Davis, who started out at Iowa in the 20's and then moved on to USC called the 2 deep backs in the back field a QB and Fullback.

 

[thwgjacket]

I think it's more about the ncaa not allowing our guys to play so we have 2 scout team members that would be starting for us and most ACC teams.

 

[DTGT]

That's nothing but tripe. The QB position originally in a single wing system, which every one used until the late 1930's when University of Chicago and Stanford experimented with the T formation which before that it was called the standard formation, did nothing but block and run and lined up over a guard. The tailback and Fullback where the general passers. Of course the was nothing universal in naming of positions and Davis, who started out at Iowa in the 20's and then moved on to USC called the 2 deep backs in the back field a QB and Fullback.

Please allow me to re-phrase then:
A modern-day QB that can not pass is not a modern-day QB; that is either 1) an old-timey QB or 2) a modern-day RB with game management responsibilities.

Feel better now? I corrected my misstatement and I offer my full apologies to the 1920s and `30s.

 

[zhavenor]

Please allow me to re-phrase then:
A modern-day QB that can not pass is not a modern-day QB; that is either 1) an old-timey QB or 2) a modern-day RB with game management responsibilities.

Feel better now? I corrected my misstatement and I offer my full apologies to the 1920s and `30s.

Yes. Yes I do Sorry if I came off a little *****ish.

 

[Techster]

Reminds me of the quote from Proverbs: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."