Hypothetical QB question

[dressedcheeseside]

This whole back and forth seems to be built on a couple assumptions which I have trouble with:

1) CPJ plays players for any reason other than he believes them to be the best option for the team

He literally gets PAID to win and MEASURED on W/L record, not to mention is - by all accounts - exceptionally competitive. I get that some people on this board don't like coach or his offense. Fine, I don't follow your desire to publicly decry our coach, but fine I can accept it. That said, anyone who continues to argue that he, or the administration, would allow players to be "anointed" for any reason other than performance is ridiculous. ​

2) We as fans, and even some of you sneaky insiders with "connections" know better than the coaching staff who gives us the best chance to win

Practices are closed, so everything you know is at best filtered through someone else. OTHER THAN THE COACHING STAFF WHO IS PAID TO EVALUATE AND DEVELOP THE PLAYERS​

Super post!

 

[dressedcheeseside]

QB is the hardest position to master in one of the hardest offenses to master in college football. TM was a first year starting qb last year sandwiched by a first year starting center and first year starting Bback. He didn't even have the benefit of repping in the qb depth chart because he came from the Aback position.

I am willing to give him last year as his baptism by fire and am willing to bet he puts that experience to good use and performs better this year. I am also willing to bet his surrounding cast does the same. Imo, a few minor improvements will go a long, long way in making the O more productive.

 

[tech_wreck47]

If you had to predict.... assuming all the other variables were the same.

What would total offense look like entering the season as you would expect, with Marshall being the #1 QB and a supporting cast of Benson, Searcy, Cottrell, Howard, Lynch, etc.

And then....

What would total offense look like moving Marshall to AB and bringing Lucas Johnson in at QB. This gives Lucas Johnson the supporting cast of Benson, Marshall, Searcy, Cottrell, Howard, Lynch, etc.

On paper doesn't this put more weapons on the field? You put your best athlete and most explosive runner at AB, you put your best passer on the field at QB, and you still have a pair of outstanding BB's in Benson and Howard.

What happens in that situation in your opinion? Would you predict a change in points per game? Change in win/loss totals? Change in important stats like passing efficiency, big plays, etc.

I would think it would lead to more big plays in the passing game, and probably in the running game as well because Marshall is going to bust big runs on the edge.

I am pretty new to the forum and I am sure this has been debated at length, so if it is repetitive I apologize.

With TM at QB you are getting the best on the field imo. Lynch and Searcy are no slouches and I don’t know if TM would be better at Aback over those guys. Remember the Abacks don’t get the same type of opportunity to make moves as a QB would in this system either, so TM playing Aback wouldnt really be showing his skills off, chances are he wouldn’t even be getting the ball but once or twice a game even. Also we don’t know if LJ could run the offense as effective as TM and that in itself is the most important part of the offense.

 

[GTJoeBrew]

I'm sure that all of the backup QB's have a shot, although it is TM's job to lose. I'm of the opinion that if one of the others were better, they would have already taken the job. It feels a bit late to overtake the QB with not a ton of practice left before the season starts.

Also. TM improves, even moderately, we could have a really special year. The offense is loaded with experience. The names are there for a highly efficient offense again.

 

[GT_05]

This whole back and forth seems to be built on a couple assumptions which I have trouble with:

1) CPJ plays players for any reason other than he believes them to be the best option for the team

He literally gets PAID to win and MEASURED on W/L record, not to mention is - by all accounts - exceptionally competitive. I get that some people on this board don't like coach or his offense. Fine, I don't follow your desire to publicly decry our coach, but fine I can accept it. That said, anyone who continues to argue that he, or the administration, would allow players to be "anointed" for any reason other than performance is ridiculous. ​

2) We as fans, and even some of you sneaky insiders with "connections" know better than the coaching staff who gives us the best chance to win

Practices are closed, so everything you know is at best filtered through someone else. OTHER THAN THE COACHING STAFF WHO IS PAID TO EVALUATE AND DEVELOP THE PLAYERS​

Paul, is that you? [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GT_05]

In an older version of Paul Johnson's playbook, the advice on the Triple Option was to "Pitch, Pitch, Pitch, until the defense takes that way from you".

I was under the impression that the QB’s decision to pitch was based off the reaction and position of the defense. I’ve heard coach say that he will take what the defense gives.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I was under the impression that the QB’s decision to pitch was based off the reaction and position of the defense. I’ve heard coach say that he will take what the defense gives.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you're both right. Ultimately, you always take what the defense gives you. However, it's the pitch, if that's what the defense gives you, that typically yields the most yards.

 

[Lavoisier]

This will be Marshall's third year playing QB. Tevin and JT didn't become full time starters until their third year running the system. Vad Lee was the only guy who really got starts early on and he wasn't even the full time starter. TM made a huge jump between year 1 and 2 at qb, so I don't see why he can't make another big step this year.

 

[MidtownJacket]

I can't agree enough with the above posters. TQM was put into a remarkably difficult transition year to learn to be the Starter at GT QB. Without throwing dispersions at players or making excuses, TQM was surrounded by guys also figuring out their role. The offense (like most teams) operates at best in the flex and bend of a team that flows together. We really are a timing based dance when running the spread option at peak performance. The players have to know:
1. Where to go
2. Where their team members will be
3. How their team members will react to obstacles (rain, wind, the other team)
4. Where their adjustments will take them.

We struggled mightily with the first two items early last season. I do think as a team we started to lock in on understanding the first two items as the season went on, but still struggled with 3 and 4. I am a firm believer that skill is built on reps and that we will see a smoother operation this season from the front 5 and skill players.

Looking forward to the upcoming season starting so we can all start talking about live fire shots and game day action!

 

[awbuzz]

I think the "whatever you don't don't turn it over" command overrides everything else. As much as TM loved to keep the ball, my guess is his fear of turning it over influenced his decision making more.

I buy into that, no doubt.
That's what seemed to be in Jordan's head for sure.

 

[senoiajacket]

One quibble - our most explosive runner is Clinton Lynch.

..... it may become a reasonable alternative to put LJ in at QB just because he's bigger and stronger and maybe can break some tackles and run over some people. .......


If this becomes our strategy, we are doomed. These are D1 athletes. You might run over or break a tackle occasionally.

 

[MidtownJacket]

Paul, is that you? [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[YJMD]

TQM doesn't have to do much to make a large improvement in his play at QB. He proved last year that he has quite a lot of capacity in the run game. Simply being in a position less often to make a play (better defense and special teams, more stability on the OLine, better weather conditions, more experience and versatility at B-Back) could net a large improvement for him. None of those things are a given, but each is reasonable to be optimistic about. I do think that teams will scheme to get the ball out of his hands more often netting less total stats, but that won't really hamper us unless we also lose the individual matchups. Certainly last year TQM blew reads and tried to be a hero unnecessarily in those situations far too often, but at the same time the whole team was getting beat on the line and the other side of the ball to magnify the significance of those mistakes.

Apart from that, some maturation can improve the poise, reads, and execution of the fundamentals. In the passing game there is ample opportunity for better mechanics, but I think it would be much more prudent to try and work on consistency and play recognition instead. His existing tools are sufficient to do what we need.

 

[slugboy]

We oughta practice with the sprinklers going, even on an indoor field.
(sorry, off topic)

 

[MidtownJacket]

TQM doesn't have to do much to make a large improvement in his play at QB. He proved last year that he has quite a lot of capacity in the run game. Simply being in a position less often to make a play (better defense and special teams, more stability on the OLine, better weather conditions, more experience and versatility at B-Back) could net a large improvement for him. None of those things are a given, but each is reasonable to be optimistic about. I do think that teams will scheme to get the ball out of his hands more often netting less total stats, but that won't really hamper us unless we also lose the individual matchups. Certainly last year TQM blew reads and tried to be a hero unnecessarily in those situations far too often, but at the same time the whole team was getting beat on the line and the other side of the ball to magnify the significance of those mistakes.

Apart from that, some maturation can improve the poise, reads, and execution of the fundamentals. In the passing game there is ample opportunity for better mechanics, but I think it would be much more prudent to try and work on consistency and play recognition instead. His existing tools are sufficient to do what we need.

I agree with this 100%. We WANT Teams to scheme a player out of the play, it opens up other areas and this year we have a lot more reps at BBack and ABack to shift the ball around.

 

[Animal02]

Two plays, one on O and one on D, and we win 7 games, go to a bowl, and don't have this conversation

 

[alentrekin]

If we are doing hypos... get rid of some pesky AA policies and upgrade the experience for SAs: DMills and Benson at BB. Marcus Marshall, and Howard added to the ABs. And Demetris Robertson and flex Lynch out to WR. If we had everything that Tstan wanted now, then this wouldn't be out of reach.

 

[year_of_the_swarm]

Two plays, one on O and one on D, and we win 7 games, go to a bowl, and don't have this conversation

Good perspective.... I agree.

 

[JorgeJonas]

It will never happen...much to our detriment. Marshall apparently is the "anointed one" who will magically improve his completion % to >50%, make all the correct reads, and learn to share the ball because he has had a full season of experience. But it is fun to imagine.

CPJ said in public that the job was Jordan's to lose. He admitted in an interview to the contrary, that he was leaning towards Marshall after the conclusion of Spring 2017 all along. The injury to Jordan in pre-season camp just saved him from an embarrassing predicament of starting an untested QB over one that had played and played well. Not to mention that Jordan gave up playing time at AB to return to QB when Byerly was lost to injury in 2015.

Can you reconcile these two comments?

 

[Skeptic]

Your scenario makes sense if and only if LJ and TM are equal at qb. The QB is the most critical ingredient in the offense. So much of the job of qb lies outside the realm of athleticism that just making decisions based on pure athleticism is not a good idea.

Yes. See Washington, Tevin. None before nor since could work flat out magic with the option as he.