James Graham??

Techster

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Gleason completed 55% of his passes last year with 6 TDS and 8 INTs at the high school level. He had very little time in the spring to show anything and no time in the fall so far. Again, where is this, I feel like Gleason is going to win the job as a true freshman talk coming from? Someone help me understand.

I've seen some of Tucker's full games from his Senior year, while I think lack of talent does have something to do with his poor SR stats, I also think GT fans are putting too much stock into that. IMO, some of both is going on. Some of his games are available on Youtube so you can make your own judgements....I'm certainly not going to bash one of ours.

From a skillset standpoint, I think Tucker possess P5 level traits. He can play QB for us. However, EVERY QB in that room can play on this level. Jeff Sims is a 4 star QB that is an Elite 11 finalist. Jordan Yates is a 4 star QB that led his team to a GA state Championship in one of the toughest classifications. Graham has a year's worth of snaps in Coach Pat's offense...oh, he's also a 4 star athlete. No one is waltzing in that QB room and getting the starting job without a knife fight.

Look at all that talent in the QB room. When's the last time GT had 3 FOUR star QBs, all sophomores or younger, battling it out? Since I've been a GT fan, the answer is never. Bright days ahead, GT fans.

Now all the staff has to do is post videos of practices and scrimmages so GTSwarm can give our input on who the starter should be every day. :)
 

Techster

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honestly considering how bad our o-line was last year, I think they will go with the qb who can escape and run more.

Our starting OLine will be better with the 2 transfers and healthy guys. What we need are some healthy reserves that step up in playing quality as well. We should field an average starting OL at least...which is FAR better than what we had last season.
 

kalld12

Banned
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Our starting OLine will be better with the 2 transfers and healthy guys. What we need are some healthy reserves that step up in playing quality as well. We should field an average starting OL at least...which is FAR better than what we had last season.

Agreed, which is why I think Graham is starting based off "experience" alone. He did show some bright spots last year (throws some beautiful balls, tight spiral, and can move with his legs. Just needs to show consistency and hit his short check down routes more often), and nothing against Yates/Tucker, but I doubt they move like Graham/Sims will. I expect Graham's learning curve to really accelerate from last year to this year, and if he doesn't, theres some studs waiting in the wings. Got to like the position were in with our QB room.
 

Gold1

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LOL just watch then. Graham will be our Starting QB for Game 1. You guys keep undervaluing playing time against "Starters", and while Graham struggled last year under a makeshift Oline, I expect big improvements from him this year. I love people dismissing him! #nextjoeham
I mean I’d be happy if he turned into the next Joe Ham but that’s just not my prediction. We will see
 

jojatk

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I mean I’d be happy if he turned into the next Joe Ham but that’s just not my prediction. We will see

I think that's fair. I'm not sure what to expect from James this year based on what we saw last year. There are just too many variables from last year to know which ones impacted his performance the most:
  • He was a Freshman
  • James's abilities/talent fit with what we are trying to do (I'm listing this as a potential variable, not suggesting he isn't supremely talented/physically gifted)
  • New offense and all that entails
  • splitting time with two other guys until part of the way through the season
  • OL woes
  • Academic issues costing practice time early on
  • No TEs on the roster until CGC got here
I'm sure I'm missing a few and I want to point out that this is NOT a list of excuses why he wasn't better. These are just factors that make it very hard to try to figure out what to expect this year. We all hope James lights it up this year.
 

lv20gt

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Man the offseason is coming on strong this year.

We have 4 QBs. Three have shown either nothing or next to nothing at this level, and the one we have that has had time to show something, was a freshman playing on a team that had more issues than sports illustrated. He showed flashes of potential but certainly not enough to lock down the spot. Nothing is close to decided before practices start, and with our coach's history and the current circumstances there is a good chance that this race won't be over even when the starter is announced for the first game.
 

SOWEGA Jacket

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I expect Graham to start game 1 but bug deal. Johnson started game 1 last year. Graham is the only one with any experience so he probably should start but that doesn’t mean he won’t be out shortly thereafter. Perhaps Collins limited Yates last year to keep his redshirt and assess Graham. We don’t know and it doesn’t matter. Last year and this year are rebuilding years so we gotta see them all and take the top two into the future.
 

4shotB

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Now all the staff has to do is post videos of practices and scrimmages so GTSwarm can give our input on who the starter should be every day. :)

Not so fast my friend....as fans, we do not want or even need videos, facts or data. History tells us that our opinions, hunches, reading of tea leaves, and gut feels will do just fine to keep this kettle stirred. ;)
 

WreckinGT

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I expect Graham to start game 1 but bug deal. Johnson started game 1 last year. Graham is the only one with any experience so he probably should start but that doesn’t mean he won’t be out shortly thereafter. Perhaps Collins limited Yates last year to keep his redshirt and assess Graham. We don’t know and it doesn’t matter. Last year and this year are rebuilding years so we gotta see them all and take the top two into the future.
Oliver started game 1 last year. Yates could have played in 4 games and kept his redshirt. He only played in 3 and he really only saw action in one of them. The coaches made comments mid season about getting him more playing time and it never really happened. That doesn't mean he won't win the job this year, but I don't think there was some plan to hold him back and unleash him. I just don't think he earned that playing time. He was a true freshman though. This year will be a lot different.
 

ncjacket79

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Oliver started game 1 last year. Yates could have played in 4 games and kept his redshirt. He only played in 3 and he really only saw action in one of them. The coaches made comments mid season about getting him more playing time and it never really happened. That doesn't mean he won't win the job this year, but I don't think there was some plan to hold him back and unleash him. I just don't think he earned that playing time. He was a true freshman though. This year will be a lot different.
I don’t think Yates has Graham‘s ability to escape a collapsing pocket and the staff didn’t feel using him with our OL would be worth it. What concerns me about JG is his apparent lack of accuracy and inability to hit the intermediate receivers find the open man. If he corrects that he will be the starter. If not we move on to someone more suited to the offense.
 

TheFlyest

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I don’t think Yates has Graham‘s ability to escape a collapsing pocket and the staff didn’t feel using him with our OL would be worth it. What concerns me about JG is his apparent lack of accuracy and inability to hit the intermediate receivers find the open man. If he corrects that he will be the starter. If not we move on to someone more suited to the offense.
Pretty much. Although I'm not sure he studied in the manner CDP would have liked.
 

Jacket05

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Our starting OLine will be better with the 2 transfers and healthy guys. What we need are some healthy reserves that step up in playing quality as well. We should field an average starting OL at least...which is FAR better than what we had last season.
Welp that didn't age well....:confused:
 

presjacket

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PFF not giving James much love.

2020 College Football Quarterback Rankings: All 130 FBS starters


126. JAMES GRAHAM, GEORGIA TECH

There’s no doubt Graham’s supporting cast was among the worst in the country last year. But at the end of the day, he’s the one responsible for his inaccuracies. No quarterback recorded a higher rate of uncatchable passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield in 2019 than Graham. He did manage to produce a big-time throw rate of 5.6% that ranked 21st, but that’s one of the few positives here.
 

Gtbowhunter90

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PFF not giving James much love.

2020 College Football Quarterback Rankings: All 130 FBS starters


126. JAMES GRAHAM, GEORGIA TECH

There’s no doubt Graham’s supporting cast was among the worst in the country last year. But at the end of the day, he’s the one responsible for his inaccuracies. No quarterback recorded a higher rate of uncatchable passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield in 2019 than Graham. He did manage to produce a big-time throw rate of 5.6% that ranked 21st, but that’s one of the few positives here.
He's got his work cut out for him.
 

Deleted member 2897

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Not upset at all. You can’t just leave fly by posts like that without elaborating. Now that you were called to the carpet and explained yourself nobody is upset. I think it’s very interesting the whole qb situation, it’s a good problem to have.

This is what happens when you have 3 QBs rated 4-stars and your best may be a fourth guy named Tucker. IIWII. I hope nobody leaves, but this is why we took a QB in the 2021 class - for many guys college is the last time they will play in life and if you are #3 or #4 on the depth chart, you may not be good with that.
 

ChicagobasedJacket

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126. JAMES GRAHAM, GEORGIA TECH

No quarterback recorded a higher rate of uncatchable passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield in 2019 than Graham.


So I guess they are saying he should have taken the sack, or maybe risked an interception by throwing a "catchable" ball? This is dumb commentary.
The 21st in big time throw rate is intriguing too. To me, it suggests he has talent just lacks time and consistency to make accurate throws.
 
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