Lack of QB Progression

[Skeptic]

Hmmm... I have never praised JT for his height. He is a great QB and athlete however.

Praising somebody for his height would be like admiring somebody for being born with money. One might envy it but he had nothing to do with it.

 

[GTRX7]

Am I the only one that doesn't necessarily think he has regressed, but instead is just pressing due to the fact that nobody around him is making plays, the blocking is terrible, and he is tired of losing? I would bet large sums of money that, if he was surrounded by the same supporting cast as last year, we would not be arguing that he has "regressed." He is making more bad decisions, yes, but I think that is because the easy decisions are just not always there for him this year. I am optimistic that he will look better next year when surrounded by more experienced skill players, and I would not even consider benching him unless he is hurt or the game is a blow out one way or the other.

People always over-react to the back up QB. There is a reason that Jordan is the back up QB. In fact, there is a reason he was moved to AB after last season. I think it would pay off much more for next season to just get more reps with the young guys and JT together.

 

[awbuzz]

Less concerned about "reps for next year" than I am about WINNING now.

 

[B Lifsey]

Am I the only one that doesn't necessarily think he has regressed, but instead is just pressing due to the fact that nobody around him is making plays, the blocking is terrible, and he is tired of losing?

You're not the only one...

 

[JorgeJonas]

The issue, I think, for Thomas has been that he hasn't been able to just make reads and distribute the ball appropriately. He has been tasked with doing all that and evading an army of defenders while his teammates watch. He isn't Superman, and even if he was, he'd only be marginally more successful. We must fix the blocking before we can even begin to discuss him. And therein lies the rub. If we fix the blocking, the offense will soar again. Thomas is special, but he is still human.

 

[Rocket City Jacket]

"I am optimistic that he will look better next year when surrounded by more experienced skill players, and I would not even consider benching him unless he is hurt or the game is a blow out one way or the other"

I hear this statement on the board often, but I am wondering will he really have "more experienced skill players" next year than he does now? All the backs and receivers he has now are far enough along in the season to be considered pretty experienced. All of the supposedly better backs that are hurt will be very inexperienced at the start of the season next year, except for Marcus Marshall, and I can't see them playing much better than the experienced backs we have now, at least not until midseason. I'm just worried that it may take longer than expected to work through this problem and next year won't be the marked improvement we all hope. Not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic.

 

[B Lifsey]

I also think the lack of players around him making plays is impacted by blocking...an ABack can't make a great run after the pitch if the QB is covered by MLB and ABack by typical pitch read..

 

[AE 87]

I put it in another thread, but I think that it's no coincidence that 2010, 2012 and 2015 all featured QB's who for one reason or another were trying to do too much. I think that the common symptom was to not trust the reads.

 

[JorgeJonas]

"I am optimistic that he will look better next year when surrounded by more experienced skill players, and I would not even consider benching him unless he is hurt or the game is a blow out one way or the other"

I hear this statement on the board often, but I am wondering will he really have "more experienced skill players" next year than he does now? All the backs and receivers he has now are far enough along in the season to be considered pretty experienced. All of the supposedly better backs that are hurt will be very inexperienced at the start of the season next year, except for Marcus Marshall, and I can't see them playing much better than the experienced backs we have now, at least not until midseason. I'm just worried that it may take longer than expected to work through this problem and next year won't be the marked improvement we all hope. Not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic.

I think there's tremendous value in going through a full offseason weight lifting program, 15 practices in the spring going over what we do rather than trying to learn what we do AND game plan for the next opponent, and all while taking a full load of your first college classes. I would take exception to the idea that the guys are fixed in their performance now.

 

[GTRX7]

I hear this statement on the board often, but I am wondering will he really have "more experienced skill players" next year than he does now? All the backs and receivers he has now are far enough along in the season to be considered pretty experienced. All of the supposedly better backs that are hurt will be very inexperienced at the start of the season next year, except for Marcus Marshall, and I can't see them playing much better than the experienced backs we have now, at least not until midseason. I'm just worried that it may take longer than expected to work through this problem and next year won't be the marked improvement we all hope. Not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic.

Of course they will be more experienced. Most players are said to make their biggest jump between the first and second year. At this time next year, the current skill players will have about 3 times the experience they have now. Most of them have not even gone though a single spring or fall practice season as the presumptive starters. And most of those who are hurt will have at least gone through a couple of spring/fall seasons before playing next year. Also, JT's chemistry with those guys will only get better.

 

[GaTech4ever]

Hmmm... I have never praised JT for his height. He is a great QB and athlete however.

I never said you, I had no one in particular in mind. In fact I was including myself, hence my use of 'us'. I remember thinking last year that it seemed like it helped that he was shorter, because the D couldn't see him/find the ball in the mesh. All I was saying was it's funny how certain opinions (myself included) can change when the offense gets exposed.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I'll probably get laughed off the board for this but I thought Vad was CPJ's best pure passer at Tech. I just think we didn't have the right coach or the right offense to develop his talent nor did he have the right disposition for it.

OK,

But I get what you are saying I think. Something like Vad had the talent but for whatever reason it didn't show through at GT. Here are his last year GT passing stats by game (not great). But at JMU he was one of the best in D2 ..........
http://www.cfbstats.com/2013/player/255/1039471/passing/gamelog.html

Back to the OP, this wasn't just about JT. But about JN, TW, Vad and JT. Is there something in the system that keeps them from showing noticeable improvement year to year. This year the "reason" is the OL. For Vad it was he didn't buy in. For TW it was he was an average athlete who maxed out. For JN (the warrior), it was he couldn't throw accurately........

I think the O is too demanding for one QB and we need to rotate more. Maybe next year we will have the talent to do just that ........ that is only an opinion from someone who never played college ball. I have the stats which show our backup QBs are great; but I won't use them since the stats are usually garbage time.

Some one said Ga Southern platoons QBs a lot (along with Navy). Was that under CPJ or post CPJ? CPJ will change, and nothing like a 3-7 record to force change. Cause what we're doing ain't working.

 

[GaTech4ever]

Praising somebody for his height would be like admiring somebody for being born with money. One might envy it but he had nothing to do with it.

Praise wasn't the right word. However, if my point was lost on you due to usage of that word then there's no point explaining myself. It seemed (to me) last year that JTs height was somewhat of an advantage because it was hard to find the ball. Maybe that seems crazy now, but it didn't then. Jesus I'm not praising his genetic pool for making him short, come on man that wasn't the point anyway.

 

[Declinometer]

JN threw for 1701 yds in 2009. Has JT ever sniffed that?

 

[BuzzStone]

I voted MJ should start, the only reason is I would like to see JT get another week off. He has been beat up all season long and there is only one more game for me. Winning at Miami means nothing. Beating that team from Athens means everything.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Those stats don't tell the whole story. JN had DT....good as Snelter was he wasn't as good as DT. Just watch film of both. I think it's pretty apparent JT throws a better ball and does so consistently. Decision making? That may be more arguable.

 

[iceeater1969]

And the receiver's name was ???

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Demarius Thomas

 

[OldJacketFan]

JN threw for 1701 yds in 2009. Has JT ever sniffed that?

Short term memories issues? JeT threw for 1716 yards just last year 18/6 Td/Ints. Did JN match that?

 

[Boomergump]

The only thing JN had over JT (in the throwing department) was arm strength, and even that wasn't a wide margin. I almost can't believe some of the stuff I am reading. The only guy we have had who is even close to JT as a passer was VL. JT has a quick release and makes accurate throws when he isn't SPRINTING away from people losing ground from the LOS. If you give JT just a bit of time and receivers who get him any separation, he will get the ball there.