Poll: Who is Our Starter Opening Night?

Who is Our Starter Opening Night vs Tennessee?

  • Matthew Jordan

    Votes: 88 25.8%

  • TaQuon Marshall

    Votes: 201 58.9%

  • Lucas Johnson

    Votes: 34 10.0%

  • Jay Jones

    Votes: 5 1.5%

  • Chase Martenson

    Votes: 10 2.9%

  • Tobias Oliver

    Votes: 3 0.9%
  • Total voters
    341
  • Poll closed .

jayparr

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,441
Location
newnan
jayparr said:
Great post, and I did get knowledge of the split team over the QB situation! Players actually were in complete turmoil over who should start. One of the Qb's had players on the other side come to his house to scare him off! I think that coach ruined his career by a play that he had set up to use that Qb's speed! It was a play that was set up by putting the other QB in a play that completely ruined that kids future football career!!!
Click to expand...
He got a serious injury from that play!
 
iceeater1969

iceeater1969

Helluva Engineer
Messages
9,661
IMO the toughest thing for a coach to judge is the players ability to "see the field or future " when the game is going full speed. Practice against the scout team isn't game speed and pressure.
Coach has said w these young guys it might be ok, because they don't know enough to be nervous.
To find the "player" is it better to sub the young guy when I knew I was going to call a series of plays that he has practiced very well.
 
AE 87

AE 87

Helluva Engineer
Messages
13,026
Boomergump said:
For me to start a guy at QB who had less experience (or none), he would have to be performing CLEARLY better in practice and scrimmages and I can't emphasize the word "clearly" enough. If there are marginal differences, then I think you have to go with maturity and experience every single time. The reasons for this are many. First of all, every single player out there is putting in a ton of work. There is a lot of sacrifice in this sport. Those of them who have waited their turn, or maybe even have been starting, deserve to be rewarded for their time and efforts if there is negligible difference between competitors. The younger guys will get their turn. There is an eligibility limit. You will lose a team faster than anything if you push young guys ahead without having made them clearly prove it. Having said that, everybody wants to win, first and foremost. If a younger kid is killing it, everyone will know. Players aren't stupid. They know who is making plays, who is hard to tackle, who they can't catch, who puts the ball on the money, who makes the best reads, who hangs on to the ball, who jukes them out of their shoes, who hits the hardest, who they can't keep out of the EZ on short and goal practice. My experience tells me that teams will rally around the younger kid when these things are self evident. My message to any young player would be "if you want to play, then it is your job to make it impossible to keep you off the field, otherwise take a seat and watch and learn."

TECH fans don't have to look too far in the past to see a case where this was handled poorly. Donnie Davis was a QB who had talent and had been in the system a little while and was developing. The coach never to be named started a brand new kid, who, by all accounts, wasn't killing it in comparison and the rest is history. That was a fractured team because of it.

If we are in the situation where a young gun has separated himself, then great for us. Nobody will be happier than me. 4 years of consistency is a beautiful thing for any program. I just have no clue as to what is actually happening right now. It is no secret that I have mentioned a current QB that I think will rise to the top eventually and make it impossible to keep him off the field. However, you won't hear me calling for him to start right now, nor predicting such, because I can't see how he is progressing. Every kid is different. The truth is, I have no idea how the whole competition is going at all between any of them. It is a little unsettling but exciting at the same time.

Who should start? Imagine you are in enemy territory, moving through the jungle, leading a recon mission in a small unit. Everybody's life is on the line and mission is critically important. Who are you going to put on "point"in your formation, the guy who shot 10 points better on the range last week, or the guy who has done it before successfully? Just saying. Football isn't life and death, but you may not want to suggest that to a CFB fan from the south.
Click to expand...

Well said.

Two points, though.
1) With regard to your example, I was under the impression that another factor was involved besides the one you discuss.
2) If we were ever in enemy territory, I'd always let you go first. (y)
 

alagold

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,732
Location
Huntsville,Al
iceeater1969 said:
IMO the toughest thing for a coach to judge is the players ability to "see the field or future " when the game is going full speed. Practice against the scout team isn't game speed and pressure.
Coach has said w these young guys it might be ok, because they don't know enough to be nervous.
To find the "player" is it better to sub the young guy when I knew I was going to call a series of plays that he has practiced very well.
Click to expand...

there is a "way" to simulate the game pressure to some degree--something like the pressure to put on FG kicker by saying--"make this 40 yder and team goes in ,miss it and team runs sprints
maybe give QB and OFF 3 downs to make 10 yds with the loser (OFF or Def) running
 
Jerry the Jacket

Jerry the Jacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,944
Location
Chapin, SC
I know the old saying is if you have 2 QB's you do not have a QB. I'm not a mathematician but I wonder if you double that to 4 it still equals 0?

I know CPJ has said he knows who the starter is and the team knows who the starter is but he is not going to divulge anything to the enemy prior to game time. I really don't see that one. Tennessee, like us, is prepared to play us regardless of who we trot out there. I wonder if the psychology here might backfire by deflating the confidence of all 4 guys who may trot out there to lead the team. For sure, they must feel they are on a short hook and that could lead to additional pressure and mental errors.

I think he is going to start Matthew Jordan and stay with him unless he craps the bed totally. Marshall seems to be the most logical back up and probably Johnson and Jones will be cheerleaders and clip board holders this season. I personally would get Jones into the return game instead of wasting an entire year on the sideline.

Anyway, Coach has covered his butt a good bit here and put second guessing all on the fan base and not him.

Go Jackets!
 
Milwaukee

Milwaukee

Banned
Messages
7,277
Location
Milwaukee, WI
I'm sure Tennessee has prepared for MJ more than any of the others. Everytime ESPN has referenced us today they talk about MJ replacing JT. Everyone outside of the program seems to assume its MJ. Whether they're right or not, we'll find out.
 

lv20gt

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,580
I'd say Jordan is likely because Johnson overvalues experience.

But it really doesn't matter. It' not like UT would be able to watch much film on any of them. They'd probably prepare similarly for any of them, and probably look at film from early in the careers of other GT qbs to see how we handle guys before the offense really form around their skills.
 
dressedcheeseside

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
Messages
14,218
lv20gt said:
I'd say Jordan is likely because Johnson overvalues experience.

But it really doesn't matter. It' not like UT would be able to watch much film on any of them. They'd probably prepare similarly for any of them, and probably look at film from early in the careers of other GT qbs to see how we handle guys before the offense really form around their skills.
Click to expand...
"...overvalues experience..." o_O
 
wreckrod

wreckrod

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
429
He may value experience but with as little practice as Jordan has had, and what practice there was didn't sound positive. I don't see how he starts anyone but TM unless Jordan has practiced a lot better than the first scrimmage.
 
SidewalkJacket

SidewalkJacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,665
I would be more concerned if CPJ hadn't spoken so highly of his choices at QB. He has said that he wishes he had the depth at all positions like he does at QB.
 
The Doddfather

The Doddfather

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
504
Is mj totally healthy? I've been thinking tm will be the starter based on mj's health, but if mj is good to go, I'd say those two will play Monday night in no particular order. I'd be extremely surprised if lj or jj saw any action.
 
Jmonty71

Jmonty71

Banned
Messages
2,156
I would not be shocked to see e QBs play on Monday. I think MJ gets the start. TM has more talent, IMO. MJ just is more consistent. TN is probably preparing for the follow thru QB play. Which is what MJ runs. TM may be better at the true option. Which is a better passer? Beats me. Do we even have a good passing QB?
 
Northeast Stinger

Northeast Stinger

Helluva Engineer
Messages
10,778
Experience sometimes trumps the player who is slightly more talented. Just my opinion. In Tech's offense you want the player who knows his limitations and plays within his range, whatever that range is. Experience helps with that.
 
Top