I've been a GT fan for 30+ years and I have never seen a fall camp have so much intrigue, excitement, confusion, and have a HC be so secretive about the QB position. Over the last couple of weeks it's been a lot of fun trying to figure out the pecking order of MJ, TM, LJ, and JJ. I honestly have thought at different times 3 of the 4 guys could be the starter in the first game.
There have been twists and turns at every corner with injuries, hints of position changes, closed practices/scrimmages, and even on ramblinwreck.com some of the QB's names have been left out of the highlights for the scrimmage updates.
At the start of camp CPJ was convinced that MJ was heir apparent even after missing almost all of spring practice, but over the last couple of weeks I'm not so sure things have turned out the way CPJ had planned. Just this past week CPJ has gone stealth mode and is being very cryptic in his interviews when asked about the QB position . I can't wait to see when the mystery is unveiled and see what he has planned for Tenn.!
I'm going to offer up my opinion and expertise as an armchair QB of where we currently stand at QB position and I have a genius idea of what we can do to help shore up the BBack situation!! Please challenge my thoughts as I'm sure many of you will disagree....
Let's take a look at the 4 QB's and what we know so far:
1) JJ:
Jay Jones aka "Willie Beamen" aka "The Future", he prob has the most raw athleticism of the four and should be a true star for us at some point on the flats if not later this year, then most think sometime next year. He has the most "Big Play" potential, as CPJ has said many times "he's a big play waiting to happen....for somebody", meaning he's as likely to throw a 5o yard TD bomb as he is to throw a pick 6. He has all the upside in the world, just pure natural talent which is exciting and I'm not sure we've had a QB as talented as Jay under CPJ. CPJ has said JJ is a QB and will NOT move to another position.
JJ probably has the highest ceiling but right now also has the lowest floor of the bunch. He is still a little too green, he has been banged up much of camp, he is too much of a risk to be counted on at the moment, but that could change sooner than later. For now, I think JJ is #4 on the depth chart for Tenn.
2) LJ:
Lucas Johnson is the tallest of the 4 QB's, the majority probably thinks he has the best passing skills of the bunch and when he runs he looks like Colin Kapernick: he glides down the field with his long stride and just eats up yards when he takes off running.
LJ is super talented and at this very moment is probably the most diverse of the group. LJ's ceiling is prob close to Jay's and currently his floor is higher than JJ.
CPJ has been super secretive about LJ, especially over the last week. Not a single question about LJ has been asked by the media in post practice interviews....conspiracy theory, CPJ has told them off the record not to ask about LJ???
We do know that LJ has been getting a ton of reps with the 1s and I think CPJ is planning to unleash LJ on Tenn at some point in the game, just not sure how much?? I think CPJ knows Tenn is going to load the box and make us beat them with some resemblance of a passing game. I think CPJ knows LJ offers the best chance to loosen up the Tenn defense and to make them pay for loading the box. I also think CPJ is pretty dang smart and he doesn't want to put too much pressure on LJ as a freshman and is protecting him from the media.
3) TQM
TM is extremely athletic and CPJ knows he has to find him a spot on the field to play. CPJ opened up camp saying there's a good chance TM will get moved to Aback in order to find a way to get him on the field. CPJ knows TM can help this team win games and is too athletic to have him on the bench.
After the first scrimmage most came away singing TM's praises and saying he by far looked the best of the QB's. He's been healthy all camp and CPJ continues to say he's getting better and better every day, his confidence is growing and he can run the system TM is an adequate passer, just enough ability to keep defenses honest, he has "quicks", and can run the midline. Some have said just put him in a #5 jersey and most wouldn't be able to tell the difference between him and JeT.
I think TM has surprised CPJ with his play so far, he's healthy, and has been taking a majority of the reps with the 1's. I believe TM will be the starter against the Vols and should do a solid job, he definitely has enough tools to beat the Vols and will continue to improve and get better as the year goes on and gets more and more reps. TM is here to stay at the QB position at least for the remainder of this year.
4) Matthew Jordan:
Last but not least we have MJ who CPJ said was the starter and that it was his job to lose at the beginning of camp.
CPJ loves to go with experience, and MJ is starting his 4th year on the flats and knows the playbook inside and out, this is HUGE in running CPJ's system with success. CPJ also knows MJ has missed tons of time since the spring, and is not getting the reps he needs. Most here have repeatedly said MJ is limited in the passing game (of the 4 QB's probably ranks #4 in passing ability), and even has issues pitching the ball.
I believe CPJ does put a premium on a QB getting reps and being healthy during camp, which is why MJ is no longer the slam dunk starter for Labor Day that CPJ had planned on. MJ has been injured almost of spring and fall camp which leads to being rusty and I think a loss in some confidence, evidenced by CPJ yelling "pitch the damn ball" numerous times in the only scrimmage that MJ participated in this camp. There have not been too many glowing reviews of MJ's performance so far in camp, I think most who still think MJ will start are basing their hopes on him having the most in game experience of the four.
Yes, MJ helped get us a huge win in Blacksburg last year, but if we honestly go back and look at that game it was more VT handing us that game on a silver platter with 5 turnovers rather than stellar play from MJ guiding the offense. He did have some good runs, but passing was sub par and he ran a very limited playbook by design.
I believe MJ has the lowest ceiling and highest floor of the group. He has the experience, knows the play book and how to run the system and prob will not lose a game for us. He is the safest bet in game one and CPJ knows he prob will not lose the game for us. I still think there's a very small chance if MJ can return to practice this week that he could start on Labor Day, but I think his ship has more than likely sailed as a a full time QB for GT. Which leads me to suggesting a hybrid /position change for MJ.
Now before you throw your hands up in the air and call me an idiot, hear me out for a second.
I think most agree MJ's biggest weakness is passing, he's adequate at best (some have said down right turrible), he has issues pitching the ball, and has lost his confidence a bit as QB from rust or whatever the reason, but he knows the system, it's his fourth year on the flats, and he's a beast running the ball.
We just lost the best player on our team two weeks before the opener. We have a ton of unproven talent at Bback right now. No one knows the system better than MJ, why not move MJ to Bback and get him on the field? He's an absolute beast running the ball, he knows the plays and can quickly adapt, plus we eliminate his glaring weakness of passing the ball. I can easily see him being the next Synjyn for us and being a leader at the position. Our remaining corps of Bbacks are freshman and sophomores, we can add an upper classmen to the group who everybody already respects and looks upto. He could be a serious leader for the Bbacks.
CPJ has said numerous times " Nothing really bothers Matt", I think he would adapt well to the change and it wouldn't bother him, he's a team player and could really develop into a successful Bback.
We could also still use MJ as a QB in goal line and short yardage situations, kind of like a wildcat package.
To Summarize:
I think CPJ wants LJ and JJ to continue getting reps running his offense this year and doesn't want JJ to get buried on depth chart. CPJ knows we have something really special in JJ and he's going to get him real reps this year in practice and will not send him to run scout team (that's TO's job this year).
CPJ also knows we can only have 3 QB's getting serious reps in his system, so that's why he was pushing early that TQM might move to Aback. Things have changed and now and TQM looks to be the starter leaving MJ the odd man out. It makes perfect sense to move MJ instead of TQM as CPJ has said numerous times LJ and JJ are most talented QB's he has had at GT. CPJ wants to develop both LJ and JJ this year and give them as many reps as he can.
My predictions:
1) TQM starts vs Tenn and plays well and stays at QB remainder of the year
2) LJ plays a significant role vs the Vols and it's no mistake he's getting lots of reps with the 1s and CPJ is being so secretive about him for a reason. LJ could pass TQM as starter down the road.
3) JJ is third string and continues to develop, question is how soon before he can harness his ability and eliminate the negative plays? Maybe later this year, probably next....we shall see. I think before it's over he has a chance to be next Joe Ham
4) MJ has been hurt and has been passed on the depth chart. Let him run a "Wildcat Package" as QB in certain situations, but move him to Bback and let him be the leader of that group. He will quickly adapt knowing the playbook inside and out and we scan eliminate his weaknesses. Just give him the ball and let him ram it down the throats of opposing defenses.
What say you???????