Quarterback for next year

[BainbridgeJacket]

I'm still curious about how much Graham has improved. He definitely had flashes of a worthy starter last year, are you guys all sold out on him losing the spot?

I am, you can't be successful with that low of a completion percentage and it wasn't all poor line play. Better line play, receivers that can create separation, more accurate QB. We're starting to get the pieces to look competent, but will lack the experience to be consistent.

 

[Scubapro]

Now that we are opening against Clemson, there’s no way I would throw a true freshman in the Lions den. (I mean Tiger den). Graham will start game one for sure barring something unforeseen.

If i had to place real $$$ on it I would go with Simms playing the most snaps next year.

 

[YellowJacketFan2018]

If i had to place real $$$ on it I would go with Simms playing the most snaps next year.

I have a feeling James Graham will be the quarterback

 

[jojatk]

I try to listen to NFL Radio on SiriusXM during the day when I can because I like the commentators and also at this time of year they spend a lot of time at the Senior Bowl and hearing what they say about the guys there is fascinating because it gives an insight into how players are evaluated, not necessarily that the individual evaluations are always right. One of the things they've said recently about QBs is that they like to quiz them on formations and responsibilities. I'm sure that's not new to anyone here. But last night one of the guys said he likes to do that without a board and just verbally "diagram" the play out and specifically he speaks quickly and then said he likes to ask the QB questions about hypothetical scenarios based on that description. His rationale is that retention and assimilation of new information quickly is essential to good QB play. And I think our own Goose Godsey proved that out while at GT. He never had the amazing physical tools that some of the kids on our roster today have. But he just knew everything about every play and seemingly what the defenders would do under every circumstance.

I just thought it an interesting evaluation tool considering the topic of this discussion.

 

[stech81]

I have a feeling James Graham will be the quarterback

Way too inconsistent to be a starter he would have to show more than last year. Hot, cold, hot, cold doesn't work for a starting QB unless people were happy about last year. We have 1 redshirt freshman and 2 true freshman let them fight it out. And for the ones who say you can't play them in the 1st game against Clemson I think all 3 would want to play. They signed up for big boy football .

 

[SoMsJacket]

I have a feeling James Graham will be the quarterback

Graham is not the QB of the future.

 

[kalld12]

I am, you can't be successful with that low of a completion percentage and it wasn't all poor line play. Better line play, receivers that can create separation, more accurate QB. We're starting to get the pieces to look competent, but will lack the experience to be consistent.

But you're saying that there was poor line play? Cmon now, the kid was a R-FR playing with the equivalent D2-D3 line and you're counting him out? JG showed some flashed of greatness with inconsistency of course, but to just give up on him is a little premature don't you think? I think we will have a great QB competition next year that will only bring out the best in everyone involved. I think we will see a much more improved Graham come game 1. I don't see Gleason/Sims/Yates unseating JG's in-game experience, esp against Clemson Gm 1. If I was Graham, the more you count me out, the more i'm going to make you stick it where the sun don't shine when I show out. Stay woke

 

[smokey_wasp]

I'm still curious about how much Graham has improved. He definitely had flashes of a worthy starter last year, are you guys all sold out on him losing the spot?

Not sold, either way. Graham needs more than modest improvement to hold off Sims, Gleason and Yates, but who knows? He might.

 

[jacketup]

I am, you can't be successful with that low of a completion percentage and it wasn't all poor line play. Better line play, receivers that can create separation, more accurate QB. We're starting to get the pieces to look competent, but will lack the experience to be consistent.

Some people seem to forget that Graham didn't participate in spring practice, and IIRC, he also missed part of fall camp. Due to the coaching change, his true FR year didn't help him much, if at all. In one sense, he was behind where a true FR would have been due to missing practice. As he goes through this spring and fall practice, his game experience will help him greatly. You can't completely simulate reading defenses or game management in practice, and Graham is the only one who has sniffed those tasks under live fire.

 

[WreckinGT]

Way too inconsistent to be a starter he would have to show more than last year. Hot, cold, hot, cold doesn't work for a starting QB unless people were happy about last year. We have 1 redshirt freshman and 2 true freshman let them fight it out. And for the ones who say you can't play them in the 1st game against Clemson I think all 3 would want to play. They signed up for big boy football .

I agree with most of this but Gleason completed 55% of his passes last year. Sims completed 51%. Im not sure it is fair to expect them to come right out of the gate, against a tough schedule and be much more consistent than Graham was. Graham will probably be the best option we have unless Yates is a stud we have just been holding back.

 

[UgaBlows]

But you're saying that there was poor line play? Cmon now, the kid was a R-FR playing with the equivalent D2-D3 line and you're counting him out? JG showed some flashed of greatness with inconsistency of course, but to just give up on him is a little premature don't you think? I think we will have a great QB competition next year that will only bring out the best in everyone involved. I think we will see a much more improved Graham come game 1. I don't see Gleason/Sims/Yates unseating JG's in-game experience, esp against Clemson Gm 1. If I was Graham, the more you count me out, the more i'm going to make you stick it where the sun don't shine when I show out. Stay woke

It’s going to be extremely interesting to watch this all play out

 

[White_Gold]

Way too inconsistent to be a starter he would have to show more than last year. Hot, cold, hot, cold doesn't work for a starting QB unless people were happy about last year. We have 1 redshirt freshman and 2 true freshman let them fight it out. And for the ones who say you can't play them in the 1st game against Clemson I think all 3 would want to play. They signed up for big boy football .

The QB that best takes care of the football in Spring and Summer camps will be the one that starts. That means setting the correct protections, holding onto the football if it's a run, and delivering the ball to the receiver on a pass. Could be any of them. That also assumes they learn the playbook aptly.

 

[BainbridgeJacket]

Some people seem to forget that Graham didn't participate in spring practice, and IIRC, he also missed part of fall camp. Due to the coaching change, his true FR year didn't help him much, if at all. In one sense, he was behind where a true FR would have been due to missing practice. As he goes through this spring and fall practice, his game experience will help him greatly. You can't completely simulate reading defenses or game management in practice, and Graham is the only one who has sniffed those tasks under live fire.

No offense guys, but this is outdated logic. We're in an era where freshmen QB's are coming in and unseating established multi year starters regularly at major programs. The level of preparation and coaching these guys get from camps at the high school level was unheard of when I was that age, but it's led to guys that are frankly worlds better QB's than ever before. There's positions where you still need time to develop physically in order to compete at this level, but the level of coaching available to HS athletes now means that someone with the right physical tools can be mentally prepared to be a day 1 starter at QB, especially when competing against a guy with a horrendous completion percentage. We may not see it in the Clemson game, but my money is on Sims taking over at some point.

 

[Stinger21]

I like Graham and his skill set and he’s going to have the best knowledge of the offense. But I think once we introduce a more “true” QB to mix, we will see an obvious difference.

Graham has all the tools to be successful and hopefully a new and improved OL will help bring those to the surface. I absolutely think Graham starts game one and might even take it deeper into the season. The more success that Graham has, the more time Jeff has to learn the offense and really work on his game and such. Another important factor is size. JG isn’t a very it guy. Sims is 6-3 and pushing 215

 

[dressedcheeseside]

And for the ones who say you can't play them in the 1st game against Clemson I think all 3 would want to play. They signed up for big boy football .

Yes, and we ain't winnin' that one anyway so why the heck not?

 

[YJMD]

No offense guys, but this is outdated logic. We're in an era where freshmen QB's are coming in and unseating established multi year starters regularly at major programs. The level of preparation and coaching these guys get from camps at the high school level was unheard of when I was that age, but it's led to guys that are frankly worlds better QB's than ever before. There's positions where you still need time to develop physically in order to compete at this level, but the level of coaching available to HS athletes now means that someone with the right physical tools can be mentally prepared to be a day 1 starter at QB, especially when competing against a guy with a horrendous completion percentage. We may not see it in the Clemson game, but my money is on Sims taking over at some point.

I'm not sure I completely buy that argument, although I do feel that Sims has a definite chance to be day 1 starter. Generally, the guys who are instant starters/successes are the ones who are at the very top coming out of HS and/or going into air raid type systems which rely least on the QB reading defenses, looking away safeties, etc. Looks like we are more spread and are certainly emphasizing reading defenses and the skills like that which translate readily to the NFL. I think we're in better shape overall finding someone ready to start immediately than 10 years ago or more, but I still would expect a big benefit to developing within the system first.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Yep. I’ve seen rookie NFL quarterbacks get destroyed with a bad team.

 

[Jacketman99]

I find it hilarious that people dismiss a player after their freshman season. It is like they never expect players to improve year over year. Graham was a freshman qb in a new offense behind a terrible line. I am not so quick to write him off. He has as much opportunity to be the starter as anyone else. Would not surprise me at all if he beats out the others.

 

[TruckStick]

Sims has the best chance to be the starter but his body is young and lean. Graham has 3 seasons of S&C. It will all depend on how Sims handles the pocket and the hits early on. Gleason is in the mix like Yates but I’m looking at how Sims puts the most pressure towards Graham as a starter.

 

[Jacket4Life]

I'm not sold or sold out on anyone. I think any 4 of the QBs could come in and win the starting job.

Agree.