Spring Position Battle - QB

[dressedcheeseside]

At <200 lb, I see a lot of defenses forcing JT to keep the ball and take a boatload of hits. Vad's game changed significantly on one massive hit by the UNC D. We'll see if JT is willing to take that second hit that Vad spent most of last season trying to avoid.

I think you're right but with 3 distinct caveats.

1. JT is waaaaaaaaaaay shiftier, especially in tight spaces around the LOS than Vad.
2. JT is fearless while Vad seemed timid.
3. and most importantly, JT has that innate collision avoidance ability Vad sorely lacked. Joe Ham had it, Nesbitt did not, but he could punish defenders. Jaybo surely did not have it, but lil' ol' Tevin had it big time.

Defenders won't be able to get clean shots very often on JT because of these traits. If they try to come with a head of steam, JT could sidestep them and be off to the races. Defenders won't have the luxury to attack a timid, sitting duck at qb anymore.

 

[yellojello]

I think you're right but with 3 distinct caveats.

1. JT is waaaaaaaaaaay shiftier, especially in tight spaces around the LOS than Vad.
2. JT is fearless while Vad seemed timid.
3. and most importantly, JT has that innate collision avoidance ability Vad sorely lacked. Joe Ham had it, Nesbitt did not, but he could punish defenders. Jaybo surely did not have it, but lil' ol' Tevin had it big time.

Defenders won't be able to get clean shots very often on JT because of these traits. If they try to come with a head of steam, JT could sidestep them and be off to the races. Defenders won't have the luxury to attack a timid, sitting duck at qb anymore.

Regarding (2), I'd be careful. Vad seemed pretty fearless in 2012 too.

 

[IronJacket7]

JT can run the midline. The midline is more about getting a good push from the line than it is about QB size. If the D stacks the line, and JT gets a lane then good luck catching him.

+1. Sometimes being able to squirt through holes is just as effective as bowling your way through.

 

[Boomergump]

I have no idea what phase of the TO that defenses will make a priority to stop, BUT, I feel pretty certain they will be forced to commit a heck of a lot more this coming year. The days of slow developing, strung out, option plays limping to the boundary are most likely over. We may be in for a huge "riverboat gambling mistake fest" with a ton of turnovers in 2014. Who knows, but defenses won't be able to defend half way anymore. At least that much will be refreshing.

 

[Eric]

I'm excited about this position...looking forward getting back to the option.

 

[AE 87]

George Whitfield coached a lot of really good QBs, including Teddy Bridgewater, iirc. However, he also coached both Vad Lee and Logan Thomas. I think both of these guys regressed in their college programs.

I also suspect that this regression resulted in part from the difference between what Whitfield was saying and what their coaches were saying. It's all speculation, but a lot of people, not just young guys, can't tell the difference between the guy whom you're paying, and to some extent works for you, and the guy who coaches your team so that, to some extent, you work for him.

 

[bcaff]

Do you guys think there could be a significant combination of both JT and TB

 

[jayparr]

Do you guys think there could be a significant combination of both JT and TB

yes

 

[Eric]

Do you guys think there could be a significant combination of both JT and TB

I dont.

 

[Techster]

Do you guys think there could be a significant combination of both JT and TB

Byerly may be forced to play more depending on how JT holds up. TB played more than most 3rd stringers last year and that was with Vad and JT ahead of him.

 

[Boomergump]

There is a lot of water to go under the bridge before all this is settled in fall camp. I guess I want to see somebody separate themselves from the pack, no matter who it is, so the team can rally around them a little and play with confidence. I really hope we don't have any debate left come the end of August.

 

[gtg936g]

There is a lot of water to go under the bridge before all this is settled in fall camp. I guess I want to see somebody separate themselves from the pack, no matter who it is, so the team can rally around them a little and play with confidence. I really hope we don't have any debate left come the end of August.

This. Let's have a clear #1 that the team can rally around. If I were JT, I would be busting my butt to get Tevin, CPJ, or anyone else to help me improve between now and fall. Could you imagine starting fall with a QB that makes decisions as well as Tevin in the option game? The offense would look like a world apart from what we saw last year.

 

[ATL1]

I expect Byerly to get around 20% of the snaps at QB, maybe more.

 

[Rodney Kent]

I see this position as the most undecided off all the aspects of the football team this year. I think there will probably be an improvement because all the candidates are TO applicable, "round pegs in round holes". Even though the sentiment from fans is probably Thomas, I think this position is wide open and any of several candidates will have a chance to grab the golden ring. Spring practice will certainly be interesting, but it will not be very cohesive on offense as the competition between all the candidates will lessen the time for one particulare QB to establish a lot of rhythm. The Fall practice should tell us a lot about the offense, but the defense will probably own the offense in the Spring due to all the candidates at the QB position. We should be glad we have some easier games at the beginning of our schedule this year.

 

[AE 87]

Fwiw, it seems that this year when CPJ has said the competition is open but JT goes into spring as the #1, he's sounded more definite than about that #1 than in past two years. Two years ago, I think he really expected Vad to push Tevin more than he did, and I think that last year he saw JT as pushing Vad pretty tightly. Rightly or wrongly, I've got the impression that he's not looking at competition for JT being that close.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I guess Byerly to get around 20% of the snaps at QB, maybe more.

fify. There is no logical way to know pt for any qb right now.

 

[redmule]

Just a hypothetical, but I'd bet the reason we didn't sign Byerly out of high school was because Vad had committed. If Vad had gone somewhere else initially, would Byerly have been the backup in 2012 and the starter last year? I think so, and we'd have a solid TO qb for the next two years being pushed by JT. I think we might have had a better record last year with an experienced Byerly. PJ has shown he will play two qb's if he has them, and Byerly presents a totally different set of strengths for a defense to deal with when he gets in the game. If I'm PJ, I have a true starter, but I make a defense prepare for both styles of play.

 

[stylee]

I think Byerly will see the field when JT gets hurt and when we're blowing someone out/getting blown out.

He looks to be a good runner, Tevin crossed with some Nesbittish qualities. We've seen very little passing from him at this level, though he looked good in HS.

But he's not going to push JT to the extent JT pushed Vad.

 

[AE 87]

I think Byerly will see the field when JT gets hurt and when we're blowing someone out/getting blown out.

He looks to be a good runner, Tevin crossed with some Nesbittish qualities. We've seen very little passing from him at this level, though he looked good in HS.

But he's not going to push JT to the extent JT pushed Vad.

I hope you intended that "when" to be a temporal conditional, i.e. meaning "if" rather than belief that JT will get hurt, and it's just a matter of time.

What I've really liked about Byerly's game, from what little I've seen, is the aesthetic. The offense looks right when he's running it. He seems to have his eyes in the right place, and to hold the mesh the right amount of time, etc. Of course, he's typically going against down-roster DLs, but it is what it is. As far as Byerly's arm, he threw that pass last spring that Summers or Smelter caught one-handed on the sideline.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I hope you intended that "when" to be a temporal conditional, i.e. meaning "if" rather than belief that JT will get hurt, and it's just a matter of time.

What I've really liked about Byerly's game, from what little I've seen, is the aesthetic. The offense looks right when he's running it. He seems to have his eyes in the right place, and to hold the mesh the right amount of time, etc. Of course, he's typically going against down-roster DLs, but it is what it is. As far as Byerly's arm, he threw that pass last spring that Summers or Smelter caught one-handed on the sideline.

I remember Smelter's quote about that catch. He said Tim put that ball in the perfect spot.