Spring QB competition coverage

[Longestday]

After reviewing scrimmage videos, spring game video, and 2013 season I think this is reasonable to say:

JT showed his speed, agility, and willingness to pitch. He also showed an eye for reading the 3TO and cross charges. He was not perfect but better than Vad in reading the 3TO.

Byerly had very good footwork, great mesh reads/timing in the diamond, and showed powerful running. He also showed the most touch on passing.

Vad had more experienced/stable smoother look. I think Vad was the better pick for winning the game at the time, but not a good investment for the future (easier said on this side of things). Vad was not bad and given a better/healthier OL things might have been different.

JT or Byerly are not game changers at this point, but I am excited to see what they can become. I do think they both will surpass Vad in effectiveness, but the OL will determine our offensive success.

 

[GTJason]

Let's be honest, we really don't know what "right" looks like. The right we know is JfN in 2009. Whether he ran the option correctly or not he had the ability to fall forward 4 yards pretty much at will. Byerly showed some of that ability in mop up duty and because that ability is the only thing we know as right we naturally gravitate to him. I don't think he's in the same ballpark as JT as far as ability but who knows. I personally want to see our QB plow people over and theoretically velocity counts more in the equation than mass.

 

[yellowRambler]

Let's be real...Justin Thomas is going to win the spot and there isn't anything anyone can do about it.

 

[AE 87]

Let's be honest, we really don't know what "right" looks like. The right we know is JfN in 2009. Whether he ran the option correctly or not he had the ability to fall forward 4 yards pretty much at will. Byerly showed some of that ability in mop up duty and because that ability is the only thing we know as right we naturally gravitate to him. I don't think he's in the same ballpark as JT as far as ability but who knows. I personally want to see our QB plow people over and theoretically velocity counts more in the equation than mass.

I don't agree with this. I've watched a lot of CPJ's Navy, some of CPJ's Southern, and every GT game since CPJ has been here. I think it's pretty clear what "right" looks like. It looks more like a machine than parts, a team acting as a cohesive unit rather than individual players making plays. When the bread and butter triple option is run correctly, it's beauty. Even with the new stuff, you can tell a difference between Byerly's posture and how long he held the mesh in the zone read and how Vad and Justin were doing it, but again, that could be because his offensive line was outclassing the DL he was playing against.

 

[GTJason]

I don't agree with this. I've watched a lot of CPJ's Navy, some of CPJ's Southern, and every GT game since CPJ has been here. I think it's pretty clear what "right" looks like. It looks more like a machine than parts, a team acting as a cohesive unit rather than individual players making plays. When the bread and butter triple option is run correctly, it's beauty. Even with the new stuff, you can tell a difference between Byerly's posture and how long he held the mesh in the zone read and how Vad and Justin were doing it, but again, that could be because his offensive line was outclassing the DL he was playing against.

Right by running the option and right by doing what needs to be done to win a game is sometimes different. Tevin was an excellent option QB but when the option didn't work what happened? In 2011 he was the man with the offense, his reads were clean, but I don't think he had the ability to exert his will on the game. The D was bad but the offense lost us @ UVA, @Miami, and UGA. Was the JfN 2009 Wake OT touchdown a good option play? I don't know and don't care. Everyone in the stadium knew he was taking that one in and there was nothing they could do about it (yes, I know there was a play called and good OL play opened up a lane for him.) We have run the midline okay the past couple of years but I know it works better when the QB is agile but can also bowl guys over (which is probably a more emotional strain on the defense) and the only guy we've seen do that is Byerly. I'm perfectly okay with "right" being redefined this year or not. We all want wins, they could run the option or do ballet whatever gives us the W.

Memories...


Dwyer helped too

 

[AE 87]

Right by running the option and right by doing what needs to be done to win a game is sometimes different. Tevin was an excellent option QB but when the option didn't work what happened? In 2011 he was the man with the offense, his reads were clean, but I don't think he had the ability to exert his will on the game. The D was bad but the offense lost us @ UVA, @Miami, and UGA. Was the JfN 2009 Wake OT touchdown a good option play? I don't know and don't care. Everyone in the stadium knew he was taking that one in and there was nothing they could do about it (yes, I know there was a play called and good OL play opened up a lane for him.) We have run the midline okay the past couple of years but I know it works better when the QB is agile but can also bowl guys over (which is probably a more emotional strain on the defense) and the only guy we've seen do that is Byerly. I'm perfectly okay with "right" being redefined this year or not. We all want wins, they could run the option or do ballet whatever gives us the W.

Memories...


Dwyer helped too

Fwiw, you thinking we ran the midline well the last couple years says a lot. But, I suspect you meant the called QB follow rather than the midline option. I responded to your post about "right"and the option. Talking about other stuff isn't a reply to me.

 

[Rodney Kent]

dressedcheeseid: No, I hope not, but he did continue to play Vad Lee when he was not producing. However, I think at this point in his coaching career at GT, he will choose the one that he thinks will give him the best chance to win this year. I don't believe he will gamble as much on a starter that does not produce this year and will be quicker to make a change if he sees the starter floundering.

 

[Yella-Britches]

Let's be real...Justin Thomas is going to win the spot and there isn't anything anyone can do about it.

I don't know about that but I just re-watched JT's play against BYU and the offense was quicker, smoother, and more effective than it seemed to be w/VL through the first 3-qtrs. JT definitely as a "knack" for the 3-O. I thought that VL looked more decisive in this game than he did later in the year, but it was still not smooth - didn't look like the machine CPJ's offenses are when working. Best man up. Go Jackets!! THWG!!!