Starting QB speculation

[forensicbuzz]

I decided to look back at 2019 and recap the QB rotation. Oliver started the Clemson game and Graham came in later. Johnson barely played.

Johnson started the next week against USF and played most of the game. Graham and Oliver both played a little.

Johnson started against The Citadel and alternated with Oliver for most of the game. Graham did not play(???). Johnson was injured.

Against Temple Oliver started and was a disaster. Graham came in late in 1st half.

Graham stated the rest of the season. Why? Johnson was injured and Oliver's skills did not fit the offense going forward.

What that says to me is that Graham was always the #3 choice behind Oliver and Johnson. Johnson's injuries ruined his chances and Oliver, a great athlete, was just not suited to be QB in this system. I am beginning to come around to the idea that Coach P doesn't really have a ton of confidence in Graham. I wonder why Yates did not play more as a freshman. Were they saving his eligibility? Or was he just not ready to play? Probably some of both. Once they committed to Graham, only he and Yates played (save a brief appearance by Johnson in the Pitt game, his last snap as a Jacket). The staff certainly wants something Graham did not offer. Did Yates have it? If so, why recruit two vastly different skill sets in Sims and Gleason.

This is mostly me just trying to think through the question. I am not making a prediction at this point. For those nitpickers who will scroll back and find my prediction, I am withdrawing it. I have no frigging idea.

you have to remember that JG had to take the Spring off yo focus on grades, so he was behind the other two in knowing the system. Once he became more familiar with the playbook, he emerged as the clear best of the three.

 

[Gtswifty81]

you have to remember that JG had to take the Spring off yo focus on grades, so he was behind the other two in knowing the system. Once he became more familiar with the playbook, he emerged as the clear best of the three.

Yates also didn’t enroll early so he was also not involved in the spring.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I would think, at this point and time, someone would be a clear favorite and give us the best chance to win. If they are all neck and neck, we may be in for a long ride.

 

[orientalnc]

If it's Gleason, he better be clearly the best choice. To a lesser degree, and for different reasons, I feel the same about Sims. The returning starter has to be outplayed by the one who wins the job. In baseball all ties go to the runner. In this case it's the incumbent. I wonder if Yates is good enough. I may be wavering back Graham.

 

[iopjacket]

Whoever the coaches pick is fine with me. I think they all have potential. I am surprised at all the votes for Yates. My vote was for Graham just because he has some experience. I think Sims may be starting at the end of the season.

 

[Gtech50]

I can tell you it’s not Graham. He seems like a great athlete and I’ve heard he’s improved this offseason but he just doesn’t have what it takes to run the offense CDP wants.

 

[Gtswifty81]

Whoever the coaches pick is fine with me. I think they all have potential. I am surprised at all the votes for Yates. My vote was for Graham just because he has some experience. I think Sims may be starting at the end of the season.

The poll is interesting. Whoever is picked, we should be leaps and bounds better week 1 than last year.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Yates also didn’t enroll early so he was also not involved in the spring.

That's why I didn't include Yates in that discussion. Graham, Johnson, and Oliver were the only viable options for most of the season. I'm high on Yates too, but Graham was the go-to guy last year. That's why I think he will start next weekend. I'm just glad we're going to get to see.

 

[MacJacket]

I suspect Yates will get the start. What he lacks in physical assets he makes up for in QB intangibles like knowing the full playbook, ability to check down quickly, and the ability to hit open receivers in the mid-range game. Milton rode him to a State championship. That said, the young guys are going to push him and will get PT.

 

[684Bee]

I suspect Yates will get the start. What he lacks in physical assets he makes up for in QB intangibles like knowing the full playbook, ability to check down quickly, and the ability to hit open receivers in the mid-range game. Milton rode him to a State championship. That said, the young guys are going to push him and will get PT.

There is definitely something to be said for a state championship winning QB. I believe the kid is a savvy playmaker and an instinctual QB.

 

[Jacketman99]

I think the starter is Simms. He has done a heck of a job learning the offense during the off-season and has the highest ceiling. He gives GT the best chance at winning.

 

[4shotB]

As always, I am not much fun on the internet. I hate conspiracy theories and believe in Occham's razor. I have always trusted that the coaches know more than me and that they will play the best one because A) they wanted to win games as much if not more than I do B) they spent more time at practices watching the players than I do and C) they have financial skin in the game that I don't.

I do think we have talent at the position that, given time, will flourish. I am excited about next week perhaps more than any other in my entire existence because, until this year, I never doubted that toe would meet leather again in the next fall. I was guilty of taking things for granted,

 

[GoldZ]

He didn’t have any and that’s why he came to GT. Lol. Memo. This isn’t a triple option team anymore.

Could JT pass? Yep. I'm not so sure he wouldn't start vs the 4 guys we are now debating. And the 4 guys we are talking about imo are plenty good. It's clear this offense needs an all purpose QB, which JT definitely was. Of course since he played in CPJ's option, the minions will hold it against him.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I just don't see either of the true freshmen starting yet. Freshmen QB's will often try to make the big play when they should throw it away and cause a turnover. They will play this season but not at FSU unless we are getting blown out . JG starts and Yates plays early if things aren't going well.

"The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores" Seth Davis (among others)

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

No one holds anything against Justin Thomas. He was a high end QB for GT and won the freaking Orange Bowl. The problem for GT football is we had no one to replace him so we’ve spent 3 seasons without a true P5 QB which is a huge reason we had a change in staffs. We now have 3 freshmen and a sophomore to find 1 legit P5 QB. Hopefully, we have 4 but I’ll be happy with 1 but really hoping we have 2.

College football is not hard to figure out. The team that wins most of the time wins the line of scrimmage and has a play making QB. Remember the Orange Bowl? Our OLine owned the trenches and Thomas went nuts as did Days and Laskey. That’s what Bama and Clemson do every year- dominant lines and play making QB’s. It’s gonna take time, but Collins and Key know the formula and are aggressively working to fix the lines and QB play.

 

[BuzzDraft]

Funny thing... coaches tend to go with the guys they recruited, not the holdovers they didn't. Recruits had to ask these same questions about the existing roster depth chart during their discussions with this staff. The staff makes promises to recruits to get them to sign, and especially to flip from any current high profile commitment.

I think Gleason was in line to be the guy relatively soon, but something had to be said later to get Simms to flip from his F$U commitment and it wasn't just based on hopes. Simms fits the current hot description for the "dynamic" college QB model. Siims and Gleason may not "start" game 1, but there will be a change from the "not their guys" holdovers to the two new recruits pretty early in the process. Promises were made to get the signatures on the LOIs, and word would get out to future recruits if they weren't kept.

 

[boger2337]

Funny thing... coaches tend to go with the guys they recruited, not the holdovers they didn't. Recruits had to ask these same questions about the existing roster depth chart during their discussions with this staff. The staff makes promises to recruits to get them to sign, and especially to flip from any current high profile commitment.

I think Gleason was in line to be the guy relatively soon, but something had to be said later to get Simms to flip from his F$U commitment and it wasn't just based on hopes. Simms fits the current hot description for the "dynamic" college QB model. Siims and Gleason may not "start" game 1, but there will be a change from the "not their guys" holdovers to the two new recruits pretty early in the process. Promises were made to get the signatures on the LOIs, and word would get out to future recruits if they weren't kept.

In my podcast I discuss this very topic. Coaches like the kids they recruit. If coach P had a choice of Graham, Yates, Sims and Gleason to recruit. I believe Gleason would be the guy he goes after.
We can't look solely at the rankings of the players. I tend to think Gleason is Ps guy. As he was extremely high on him from the get go.

I'm curious if they are happy to gave Sims and his star power, but was always ranked him below Tucker in the staffs rankings.

Podcast can be found here:


Also on spotify under Time To Swarm.

 

[Gtswifty81]

Funny thing... coaches tend to go with the guys they recruited, not the holdovers they didn't. Recruits had to ask these same questions about the existing roster depth chart during their discussions with this staff. The staff makes promises to recruits to get them to sign, and especially to flip from any current high profile commitment.

I think Gleason was in line to be the guy relatively soon, but something had to be said later to get Simms to flip from his F$U commitment and it wasn't just based on hopes. Simms fits the current hot description for the "dynamic" college QB model. Siims and Gleason may not "start" game 1, but there will be a change from the "not their guys" holdovers to the two new recruits pretty early in the process. Promises were made to get the signatures on the LOIs, and word would get out to future recruits if they weren't kept.

I don’t think Sims was as much flipped from FSU, as I think Sims didn’t fit what Mike Norvell wanted as a QB. Sims decommitted a day or two after meeting with Mike Norvell.

 

[Jacketman99]

If the staff was completely sold on Gleason then why continue to recruit and sign Simms?

 

[boger2337]

If the staff was completely sold on Gleason then why continue to recruit and sign Simms?

Star power.
The potential upside he brings incase Gleason doesn't work out. Also practices what they preach in competition is king.