Starting QB speculation

[jgtengineer]

Other way around. Yates is too short to play behind our OL.

Giant o-line didn't affect russell wilson or kyler murray or doug flutie... or drew brees....

 

[kg01]

I haven't voted ... maybe I'm trying to see which way the wind's blowing, then I'll jump on the winning horse , but I must say I can make a case for any of the 4. As I've seen others mention, this is a pretty talented QB 'room'. Can't be a bad thing.

 

[Jacoooooob]

Giant o-line didn't affect russell wilson or kyler murray or doug flutie... or drew brees....

I hate that people are using Russell Wilson and kyler Murray as comparisons. The blatant truth is Yates paled at Milton high school, where he was throwing over linemen who were 6’2 -6’5, the kids ha thrown over those tall lineman in high school so there is doubtin my mind that IF he starts, the line wont be an issue

 

[CuseJacket]

Just putting this out there ahead of time. If Yates does not play, it's not necessarily because of his height. That is a message board narrative, which like most things re: QB speculation in this thread is based on a 10 second press conference sound bite.

 

[SWATlien]

Interesting that the poll has most of the people saying Yates is the guy.

I personally don’t see it. I think he’s the odd man out actually. He doesn’t have more experience than Graham &/or physical tools of the freshmen. I’m sure he knows the offense but at this point they all should.

 

[CuseJacket]

Does anyone remember a time, ever, when a P5 school could have posted the same preseason poll and have 4 different quarterbacks receive 20%+ of the vote?

Related, I can't think of a QB depth chart precedent of 1 sophomore and 3 freshmen.

 

[64jacket]

Other way around. Yates is too short to play behind our OL.

Wrong ! Yates starts then Gleason.

 

[Jacket4Life]

I really think starter is either Sims or Yates.

 

[MidtownJacket]

Sticking with my vote on this one, JG for the start.

 

[GTBillyJosh]

Seriously Cuse, the fan base is very divided on this topic. Certainly because they’re all very young.

My own opinion is that Graham gets the start. I usually don’t like forcing True FR into early PT, especially at QB where they affect every single play. After watching tape (no QB expert here), my guess is that Sims is the future. Not sure if he’s ready yet, but I really like the pocket presence I see on tape.

 

[YJMD]

His height definitely affects what kind of QB he will be as does that of Russel Wilson, Drew Brees, etc. If they were 6'5" they'd have ability to make more throws from more spots and scan the field more. That doesn't necessarily mean they'd be better quarterbacks. Being shorter meant they developed a greater understanding of the game and the ability to manipulate defenses to find success. Each has a plus arm, and Brees' accuracy is quite exceptional. Every player is going to have their own strengths and weaknesses and have more success running the offense in a way that fits with their style. Here's my breakdown of our guys:

Graham - his 7 starts in 2019 were very valuable in understanding his strengths and style of play, but expecting him to be the same QB as in 2019 is not reasonable. Graham is the best improviser. In 2019, he demonstrated that more often with his feet, and he has the ability to extend a play when things break down. He wasn't very good last year making throws in these situations, particularly short-intermediate throws which would have made us far more successful in the run game. Some of that is unfair. He missed more time than others in regaining eligibility, and everyone on the offense was often trying to make plays based on effort instead of understanding the scheme. He has a live arm, and when the mechanics are good he throws an exceptional deep ball with good velocity and touch. His footwork and short-intermediate accuracy needed significant improvement, but he will benefit a lot from the extra time and proficiency in the offensive scheme overall. When he makes good pre-snap reads and recognizes defenses better and has receivers who will adjust their routes appropriately in ways that he anticipates, it can add up to a much firmer understanding of where to go with the football, what kind of throw is needed, and how to time it. That is essential even when improvising, which I still expect to be his greatest strength. He has great athleticism to run the ball and is capable of running up the middle as well as finding the edge. If he's in the game, there will be a plan to use his legs.

Yates - he saw limited playing time in 2019 and didn't show much with it, but the experience I think is quite valuable as he now knows what it feels like to actually step on to the field and face a college defense. Much is made about his height, and it is somewhat of a limitation, but it more affects his style of play. He is frequently noted for his cerebral approach and has a deeper understanding of football and defenses in general. That is key to his potential for success. Unlike Graham, he is going to succeed operating more on intention than improvisation aided by understanding. He is going to manipulate the defense more and look to escape the pocket much more in order to create angles to throw and complete passes. Does not have elite arm strength, so he will have to have better timing, but he is still going to look to push the ball downfield. He has the capability to make plays with his legs, but I don't expect the staff to specifically run plays to take advantage of that. Instead, he needs to be a willing runner in read options and RPOs when the defense dictates that he keep the ball, and he needs to take available yardage scrambling when things aren't open downfield as the play breaks down, but I still expect him to try and use his legs more to extend plays as long as possible looking for the reception. If he's in the game, I expect us to run plays designed for him to escape the pocket more often, and I hope he's got the leadership ability to make a variety of checks at the line of scrimmage.

Sims - he has the greatest physical presence and raw tools of anyone on the team. Can easily push the ball downfield with his throws and can put velocity on the ball when needed. He has very good athletic ability with his feet as well, although he is primarily looking to be a passer. He has put in a lot of work in camps to improve his craft as a QB but still may be susceptible to problems with footwork and mechanics compromising his accuracy. From the comments, he is the most polarizing of the QBs. When he makes the right decisions and executes, he looks the part of an elite QB, but perhaps he is prone to more mistakes. The knock on film is that in HS he would fail to go through his progressions and have a tendency to deliver the ball late. He has enough arm talent to get away with it, but he can't simply rely on that working out at the college level. Obviously he will have made progression from there. He has a complete toolset, so it's hard to say what kind of offensive package he'd run if he were the guy. However, I would expect them to narrow it down to focus on the plays he understands the best and to have some designed QB runs to take advantage of his athleticism.

Gleason - after a very strong junior season, he had generated a lot of interest as a potential franchise QB including from UGA, however he didn't really participate in camps after committing to us, and the stats he put up as a senior don't make you think he would be a college ready QB. That is missing something, though, as he worked heavily with his HS coach to learn the college game and our playbook prior to coming in. His senior year was colored by an OL that rarely gave him a clean pocket, and he couldn't just chuck it to his favorite target and out-athlete opposing teams like a lot of HS QBs put up crazy stats doing. Supposedly he has a good command of our full playbook. As a passer, he wants to operate from within the pocket. He's got a full set of throws, and while his mechanics aren't perfect, he can still get the ball out in a timely fashion wherever it needs to go. His mobility is underrated. He's not the improviser that Graham is, and he doesn't have the lateral quickness of either Graham or Sims, but he can move around in the pocket and get the ball out in a hurry when necessary. He ended up running the ball a lot in HS with great success, largely getting north-south on the read option game. He has good vision, agility in tight spaces, and adequate speed to pick up good chunks of yards when there is an opening. He is a load to bring down, and that makes him a good candidate to extend drives on 3rd and short-medium. I don't think we'll look to run him very often if he ends up being the starter so we don't have him take too many hits, but him being able to run the read option and pick up 3rd downs with his legs will definitely be a valuable asset.

 

[GCdaJuiceMan]

I haven't voted ... maybe I'm trying to see which way the wind's blowing, then I'll jump on the winning horse , but I must say I can make a case for any of the 4. As I've seen others mention, this is a pretty talented QB 'room'. Can't be a bad thing.

The whole QB discussion for me has really come down to this. We have built a QB room with a lot of talent. Whoever comes out on top (might not be who we see in game 1) I am extremely excited for. I'm not getting my hopes up that game 1 is going to answer all of the questions at this position either.

 

[dmel25]

I'm wondering if we start Sims to get him play time as a freshman but also just to stick it to FSU since he decommitted from them and came to GT. Talk about insult to injury if we beat FSU with Sims, that's something I wouldn't mind seeing.

 

[GT_EE78]

If any one of those guys QB's for most of the game and wins, he'll be my new favorite.

 

[RonJohn]

I'm wondering if we start Sims to get him play time as a freshman but also just to stick it to FSU since he decommitted from them and came to GT. Talk about insult to injury if we beat FSU with Sims, that's something I wouldn't mind seeing.

I stated this earlier in the thread, but that is basically what KQ said on the radio. It might be too difficult for CGC to turn down the opportunity to have that narrative in recruiting blue chip players.

 

[jacketup]

Have you who say "Sims" watched his high school film? I'll just say I am not totally surprised at Norvell's decision. Players develop, and maybe he has, but 9 months is not a long time.

 

[potatohead]

Weird that people point to Brees and Wilson as examples of why you don't have to be tall to play well at QB. The reason people can rattle off a bunch of short, successful QBs is because they're an aberration. They're unique and not the normal. Incidentally, those two guys both won the SB and will go down as great quarterbacks. If Yates played like either of them, I don't think our coaches would say "but he's not tall enough". I think they'd be over the moon with excitement. That isn't to say he won't start, and maybe he'll be a Brees or Wilson, but guys like that are the extreme exception not the rule.

It's like pointing to Mugsy Bogues when a 5'3" PG dreams of the NBA. I mean, is it possible? I guess, but it's an extreme edge case.

That said, I'd be thrilled with Yates as a starter. I just want a clear starter, getting 1st team snaps, etc. Someone to rally behind as a fan base and team.

 

[MidtownJacket]

I don't think for a minute CGC is willing to start a guy who doesn't give us the best possible chance to win. Maybe he gets some snaps if we are ahead or behind enough, but I don't think he'd riverboat gamble the game. This is something fans love to think about but coaches dismiss out of hand.

 

[jackets55]

His height definitely affects what kind of QB he will be as does that of Russel Wilson, Drew Brees, etc. If they were 6'5" they'd have ability to make more throws from more spots and scan the field more. That doesn't necessarily mean they'd be better quarterbacks. Being shorter meant they developed a greater understanding of the game and the ability to manipulate defenses to find success. Each has a plus arm, and Brees' accuracy is quite exceptional. Every player is going to have their own strengths and weaknesses and have more success running the offense in a way that fits with their style. Here's my breakdown of our guys:

Graham - his 7 starts in 2019 were very valuable in understanding his strengths and style of play, but expecting him to be the same QB as in 2019 is not reasonable. Graham is the best improviser. In 2019, he demonstrated that more often with his feet, and he has the ability to extend a play when things break down. He wasn't very good last year making throws in these situations, particularly short-intermediate throws which would have made us far more successful in the run game. Some of that is unfair. He missed more time than others in regaining eligibility, and everyone on the offense was often trying to make plays based on effort instead of understanding the scheme. He has a live arm, and when the mechanics are good he throws an exceptional deep ball with good velocity and touch. His footwork and short-intermediate accuracy needed significant improvement, but he will benefit a lot from the extra time and proficiency in the offensive scheme overall. When he makes good pre-snap reads and recognizes defenses better and has receivers who will adjust their routes appropriately in ways that he anticipates, it can add up to a much firmer understanding of where to go with the football, what kind of throw is needed, and how to time it. That is essential even when improvising, which I still expect to be his greatest strength. He has great athleticism to run the ball and is capable of running up the middle as well as finding the edge. If he's in the game, there will be a plan to use his legs.

Yates - he saw limited playing time in 2019 and didn't show much with it, but the experience I think is quite valuable as he now knows what it feels like to actually step on to the field and face a college defense. Much is made about his height, and it is somewhat of a limitation, but it more affects his style of play. He is frequently noted for his cerebral approach and has a deeper understanding of football and defenses in general. That is key to his potential for success. Unlike Graham, he is going to succeed operating more on intention than improvisation aided by understanding. He is going to manipulate the defense more and look to escape the pocket much more in order to create angles to throw and complete passes. Does not have elite arm strength, so he will have to have better timing, but he is still going to look to push the ball downfield. He has the capability to make plays with his legs, but I don't expect the staff to specifically run plays to take advantage of that. Instead, he needs to be a willing runner in read options and RPOs when the defense dictates that he keep the ball, and he needs to take available yardage scrambling when things aren't open downfield as the play breaks down, but I still expect him to try and use his legs more to extend plays as long as possible looking for the reception. If he's in the game, I expect us to run plays designed for him to escape the pocket more often, and I hope he's got the leadership ability to make a variety of checks at the line of scrimmage.

Sims - he has the greatest physical presence and raw tools of anyone on the team. Can easily push the ball downfield with his throws and can put velocity on the ball when needed. He has very good athletic ability with his feet as well, although he is primarily looking to be a passer. He has put in a lot of work in camps to improve his craft as a QB but still may be susceptible to problems with footwork and mechanics compromising his accuracy. From the comments, he is the most polarizing of the QBs. When he makes the right decisions and executes, he looks the part of an elite QB, but perhaps he is prone to more mistakes. The knock on film is that in HS he would fail to go through his progressions and have a tendency to deliver the ball late. He has enough arm talent to get away with it, but he can't simply rely on that working out at the college level. Obviously he will have made progression from there. He has a complete toolset, so it's hard to say what kind of offensive package he'd run if he were the guy. However, I would expect them to narrow it down to focus on the plays he understands the best and to have some designed QB runs to take advantage of his athleticism.

Gleason - after a very strong junior season, he had generated a lot of interest as a potential franchise QB including from UGA, however he didn't really participate in camps after committing to us, and the stats he put up as a senior don't make you think he would be a college ready QB. That is missing something, though, as he worked heavily with his HS coach to learn the college game and our playbook prior to coming in. His senior year was colored by an OL that rarely gave him a clean pocket, and he couldn't just chuck it to his favorite target and out-athlete opposing teams like a lot of HS QBs put up crazy stats doing. Supposedly he has a good command of our full playbook. As a passer, he wants to operate from within the pocket. He's got a full set of throws, and while his mechanics aren't perfect, he can still get the ball out in a timely fashion wherever it needs to go. His mobility is underrated. He's not the improviser that Graham is, and he doesn't have the lateral quickness of either Graham or Sims, but he can move around in the pocket and get the ball out in a hurry when necessary. He ended up running the ball a lot in HS with great success, largely getting north-south on the read option game. He has good vision, agility in tight spaces, and adequate speed to pick up good chunks of yards when there is an opening. He is a load to bring down, and that makes him a good candidate to extend drives on 3rd and short-medium. I don't think we'll look to run him very often if he ends up being the starter so we don't have him take too many hits, but him being able to run the read option and pick up 3rd downs with his legs will definitely be a valuable asset.

Nice breakdown, thanks.

 

[RonJohn]

I don't think for a minute CGC is willing to start a guy who doesn't give us the best possible chance to win. Maybe he gets some snaps if we are ahead or behind enough, but I don't think he'd riverboat gamble the game. This is something fans love to think about but coaches dismiss out of hand.

They did it last year since it was a "rebuilding" year. Apparently this is another "rebuilding" year.

Collins was asked what the expectations should be for the season.

His response: “Just the growth, the development.

It was KQ who made the -- CGC might start Sims as a recruiting ploy -- statement, not me. Maybe I have missed it, but I don't remember hearing the coaches talk about winning now. I have heard them talk about getting the program back to past glory. I have heard them talk about playing with effort and getting comfortable with the system.

I am not trying to say anything bad about any of the coaches. If one of the QBs takes control of the team, I don't expect that anyone else would start. However, if one QB is good at something, one is good at another, one has more game experience, etc., I could see a potential boost in recruiting playing a large factor.