TaQuon highlights and 2018 Hype Video

[dressedcheeseside]

I'm not exactly sure what happened to Taquan towards the back of half of the season.

Two main things happened towards the back half of the season and they didn't involve Taquan, per se.

1. We faced much better competition, especially on defense. As much as we like to belittle the mutts, we saw they were a hair from beating Alabama, in fact, they should have. Their D was easily top 5, maybe top 1, and their biggest strength was at the very spot that kills our O, MLB. Also, they knew exactly how to play us. Actually, most of our opponents did, but didn't have the same firepower on D. Go back and watch the highlights from the Wake game and ask yourself if those big runs by TM happen against UGA. Nope. They're much too fast at cutting off angles and alleys.
2. Our OL was decimated. Our depth on OL was pretty bad all season, but it took it's toll late in the season as our guys just got beat up and wore down. Combine that with the speed, size and depth of our opponents and it wasn't pretty. Often, there were defenders in the backfield during or even before the mesh. It messed up our timing and spacing and got in TM's head that he had to keep rather than risk the pitch.

The repetitive rainy games was unusual and it played a part in our offensive woes, too.

TM's ability to read the option - both the mesh key and the pitch key, was less than adequate and it was made worse by missed blocks up front, poor timing and/or spacing with the Abacks and a gambling strategy on defense that put a ton of guys near the LOS. Too bad we couldn't take advantage of that. We tried, but either couldn't give TM time to throw, couldn't get open - even in man coverage, couldn't find the open target or just plain missed him when we did.

Yes, there is a lot to fix. I know this. Yet, I am still optimistic that much of it will be. Why? Mostly time (reps, experience, familiarity, healing, strength building, film study, gelling, etc...), which sounds crazy, I know. There will also be talented younger guys pushing from below on the depth chart that will provide plenty of incentive if there wasn't enough already.

 

[UgaBlows]

TM will be better than last year if:
a) he and his battery mates are not brand new starters.... check
b) the schedule is less rigorous.... check
c) the defense is better.... tbd but likely
d) the kicking game is better.... tbd but likely
e) kick coverage is better.... tbd but likely
f) less monsoons on game day.... tbd but likely
g) less injuries to the OL.... tbd but likely
h) makes better reads in the option... tbd but likely
i) passing game improves.... tbd but likely

I like this list and your optimissim, but i’m seeing the last 3 points as more of a tossup

 

[GT Man]

No clue what he was saying. I thought I did hear an F bomb though.

WALKIT LAHKA TALKIT

 

[ATL1]

Maaan, there is some ignorant-*** hip hop out there.

Ear bleeding terrible.

 

[albanyjacket]

If it's your video, why did you not have a say in the "music"?

 

[JacketGirl]

I'm not exactly sure what happened to Taquan towards the back of half of the season

Taquon’s dad told me that he wasn’t 100% toward the end of the season. Clearly was giving his all but wasn’t completely healthy. It’s easy to forget how much these players give to the game (and the fans) every week. Every game when I saw Taquon’s Dad he would ask me to keep being positive - the guys clearly see the stuff that’s said about them on Twitter and Facebook. Maybe on here too, who knows.

Hoping that our fans can see past clear bags and water bottles and remember why they come to the games - to support these young men who leave all they have on the field. Go Jackets!!

 

[SteamWhistle]

If it's your video, why did you not have a say in the "music"?

I asked TQM what he wanted. On a side note I enjoy the music personally, I do understand why some wouldn't.

 

[knoxjacket]

I use to get down on players for not being All-ACC every play, but I came to realize those guys are few and far between. Even then, you won't get All ACC every play (as we saw with the Megatron and BayBay dropsies every now and again). QB is such a hard position, and it's dependent on the teammates that surround them. There's also the coaching factor, and development factor.

In 2013, GT had both Vad Lee and Justin Thomas on the roster. Gifted with hindsight, we all know how that ended. Sometimes coaches have to go with "the best man for right now". I think we all now feel Justin was the better guy for our offense in the long term given several different factors (on the field and off). But at the time, when both were eligible to play, Vad was the best option for CPJ in 2013...otherwise, CPJ would not have played Vad. I don't always agree with some of CPJ's decisions, but I do agree that he puts the best guy out there (at least on offense).

I'm not exactly sure what happened to Taquan towards the back of half of the season. Taquan against UT to start the season gave all of us a LOT to look forward to. You just don't go downhill in performance all of sudden after a performance like that. I think weather had a lot to do with it...and I think he'll continue to struggle playing in the rain as defenses will not respect our passing in the rain and will sell out against the run. Taquan has some tools to work with, and he can be very good if development progression trends up. However, GT has some talented guys behind him. It will be interesting to see how the QB competition plays out in 2018.

Reminder: That was the worst UT team of ALL-TIME. I think TaQuon can be a good QB for us, but that first game tricked us. Our real takeaway from that game should have been that our defense was garbage.

 

[ilovetheoption]

I asked TQM what he wanted. On a side note I enjoy the music personally, I do understand why some wouldn't.

.... I mean, fair enough. If that's where the kid asked for I suppose it's reasonable to give it to him.

 

[RyanS12]

Reminder: That was the worst UT team of ALL-TIME. I think TaQuon can be a good QB for us, but that first game tricked us. Our real takeaway from that game should have been that our defense was garbage.

And FG kicking......

 

[smokey_wasp]

TM will be better than last year if:
a) he and his battery mates are not brand new starters.... check
b) the schedule is less rigorous.... check
c) the defense is better.... tbd but likely
d) the kicking game is better.... tbd but likely
e) kick coverage is better.... tbd but likely
f) less monsoons on game day.... tbd but likely
g) less injuries to the OL.... tbd but likely
h) makes better reads in the option... tbd but likely
i) passing game improves.... tbd but likely

The only thing I would quibble with would be the schedule. I'd say it's about the same or maybe slightly more difficult. I mean, I guess how the games are laid out is a little better, but the strength of the teams we play is about the same or stronger.

 

[RyanS12]

The only thing I would quibble with would be the schedule. I'd say it's about the same or maybe slightly more difficult. I mean, I guess how the games are laid out is a little better, but the strength of the teams we play is about the same or stronger.

I’ve seen we have the 5th hardest schedule in the country. My feeling is September might decide our entire year. Games @USF & @ Pitt are winnable but won’t be easy by any means. Both well coached teams. Then a home game vs Clemson after that is rough for a team trying to figure out who they are at QB and on D. We get out of Sept 4-1 we are in great shape. Anything worse than 3-2 we might be in trouble. Then throw in a Friday nite game @ Louisville after that. We are going to know early on what kind of team we have.

 

[GT_05]

I’ve seen we have the 5th hardest schedule in the country. My feeling is September might decide our entire year. Games @USF & @ Pitt are winnable but won’t be easy by any means. Both well coached teams. Then a home game vs Clemson after that is rough for a team trying to figure out who they are at QB and on D. We get out of Sept 4-1 we are in great shape. Anything worse than 3-2 we might be in trouble. Then throw in a Friday nite game @ Louisville after that. We are going to know early on what kind of team we have.

Fifth hardest SOS? Geez, that’s rough. I think next year should be better than last year.

MUST WIN: Alcorn State, USF, Bowling Green

SHOULD WIN: Pitt, Duke, UNC, UVA

COULD WIN: Louisville, VT, Miami

LONG SHOT: Clemson, UGA

I’m thinking 8-4, possibly 9-3 if the new blocking rules don’t pass and we complete some passes. If the new rules pass, who knows? 6-6, maybe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tmhunter52]

I’ve seen we have the 5th hardest schedule in the country. My feeling is September might decide our entire year. Games @USF & @ Pitt are winnable but won’t be easy by any means. Both well coached teams. Then a home game vs Clemson after that is rough for a team trying to figure out who they are at QB and on D. We get out of Sept 4-1 we are in great shape. Anything worse than 3-2 we might be in trouble. Then throw in a Friday nite game @ Louisville after that. We are going to know early on what kind of team we have.

It depends on the weather and who is playing QB...

 

[wesgt123]

Fifth hardest SOS? Geez, that’s rough. I think next year should be better than last year.

MUST WIN: Alcorn State, USF, Bowling Green

SHOULD WIN: Pitt, Duke, UNC, UVA

COULD WIN: Louisville, VT, Miami

LONG SHOT: Clemson, UGA

I’m thinking 8-4, possibly 9-3 if the new blocking rules don’t pass and we complete some passes. If the new rules pass, who knows? 6-6, maybe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

New rule??

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Fifth hardest SOS? Geez, that’s rough. I think next year should be better than last year.

MUST WIN: Alcorn State, USF, Bowling Green

SHOULD WIN: Pitt, Duke, UNC, UVA

COULD WIN: Louisville, VT, Miami

LONG SHOT: Clemson, UGA

I’m thinking 8-4, possibly 9-3 if the new blocking rules don’t pass and we complete some passes. If the new rules pass, who knows? 6-6, maybe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You forgot to throw in one inexplicable loss that seems to plague us every year.

 

[JacketFromUGA]

You forgot to throw in one inexplicable loss that seems to plague us every year.

I'm sorry did you mean Duke?

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I'm sorry did you mean Duke?

Actually we had several from last year to choose from.

 

[GT_05]

New rule??

The NCAA is considering making blocking below the waist illegal when it is done five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. I don’t know when they will rule on this proposal but I think it will hurt our offense quite a bit. Maybe I’m off base but I’ve always felt that our offensive scheme and execution helped equalize the field against some of the bigger, faster, and more athletic defenses. I’m not normally so pessimistic but I think this season will be over before it gets started if the rule passes. 6-6, maybe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[smokey_wasp]

The NCAA is considering making blocking below the waist illegal when it is done five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. I don’t know when they will rule on this proposal but I think it will hurt our offense quite a bit. Maybe I’m off base but I’ve always felt that our offensive scheme and execution helped equalize the field against some of the bigger, faster, and more athletic defenses. I’m not normally so pessimistic but I think this season will be over before it gets started if the rule passes. 6-6, maybe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is the first I am hearing of this. I dunno. If it was going to be a killer for us, I'd expect CPJ to be out there screaming about it, but I haven't heard a peep.