Toughness... I expect to hear it often.

[Root4GT]

He'll be ok for the cornholes, but he tanked his NFL prospects with that refusal move. It may be unrecoverable for him. Only saving grace is the NFL teams draft capability & if he sells the GT culture being as bad as it was he'll get a pass.

To date he has not showed anything near NFL caliber ability. His NFL prospect are 100% based on how he preformed at Nebraska. I hope he plays well for them. .

 

[CuseJacket]

I liked Sims but one thing that didn’t show up in his stats were the number of drops….. by defensive backs to stunned that the ball was thrown right at them to catch it.

That was as important to winning @ Pitt a year ago as was the change in punt protection that prevented more blocked kicks. He threw at least three, and I think I am being generous on the number, right in their bread basket that got dropped. Whole different ballgame otherwise.

 

[slugboy]

I liked Sims but one thing that didn’t show up in his stats were the number of drops….. by defensive backs to stunned that the ball was thrown right at them to catch it.

Maybe my memory is playing tricks, but I remember the defenders being surprised when the pass came right to them, and then surprised again when they dropped it.

I’d hate to see the PFF QB grade from the game.

 

[lv20gt]

Refusing to go into a game when you’re declared healthy to play is simply not ok and is about as selfish as it gets. Not a good trait to have in a leader. I know some will say he should be selfish and all that, but bottom line is he abandoned his team when they needed him. I never really wanted to see him take a snap for us after that, and I’m guessing there are some players on our team that felt the same way (though I admittedly have no evidence to support that statement)

Sims wanted to stay in against UVA and wasn't allowed by the staff. He was listed as available against fsu and vt on an emergency basis and didn't play either. Being medically cleared doesn't mean you are ready to play especially as it relates to foot injuries. The only thing that is selfish is fans wanting a kid to risk further injury for the sake of winning a game.

It was obvious from statements made later both from Sims' parents and Key himself that the injury effectively ended his season despite being strung along as technically available for weeks. But fans ran with speculation on a vague answer from Key and just flat out internet rumors later contradicted by Sims father to spin a bs narrative.

 

[awbuzz]

I think Key means both physical and mental toughness. He wants a QB that can lead a team under adversity. Like the marines: When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Anyone that has not picked up on the mental toughness is denser than even I am

 

[GT33]

To date he has not showed anything near NFL caliber ability. His NFL prospect are 100% based on how he preformed at Nebraska. I hope he plays well for them. .

He’s 6’3” probably close to 225 now, runs a 4.4 40. To me that has future UDFA or late round WR written all over him. It’s what NFL teams seem to do with guys like him.

 

[Blue&Gold1034]

Sims wanted to stay in against UVA and wasn't allowed by the staff. He was listed as available against fsu and vt on an emergency basis and didn't play either. Being medically cleared doesn't mean you are ready to play especially as it relates to foot injuries. The only thing that is selfish is fans wanting a kid to risk further injury for the sake of winning a game.

It was obvious from statements made later both from Sims' parents and Key himself that the injury effectively ended his season despite being strung along as technically available for weeks. But fans ran with speculation on a vague answer from Key and just flat out internet rumors later contradicted by Sims father to spin a bs narrative.

I honestly want to know where this "refused to go back in" narrative came from. Remember he did play the UVA game after injuring his knee against Duke. I think people just want to take shots at Sims and it's concerning.

 

[roadkill]

I honestly want to know where this "refused to go back in" narrative came from. Remember he did play the UVA game after injuring his knee against Duke. I think people just want to take shots at Sims and it's concerning.

My recollection is that there was a game, perhaps Virginia, where he was dressed and available but did not play. When asked why, Key would only say (and I believe he repeated it), "He was cleared to play". This led to a lot of speculation amongst fans and media. It is possible that he refused to go back in. It is also possible that there was some other undisclosed issue. The fact that it was never clarified, and ultimately he hit the transfer portal, added fuel to the speculation.

 

[lv20gt]

I honestly want to know where this "refused to go back in" narrative came from. Remember he did play the UVA game after injuring his knee against Duke. I think people just want to take shots at Sims and it's concerning.

Media was told he was available in case of an emergency. When Pyron went out against Miami and Sims didn't come in the media asked Key why. Key responded he was deemed cleared to play in an emergency but not available to play at the time Pyron got hurt. He then said he would leave it at that. Fans ran wild with the idea he refused to play from there.

But being medically cleared isn't the same as being ready to play and foot issues are tricky. It came out shortly after that after consulting doctors the best path for Sims was to focus on rehab.

 

[takethepoints]

Well, what coach doesn't say this? I believed it when Paul said it: you were either tough or you didn't play QB. This applied across the board as well; it wasn't just QBs. I believe QBs have to be tough, but so do the players around them. And that isn't necessarily enough; talent counts as does the scheme that uses it. That was Sims problem, btw, he never had a consistent scheme to follow on O. Remember the UNC game in 2019 (I think). Sims tore them up with his legs and in the next game it was back to 4 step drops and running for his life.

Let's hope that the right mix shows up for one of Tech's new QBs this year. A lot will depend on that.

 

[GT33]

I honestly want to know where this "refused to go back in" narrative came from. Remember he did play the UVA game after injuring his knee against Duke. I think people just want to take shots at Sims and it's concerning.

There were some game day accounts his father was yelling for him to get in there I believe after the Pyron broken collarbone and he shook his head no. More than 1 account of this but it’s possible it’s all made up. His participation at what many would characterize as “big games” was pretty damn low historically. Hope the change of scenery and less pressure at Nebraska works for him.

 

[Lil G]

There were some game day accounts his father was yelling for him to get in there I believe after the Pyron broken collarbone and he shook his head no. More than 1 account of this but it’s possible it’s all made up. His participation at what many would characterize as “big games” was pretty damn low historically. Hope the change of scenery and less pressure at Nebraska works for him.

I think our bad offensive scheme wasn’t ever going to work for him. But even with the incoming one, Pyron and Haynes look like more consistent “slingers” and probably would start over him if he stayed. No hate at all, I think he just needed a different place that will work for him. They were letting him run around in Nebraska’s spring practice and that’s exactly what he wants.

 

[slugboy]

I think our bad offensive scheme wasn’t ever going to work for him. But even with the incoming one, Pyron and Haynes look like more consistent “slingers” and probably would start over him if he stayed. No hate at all, I think he just needed a different place that will work for him. They were letting him run around in Nebraska’s spring practice and that’s exactly what he wants.

That game was after Weinke took over playcalling from Long. The offense looked better after that change.

I’m simply saying the scheme looked better once someone else coached it.

 

[InsideLB]

I thought the UNC game was a good example of toughness. Kept playing hard and putting max effort into executing the game plan regardless of score and came out a winner.

 

[RonJohn]

Media was told he was available in case of an emergency. When Pyron went out against Miami and Sims didn't come in the media asked Key why. Key responded he was deemed cleared to play in an emergency but not available to play at the time Pyron got hurt. He then said he would leave it at that. Fans ran wild with the idea he refused to play from there.

But being medically cleared isn't the same as being ready to play and foot issues are tricky. It came out shortly after that after consulting doctors the best path for Sims was to focus on rehab.

That was also the last game that he was with the team. If I remember correctly, after that game he no longer attended any team functions. Then he entered the portal to transfer out. Nobody who actually has direct knowledge has said that he could enter but wouldn't, and nobody with direct knowledge has said that he was definitely medically unavailable. The HC's statements after the game were not supportive of an injured player. From what I have seen of him, I imagine that Key would go absolutely out of his way to support and take the heat for any player who is doing his best.

I base my conclusions on the way the HC addressed the situation, and what the player did with and for the team after the incident.

EDIT: Here is a quote from back then:

"In regards to Jeff, Jeff won't be with the football team, really kind of indefinitely now. We had meetings with Jeff and meetings with the doctors and the medical professionals and came to the determination that it would be best for Jeff to not be in meetings or not be in practice, but to be in treatment and in rehab right now moving forward."

Your take on this statement is that he was in rehab. Which is important. However, why would being in rehab prevent him from attending practice to support the team? Whey would being in rehab stop him from attending meetings? If I remember correctly, there were reports that he was not only not attending meetings nor practice, but that he was no longer involved in any activities with the team. To me that sounds more like someone who has already checked out.


My take could be wrong, but there is nobody who has any actual information who is posting on forums. It is all speculation from the same limited information.

 

[Techster]

Sims is gone. The guy that recruited him to GT is gone.

We've got a new coach. Two QBs (Pyron, Gibson) who left it all on the field for us and their coach when a change was made. We've got a new QB from the SEC who's known to put his head down to get tough yardage. We've got two QBs committed who are VERY VERY talented.

GT is headed in the right direction in terms of QBs. No need to look back and bicker about someone who left us for another opportunity. Onwards, and upwards!

 

[lv20gt]

That was also the last game that he was with the team. If I remember correctly, after that game he no longer attended any team functions. Then he entered the portal to transfer out. Nobody who actually has direct knowledge has said that he could enter but wouldn't, and nobody with direct knowledge has said that he was definitely medically unavailable. The HC's statements after the game were not supportive of an injured player. From what I have seen of him, I imagine that Key would go absolutely out of his way to support and take the heat for any player who is doing his best.

I base my conclusions on the way the HC addressed the situation, and what the player did with and for the team after the incident.

EDIT: Here is a quote from back then:


Your take on this statement is that he was in rehab. Which is important. However, why would being in rehab prevent him from attending practice to support the team? Whey would being in rehab stop him from attending meetings? If I remember correctly, there were reports that he was not only not attending meetings nor practice, but that he was no longer involved in any activities with the team. To me that sounds more like someone who has already checked out.


My take could be wrong, but there is nobody who has any actual information who is posting on forums. It is all speculation from the same limited information.

Both his parents came out and said he wasn't physically able to play. It's not hard to find those tweets.

Being medically cleared and being ready to play aren't the same thing. If they were he wouldn't have been described as available in an emergency. It's very common for sports programs to employ doctors that will be very lose with their recommendations and clear an athlete if there isn't a definitive reason to hold them out. This is done with the understanding that the coach and player will both make sure the player doesn't do anything until they feel they are ready and not at risk to reinjure themselves. This is done because oftentimes and outside doctor or second opinion runs the risk of a conservative recommendation which effectively shuts down the player in what ends up a longer time period than ends up needed. No coach is going to play a player after they get a doctor's recommendation to rehab for 6 months. And players don't want that either. But that means operating in the gray area that is being medically cleared but not actually ready to play which is what Sims was clearly in.

He could have stayed with the team in rehab but why would he have? He wasn't going to be playing again for GT, was going to be focusing on rehab anyways, the coaching situation was up in the air, one of the names in contention just hung him out to dry in a press conference, and the fanbase was making up **** about him (including BS still posted in this thread btw) that was directly contradicted by Sims father. He likely had made a decision to transfer after the game because of these things (and was almost certainly considering it prior to anyways). Why would you expect anyone to continue to attend team functions in that situation?

 

[RonJohn]

He wasn't going to be playing again for GT

This is the only thing that we know for sure. The rest is just pure conjecture. There is not enough actual information available for any of us to make a definite declaration. At the conclusion of that game, he was no longer a member of the team. Now he plays for Nebraska.

You may not like it that some fans have a negative opinion of him. However, I don't think you realize that defending against that negative opinion is only going to get people to respond to your post, it won't change their negative opinion. I think @Techster has it right. Just leave it be.

We now have two QBs that lower their heads to gain extra yards, including one who played a play while his collarbone was broken and still was able to throw the ball 20-30 yards down field. (It was a duck, but I probably couldn't even hold a football in my hand if I had a broken collarbone.) Why concentrate on how tough or weak the past was, when the present appears to be Ditka era tough.

 

[lv20gt]

This is the only thing that we know for sure. The rest is just pure conjecture. There is not enough actual information available for any of us to make a definite declaration. At the conclusion of that game, he was no longer a member of the team. Now he plays for Nebraska.

What his parents say isn't conjecture.

 

[RonJohn]

What his parents say isn't conjecture.

It also isn't verifiable, nor guaranteed to be unbiased. No matter how much you post, there is no evidence available to back up any position on this subject. You are not going to convince anyone that your position is correct. Best to let it lie.