Vad Lee's Ceiling

ToddM

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I don't think it's that easy to get the starting nod from CPJ in this offense, therefore I think the job is Vad's. Thomas is being used as an incentive to ensure Vad doesn't get lazy.

I think the real reason Vad isn't ranked high by some is that overall there is a general disrespect for Techs WRs. I don't see that as an issue though since I don't think the WRs are incapable of catching and running routes. When Vad and the WRs start hitting long ones regularly you will see Vad's stock rise across the board.
 

AE 87

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This is totally my opinion, but I think Vad had beat Tevin out. Tevin made better reads but Vad had a much bigger chance for an electric play. Watching them last year I saw Vad make several throws I don't think Tevin had the ability to complete. I think Tevin was a popular guy with his teammates and CPJ was trying to ride a line without pissing a bunch of his players off.

What? When? imo, Tevin's problem wasn't his inability to make throws but his inconsistency. He still had a higher completion percentage than Vad by 8.5% and threw 33.26 passes/interception compared to Vads 18.67 passes/interception. I think TW's what the what throws and confirmation bias led people to have a distorted view of how they actually played. That being said, Vad's completion percentage, passes/interception and passes/td in 2012 were directly comparable to TW's numbers in 2011. So, hopefully we'll see the same increase from him.
 

John

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What? When? imo, Tevin's problem wasn't his inability to make throws but his inconsistency. He still had a higher completion percentage than Vad by 8.5% and threw 33.26 passes/interception compared to Vads 18.67 passes/interception. I think TW's what the what throws and confirmation bias led people to have a distorted view of how they actually played. That being said, Vad's completion percentage, passes/interception and passes/td in 2012 were directly comparable to TW's numbers in 2011. So, hopefully we'll see the same increase from him.

I agree. Tevin made some pretty looking passes last couple of years. Of course, he also made some really ugly looking passes too.

I think our fans wouldn't have been so negative toward Tevin if the entire team played a little bit better in the 4th quarters of both the VT and Miami game last year and not needed to go into OT.
 

OldJacketFan

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Interesting topic, we've seen flashes of absolute brilliance from Vad. Now the next level is consistency as it is with all young QBs. He's going to make plays that are going to cause us all to stare in disbelief but he's also going to make mistakes in the form of misreads and relying too much on his athletic ability. Someone mentioned Manziel earlier, he was a redshirt freshman and, like Vad, had the year to learn plus a excellent offensive line in front of him. By no means and I saying I expect a Manziel type year out of Vad but I do see a lot of similarities. In my opinion I think CPJ will open the passing game more and more this year but early on will let Vad work in the short and intermediate zones so that Vad and his receivers can grow together.
 

Sean311

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I agree. Tevin made some pretty looking passes last couple of years. Of course, he also made some really ugly looking passes too.

I think our fans wouldn't have been so negative toward Tevin if the entire team played a little bit better in the 4th quarters of both the VT and Miami game last year and not needed to go into OT.

Ok tevin never threw a pretty pass it was always a duck and barely got there...in any other bcs college he wouldn't even see the field at QB or probably any other position. I'm sry I respect the person tevin is and what he stood for but he was a horrible QB. Yes he might have made good reads but if you can't make a guy miss or out run him then you are gonna get maybe one yard while slowing down the aback trailing you. Vad is leaps and bounds better than tevin and the only reason why Vads interception/completion percentage is lower is because he knew he had a limited number of snaps and he had to try and make a play resulting in forced throws/plays. The plays that tevin did make anyone could have in his position because he had a WIDE open lane to run through.
 

wingsrlevel

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OK a redshirt sophomore who is still a first time starter and only experienced limited playing time. Not everyone is Johnny Manziel that can go out there their first year and dominate. Some players take time and seasoning before they reach their college peaks, Joe Hamilton comes to mind, Tajh Boyd, ect. The point is that we don't know what we have in Vad, yet.



But you know what we have in Custis? How can you call Custis the best back on the team in one thread when he hasn't even had a practice and yet you say "we don't know what we have in Vad" even after Vad has had quite a bit of playing time last year. I'm trying to follow your reasoning but feel like you are failing to look at facts when it comes to certain players. Surely Vad has things to learn but I guarantee you we know more about Vad than we do of a incoming freshman who has yet to practice.
 

John

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Ok tevin never threw a pretty pass it was always a duck and barely got there...

One game I remember specifically (that I'm sure many forgot) is vs. Kansas in 2011. In fact, Tevin threw for 821 yards in his first four games in 2011 with a 64.3% completion, and 1 INT. Of course, these were against lesser opponents but it still proves people have very selective memories.

I realize Tevin is not a fan favorite and I didn't say Tevin was better than Vad. My point is you wouldn't think so little of him as a QB if some of those games we lost last year did not end up like it did.

Personally, I don't like this perception that every single game we lost in the last 2.5 years was just because of Tevin alone.
 

Longestday

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Vad is good and will get even better. Tevin and Days were both taking practice time away from Vad. Vad will get a majority of the practice time now. He will also get more game time.

Go back and watch Vad in his first game against Virgina. Then check out his series against MTSU. Compare that to his game against UNC and USC. Vad improved a lot over the 2013 season.

Everyone thinks Vad has it, has shown progress on the field, and now lets see him do it for the season.
 

John

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Everyone thinks Vad has it, has shown progress on the field, and now lets see him do it for the season.
I believe Vad will play very well this coming season. I actually don't see any particular ceiling with him. His game against UNC was amazing and very glad I was able to witness it in person.
 

John

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Great article about Vad's leadership and what he's looking forward to this coming season:
http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071913aaa.html

"I definitely feel I can do more now," he said. "We had a big summer, a lot of events and stuff that I kind of planned, that everybody's been coming to. It's probably something that I couldn't have done my freshman year. That's really exciting, just trying to get everybody on board so we can do big things."
 

collegeballfan

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"Some players take time and seasoning before they reach their college peaks, ..... The point is that we don't know what we have in Vad, yet."

Even more so with Thomas who has not had a snap in a college football game. The Johnson offense, more than most, requires that the QB make the correct decision. And that only comes with experience.

No matter who passes the ball, who is gonna catch it? It looks like another year where the OL will decide how the offense plays.

Wonderful site guys!
 

xenoabe

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I agree. Tevin made some pretty looking passes last couple of years. Of course, he also made some really ugly looking passes too.

I think our fans wouldn't have been so negative toward Tevin if the entire team played a little bit better in the 4th quarters of both the VT and Miami game last year and not needed to go into OT.

Probably, but you can't play the what if game. Reggie may not have been so frustrating had he not made some decisions like throwing it away on 4th down but the fact is he did and that shaped our perception.

Tevin was very good at running the base option. He made good reads most of the time. However, he was not super athletic and rarely had breakaway runs. Vad has a great deal more athletic ability. I also think that for us to be as successful as we can be we need a QB that would be successful in a more traditional offense as well. Tevin would have been a horrible QB in a traditional offense. I saw him miss way too many wide open plays and he was not very good at passes over the middle. I've already seen Vad make those kinds of throws as well as deep passes that Tevin never had the arm to make. The biggest knock on Vad is his decision making and that certainly comes with experience. As he improves that then I believe his ceiling is very high.
 

vamosjackets

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I was very impressed with Tevin's passing last year. He made some clutch passes and had good touch. He was a darn good QB for us last year. Vad definitely has a higher ceiling. He has a stronger arm - we'll see if it's more accurate. He has better speed. He's a stronger runner and can get the extra tough yards better.
I actually think it will be his speed and strength as a runner that will be most beneficial to us (more than the passing). The runs that Tevin breaks for 40, Vad will take for a 60 yd TD. The 3rd and 4th and shorts when Tevin struggled to get that extra yard, Vad will convert.
 

dressedcheeseside

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I think the biggest advantage both young qb's give us is something the last Heisman winner has, the ability to make something from nothing. What defenses fear most when facing "Johnny Football" is what happens when plays break down and he improvises. Lee and Thomas can do that, too. Thomas is even better at it than Lee.
 

ATL1

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I think the biggest advantage both young qb's give us is something the last Heisman winner has, the ability to make something from nothing. What defenses fear most when facing "Johnny Football" is what happens when plays break down and he improvises. Lee and Thomas can do that, too. Thomas is even better at it than Lee.

I can't agree with this..
 

dressedcheeseside

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I can't agree with this..

why not?

My main point is that Tevin could not do this but our two new guys can. What is wrong about this? Granted there are some things that Tevin could do better, but turning negative plays into positive plays was not one of them. Opposing defenses will have to change their approach to some degree against us or risk getting burned, repeatedly.
 

ATL1

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why not?

My main point is that Tevin could not do this but our two new guys can. What is wrong about this? Granted there are some things that Tevin could do better, but turning negative plays into positive plays was not one of them. Opposing defenses will have to change their approach to some degree against us or risk getting burned, repeatedly.

I was referring to JT being able to extend plays better than Vad.
 
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