DMN: JJ Gets First Look at Quintet of QBs
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:00 amBy BOBBI ROQUEMORE / The Dallas Morning News
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The first fall football practice at SMU on Monday was also coach June Jones' first chance to get a true look at the players competing at quarterback.
The five quarterbacks were easy to spot in their blue jerseys – the rest of the offense wore white and the defense wore red.
Although Jones has been at SMU since January, spring practice yielded little insight into the quarterback competition. Three of the candidates were in high school, and junior Justin Willis, who has started 22 games for the Mustangs, missed spring practice because of a suspension. Only redshirt freshman Logan Turner was around to take snaps.
Yet Jones said he is optimistic about what he's seen so far of Willis, Turner, and freshmen Winston Gamso, Bo Levi Mitchell and Braden Smith.
"I thought all of them threw the ball pretty good for the first time out," Jones said. "Their heads will be swimming for the next two weeks. We'll be OK in time, and all of the young kids will get caught up."
The quarterback is critical to the Run and Shoot offense, and Jones said accuracy will be the No. 1 factor in determining who gets the top slots.
"We're going to chart every throw that they make," he said, "and two weeks before the first game, I'll narrow it down to primarily two guys and go from there."
Eventually, two will become one. Jones said he doesn't plan to rotate quarterbacks.
"I told them last night that the best guy will play, and I try to hang with that guy as long as I can," Jones said. "I played that position. You don't want to be looking over your shoulder all of the time when you're out there on the field.
"When I've got to make that call, I'll make that call, but right now, I'm a one-QB guy."
Willis said he was delighted to return to the field after academic and team-related concerns resulted in his suspension. He was reinstated in May.
"It's all behind me, and it's all behind coach and my teammates, too," Willis said. "It's good to be out here today."
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[email protected]
The first fall football practice at SMU on Monday was also coach June Jones' first chance to get a true look at the players competing at quarterback.
The five quarterbacks were easy to spot in their blue jerseys – the rest of the offense wore white and the defense wore red.
Although Jones has been at SMU since January, spring practice yielded little insight into the quarterback competition. Three of the candidates were in high school, and junior Justin Willis, who has started 22 games for the Mustangs, missed spring practice because of a suspension. Only redshirt freshman Logan Turner was around to take snaps.
Yet Jones said he is optimistic about what he's seen so far of Willis, Turner, and freshmen Winston Gamso, Bo Levi Mitchell and Braden Smith.
"I thought all of them threw the ball pretty good for the first time out," Jones said. "Their heads will be swimming for the next two weeks. We'll be OK in time, and all of the young kids will get caught up."
The quarterback is critical to the Run and Shoot offense, and Jones said accuracy will be the No. 1 factor in determining who gets the top slots.
"We're going to chart every throw that they make," he said, "and two weeks before the first game, I'll narrow it down to primarily two guys and go from there."
Eventually, two will become one. Jones said he doesn't plan to rotate quarterbacks.
"I told them last night that the best guy will play, and I try to hang with that guy as long as I can," Jones said. "I played that position. You don't want to be looking over your shoulder all of the time when you're out there on the field.
"When I've got to make that call, I'll make that call, but right now, I'm a one-QB guy."
Willis said he was delighted to return to the field after academic and team-related concerns resulted in his suspension. He was reinstated in May.
"It's all behind me, and it's all behind coach and my teammates, too," Willis said. "It's good to be out here today."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... dc475.html