Starting QB and RB Next Season?

[StandUp]

Given our Redshirts, incoming Freshman, and returning players. Who will be our starting QB and RB next season?

QB Darrell Colbert FR 5'11" 185lbs 4.5/40
QB Jordan Severt FR 6'4" 225lbs 4.7/40
QB Neal Burcham SO 6'3" 207lbs
QB Connor Preston JR 6'0" 193lbs
QB Austin Kent FR-RS 6'6" 220lbs

RB Kevin Pope SR 5'10" 225lbs
RB Traylon Shead SR 6'2" 230lbs
RB Prescott Line SO 6'0" 233lbs
RB K.C. Nlemchi JR 6'1" 220lbs
RB Darius Durall FR 5'10" 180lbs 4.4/40

[smusic 00]

Burcham for sure.

Then, knowing June, Line will start, Pope will sub in on obvious run downs, and we will see Nlemchi on six downs all season. Shead will be moved to slot.

[StandUp]

Might be a long shot, but I would like to see one of our True Freshman QBs take over from day one. Darrell Colbert or Jordan Severt. Why not? Our team needs a true leader. Maybe one of these guys can show us something? I did not see much from any of our QBs other than Garrett Gilbert this season. Especially not anyone who is deserving of starting and leading our team next season.

As far as a Starting RB. I would like to see Kevin Pope along with maybe Prescott Line or Traylon Shead backing him up.

[Stallion]

Hopefully Burchum and Shead
Pope needs to play LB like he did last year where he was excellent. June needs to go recruit RBs and stop stealing the best athletes from Mason.
Playing Acker at Receiver like June wanted to do this year would have been a complete disaster. Isn't it obvious even June realizes the gaping holes in recruiting his lack-luster recruiting has created. He was actually thinking of moving our only reliable CB from the position that was otherwise the weakest on the team.

[Fresno Mustang]

It isn't even a guarantee Colbert plays qb on the hilltop given his athleticism. Burcham will be solid and has been around long enough and will get more reps in spring ball. If he has an offensive line and decent receivers (which are big ifs) he will turn out to have a good career. Plus I don't see someone like cassel even remotely challenging burcham. I'd be shocked if he got beat out.

[SMU 86]

It isn't even a guarantee Colbert plays qb on the hilltop given his athleticism. Burcham will be solid and has been around long enough and will get more reps in spring ball. If he has an offensive line and decent receivers (which are big ifs) he will turn out to have a good career. Plus I don't see someone like cassel even remotely challenging burcham. I'd be shocked if he got beat out.

I understand that Colbert will given every opportunity to play QB at SMU. Not saying he would start as a freshman but he will be given the opportunity to play. They are not lying to the young man just to get him here and switch positions the day he arrives on campus.

[ghost]

One should take anything a coach tells a recruit with a grain of salt. Once on campus and locked up with the transfer rules they are going to play the guy wherever it helps the team most and if not the guy is branded as not a team player. So many guys have had redshirt years wasted for just 1-10 plays all year. Any recruit should talk with both present and former players to get a feel for the coaches, players and the program in general. Kinda like buying a car...no smart consumer believes everything the salesman tells you, you have to research and be prepared.

[PonyKai]

Wasn't the result from June benching a Senior dual-threat record-setting QB with over 30 games starting experience in favor of a one dimensional, lightly recruited true freshman that didn't know the system enough to sour people on TF starting QB heroes for at least a decade?

[Digetydog]

Wasn't the result from June benching a Senior dual-threat record-setting QB with over 30 games starting experience in favor of a one dimensional, lightly recruited true freshman that didn't know the system enough to sour people on TF starting QB heroes for at least a decade?

That one incident displayed the inflexibility that has been the hallmark of the June Jones era. A smart coach would have modified the RnS to fit Willis' skills while he got BLM coached up.

[ponyinNC]

The one thing that we can count on w/r/t Jones selection of starting QBs is this--- nothing will make sense to us.

If everyone is thinking Burcham, it will probably be Colbert.

[couch 'em]

In the 1-11 final Bennett year Willis threw for 2944 and ran for 699 and was the leading rusher.
Thats better than the BLM year, the half BLM half Padron year, the first Gilbert year, and arguably better than the McDermott year.

[Tx_Mustang10]

Hopefully Shead and Nlemchi can pull off RB duties by themselves. Then we keep Pope at LB and probably get Line over there too; though heII, Pope can probably keep pulling off double duties. He's one tough sob.

Then, you have to expect Burcham to start the season unless one of the other veterans shows big improvement during the offseason. But if we're lucky, Colbert will be the next Russell Wilson, take over half-way into the season, and prime himself for a Sophomore year Heisman Trophy win (or in the alternative, Severt proves he wants to make this Westlake HS qb dispute a three-person conversation and he steps up).

If that happens, we'll only have about 10 positions left to worry about. C'mon Jerry Saena! Make it 9!

[skurtn]

If JJ's QB decision doesn't make sense to us (e.g. using GG in 2012), then choosing to use him AGAIN in 2013, I'll be fine with not understanding.

[ojaipony]

Keep Pope at LB absolutely. I was high on Burcham until I saw him play. Let's hope he bulks up in the offseason and builds chemistry with the receivers and gets his head right. I want him to be able to run that hurry up "run n raid" offense from the beginning next year (anyone running that offense with any kind of proficiency would have top 10 stats especially in our conference). Redshirt Colbert and bring him in in the next year as a change up if he's good enough/needed. Of course, if he's a stud from day one, start him.

Shead should/will be the starter if he's 100% with Nlemchi getting several reps per game. But, I bet Line starts otherwise.

*Preston is the dark horse in all of this. You'd think he'd be better than Burcham at this point but with his injury, who knows. Maybe he transfers out. Would like to see him get a shot though in the Spring and early Fall along with Colbert. But, at some point, you need to establish your starter and build his chemistry with the receivers (particularly DJ, Taylor, and Gaines . . . quite frankly, I'll be glad when Thompson graduates -- hopefully, he'll prove me wrong, but other than a few deep balls every once and a while he has shown me no heart/competitiveness).

[ponyinNC]

If JJ's QB decision doesn't make sense to us (e.g. using GG in 2012), then choosing to use him AGAIN in 2013, I'll be fine with not understanding.

I was obviously referring to pre-Gilbert decisions.

You obviously start a 5-star Gatorade POY transfer from UT.

But the benching of Willis, the move to Bo levi, the move to Padron, then to McDermott during the A&M game sequence never made sense.