Phil Bennett Puts Job on Line With Ridiculous QB Decision

[Stallion]

we get 44 yards passing? until Baylor is in prevent? And Chris Phillips can't execute that pathetic passing game? This was a VERY winable game but coach Phil has decided to flush it down the toilet with two Division 1-AA caliber QBs. Sure Romo can run and ran well. Phillips can run better. Eckert was simply awful until the game was over. If Chris Phillips is not the QB we will be lucky to win 2 games. we flushed a potential program turning victory over a BCS school with a simply horrible QB play in the passing game.

[Hoop Fan]

the other thing is that Romo was clearly more effective than Eckert tonight, yet on the key possesion after Baylor fumbled the punt at their own 15 with 6 minutes left, it was Eckert and not Romo in the game. Why? Two of his passes proceeded to get batted down and we settle for the field goal and thats basically the ballgame. I want Phillips on the field, but it had to at least be Romo in that situation.

I actually know why it was Eckert: because he was in the game right before we punted and we were surprised by the turnover and just went with him by default. Not good.

[Stallion]

who was that Divsion 3 QB we had a few years ago that cost us chances at about 3 victories but still Coach Phil keeps going with him. I've erased his pathetic play and name from my memory I'm so mad. Even he might have been a better QB than QBs tonite for the first 58 minutes. Coach Phil has no business evaluating QBs.

[MrMustang1965]

the other thing is that Romo was clearly more effective than Eckert tonight, yet on the key possesion after Baylor fumbled the punt at their own 15 with 6 minutes left, it was Eckert and not Romo in the game. Why? Two of his passes proceeded to get batted down and we settle for the field goal and thats basically the ballgame. I want Phillips on the field, but it had to at least be Romo in that situation.

I actually know why it was Eckert: because he was in the game right before we punted and we were surprised by the turnover and just went with him by default. Not good.

A 'guest' of mine at tonight's game (first time to attend an SMU game) speculated the reason for Eckert-instead-of-Romo is because each had been promised a certain amount of playing time and Romo had exceeded his playing time on the clock. I dunno...I was baffled, too.

[LakeHighlandsPony]

Eckert has a pretty spiral --right into the dirt at the receivers toes!

We should have put in Phillips..

[Hoop Fan]

I dunno, but at this point I'd rather see Justin Willis out there. He'll compete and move around and make plays. I see no reason to ride this season out with two rotating senior qbs looking to find themselves on the job. I know hindsight is 20/20 tonight, but anyone who doesnt think we have an issue at qb now is nuts.

[BUTitan]

Romo whipped Eckert hands down.

[PlanoStang]

we get 44 yards passing? until Baylor is in prevent? And Chris Phillips can't execute that pathetic passing game? This was a VERY winable game but coach Phil has decided to flush it down the toilet with two Division 1-AA caliber QBs. Sure Romo can run and ran well. Phillips can run better. Eckert was simply awful until the game was over. If Chris Phillips is not the QB we will be lucky to win 2 games. we flushed a potential program turning victory over a BCS school with a simply horrible QB play in the passing game.

Phillips supposedly has a rotator cuff injury. A lot of baseball pitchers never come back from that. Didn't Phillips pass at least OK during the spring, and actually had the best numbers in the spring game?

Eckert had a bad game. Offense kinda looked confused when he was in there changing plays on the line of scrimmage. Eckert never had a chance to settle down, and learn that he had to throw it higher over, or around the Baylor lineman who played volleyball with a few of his passes.

Either Bennett is the same as Cavan, and gets panicky with his choice of
QBs, or there was a game plan to use Eckert, and Romo according to what Baylor did defensively.

[Stallion]

Coach Phil is now staring 6-36 in the face under much less restrictions and easier conferences than ever seen before. And ECU the 7th team on our schedule beat an ACC BCS school-oK I'm stretching it because it was Duke. Remember I think Cavan had only one player who played who was recruited after SMU allowed commitments before December and that was Shanderrick Charles who could have the best recruit since the DP if he hadn't been injured.

[DallasDiehard]

Romo whipped Eckert hands down.

Romo wasn't playing against Eckert.
But yes, he was more effective.
Offense looked out of sync, and the QBs clearly had nerves issues in the first half. Hopefully we won't see that again.

[PlanoStang]

Romo whipped Eckert hands down.

Romo wasn't playing against Eckert.
But yes, he was more effective.
Offense looked out of sync, and the QBs clearly had nerves issues in the first half. Hopefully we won't see that again.

QBs never really got anything consistantly going. Option, and other plays that gained yardage in the first quarter were never seen again. Eckert yanked too early unless of some Baylor defensively scheme Romo was more effective against.

Bennett may need to change his last name to Cavan.

[JasonB]

Our o-line was getting trampled out there. It didn't matter what QB you put in there, they weren't going to be able to complete a pass. Eckert was successful on the last drive not because of the prevent but because Baylor stopped blitzing. Any QB you put back there would have been drilled. The problem with the passing game wasn't eckert or Romo, it was the o-line.

Screen passes drop 3 yards short when you are running backwards and throw off your back foot right before you get hit and can't even extend your throwing motion.

Our coaches didn't adjust well to the blitz. The Bears were doing a run blitz up the middle, so the playaction didn't do anything. We needed to do a straight drop, throw the slant, and keep our backs in to block.

[Huey78]

Our o-line was getting trampled out there. It didn't matter what QB you put in there, they weren't going to be able to complete a pass. Eckert was successful on the last drive not because of the prevent but because Baylor stopped blitzing. Any QB you put back there would have been drilled. The problem with the passing game wasn't eckert or Romo, it was the o-line.

Can't really argue the point on this, O-line was definitely having some challenges getting the job done.

Having said that, I thought we looked offensively tentative in the QB position. Even when the QB was outside the O-line and running, he was tip-toeing and non-committal. Hell, we looked timid.

Props overall to the defense though... at least initially... for hanging tough. I don't know if Baylor made better adjustments at the half than we did, or if we were worn out as we got in to the 2nd half, but the first half had some almost genius inklings interspersed in there.

'Course, the special teams work was disturbing--at least for the losing the big play potential of the two blocked kicks.

[Stallion]

our offense line is what it is--we can do little to change that now-you go recruit the best players who can and work with what you have. That being said Chris Phillips is your starter PERIOD end of sentence. He is the only one who is mobile enough, athletic enough, and strong enough with some developable ability to pass the ball. And I'm sorry Baylor does not have outstanding Division 1A defensive linemen-these are not the Monsters of the Midway. Deal with the situation with what you have instead of asking a barely 6-0 slow QB to flounder behind this line.

[JasonB]

I agree that Baylor isn't massive. But it wasn't their front four, it was their blitces. They blew our line up. Complaining about the QB is a waste, it just doesn't matter until we get better protection. Sure, Phillips is more athletic than Romo, but I don't think the coaches are going to just punt on the o-line in the first game of the season. They would LIKE to have a balanced offense. We will see if they panick as the season goes along.