Just curious if this has crossed anyone's mind. This is not meant to be a pro-Padron or anti-JJMcD post... just describing what I see, and thoughts that crossed my mind.
Facts:
We have one QB who is more accurate, and one who makes decisions faster. Neither is going to appear on any Heisman ballots.
Our coach, fed up with no increase in decision making speed over the past two years, decides to go with the less accurate arm.
The more accurate QB got very small doses of playtime following the switch, but was rarely allowed to throw the ball. Now he, and everyone else, gets none.
The less accurate QB is also extremely immobile, and an offensive line that was viewed as the conference's best with a QB who had avoidance skills, now is questioned loudly for the number of sacks they give up.
Speculation:
Our receivers, some of whom have aspirations of playing at the next level, may feel that throws that are nowhere near catchable are costing them stats, and therefore draft position. (They are also dropping their fair share of balls, but the receivers, like most of us, choose to focus on the plays that *others* didn't make, as opposed to the ones that *they* didn't make.)
Our offensive line, some of whom have aspirations of playing at the next level, may feel that an immobile QB is making them look bad, and therefore costing them draft position. (However, it's true that they let through massive pressure with the mobile QB, too... he was just better at running away.)
The more accurate, but slower with decisions, QB has shown a consistent good attitude following the game where he was pulled, and has been a pretty visible cheerleader on the sideline. He's the first to congratulate good plays, and at least appears to be a fairly vocal force on the sideline.
The past two weeks on the road, a strong sideline presence has not traveled due to injury, and words consistently used to describe the team were: lifeless, emotionless, flat.
Conclusion:
We may have a situation where the coaching staff solidly supports one starting quarterback, and the team quite possibly supports the other.
Further, this divide between coaches and players (or *possibly* even assistant coaches and players vs. the head coach) has become so serious that it has affected performance in practice and during games.
The coach is aware of the divide, and avoids giving any other QB even a speck of playtime, to avoid the perception that he's giving in to the team's desires, which he disagrees with.
I'm not saying who I think is being *more* immature here (coach vs. players) and certainly, I could be wrong about what is wrong in the locker room. I'd be interested in other's thoughts.
Stallion doesn't think I'm a stinkin' genius anymore.
PonyPlayer: I think I mentioned that neither one of them was a world beater. Padron is not a model of accuracy. I'd have a time hard time believing that he's not more accurate than McDermott, though. Does the slower decision making speed (the gap on this has closed in the past two weeks, McD has looked very unsure of himself... exactly like Padron looked before he was pulled) make up for the difference in accuracy? I don't know. That's why we pay the coach, to make those decisions.
PerunaPunch: I think I mentioned the injury. I'm not arguing who should be playing, because honestly, I don't think that one of them significantly out-performs the other. I'm simply wondering if the *team* has a preference.
Stallion doesn't think I'm a stinkin' genius anymore.
I'm not arguing for or against either one. They are both frustrating to watch. I wish we were ahead of where we are at this time at the QB position. I can't wait until we aren't looking to the bench for the answer.
PonyPlayer4 wrote:I'm not arguing for or against either one. They are both frustrating to watch. I wish we were ahead of where we are at this time at the QB position. I can't wait until we aren't looking to the bench for the answer.
On that, we definitely agree. We should be better at QB by now. But we're not, and I wonder if that's leading to difficulties between players and coaches.
We have other problems, no doubt, but the QB position is currently holding us back from higher levels of performance on the field. No matter who is playing. I, for one, seriously doubt that the answer is currently on our roster.
Stallion doesn't think I'm a stinkin' genius anymore.
The fact that we have players worrying about draft positions shows how far we have come personal wise. Could just be growing pains and a need to get the whole team to buy back in and not worry just about themselves.
Has this season be written off? Clearly Kaiser is never going to get playing time. If June feels he can't do better than McD's performance in the last two games, he will probably be a permanent bench player or expect him to transfer out to an FCS school. No hard feelings if he does. June does not want to burn CP's red-shirt, so if McD does not improve we should see a healthy KP given a shot. If we don't see KP ever get another chance can we assume he is being medical-redshirted for this season? This is an odd thing to think about given he was pulled from the starting game, so why they need to have him for another two years seems odd. Perhaps, CP is not developing as well as hoped, Kaiser is glued to the bench, and June needs some insurance (at least a bowl game) for the next two years before we have Printz and Gilbert is an unknown. We have a 4star WR coming in next year, but it will be hard to recruit more quality WRs given how dreadful our passing game has been unless it turns around.
Winning solves everything, so hopefully we find a QB to win, don't care who it is, just need some one to step up and lead this team. Otherwise we really need to add some new packages and feature a few two back formations to compliment Line if passing does not get back on track this season. The season is salvageable, and we can be going to our third bowl game in a row, further separate ourselves from Rice and take back the Gansz Trophy.
ender3, I realise you are just speculating but I would not be surprised if there was an element of truth in your post. A good post.
If my memory serves I remember JJ saying that Kaiser, when he commited, was so good that JJ would have drafted him ot of HS into the NFL when JJ was coaching there. He must have been an ealy bloomer who has really regressed.
rich59 wrote:ender3, I realise you are just speculating but I would not be surprised if there was an element of truth in your post. A good post.
If my memory serves I remember JJ saying that Kaiser, when he commited, was so good that JJ would have drafted him ot of HS into the NFL when JJ was coaching there. He must have been an ealy bloomer who has really regressed.
I believe Kaiser was out with mono last year. maybe he has not fully recovered his strength.
rich59 wrote:ender3, I realise you are just speculating but I would not be surprised if there was an element of truth in your post. A good post.
If my memory serves I remember JJ saying that Kaiser, when he commited, was so good that JJ would have drafted him ot of HS into the NFL when JJ was coaching there. He must have been an ealy bloomer who has really regressed.
I believe Kaiser was out with mono last year. maybe he has not fully recovered his strength.
