SEC bounce-back players: Tennessee

[Yankee_Vol]

On ESPN: SEC bounce-back players: Tennessee - SEC Blog - ESPN

The link is on the VolNation homepage But I wanted to discuss it.


I don't see Simms as a bounce back player, the only chance he starts is if Bray gets hurt.

I think getting back Walls will be huge

[dlw4n]

College football is a funny sport. I think we all take it for granted that Bray will play this year the way he finished last year. Most likely, he will play well enough that he will hold his job all year, but if he hits a big slump (and this happens frequently to sophomore QBs) we will need Simms. Also, a team is only one heartbeat away from playing their second string QB for the rest of the year (I'm crossing my heart and knocking on wood as I type this).

Even if he never plays a meaningful snap this year, Simms can contribute in an extremely significant way to the team dynamic and the development of Bray and Worley in practice. This is perhaps his biggest and most important role. Let's just hope we keep his daddy away from practice.

[rbird]

You can pretty much throw out about half of what Low says....so yeah, this article is par for the course.

Edit: Disregard, I did not notice that Low didn't write it. I still don't think Simms will be a huge factor unless Bray is injured. Not to say he won't play, but he shouldn't (have to) be a game changer.

[Special Ed]

Don't overlook the fact that the piece was written by Edward Aschoff. This is his bio:

Aschoff joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending four years covering the University of Florida for The Gainesville Sun. He grew up in Oxford, Miss., before attending UF, graduating with a B.S. in journalism.

He's a graduate of FL, so we know what the BS stands for.

[YorkVol]

Simms is a fighter and if he learned something from last year it should be get rid of the ball quickly. I think he's biding his time, waiting for that moment when Bray gets his bell rung and he gets a chance to prove himself again. Can he do it? Maybe, he had some good moments last year but got into a habit of taking it on the chin instead of using his brains and trusting his instincts. I don't think he is as talented as Bray but all it would take would be a bad day by Bray and Simms putting together a couple of really good drives for him to regain the starting job (and the renewed love of all VN). Just think what would happen if Bray got knocked out of the Florida or Alabama game and Simms came in and won it. . .

[justingroves]

Originally Posted by YorkVol

Just think what would happen if Bray got knocked out of the Florida or Alabama game and Simms came in and won it. . .

Simms would be right back on the bench the moment Bray was healthy enough to go.

[YorkVol]

Originally Posted by justingroves

Simms would be right back on the bench the moment Bray was healthy enough to go.

You're probably right, but the debate on VN would rage stronger than the Fulmer vs Kiffin or Orange vs Black jersey debates.

[Coach Grizz]

Originally Posted by justingroves

Simms would be right back on the bench the moment Bray was healthy enough to go.

Yep
Posted via VolNation Mobile

[volroadwarrior]

Bray should start, but I don't understand all of the hate Simms receives. He played against the toughest opponents with a new OL. I think he will do fine if called upon.

[golfballs]

hard to be a bounce back player when you don't see the field

[Yankee_Vol]

Originally Posted by YorkVol

Just think what would happen if Bray got knocked out of the Florida or Alabama game and Simms came in and won it. . .

If able, Bray would start the next game. Simms isn't horrible, but he's not great either. He's serviceable. I wouldn't want him starting more than a game or two

[kptvol]

Originally Posted by Yankee_Vol

If able, Bray would start the next game. Simms isn't horrible, but he's not great either. He's serviceable. I wouldn't want him starting more than a game or two

He's horrible.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

[WoodsmanVol]

Originally Posted by Yankee_Vol

On ESPN: SEC bounce-back players: Tennessee - SEC Blog - ESPN

The link is on the VolNation homepage But I wanted to discuss it.


I don't see Simms as a bounce back player, the only chance he starts is if Bray gets hurt.

I think getting back Walls will be huge

1. Love Bray but the consistent mention of his partying, weeding, and the conduct exhibited at what I think was the Witten camp shakes faith in his readiness to be the kind of QB we need. If these rumors are even marginally true, Simms surely knows about it and is smart to put in the work he did to be ready when or if Bray falters due to personal faults.

2. Smarter people than me have stated that Simms is a better QB than his haters know. He lacks certain intangibles that Bray has but given a decent OL with time to throw he is a pretty deft passer. The only thing that bugs me about him is he seemed to develop a tendency to fumble in his last two games. I got the feeling given the relatively mild impact tackles, he dropped the balls on purpose except those knocked out of his hand.

3. Sophs have a tendency to think they're invincible after a successful frosh year and make dumb decisions. Simms is an experienced vet and if given the chance to reclaim his spot he will make a hell of a go at it. What I don't like about him is his overboard act after he scores a TD. But on the other hand it's at least not as (to me) disgusting as some of the other stuff I see, dancing and other ridiculous acts of celebration.

4. At some point, Bray is going to have a bad game and CDD is going to pull him. Simms is going in with the intention to keep him pulled out. Matt knows he's a senior and if he has any hope of going pro, he has to make every opportunity count. That's powerful motivation right there. I'd say as much as I love Bray, he better watch out, Simms is not going to roll over and play dead.

[justingroves]

Originally Posted by WoodsmanVol

1. Love Bray but the consistent mention of his partying, weeding, and the conduct exhibited at what I think was the Witten camp shakes faith in his readiness to be the kind of QB we need.

Ridiculous.

Tennessee needs the kind of QB that threw 18 TD passes in 5 starts.

The majority of those rumors are started by a guy that got his girlfriend stolen by Bray and a guy that's still mad Fulmer got canned.

[Thrasher865]

<- sick of hearing about Bray's stats.

Compare Bray's strength of schedule to Simms and then re-evaluate. Not that I think Simms is the better QB. Far from it. I'm just extremely cautious about annointing Bray a spectacular QB. In my eyes, right now, he is pretty good, bordering on good.

Hopefully this season reveals that he is truly a spectacular QB, but I haven't seen the evidence to convince me yet. Then again, I'm normally drunk when I go to the games and rarely go back and watch the replays because they're always so painful.