Maurer? Portal bound?

[CrybabyVol]

What exactly is the argument here? What are the two sides? Is it whether we are better off with Maurer or JG?

 

[BeardedVol]

If he transfers, Maurer hasn't shown the kind talent for him to go to LSU. He's got the skills to start at a Pitt or West Virginia, but LSU, no way. Watch for the King kid from Houston to end up at LSU. He's special and that's too good an opportunity. Those Texas kids do love Oklahoma though so they will be a possible destination for him as well, but I don't know how he could pass on LSU.

What level of talent does a player need to exhibit prior to transferring to LSU?

 

[1vol8]

He is close to Maurer. Rarely talks about it because he wants his statements about BMs performance to stand on their own logic and merits...when pressed in the past he has admitted it. I told him that honestly it was best for him not to post here, and he had better have thick skin because everyone has opinions and they are often stupid and disrespectful. To his credit, I have never seen him disrespect another poster or get very bent out of shape which I am sure isnt easy since he obviously cares about BM.

BM made freshman mistakes. Threw into double coverage several times and threw a couple bad picks. It is expected. He also gave the team an obvious spark when JG couldnt move the ball at all and the team publicly got behind the kid...including his WR. I read their own words.

Another posted this very telling stat...that honestly should end the arguments from 1 side here but we all know will not:

3 seasons playing here. Full seasons.

JG has played 32 games and has 32TD.

How can any more need be said? Who can read that and think JG is a decent QB? An idiot. That's who. 7 points per game. If yall think we are winning games with 7 points in the passing game you're insane. Even with our now good defense. Not happening

Another stat that should end all arguments????

JG will be the only UT QB to play 4 seasons (if he gets to play next year) and finish with a LOSING RECORD. That's after the 6 out of 7 we won this year and the 6 game win streak. After. How can that ever be ignored????

Tough kid. No doubt. But after 4 years on campus, the best he can do is 1 TD a game..and goes out in a bowl game against a poor IU defense and throws 2 picks and gets benched again for a true freshman??? This is the guy yall set your hopes on??

BM has a higher ceiling than JG . HB had better, or he will be considered a bust. We have seen the best of JG...it is 7ppg. Over 32 freaking games. Smh

I appreciate the kind words and logic. Truth is a breath of fresh air on this board. I’ve learned that when things start getting to me to take a step back but I’ve also gotta admit that most of you are so damn likable I find myself right back.

I also hold out hope for JG. As does Brian. The competition between them literally only exist on this board. I’m hopeful but unconvinced that JG has a great senior season that no one expected but the body of work isn’t there to support it. For that it may seem I’m pushing BM over JG but far from the truth. I just recognize BMs ceiling and it’ll take time, patience and a coaching staff willing to invest in him for everyone to EVENTUALLY see what I’m trying to tell people now. Which is exactly why I’ve been quoted telling his haters that want him to transfer “Careful what you wish for”.

 

[k-town_king]

What level of talent does a player need to exhibit prior to transferring to LSU?

You do realize even with limited attempts JB had much greater numbers at OSU then BM had here last year.

Burrow wasn't 46% with a 2 to 5 td int ratio and a crappy qb rating.

He was accurate and took care of the ball. Things that cant be said about BM so far.

 

[sjt18]

And he fell a bit short of that mark. Not a detractor of Brian Maurer by any means, just of a certain portion of the fanbase. If BM could ever harness the energy in a controlled manner, he can shine.

I disagree with a lot of your descriptions but agree with this conclusion. IMHO, BM is a VERY accurate passer. He almost always puts the ball where he wants it... too often he just wants to put it somewhere he shouldn't.

He's almost the 180 opposite of JG. JG isn't instinctive or reactionary. He "thinks" too long and has to "see it" before throwing it. Maurer needs to slow down and read more often. He needs to go through his progressions. Too often he thinks he can force it into his primary read even if it is too tight.

On the plus side for Maurer... he has had the arm and accuracy to hit some very small windows even when anticipating the throw. But he has to be much more of that and much less of the "dangerous" risk taker.

 

[BeardedVol]

You do realize even with limited attempts JB had much greater numbers at OSU then BM had here last year.

Burrow wasn't 46% with a 2 to 5 td int ratio and a crappy qb rating.

He was accurate and took care of the ball. Things that cant be said about BM so far.

Right, he had a total of 39 attempts at OSU, and couldn't "win" the starting job in the coach's eyes during practice.

You really believe that LSU took him on transfer based off of tape of 39 passing attempts, and not the potential that the coaches saw in him?

If so, let me tell you about this plan I have for long-distance calling card sales.

 

[MemphisVol77]

You do realize even with limited attempts JB had much greater numbers at OSU then BM had here last year.

Burrow wasn't 46% with a 2 to 5 td int ratio and a crappy qb rating.

He was accurate and took care of the ball. Things that cant be said about BM so far.

Where are JB's TRUE FRESHMAN numbers?

Please search my post history. You'll find I've supported JG when validated, never disparaged him. I've been mostly impartial on the JG vs anybody else debates.

You'll see I've argued Pruitt handled the competition fairly all the way back to spring 2019......

I'm actually impressed with how disingenuously you can use statistics to support a narrative.

 

[sjt18]

You do realize even with limited attempts JB had much greater numbers at OSU then BM had here last year.

Burrow wasn't 46% with a 2 to 5 td int ratio and a crappy qb rating.

He was accurate and took care of the ball. Things that cant be said about BM so far.

Bolded is the first step toward intellectual honesty you've made in a long time. Keep coming. We'll welcome you here. Otherwise... more of your non-sense.

You cannot even correctly criticize the kid. He is accurate. He puts the ball where he wants it almost all the time. The problem is that he tries to force the ball into places he shouldn't go. Unlike JG who processes too slow.... BM wants to read and react RIGHT NOW. IMO, he has struggled when he needed to hold the ball and go through his progressions.

It doesn't take long for DC's to recognize that issue. It can be pretty easy to defend.... just like JG's weakness.

Maurer's upside was demonstrated when he had a half against UGA (the best D UT faced this year) better than any half of football JG has played in his college career. His weaknesses were very apparent against IU and UK.

You have this habit of taking "stats" out of context. Stats are just part of performance and they have very limited usefulness in projecting potential.

 

[Rickyvol77]

The fact is that several in the UT fan base are most ignorant and irrational when discussing the QB position....

Some QBs are "treasured" for their plays made during "special seasons" like Warren, Shuler, Dickey, Robinson, Francis, Holloway and Martin and although each had great qualities, they had some issues that were overlooked by these "old school fans".

Some QBs are vilified by the same fanbase for "big mistakes" or "off-comments" or "throwing a critical interception" like Manning, Bray, Ainge, Clausen, Dobbs, Kelly and these QBs are questioned for their "big game attitudes, heart, off-the-fields issues, etc", and their accomplishments are followed by "yea but"

in reality, you should base QB play at UT based on statistics, complete team talent, level of play, winning pct, big game wins and plays, coaching, physical skills, etc. to get an accurate complete assessment of these players.

in reality JG and BM both have some positive aspects about their game, and some negative ones that need to be worked on...It's up to them and the coaching staff to figure out the best way to utilize them next season (along with Bailey) to win games. Because THAT is the bottom line

 

[sjt18]

What exactly is the argument here? What are the two sides? Is it whether we are better off with Maurer or JG?

All of these will typically break down into two sides and a caveat.

You have a few who think JG is a great QB handicapped by everyone else. These folks largely see Maurer as a threat to their near cult like devotion to JG. So... they attack Maurer unreasonably. They use double standards and twist facts, stats, and logic in perverse ways.

Then you have a group who recognizes to one extent or another JG is a flawed, ineffective, and unsuccessful QB. By and large this group just wants to see great play from the QB position and no longer believes JG can provide it. Few if any in this group have anything like a cult like devotion to BM... but end up defending him a lot. Pretty much all recognize that Maurer played both good and bad during the season. He has potential but has NOT proven he's the answer yet.

The caveat are those who have already pushed all in on Bailey. Generally they know JG is limited but are willing for him to be the seat warmer. They'll take shots at Maurer but for the most part just assume Bailey will make everyone else an afterthought. Basically... they'd probably say there is no valid reason to debate JG or JG vs Maurer since HB is the coming messiah.

 

[sjt18]

The fact is that several in the UT fan base are most ignorant and irrational when discussing the QB position....

Some QBs are "treasured" for their plays made during "special seasons" like Warren, Shuler, Dickey, Robinson, Francis, Holloway and Martin and although each had great qualities, they had some issues that were overlooked by these "old school fans".

Some QBs are vilified by the same fanbase for "big mistakes" or "off-comments" or "throwing a critical interception" like Manning, Bray, Ainge, Clausen, Dobbs, Kelly and these QBs are questioned for their "big game attitudes, heart, off-the-fields issues, etc", and their accomplishments are followed by "yea but"

in reality, you should base QB play at UT based on statistics, complete team talent, level of play, winning pct, big game wins and plays, coaching, physical skills, etc. to get an accurate complete assessment of these players.

in reality JG and BM both have some positive aspects about their game, and some negative ones that need to be worked on...It's up to them and the coaching staff to figure out the best way to utilize them next season (along with Bailey) to win games. Because THAT is the bottom line

Being fair to only go back to say... Kelly due to the changes in the speed of the game... which of these players do you think JG would have started in front of? Kelly, Shuler, Manning, Martin, Clausen, Ainge, Bray, Dobbs? Frankly, I think he sits behind Crompton.

 

[BeardedVol]

The fact is that several in the UT fan base are most ignorant and irrational when discussing the QB position....

Some QBs are "treasured" for their plays made during "special seasons" like Warren, Shuler, Dickey, Robinson, Francis, Holloway and Martin and although each had great qualities, they had some issues that were overlooked by these "old school fans".

Some QBs are vilified by the same fanbase for "big mistakes" or "off-comments" or "throwing a critical interception" like Manning, Bray, Ainge, Clausen, Dobbs, Kelly and these QBs are questioned for their "big game attitudes, heart, off-the-fields issues, etc", and their accomplishments are followed by "yea but"

in reality, you should base QB play at UT based on statistics, complete team talent, level of play, winning pct, big game wins and plays, coaching, physical skills, etc. to get an accurate complete assessment of these players.

in reality JG and BM both have some positive aspects about their game, and some negative ones that need to be worked on...It's up to them and the coaching staff to figure out the best way to utilize them next season (along with Bailey) to win games. Because THAT is the bottom line

In reality, JG is a RS Junior who only managed to throw 15 TDs during regulation during his 4th year of college ball, and BM is a true freshman who spent most of the off-season and the actual season practicing with the second team offense. You can't even begin to gauge them equally on their results given the amount of time and resources that have been spent on JG to try to make him a successful SEC QB.

In reality, he is not, and without a miracle, will never play at a high enough level to be a successful SEC QB.

 

[UT_Dutchman]

Being fair to only go back to say... Kelly due to the changes in the speed of the game... which of these players do you think JG would have started in front of? Kelly, Shuler, Manning, Martin, Clausen, Ainge, Bray, Dobbs? Frankly, I think he sits behind Crompton.

He sits behind Helton, Stewart, and any number of our backups.

 

[sjt18]

Duh! outside of one deep ball, that was his passing game and i said it when it was happening. it was an rpo, one read passing game. uga and co figured it out and he was toast afterwards. it wasnt his injury. its he cant read defenses. i told you guys he couldn't. he's worse than JG at it, freshman or not. the best reader pre-bailey is Shrout!

He threw more than one deep ball. Simple fact. You are simply distorting the facts.

But they did try to give him easy reads. He's a Fr who was not ready to play. He was forced to play essentially because JG played so poorly.

He is worse at reading D's than JG. The problem is that JG won't pull the trigger. He thinks too long. Even when he knows where to go he doesn't anticipate the throw. Fatal flaw for JG... area for improvement for Maurer. If Maurer cannot improve... then I'll say he isn't good enough just like I'm saying JG isn't good enough. That's the difference between you and me. I'm objective. You are hung up on JG.

And yes... it was the injury. The only game he was pulled from for not playing well was UK... after he had been off with the injury for several weeks. He was nowhere near being pulled in the UGA, MSU, or Bama games. Even with the red zone INT's vs MSU... the coaches saw him moving the ball at will against their D.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I appreciate the kind words and logic. Truth is a breath of fresh air on this board. I’ve learned that when things start getting to me to take a step back but I’ve also gotta admit that most of you are so damn likable I find myself right back.

I also hold out hope for JG. As does Brian. The competition between them literally only exist on this board. I’m hopeful but unconvinced that JG has a great senior season that no one expected but the body of work isn’t there to support it. For that it may seem I’m pushing BM over JG but far from the truth. I just recognize BMs ceiling and it’ll take time, patience and a coaching staff willing to invest in him for everyone to EVENTUALLY see what I’m trying to tell people now. Which is exactly why I’ve been quoted telling his haters that want him to transfer “Careful what you wish for”.

Thanks for posting. I have said before that BM has not yet played enought to show his true skills. He was a true Freshman last year and was injured soon after he started playing. He may have been inserted bak into action before he had time to prepare adequately for SEC competition. I think that, if returnes, he will have the opportunity to prove himself on the field. We all know that the competition will be much greater in 2020 with the addition of HB. However, HB will be in the position that BM was last year. In addition, every team who wants to compete for championships mush have have talented depth at every position, especially at the QB position. However things go in the Spring, I wish the best of everything to BM and the entire Football team in 2020.

 

[sjt18]

In reality, JG is a RS Junior who only managed to throw 15 TDs during regulation during his 4th year of college ball, and BM is a true freshman who spent most of the off-season and the actual season practicing with the second team offense. You can't even begin to gauge them equally on their results given the amount of time and resources that have been spent on JG to try to make him a successful SEC QB.

In reality, he is not, and without a miracle, will never play at a high enough level to be a successful SEC QB.

I think it goes a little deeper than that. Pruitt last January did a very un-Pruitt like thing. He declared JG the starter. No talk of competition. IMO, he thought part of JG's problems were related to looking over his shoulder and not feeling he had the full support of his HC and OC. Because of this, I think they were even more focused on fixing him to the expense of the other two than a staff would normally be. I also believe that's why Pruitt was so resistant to making a change after the first two debacles.

 

[sjt18]

He sits behind Helton, Stewart, and any number of our backups.

Helton might have been a good QB at UT if not for the injury.

I think JG would have a shot to play in from of Stewart. Somewhat similar players. All the physical talent you could ever want... but something just not quite clicking in the mental part.

 

[KBVol]

So Maurer deserves credit for defenders dropping picks? That’s ridiculous.

JG, a 4th year player/3 year stater, threw into double and triple coverage plenty of times and could’ve easily had 4-5 more interceptions than his 8 ( actually threw 9, but had an awful pick overturned due to a phantom PI penalty vs GaState). All of that is part of the game, DBs drop picks they should’ve had pretty much every game vs every QB they play, so that point against Maurer is a wash at best, and pretty much invalid given that Maurer was a true freshman.

But at the end of the day, only 1 of UTs 3 QBs threw 2 horrible pick 6s deep in his own territory last year, both of which led to handing the other team all the momentum, one of which wound up being a loss and another one that very well could’ve had it not been for a perfectly executed on side kick....and that QB was our oldest, most experienced Qb, Guarantano.

 

[KBVol]

Helton might have been a good QB at UT if not for the injury.

I think JG would have a shot to play in from of Stewart. Somewhat similar players. All the physical talent you could ever want... but something just not quite clicking in the mental part.

While I agree with most all this, I would actually want far more physical talent than JG provides. He’s one of the worst running “athletic” QBs I’ve ever seen. If there’s 10 yards and a first down to be gained on a scramble out of the pocket on a broken play he’ll get 6-7 yards and if he’s ever flushed out of the pocket with an opportunity to make an unscheduled play throwing on the run, it’s a absolutely wasted play because he’s not ever gonna make a play in that situation.

 

[sjt18]

JG, a 4th year player/3 year stater, threw into double and triple coverage plenty of times and could’ve easily had 4-5 more interceptions than his 8 ( actually threw 9, but had an awful pick overturned due to a phantom PI penalty vs GaState). All of that is part of the game, DBs drop picks they should’ve had pretty much every game vs every QB they play, so that point against Maurer is a wash at best, and pretty much invalid given that Maurer was a true freshman.

But at the end of the day, only 1 of UTs 3 QBs threw 2 horrible pick 6s deep in his own territory last year, both of which led to handing the other team all the momentum, one of which wound up being a loss and another one that very well could’ve had it not been for a perfectly executed on side kick....and that QB was our oldest, most experienced Qb, Guarantano.

Dude... you are most definitely back from your long walk through the fog. Good post.

Something that bears repeating is that almost no one here thinks Maurer's play is good enough. He has to improve or he isn't the answer either. JG's cult following continually tries to use Maurer as a standard for the performance of a RS Jr. Incredible.

 

[sjt18]

While I agree with most all this, I would actually want far more physical talent than JG provides. He’s one of the worst running “athletic” QBs I’ve ever seen. If there’s 10 yards and a first down to be gained on a scramble out of the pocket on a broken play he’ll get 6-7 yards and if he’s ever flushed out of the pocket with an opportunity to make an unscheduled play throwing on the run, it’s a absolutely wasted play because he’s not ever gonna make a play in that situation.

LOL... that might be a little too far for me. Bray had feet of stone. Clausen looked awkward just running on and off the field.

 

[k-town_king]

BM is not accurate and turns the ball over at a ridiculous rate even for a freshman. These are indisputable FACTS. Anything else is nonsense.

 

[BeardedVol]

BM is not accurate and turns the ball over at a ridiculous rate even for a freshman. These are indisputable FACTS. Anything else is nonsense.

What is an acceptable rate for turnovers for freshman QBs who spend spring and fall camp with the second team, and only get reps with the first team offense during the season when the starter is woefully ineffective for the first 4 games of the season?

 

[whodeycin85]

BM is not accurate and turns the ball over at a ridiculous rate even for a freshman. These are indisputable FACTS. Anything else is nonsense.

Then please explain why JG td to int ratio dropped, sack rate increased, completion % dropped. All while being surrounded by a better team. And 2 NFL WR???

 

[krichunaka]

I think it goes a little deeper than that. Pruitt last January did a very un-Pruitt like thing. He declared JG the starter. No talk of competition. IMO, he thought part of JG's problems were related to looking over his shoulder and not feeling he had the full support of his HC and OC. Because of this, I think they were even more focused on fixing him to the expense of the other two than a staff would normally be. I also believe that's why Pruitt was so resistant to making a change after the first two debacles.

Exactly. *And, to be clear, I am no authority on QBs; I once spent our first week of junior varsity practice ...just trying to determine which of our several “candidates” could consistently take a snap and pivot (evidently it isn’t as easy as it appears).
But, to your point, Coach Pruitt actually made that particular statement (....that he didn’t want his QB looking over his shoulder) in announcing Jarrett Guarantano the starter the previous season. Which, to my way of thinking, was naive. A huge red flag. The QB, of all the positions, in all of sports, should know first and foremost, that every play he makes (or doesn’t make) can change a game, or to some extent, the season. And, yes, he could win, or lose playing time based on such decisions. It’s tuff out there!
Or, Coach Pruitt is actually much smarter than he “lets on,” as some say. Perhaps he is the first to realize the “delicacy” of the situation.
FWIW, I think both our Coach and QB have been slow to mature.