Analytic Approach to QB Situation

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BerkVol

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#1
Analytical approach to to UT QB situation.
I know people seem down on Stephens but lets revisit.

Crompton: Last year
More experienced, was a 4th year junior, got all the first team reps spring and fall camps. Also in 2007 had 2 SEC starts (against LSU and Arkansas) and had been back up (getting reps) to Ainge for 2 years. He was handed the job. His stats are disturbing:
UCLA - 1 INT, 0 touchdown, bad loss. UAB (win), but 2INTs, 2TDs. Florida (bad loss) 1INT. Auburn (terrible loss) 34% completion % - 8 out of 23. Wyoming : terrible LOSS, 40% completion. Vanderbilt threw 1 pass which was intercepted 1 INT. Kentuck (best game), only threw 8 passes 1TD.

Nick Stephens
Was redshirt SOPHMORE and didn't get many reps until his first start. For what its worth, as a recruit he is rated same as Sam Bradford, Christian Ponder (FSU), Greg McElroy.
Northern Illinois (win) - 59% completion, 1TD 0 INT. The reviews on scout and rivals where that it was a great first start for a kid with no experience.
@ Georgia: (loss 26-14 AT GA) 208 yds passing, 2TDs 0 INT. Again great reviews.
Miss St. (win 34-3), passed for 136yd, 0 TDs or INTs
Alabama (loss) 57% completion, 1 TD 0 INT. I recall he set some record about most attempts before first INT. Btw, he is a Sophmore who has just played 3 SEC games incl. top 10 teams Georgia and Alabama.
@ South Carolina 42% completion 0 TD, 1 INT. Bad day in front of crazy SC fans.
Fulmer gets fired that week. Team is depressed, does not show up for Wyoming.
Wyoming : 3 for 9 with 2INTs. Bad game? yeah, he is annoyed and will get in peoples face. Not in the corner sulking. Yells at Briscoe for running the wrong route. Moxy or bad attitude? Gets yanked. Crompton comes in and continues to perform bad (11 for 27, 40%). Loss.
Doesn't play again.
Stephens' stats (compl %, TD / Int ratio, yds/game) are better or similar to Christian Ponders for 2008. Even though Ponder plays 2 1-AA opponents. Ponder is tearing it up this year.

Some other facts:
- Stephens misses spring with broken hand. Stephens working on new delivery, making adjustments. Stephens has the stronger arm. Crompton is probably more mobile.
- Crompton get outplayed by SOPH Coleman. Coleman transfers
- Crompton works his but off all summer. Diligent notes, practicing etc.
- Kiffin and co. invest a TON in Cromptons confidence rebuilding.
- Its close, but Crompton outplays Stephens in Fall. Crompton has reputation of solid practice player but mentally fragility in games. Crompton EARNS the starting nod.

Western Kentucky. Crompton is brilliant. Weak opponent, but still brilliant. Only concern is that many passes batted down and 2 interceptions against very weak defense. Stephens 4 for 4, shows off arm. Don't put to much weight on this.

UCLA
- One of the worst QBing performances i have ever seen. 3 INTs in 3 straight possessions. Sulking in corner. Confidence is shot. No moxy. the ANTI-TEBOW. Kiffin afraid to through a pass. OL is facing 9 men in the box and get criticized for not performing - i don't get that.
- Even with that, we get close to winning game. 4 runs for the 3 yd line. Afraid to use the QB. Even get the ball back at midfield with about 1 minute left. Crompton throws the 5 worst passes (remember 1 of them was another INT which was nulified cause of holding) of the night with the game on the line. No chance with him in there.

What to do now?
I think James Bryant at Scout said it best. Why not get Stephens in there and getting on developing him for this year and especially next. Crompton seems mentally shot. Putting him in against a fired up Florida and Tebow at the Swamp is cruel punishment for the kid. I also believe that gamers don't need to have their confidence built up. We have invested as much in his confidence as we did to get a man on the moon. Tebow won the Heisman as a first yr starting true SOPH. Lets see what kind of character Stephens has. This is my opinion based on the analytics.

What do you guys think?
 
#2
#2
I believe we gotta get stephens in there! and yeah we have 5 guys on the o line and they have 9 im gonna go with 9 over 5 anyday.
 
#4
#4
I like Stephens for the future, but there is no reason to sacrifice him to the alligators this Saturday.
 
#5
#5
I completely agree except for starting Stephens in the Swamp. That's tough period. Now if the coaching staff expects us to win then I would give it a shot...

I just don't see why everyone is loving on Crompton. Yes, he is our starter. But should he be? I think Stephens is by far better if only for his intensity on the sidelines (rather than sulking).
 
#6
#6
I don't get why people are hating on Stephens who, as Soph + running the Clawfense + didn't get the preseason reps, threw more TDs than INTs against SEC competition (Alabama, Georgia etc.). Remember, pick 6 against Wyoming was cause Briscoe ran wrong route on game that everyone was down ('cause CPF fired).
 
#7
#7
yea did you guys see stephens zip on the balls he threw against western.

Last year he played bad against wyoming because the team quit and he was the only one trying i like this kid.
 
#8
#8
I think this game against Florida is a statement about our swagger and manhood. I WANT Stephens in there. Yeah he may throw some picks, but he will throw some TDs as well and will hit some gator in the mouth and will give us some pride. Having a castrated QB like JC out there for this statement game is wrong. If think if Nick's got "it", I think his confidence will survive and we all be better for it going into Alabama this year and all of next year.
 
#9
#9
I like how you did your homework. This makes it pretty clear who the quarterback needs to be. Stephens is getting screwed along with the fans by starting crompton.
 
#10
#10
Vol-in-Bham said:
I completely agree except for starting Stephens in the Swamp. That's tough period. Now if the coaching staff expects us to win then I would give it a shot...

I just don't see why everyone is loving on Crompton. Yes, he is our starter. But should he be? I think Stephens is by far better if only for his intensity on the sidelines (rather than sulking).
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm wrong but I think if Stephens was far better I would think he would be playing or would have won the job in the spring. I don't think anyone is loving on Crompton at all (quite the opposite actually). I think the WRs and OL haven't performed well either expect against WKU where everyone looked like a superstar.:)
 
#11
#11
Vol-in-Bham said:
I completely agree except for starting Stephens in the Swamp. That's tough period. Now if the coaching staff expects us to win then I would give it a shot...

I just don't see why everyone is loving on Crompton. Yes, he is our starter. But should he be? I think Stephens is by far better if only for his intensity on the sidelines (rather than sulking).
Click to expand...

I think Stephens is just cocky/confident enough to go into Gainesvile and have a decent game. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain. If he loses and plays awful whats the worst that happens...he goes back to 2nd string? Even if he's not a better QB (which is impossible not to be) he's a better leader for sure. I'm surprised Kiffin wouldn't have gone with him from the get go b/c I see similarities between the two.
 
#12
#12
IPorange said:
I like Stephens for the future, but there is no reason to sacrifice him to the alligators this Saturday.
Click to expand...

+1. If #8 can't handle pressure, then he doesn't have a future playing football. Let him get the axe after the UF game and then get Stephens in there.
 
#13
#13
It's a no-brainer: Stephens should be playing. That Kiffin does not realize this is pretty scary, if you ask me.
 
#14
#14
kptvol1 said:
I like how you did your homework. This makes it pretty clear who the quarterback needs to be. Stephens is getting screwed along with the fans by starting crompton.
Click to expand...
thanks, it was my first post, i figure i would do the homework!
 
#15
#15
IPorange said:
I like Stephens for the future, but there is no reason to sacrifice him to the alligators this Saturday.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Starting Stephens at the swamp would do one thing and one thing only. Cause him to lose whatever confidence he has in himself.
 
#16
#16
I think I agree 100 percent. There is no doubt Stevens will start next year. Why not put him in this year and get him ready for next year. Crompton is gone after this year anyways.
 
#18
#18
LouisvilleVol07 said:
Maybe I'm wrong but I think if Stephens was far better I would think he would be playing or would have won the job in the spring. I don't think anyone is loving on Crompton at all (quite the opposite actually). I think the WRs and OL haven't performed well either expect against WKU where everyone looked like a superstar.:)
Click to expand...
No one is denying that JC won the job at camp. He worked his tail off all summer and got all the spring reps and is a good practice player. Kiffin said he's got the players "backs" and and want to stick with 1 QB. So it would be hypocritical to drop JC. I don't agree with this, but it is what it is..
 
#19
#19
how crompton performs in practice vs. another qb, doesnt mean a thing. if he cant get the job done when it matters, why should he continue to start? Stephens most likely wont get a chance to start against the Gators, but he at least deserves a chance to play..
 
#20
#20
For better or worse i believe Crompton will force CLK to make a change. Unfortunately, maybe in the first half of this game. I just can't see much more than a disaster down there for Crompton.
 
#21
#21
Stephens went 2-4 as a starter with wins over N.Illinois which was a close game and the whipping post of the SEC Miss.St. I like his attitude better but I honestly believe they both suck. Starting Stephens against the Gators would be like sending someone into a gun fight carrying a knife when it come to what the game would do to his ego and confidence.
 
#23
#23
utqt said:
how crompton performs in practice vs. another qb, doesnt mean a thing. if he cant get the job done when it matters, why should he continue to start? Stephens most likely wont get a chance to start against the Gators, but he at least deserves a chance to play..
Click to expand...
I completely agree. Open competition should be for all, incl. QB. never stopped Spurrier at FL from winning games. But I will still support CLK in his choice and strategy..
 
#24
#24
It is obviously close between the two of them, which is probably sad for UT football. Stephens did play a decent bit last year and yeah, we still pretty much sucked on offense. I think we need to play more of the Freshman WRs (Teague, Nuke) as they showed some chemistry w/ Crompton vs WKU and so they can develop as players for the future.
 
#25
#25
GmanTN said:
Stephens went 2-4 as a starter with wins over N.Illinois which was a close game and the whipping post of the SEC Miss.St. I like his attitude better but I honestly believe they both suck. Starting Stephens against the Gators would be like sending someone into a gun fight carrying a knife when it come to what the game would do to his ego and confidence.
Click to expand...
Did you see the games against N. Illinois, Georgia and Alabama (best defense in the country last year)? Stephens played really well for SOPH first time starter. 5 TD to 0 INTs. I dont think he sucks anymore that Christian Ponder sucked at FSU as SOPH last year. Think of all the experience, reps and playing time advantages that Crompton had. Stephens got benched cause of aggressive approach to teammates that had given up. the coaching staff had also given up..
 
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