I think they are saying we don't NEED him to be able to win this game. We still SHOULD win. It's next man up mentality. That's how you have to look at it. JJ graduated... how will we ever replace him? Boom, Tillman. Tillman goes down. Do we just cancel the season? No, sir. We get to put another guy out there. No reason that Keyton & Merrill can't be successful.
I think the "targets" will be spread around much more than they have been, unless of course Bru goes off early and has a huge game.