Has a Tennessee QB ever caused as many internal fan arguments as JG?

[wmcovol]

Majority of Vol fans wanted Brandon Stewart over Peyton Manning in the middle of their freshmen year.

That alone should disqualify Vol fans from bitchin about QBs.

 

[wmcovol]

Stewart had a cannon, Manning looked a bit like a wet noodle his Fr year, kind of physically weak compared to Stewart and the others. By his So season Peyton's arm strength had developed, never a cannon but always enough.

Stewart didn’t know the offense near as well as Manning. Stewart’s best plays, and those that caught the Vol fans love, were broken plays where he ran with the ball. By the last 3-4 games, Manning was clearly the best option capped off by a dominating performance vs the Va Tech vaulted defense in the Gator Bowl.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Majority of Vol fans wanted Brandon Stewart over Peyton Manning in the middle of their freshmen year.

That alone should disqualify Vol fans from bitchin about QBs.

I would not say the majority but it was a bunch. Fulmer did a good job back then of it never becoming a big deal, it was clear anyway once he started talking about Manning's time spent in the film room.

 

[Remy]

Brent Schaeffer vs Erik Ainge anybody?

 

[griffdog14]

Brent Schaeffer vs Erik Ainge anybody?

This was my first thought, and I was a kid back then but I still remember both of them playing and how much of a question it was.

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

Your reading comprehension sucks, I said that we played good enough to win for 58 minutes, we didn't finish. I said both JG and the one bad play were the major reasons we lost that game, thus not all JG, can you really not understand that?

My comprehension is fine. Your infatuation is another story.
Why not just talk instead of attack?

 

[MurphyVol]

There was a lot of talk about how we'd be better with Dormady over Dobbs. Even after Dobbs had a 40 TD season

 

[Ol Mother Hubbard]

I might be misreading the question a bit then. I feel like there was a lot of arguments about him and his impact on the program -- and I mean that in several ways, particularly with the "how much was he contributing to the wins" argument, and also the friction between him and the staff and Fulmer in particular. I don't recall there being many alternatives either but I feel like he was polarizing. But again, I might be misreading it a bit.

I remember people wearing "Team Ainge" and "Team Clausen" shirts. Ainge struggled, but was far and away more athletically gifted. Rick would come in and make a play every now and again, but not a lot of arm talent.

 

[jbradley1382]

This isn’t an “opinions on JG” thread, but I was just thinking back on all of the controversial, fan-dividing QB’s over the years. Have any one of them ever caused this much debating/arguing?

Crompton comes to mind. Casey Clausen maybe? Ainge? Inconsistency seems to be the key to sparking debates and JG is rolling in it.

I’d like to introduce you to a man named Justin Worley.

 

[BenGrimm]

Gosh I remember people wanted Dobbs sat in favor of JG.

Ultimately the QB get too much credit for winning and too much blame for losing.

 

[BenGrimm]

I think people realize they took Casey for granted in the years after

I certainly did.

I remember leaving that Peach Bowl vs Clemson happy the Clausen era was over. That may have been my first taste of being careful what I wished for.

 

[ksgovols]

I'm going with Steve Alatorre and/or Jeff Olszewski. Or A.J. Suggs and Joey Matthews. Both battles ended up with a freshman starting at QB. Alan Cockrill and Casey Clausen

 

[ksgovols]

Stewart had a cannon, Manning looked a bit like a wet noodle his Fr year, kind of physically weak compared to Stewart and the others. By his So season Peyton's arm strength had developed, never a cannon but always enough.

PM's arm strength was plenty as a frosh. He threw a pass against Miss State to the sideline in front of a State db that was an NFL throw. The commentators gushed about his arm strength.

The Shuler to Stewart transition would have been seamless. An athletic qb that could run or throw. That's what people saw and even into the Vandy game at the end of the year, Stewart would have an awesome game while Peyton was playing so -so.

I think Stewart saw the writing on the wall in the qb room. Peyton was a student of the game.

 

[CINCYVOL]

Hear me out. I think JG has the tools to be a successful quarterback but his ego got in the way. Going into last season he felt he needed to make up for any deficiencies with the receiving corps and did to much. He threw late because he didn't trust them and threw into coverage because he felt "he" had to win the game not the team.
You saw it at Alabama with the audible/fumble but at the end of the year he played within the system and did what was asked and found success. I think this year he comes in and follows the system rather than try to be the savior and we are all pleasantly surprised.
Flame away

The disheartening thing about JG is that he makes the same mistakes consistently since he’s been at UT.

 

[VOLnMiami]

Rick Clausen

 

[TVOL71]

Hear me out. I think JG has the tools to be a successful quarterback but his ego got in the way. Going into last season he felt he needed to make up for any deficiencies with the receiving corps and did to much. He threw late because he didn't trust them and threw into coverage because he felt "he" had to win the game not the team.
You saw it at Alabama with the audible/fumble but at the end of the year he played within the system and did what was asked and found success. I think this year he comes in and follows the system rather than try to be the savior and we are all pleasantly surprised.
Flame away

Ego may have a little bit to do with it, but I think the fact that the past 4 years he has had 4 different OCs, 4 different QB coaches, and two substantially different offenses (under Pruitt vs Jones) to deal with has to mess with a kids mind. Even though eighteen and over is often considered an adult, in reality these are still kids. Past years O-lines didn't protect him very well either, as he took a lot of major hits and often did not have a lot of time to make a play..

As far as the Alabama play, I think the ball was on the half yard line, and he thought he could just reach out 2 feet to get the score, but he didn't think it through and realize he was behind center which actually put him about 2 yards from the goal line when he got the ball, to far to just stretch it across the goal. I doubt you will see him do something that dumb again.

While I don't expect him to be a great QB, I do think he will be improved after a second year with Cheney, and the O-line should be able to give him a lot better protection this year. I don't see anyone else starting at the beginning of the year (barring injury or external issue), but if he hasn't improved after 2 or 3 starts, it will probably be time to look elsewhere. GBO.

 

[Chippo]

Ego may have a little bit to do with it, but I think the fact that the past 4 years he has had 4 different OCs, 4 different QB coaches, and two substantially different offenses (under Pruitt vs Jones) to deal with has to mess with a kids mind. Even though eighteen and over is often considered an adult, in reality these are still kids. Past years O-lines didn't protect him very well either, as he took a lot of major hits and often did not have a lot of time to make a play..

As far as the Alabama play, I think the ball was on the half yard line, and he thought he could just reach out 2 feet to get the score, but he didn't think it through and realize he was behind center which actually put him about 2 yards from the goal line when he got the ball, to far to just stretch it across the goal. I doubt you will see him do something that dumb again.

While I don't expect him to be a great QB, I do think he will be improved after a second year with Cheney, and the O-line should be able to give him a lot better protection this year. I don't see anyone else starting at the beginning of the year (barring injury or external issue), but if he hasn't improved after 2 or 3 starts, it will probably be time to look elsewhere. GBO.

Well thought out post.

 

[ATLVols]

He is possibly the most disliked. Anytime a UT QB is underperforming, it happens. That’s why Crompton (pre-Chaney) and JG got it the most. Every QB has some critics, but most of our past QBs played good overall.

 

[jarnol32]

Somewhat comparable, but I don't think any QB with physical talent can rival the issues Crompton had all the way through about the first month of his Senior year. Crompton played every snap like he was having an anxiety attack.

Crompton was good after the light bulb came on. That’s what is so frustrating about jg, he will play lights out one game, then just lose it for three or four weeks. I thought after the Missouri game things had clicked for him, turns out they didn’t.

 

[PulaskiVolFan]

Ego may have a little bit to do with it, but I think the fact that the past 4 years he has had 4 different OCs, 4 different QB coaches, and two substantially different offenses (under Pruitt vs Jones) to deal with has to mess with a kids mind. Even though eighteen and over is often considered an adult, in reality these are still kids. Past years O-lines didn't protect him very well either, as he took a lot of major hits and often did not have a lot of time to make a play..

As far as the Alabama play, I think the ball was on the half yard line, and he thought he could just reach out 2 feet to get the score, but he didn't think it through and realize he was behind center which actually put him about 2 yards from the goal line when he got the ball, to far to just stretch it across the goal. I doubt you will see him do something that dumb again.

While I don't expect him to be a great QB, I do think he will be improved after a second year with Cheney, and the O-line should be able to give him a lot better protection this year. I don't see anyone else starting at the beginning of the year (barring injury or external issue), but if he hasn't improved after 2 or 3 starts, it will probably be time to look elsewhere. GBO.

Nobody ever mentions how bad and inexperienced his 1st 2 OCs were either. Good take.

 

[KnoxRealtorVOL]

Nobody ever mentions how bad and inexperienced his 1st 2 OCs were either. Good take.

Larry Scott. Good grief what a hire.

 

[WBO]

I don't know why but it seems to be a Big Orange tradition to hate our starting QB. We didn't have the online outlets then that we do now but t remember arguments for Randy Sanders over Jeff Francis and people were all over Andy Kelly (who did more with less physical gifts than any UT QB in my lifetime). And for those of us who remember, there was a sizable number of Vol fans who said Brandon Stewart was better than Peyton Manning since he was a much better runner.

Other posters have noted the criticism of Crompton who basically proved how much of an effect bad coaching can have on the development of a QB. I hate Lane Kiffen with a deep orange passion but you have to admit that in Crompton's case he really showed what good QB coaching and proper playcallinng could do. (Excuse me while I go beat my head against the wall for saying anything good about Kiffen.)

With the exception of Majors starting Alan Cockrell over Tony Robinson (Majors said that he loved Cockrell because he reminded Johnny of himself as a player), I feel that the coaching staff is always going to start the player who they believe gives the team the best chance to win.

 

[feathersax]

Once again, the old nag gets it.

 

[tnutater]

Really surprised no one has brought up Randy Sanders. I still remember his Boston College game. Pretty sad.

I remember Sanders overthrowing a wide open receiver in the end zone when we lost to Miss St in 1986. Maddest I have ever been at a Tennessee quarterback.

 

[keenobserver]

Ehhhh.... Clausen had his share of detractors for sure.

He drove me nuts at the time with his high knees when scrambling, throwing floaters, etc.....it wasn't until years later that I fully appreciated the guts he played with...