Justifications for Playing Bray

#1
PeytonBerry

PeytonBerry

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#1
OK, let me start by saying I am proud of Matt Simms. He has given his heart to this team, and he is a tough leader. I also think he could be a decent SEC QB. Still, I think Bray is a better option, not because "Simms sucks!" but because Bray is good. I will also qualify my argument by saying it is simply my opinion. I may be completely wrong.

Here are some arguments I have heard supporting Simms.

1. Simms has more experience.

Simms had 2 bad games in Louisville and a 17td/12int season in JUCO. He has had no more time in the system than Bray. They got here at the same time.

2. Simms has a rocket arm.

Simms does have a rocket arm, and so does Bray. The difference is Simms has one ball speed, and Bray has touch. Think about his int at Georgia and his touchdown pass to Zach Rogers (should have been intercepted).

3. Simms doesn't have time to throw.

Hard to argue with this one, the OL doesn't give him much protection. With that said, I counted three sacks in the UGA game that Simms could have and should have avoided. Bray has a quicker release.

4. Simms knows the playbook better.

If Simms does know the playbook better, it does not show. Our offensive play calling appears EXTREMELY limited. When Bray came in, it seemed to open up. With Bray we saw over the middle, rolling out, fade passes, slants, etc.

5. Simms has given his heart to this team.

I couldn't agree more, but that does not mean he should start. Fulmer gave his heart to UT, but a change was needed. We should have the best player in.

6. Simms is a the leader of this team.

I have heard this so much, but I don't really see it on the field. I don't see him getting in his players face or taking command. I could be wrong but I just don't see it.

7. Bray will get broken in half.

I will admit he is tall and scrawny. So were Manning and Ainge. We don't know how tough he is until we see him play.

8. If Bray was the better QB, he would be playing.

I used the example earlier of Mike Vick in Philly. Was he the better QB from Day 1, or did he just magically become the better QB once Kolb got injured? I agree we should support our coaches, but you can't just say the coaches are ALWAYS right. SOMETIMES, the backup is better.

To me Simms has the following problems: Accuracy, touch, staring down targets, slow decisions.

Compare that to the UGA game and Bray's scouting report from Rivals. "Bray is a very accurate quarterback that has excellent touch and can throw any type pass asked of him. He is also an intelligent player that will make the right reads and not throw into double coverage."

I just think Bray gives us an edge in the short-term AND the long-term. Again, just an opinion.
 
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#2
#2
PeytonBerry said:
OK, let me start by saying I am pround of Matt Simms. He has given his heart to this team, and he is a tough leader. I also think he could be a decent SEC QB. Still, I think Bray is a better option, not because "Simms sucks!" but because Bray is god. I will also qualify my argument by saying it is simply my opinion. I may be completely wrong.

Here are some arguments I have heard supporting Simms.

1. Simms has more experience.

Simms had 2 bad games in Louisville and a 17td/12int season in JUCO. He has had no more time in the system than Bray. They got here at the same time.

2. Simms has a rocket arm.

Simms does have a rocket arm, and so does Bray. The difference is Simms has one ball speed, and Bray has touch. Think about his int at Georgia and his touchdown pass to Zach Rogers (should have been intercepted).

3. Simms doesn't have time to throw.

Hard to argue with this one, the OL doesn't give him much protection. With that said, I counted three sacks in the UGA game that Simms could have and should have avoided. Bray has a quicker release.

4. Simms knows the playbook better.

If Simms does know the playbook better, it does not show. Our offensive play calling appears EXTREMELY limited. When Bray came in, it seemed to open up. With Bray we saw over the middle, rolling out, fade passes, slants, etc.

5. Simms has given his heart to this team.

I couldn't agree more, but that does not mean he should start. Fulmer gave his heart to UT, but a change was needed. We should have the best player in.

6. Simms is a the leader of this team.

I have heard this so much, but I don't really see it on the field. I don't see him getting in his players face or taking command. I could be wrong but I just don't see it.

7. Bray will get broken in half.

I will admit he is tall and scrawny. So were Manning and Ainge. We don't know how tough he is until we see him play.

8. If Bray was the better QB, he would be playing.

I used the example earlier of Mike Vick in Philly. Was he the better QB from Day 1, or did he just magically become the better QB once Kolb got injured? I agree we should support our coaches, but you can't just say the coaches are ALWAYS right. SOMETIMES, the backup is better.

To me Simms has the following problems: Accuracy, touch, staring down targets, slow decisions.

Compare that to the UGA game and Bray's scouting report from Rivals. "Bray is a very accurate quarterback that has excellent touch and can throw any type pass asked of him. He is also an intelligent player that will make the right reads and not throw into double coverage."

I just think Bray gives us an edge in the short-term AND the long-term. Again, just an opinion.
Click to expand...

Man you really do like him.
 
#5
#5
ihateflorida said:
If Bray is GOD, does that make Simms the devil?
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I'll admit, I am a big Bray fan, and I have been since before a starter was named. I just don't like people getting on here and saying "Simms sucks!" "Put Bray in!" without backing it up. I just wanted to give some reasoning behing my argument.
 
#6
#6
Here's a justification for you.....we aren't going to win many games regardless of who the QB is
 
#7
#7
At this stage of the game, all I see is youth with hopeful upside through experience. Propst, Crump,Smith,Hunter,Bray,Neal etc. Get em involved as much as possible, this season is a throw away. Scratch Hunter. He's made his statement.
 
#10
#10
Crompton looked all pro in mop up duty but struggled early when it was his team. Maybe putting Bray in there early gets the struggles out of the way.
 
#11
#11
I created a thread just a few days ago pretty much saying some of the same things you are saying now. Im not mad at Simms at all, fact is , Bray could come in and just be horrible, but if the coaches think he could be the future at QB he should start seeing more PT to find out. I would be happy with 3-5 meaningful series a game, but ill stick with my prediction from the beginning, Bray will start the last 3 or 4 games. JMO.
 
#12
#12
I think that the getting broken argument still has some legitimacy; however, I don't think that alone can keep him off the field. As Dooley said this week, there is "an old saying about QBs" that it is better to be a year late than a day early, referring to building up the right psyche and not breaking a player mentally by putting him in there too soon. With that said, Dooley's comments really made me think that as long as Bray improves in practice we will see more and more of him in games.
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#13
#13
PeytonBerry said:
I just don't understand posts like this. What did that add?
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You post like once a week, what's that add?

All I'm saying is that IT DOESN'T MATTER who starts....they QB isn't gong to make a huge impact for us winning or losing a game.

I say put Bray in, he's probably going to be the starter next year(at least I hope so) so get him some game time
 
#14
#14
cd12 said:
Crompton looked all pro in mop up duty but struggled early when it was his team. Maybe putting Bray in there early gets the struggles out of the way.
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Actually Crompton was 7 for 12 with 1TD and 2 HORRIBLE INT in 2007. To be fair, Bray also had a pretty bad INT versus UTM.
 
#15
#15
TennTradition said:
I think that the getting broken argument still has some legitimacy; however, I don't think that alone can keep him off the field. As Dooley said this week, there is "an old saying about QBs" that it is better to be a year late than a day early, referring to building up the right psyche and not breaking a player mentally by putting him in there too soon. With that said, Dooley's comments really made me think that as long as Bray improves in practice we will see more and more of him in games.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Good Point
 
#16
#16
Yankee_Vol said:
You post like once a week, what's that add?

All I'm saying is that IT DOESN'T MATTER who starts....they QB isn't gong to make a huge impact for us winning or losing a game.

I say put Bray in, he's probably going to be the starter next year(at least I hope so) so get him some game time
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What I meant was maybe you could add something more to the discussion, by arguing for or against the point with your own justifications.
 
#18
#18
PeytonBerry said:
I just don't understand posts like this. What did that add?
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It's the simple truth. We just don't have the experience or depth at all positions and talent at certain positions to win many games this year.
 
#19
#19
ihateflorida said:
Dooley made a statement that helps me understand his dilema. "right now, production beats potential".
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I understand the point, but my argument for Bray isn't about potential, it is about now. Coach Dooley certainly knows more than I do, but I can't help but think Bray is also a better short-term solution.
 
#22
#22
PeytonBerry said:
I understand the point, but my argument for Bray isn't about potential, it is about now. Coach Dooley certainly knows more than I do, but I can't help but think Bray is also a better short-term solution.
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Me and you both. He will play, and when he does it will still be too soon. There are going to be growing pains either way. I would rather suffer them now as to later.
 
#23
#23
cd12 said:
I guess thats why this board was clamoring for JC to be the starter.
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There were definitely a lot of people clammoring for him, but he had shown nothing to say he was better than Ainge. He in no way shape or form looked like an All-pro NFL QB. Ainge was a three year starter and very solid. Simms came at the same time as Bray, and has yet to prove himself like Ainge had.
 
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#24
#24
Bray will have his struggles. But this is a rebuilding program, we might as well play Bray and start building toward the future
 
#25
#25
25801VOL said:
We don't have a QB problem. We have an OL problem.
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100% agree. But if you have a RB that rushes for a 4 yd average, and you have a RB who you think can have a 4.5 average, chances are your going to give him some carries even though a 4 yd average is pretty good.
 
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