UT's QB quagmire

#1
Joe Vols

Joe Vols

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#1
UT's coaches and fans find themselves in an all too familiar postion at QB. We haven't had a QB who could consistently put scoring drives together since Peyton Manning. We won the NC with Tee Martin, but even that year was hit and miss offensively and won with a very stingy D. (edited in: To give T credit, he did put drives together when they counted, and that's pretty much all you can ask from a QB)

So do we stick with Simms for 2 years and then hand a very experienced offensive team over to an inexperienced QB in 2012?

Or do we start that transition earlier by giving Bray more reps now, hoping he develops into the player everyone thinks he will eventually be?

To be quite honest, if I were Dooley and staff, I would play for 2012 and 2013, because those are the seasons which will ultimately define this coaching staff, not 2010 and 2011.

I hope this staff is building a future program and not trying to patch together season after season by being short sighted. That's what Fulmer was forced to do to keep his job and what Kiffin did to try to repair his tarnished reputation. Those guys both felt like they had something to prove. IMO short sighted thinking got us into this position, but long term planning will get us out of it. So for those reasons alone, do I support the decision of this staff to get Bray more and more reps. Not based on his performance so far, but based on hopefully his upside potential.

I think we all know that our best chances to turn the corner are 2012 and 2013, so let's not lose sight of that. Simms hasn't been bad, but unfortunately for him he can't help us lead when we will need it most 2012. It's more of a timing issue than a talent issue.

Your thoughts:
 
Last edited:
#3
#3
Joe Vols said:
UT's coaches and fans find themselves in an all too familiar postion at QB. We haven't had a QB who could consistently put scoring drives together since Payton Manning. We won the NC with Tee Martin, but even that year was hit and miss offensively and a won with a very stingy D.

So do we stick with Simms for 2 years and then hand a very experienced offensive team over to an inexperienced QB in 2012?

Or do we start that transition earlier by giving Bray more reps now, hoping he develops into the player everyone thinks he will eventually be?

To be quite honest, if I were Dooley and staff, I would play for 2012 and 2013, because those are the seasons which will ultimately define this coaching staff, not 2010 and 2011.

I hope this staff is building a future program and not trying to patch together season after season by being short sighted. That's what Fulmer was forced to do to keep his job and what Kiffin did to try to repair his tarnished reputation. Those guys both felt like they had something to prove. IMO short sighted thinking got us into this position, but long term planning will get us out of it. So for those reasons alone, do I support the decision of this staff to get Bray more and more reps. Not based on his performance so far, but based on hopefully his upside potential.

I think we all know that our best chances to turn the corner are 2012 and 2013, so let's not lose sight of that. Simms hasn't been bad, but unfortunately for him he can't help us lead when we will need it most 2012. It's more of a timing issue than a talent issue.

Your thoughts:
Click to expand...

Payton = totally discredits everything here.
 
#5
#5
I think we have had a couple QB's since Peyton/Tee that put together consistent drives
 
#6
#6
Ah, now I can respond after correction.

I actually agree with you 100% AND I will add that Bray is the better QB currently...especially after the last two performances and practice weeks.
 
#7
#7
Joe Vols said:
UT's coaches and fans find themselves in an all too familiar postion at QB. We haven't had a QB who could consistently put scoring drives together since Payton Manning. We won the NC with Tee Martin, but even that year was hit and miss offensively and a won with a very stingy D.



Your thoughts:
Click to expand...

The best QB in school history and one of the best to ever play the position period is the standard you are holding us to? Tee Martin, Casey Clausen and Erik Ainge were all very good QBs and if you expect another Manning caliber QB to walk through that door anytime soon you are sadly mistaken.

At this point I would settle for mediocrity at the QB position.
 
#9
#9
DocVol said:
Payton = totally discredits everything here.
Click to expand...

Ha- I know, it even makes me question the whole thing too. I am sorry as I am a huge Payton... ehh ummm Peyton fan... and my 2 girls even love him and they were too young to watch him play, they've just heard me talk about him. lol

Sorry for the mistake, but you 2 have been very polite and for that I thank you. I hope you have an awesome day today... GBO
 
#10
#10
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c_documents_and_settings_owner_my_documents_my_pictures_quagmire.jpg
 
#11
#11
I'm all for giving Bray a shot. I think he's got the tools to be a very good QB if given the opportunity and the support. From all that I've heard, he's a class-act and has a football mind, something that we've lacked for some time. I don't see what we have to lose by getting him ready to take the reins.

Simms, for all of the "leadership" that he supposedly has, just looks out of his league on the field. Part of that is his own fault and part of it is the coaching staff who is asking him to do things that he obviously cannot do (throw inside the 5 vs. FL). I don't see Simms improving beyond where he is right now, which will be a drain on any good talent we bring in to surround him with.
 
#13
#13
utvolpj said:
I think we have had a couple QB's since Peyton/Tee that put together consistent drives
Click to expand...

You're right, I didn't mean any disrespect to him at all. I "edited in" a side note because of your feed back. Thanks, I hope you have a good one today.
 
#14
#14
Joe Vols said:
You are right... see "edited in" in the original post. Thanks for the feed back and have a great day today...
Click to expand...

my point was that both Clausen and Ainge (for half his career) were pretty good while at UT. To expect another Manning or Tee/amazing D is not realistic
 
#15
#15
From his post game interview, bray is still having issues receiving the play and getting guys properly alligned presnap. I am not sure he is quite ready to be number 1 if he can't even read the play coming on from the sideline. He admitted that all the procedure penalties while he was in were his fault. I was not impressed with his post game interview at all. But that us why u don't let freshman interview I guess.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#16
#16
DocVol said:
Ah, now I can respond after correction.

I actually agree with you 100% AND I will add that Bray is the better QB currently...especially after the last two performances and practice weeks.
Click to expand...

Bray will start against Memphis through the end of the season IMO. He will get significant minutes against the Lamecocks as well.
 
#17
#17
utvolpj said:
my point was that both Clausen and Ainge (for half his career) were pretty good while at UT. To expect another Manning or Tee/amazing D is not realistic
Click to expand...

You're right about that. I don't think we can expect another great QB, but we are going to need a really good QB, not average, who is surrounded by well coached talent. Looking at where this team is right now, unless something drastic happens to change things, I think we have another year of painful growth ahead of us. So for this reason, if we are actually growing, (there are signs of that on the O-line side of things and hopefully others will begin to emerge) it will be 2012 before we're competing for an SECC. I think there is room for opinions on this no matter how you look at it, so you'll get no arguments from me. Just a very uneducated opinion. lol
 
#19
#19
Joe Vols said:
UT's coaches and fans find themselves in an all too familiar postion at QB. We haven't had a QB who could consistently put scoring drives together since Peyton Manning. We won the NC with Tee Martin, but even that year was hit and miss offensively and won with a very stingy D. (edited in: To give T credit, he did put drives together when they counted, and that's pretty much all you can ask from a QB)

So do we stick with Simms for 2 years and then hand a very experienced offensive team over to an inexperienced QB in 2012?

Or do we start that transition earlier by giving Bray more reps now, hoping he develops into the player everyone thinks he will eventually be?

To be quite honest, if I were Dooley and staff, I would play for 2012 and 2013, because those are the seasons which will ultimately define this coaching staff, not 2010 and 2011.

I hope this staff is building a future program and not trying to patch together season after season by being short sighted. That's what Fulmer was forced to do to keep his job and what Kiffin did to try to repair his tarnished reputation. Those guys both felt like they had something to prove. IMO short sighted thinking got us into this position, but long term planning will get us out of it. So for those reasons alone, do I support the decision of this staff to get Bray more and more reps. Not based on his performance so far, but based on hopefully his upside potential.

I think we all know that our best chances to turn the corner are 2012 and 2013, so let's not lose sight of that. Simms hasn't been bad, but unfortunately for him he can't help us lead when we will need it most 2012. It's more of a timing issue than a talent issue.

Your thoughts:
Click to expand...


My thoughts are comparing to Peyton should not be done. The Peyton's only come along every 50 years or so. We have had no one since or before Peyton who could lead the offense like he could consistently.

We have also not had but a few years (maybe 98-01) with close to the level of talent that was around Peyton. Neither since then or before then..
 
#20
#20
I say lay it all on the line for the future...meaning give all the freshman more and more playing time the rest of the season. It's not like it could hurt us any worse...only help with experience and confidence for the next few years! JMO!!
 
#21
#21
LWSVOL said:
My thoughts are comparing to Peyton should not be done. The Peyton's only come along every 50 years or so. We have had no one since or before Peyton who could lead the offense like he could consistently.

We have also not had but a few years (maybe 98-01) with close to the level of talent that was around Peyton. Neither since then or before then..
Click to expand...


Agreed! 2001 was the last year we had top notch talent at all key positions! Should have actually went to the NC game except for the stumble against LSU in the SECCG!
 
#23
#23
bigdaddy said:
From his post game interview, bray is still having issues receiving the play and getting guys properly alligned presnap. I am not sure he is quite ready to be number 1 if he can't even read the play coming on from the sideline. He admitted that all the procedure penalties while he was in were his fault. I was not impressed with his post game interview at all. But that us why u don't let freshman interview I guess.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

I agree totally. I can't imagine any kid any where being put in a more unsettling position than being a freshmen QB basically thrown into the UT/BAMA slugfest. (despite the score it was a slugfest with HUGE hits for both teams) I think nerves were a big part of that. I also think it was a good thing for him to get a small taste of the pressures he'll be facing in the future. There is definitely an adjustment period involved and IMO we don't need to wait until Simms is graduated to begin that process. It needs to be slow, controlled, and methodical. Keep in mind, this is not an argument just an opinion.
 
#24
#24
Joe Vols said:
I agree totally. I can't imagine any kid any where being put in a more unsettling position than being a freshmen QB basically thrown into the UT/BAMA slugfest. (despite the score it was a slugfest with HUGE hits for both teams) I think nerves were a big part of that. I also think it was a good thing for him to get a small taste of the pressures he'll be facing in the future. There is definitely an adjustment period involved and IMO we don't need to wait until Simms is graduated to begin that
process. It needs to be slow, controlled, and
methodical. Keep in mind, this is not an
argument just an opinion.
Click to expand...
My opinion is that if he can't even read the play from the sideline, don't put him in the game
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#25
#25
LWSVOL said:
My thoughts are comparing to Peyton should not be done. The Peyton's only come along every 50 years or so. We have had no one since or before Peyton who could lead the offense like he could consistently.

We have also not had but a few years (maybe 98-01) with close to the level of talent that was around Peyton. Neither since then or before then..
Click to expand...

Very well constructed and conceded point. I do think in order for us to win another SECC we will need a more polished QB than we have had in recent history. Talent has not been the issue. I think our coaches have not been able to polish the talent they've been entrusted with for whatever reason.
 
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