The coaching staff has finally decided this week to open up the QB position to competition in practice. The fans were asked who they would want on a KNS site and the following was the result of the vote a few minutes ago with votes still coming in: Who should be Tennessee's starting quarterback? Thanks for your vote. B.J. Coleman 14% 1501 votes Jonathan Crompton 2% 267 votes Gerald Jones 20% 2159 votes Nick Stephens 59% 6304 votes Other 3% 352 votes
Here is an article that talks about Nick Stephens' progress. He is being called The Gunslinger. I like that name! :wink:
I said this in another thread, and I am excited that you guys are getting some mojo going, but of all the problems you have.. the problems at QB are down the list. What bothers me more than anything is how...with 4 incredible physical specimens playing in the defensive backfield, your pass coverage seems to be so lacking especially during key plays? Why the RBs don't seem to have that extra pop, the OL doesn't seem to block well enough especially on key run down situations.. Hell Auburn has 2 QBs who suck and they've managed to win... I hope this works as a catalyst for you guys, but it just smacks of a desperate coach searching for answers when he has no idea what they might be..
Corey Actually, I think the QB change could be bigger than that. I've seen some of these guys play before. I don't think this team believes and I don't think we have gotten their all from most of the team because of it. I think the whole team will play better for someone that they trust at the helm.
By our conversations, I am assuming that the "helm", in this case, is the QB position rather than the coach position. Corey, here are a few points that I make for a QB change to be high on that priority list: Point 1: If you get a chance, which I hope you don't, look into the eyes of Crompton when he is on the field. The expression "The lights are on but nobody's home" comes to mind. Point 2: He telegraphs plays. At the snap of the ball, he turns his head toward his intended receiver and never looks away. All the defenses have to do is follow his head direction. Point 3: There is no reason to have more than one receiver running routes. He will not come off that primary receiver. As the announcers mentioned during the Auburn game: "I don't know why he threw it 10 rows back in the stands, he had a wide open receiver in the middle of the field for a TD." I'll tell you why. His number 1 receiver was covered. The game is moving too quick for him to find the number 2 or 3 receiver. Point 4: Simple concepts such as taking the snap from center and handing off the ball to the running back are not so simple for him.
Well at least you guys get a break and play Northern Illinois this weekend. Maybe Stephens will seize the opportunity and really show you something to give you some hope for the rest of the season. Is Crompton going to start and Stephens going to play alternate series?
I hope there will be no alternating. The last thing I heard was that the "QB job was open to competition." To me, that means that we will see who the QB is Saturday when they come out on offense for the first series.
Although he is not being considered for the starting QB job, Gerald Jones will probably be seen more running the "G-Gun" from the QB position taking direct snaps. Here is an article referring to the G-Gun to remain loaded.
Tom, Cindy, Aquila, I hope for you guys that you are right. I certainly believe that a leader on the field can be the rising tide on the field that carries the rest to greatness. I guess what bothers me is that when I see your QB, he reminds me of the other athletes on the field. He looks like a great physical specimen who isn't being taught to do the right thing. If it were just him that looked poorly coached, I'd be more open to this being the answer. I fear that it is not because the others look just as lost at times. I hope I am wrong and you guys find the spark you need.
Corey, I see where you're coming from. Everyone on offense looks a little lost. I truly believe that the offense will get better with time. Unfortunately they've wasted their time. They have 2 huge games this month that they need to win in order to salvage this season. I have seen nothing that indicates they will be able to take down Bama and I believe they will have a very tough time with UGa as well. They at least get the Tide in Knoxville which may not be that big of an advantage if they lose to Georgia in an embarrassing fashion. Fans are going to quit going to games I'm afraid. That said, the offense runs through your QB. Sure, the line hasn't blocked nearly as well as it should be blocking and the RBs and receivers have had their problems as well. However, with improved play at the QB position, I feel all the other areas will improve. With the threat of a completed pass, the running game will open up. With a QB who can make more than one read, the other receivers will be more inclined to run their routes more crisply. With a QB who can complete a handoff (it was crompton's fault, I don't care what the nutty coaching staff says), then maybe Foster's bad luck will cease. Now, I'm not so sure that a new QB will help the line's blocking ability but it's not going to hurt. Additonally, when they have a QB back there who will actually take the time to go through his progressions QUICKLY and CRISPLY, maybe they will feel more urgency to block. I think the line will have more cohesioin as the season goes along. The strain of learning both sides has hurt them this year. It's another part of Clawson's offense that will take time (if that time is afforded).
Tom...not trying to stir you up but this guy has always had issues it seems... http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/11004064 ....then there was Jamal Lewis with the same drug.... I think Tenn has certainly had it's share of athletes with problems of this nature along with a few other things. I almost think this has been one of Fulmer's problems.
There is an old adage that the most popular guy on the team is always the backup qb. He is usually the backup for a reason. 8)
... and Florida hasn't? The universities have 4 years, sometimes less, to affect the lives of these student athletes. They had 18+ years before entering the universities that affected how they will turn out much more than the 4 years they will spend in college. That is only less than 20% of their first 22 years. What they do after college, and while in college for that matter is much more determined by what was going on during the formative years than what university, if any, they wind up attending.
... and the reason for Fulmer is usually related to longevity. Crompton has been with the team longer and Fulmer is "loyal" to his players. The back-up gets no snaps with the 1st team offense until there is a reason to move him up. That is what has angered so many Tennessee fans. Fulmer, until we got to 1-3, never saw a need to move him up. It's hard to show what you can do when you are working only with the back-up line, the back-up receivers, and the back-up running backs.
**Attention.. EVERYONE WHO IS SENSITIVE TO PROFANITY, ROUGH LANGUAGE, OR ILL-TEMPERED EXCHANGE SHOULD CLOSE THIS NOW AND MOVE TO THE NEXT TOPIC** seriously...move on not kidding... Ok.. Here goes.. Holy XXX Dave! What in the XXX does Travis XXXXXXX Henry have to do with the price of tea in China? (although it appears he could get you a get price on china white).. I mean really.. you claim to not be an instigator and not stirring the pot... but WTX does Travis Henry and his drug bust have to do with the current Tennessee team other than the fact that he played at UT. Do we really need to run down the list of former Gator criminals?? I hope not because neither have anything to do with this season, and they certainly have less to do with this topic. You whine about why people jump down your throat and this is it right here.. This is you hijacking the thread and being a XXXX about it. Why not start your own topic on the subject and stop hijacking the GD topics of other people? XXX! Edited by Tennessee Tom. Again thanks for the thought Corey but just because it went my way this time, I can't allow the profanity any more than I would allow it going against me. Hope you understand.
Corey, I 100% agree with the content of your reply. However, as a moderator, I must go in and take out the profanity. I want to thank you and admonish you in the same post. We can't allow that to stand. I will leave the idea whole but will XXXXXXXX out the bad parts. The meaning will be the same. Again, thanks for coming to the aid of this Vol in need of help! :wink: 8) Dave, Corey's response would not have been the same if this was Bill writing what you wrote. Why? Bill does not have a history of doing just what you have done. If this were in another topic other than "Tennessee... there might be hope" maybe nothing would have been said... or less would have been said. Please, for once in your public posting life, think about how something will be received before you post it.Even in another topic, you could have left out the correlation between Tennessee and druggies. Report the facts? Heck yes!