Should Mike Riley bench Tommy Armstrong?

[Plaza23]

Talent reasons alone - I think there's an argument to bench him because his accuracy is bad, his decision making is questionable, and he really looks like a RB trying to play QB in a passing offense - and that has never worked for any team.

 

But, I think the biggest reason for Riley to consider a benching is due to that 3rd down play. If Mike Riley and the OC really called a Bootleg Run with no passing option and Armstrong freelanced himself into a pass - then to me that is simply insubordination by your QB. You cant have your QB not running the plays that are called on any football team. Everyone has to be on the same page. And this isnt high school football where a kid makes a mistake and its ok we'll get em the next week. Its not. This is big time D1 football and guy's careers are on the line.

 

IMO, I think Riley and his staff should use yesterday as a teaching moment. He should hold Armstrong accountable for his actions and at least bench him for the 1st half of the next game and maybe even the whole game depending on how the backup plays. He needs to make it clear that freelancing is not acceptable. That playing smart football is 100% necessary at all times. And that blatant intentional willful insubordination will not be tolerated. The QB runs the plays that are called period.

 

There's too much at stake here and if I was the coach, I'd have a real problem trusting Armstrong from here on out. If he cant even run the simplest plays correctly, how can he be trusted for other things? I wouldnt allow him to make that mistake again. I'd try the next guy.

[Kernal]

Put in Johnny Stanton!

[throwing bones]

Easy there big shooter...take another look at the first three games and realize that he was our offense the entire time. But you're right bench him because the coaches didn't call a fb dive with 55 seconds left that would have all but ice'd the game.

[74Hunter]

They can't. That wasn't a bootleg run, it was a pass play. The staff threw the QB under the bus.

[huskerfan92]

Dude no. And if Tommy did go rogue, then apparently everyone else on the offense did too. No way we bench Tommy, the staff didn't put him in a position to succeed at all.

 

[Bowfin]

I would like to hear the whole, rest of the story first.

 

One can't punish someone into being smarter, but punishment does work to make sure someone listens or replace him with someone who will.

[The Dude]

Coincidences do happen, but 11 guys improvising the same pass play is a doozy.

[Saunders]

It would be the MO of this staff to do something like that. They did it Davie. Talk about how you're gonna craft the scheme around the talent all offseason, then do the opposite and bench the guy.

[Kernal]

Mikale Wilbon is our best quarterback-- why won't coaches play him???

[Blackshirt39]

All he did was run the plays they called. I don't care what they say. They want to sling the ball around 40 times a game and they called that pass play.

[Walk_On_Reject]

They can't. That wasn't a bootleg run, it was a pass play. The staff threw the QB under the bus.

 

I can't help but think you're right, especially after reading the Shat's take on the matter:

 

"Riley and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf said they called a run, a quarterback sweep. both said Armstrong was told there were not "route options." No passing, please. Both surmised that armstrong was surprised when defender Eric Finney went after him. Finley was supposed to be taken out of the play . . . . . ."

 

No comment from Tommy Gun.

[suh_fan93]

Heck why not give AJ Bush a shot. There's a better chance than not that it might not be pretty but then again after to losing to Illinois why not give it a try. If he starts turning the ball over or simply plays badly just put Tommy back in there.

[Count 'Bility]

Did not read. Lol

[The Dude]

the Shat's

 

This is an unfortunate nickname.

 

[Scratchtown]

They can't. That wasn't a bootleg run, it was a pass play. The staff threw the QB under the bus.

Exactly. If it was a run, we would have benefitted from having a penalty from lineman running down field.

 

It was designed pass. Just watch the OLine.