Tommy's picks-Are they as bad as they look?

[Shuck U]

It looks to me like most of Tommy's picks and incompletions are due to misreads or miscommunication with the receivers. I'm no football coach so someone who has more than just an opinion about it (facts) please tell me that Tommy is not just a slow, athletic pick machine. I've been going round with guys at work for 2 weeks now that think he's just another miss at QB. I think he will be great in time, still just a bit green right now.

[Husker_x]

Tommy has a lot of growing to do at the position. Based on what I saw, most of the time it seemed like bad reads and freshman mistakes. There was a pick (I think the last of the NW game) that looked like he just didn't see the guy.

 

Anyone else poured over the tape? Is this something he can fix right away (that is, improve week to week), or are we going to have to wait a year or two?

[The Dude]

It's something we'll have to monitor. Insufficient evidence at this juncture.

[NUance]

Some may have been due to miscommunication, or maybe even bad routes. But it looked like a couple last Saturday were due to trying to force a ball into tight coverage. He got away with it two or three times in the first half. It was bound to happen eventually though.

 

I think Tommy will improve with time. He'll get a better feel for when there's a danger of being picked off. If not, he'll be riding the pine for the next couple of years. Because we won't win many games when we give up four interceptions.

[The Dude]

Some may have been due to miscommunication

That's probably a big part of it. Along with his 20-30 yard over-throws.

[Shuck U]

Still more productive than Taylor would be right now, but Tommy has certainly lost speed since high school which is bothersome.

[TheSker]

There was a pick (I think the last of the NW game) that looked like he just didn't see the guy

His last pick, he was under pressure because Abdullah whiffed on his block.

[Landlord]

They are absolutely due to bad reads.

 

How many times over his last two games, not even looking at the interceptions, has he thrown the ball where there wasn't a receiver to be found?

[True2tRA]

It looks to me like most of Tommy's picks and incompletions are due to misreads or miscommunication with the receivers. I'm no football coach so someone who has more than just an opinion about it (facts) please tell me that Tommy is not just a slow, athletic pick machine. I've been going round with guys at work for 2 weeks now that think he's just another miss at QB. I think he will be great in time, still just a bit green right now.

 

You and I agree. Defenses at this level do a lot of things Tommy has never seen before. These coaches can't prepare him for everything he's going to see out there. For example, that last interception against NW I believe it was a zone coverage in which the DE dropped into that short zone coverage and TA simply didn't see him until it was too late. He'll learn from that. Or Purdue, a game in which he also threw 3 interceptions. Turns out Purdue came out in an entirely new scheme and Nebrask had no way of preparing for it. Can't blame a freshman for making some. Intakes against a defense he had never seen. I remind you all we won that game handily.

 

TA brings enough to the table to do far overcome his mistakes by making some equally amazing positive plays. If we choose to focus on the negatives it wouldn't be fair becuase the positives are just flat out amazing to watch. Give this guy some experience and more repitition seeing some if these defenses, and it is clear he has all the physical tolls to be amongst the nations elite.

 

We also agree, someday this kid will be considered an elite college QB.

[Shuck U]

Some may have been due to miscommunication

That's probably a big part of it. Along with his 20-30 yard over-throws.

Those HAVE to be communication issues with receivers or confusing the routes that they are supposed to run don't they?

[Abdullah the Butcher]

According to Mike Welch on 93.7 the ticket here in Lincoln it is mostly misread coverages which he says is easier to correct than just bad decision making.

[Shuck U]

According to Mike Welch on 93.7 the ticket here in Lincoln it is mostly misread coverages which he says is easier to correct than just bad decision making.

Not familiar with him? Local sports guy or a coach?

[True2tRA]

TA I think kind of predetermines sometimes where he is headed with the ball. From what he sees from the defense he believes a route will become open. By the time he sees the play develop he let's it go and it's too late. He has just been fooled that's all. He will learn. It's just a mental thing. Anyone who doesn't expect some mental things from a freshman QB in Div. 1 college football doesn't have realistic expectations. Give him time. As I said above, as long as we are winning games, let's let the kid take some lumps and learn from it. Keep rotating RK in and if we need to play RK more we know we have him ready to go. It's working so far pretty darn well.

[Shuck U]

TA I think kind of predetermines sometimes where he is headed with the ball. From what he sees from the defense he believes a route will become open. By the time he sees the play develop he let's it go and it's too late. He has just been fooled that's all. He will learn. It's just a mental thing. Anyone who doesn't expect some mental things from a freshman QB in Div. 1 college football doesn't have realistic expectations. Give him time. As I said above, as long as we are winning games, let's let the kid take some lumps and learn from it. Keep rotating RK in and if we need to play RK more we know we have him ready to go. It's working so far pretty darn well.

But....but....what about Jamise Winston? Why isn't our QB as good as him? We're Nebraska!!!

[Lyons in the Sea of Red.]

It looks to me like most of Tommy's picks and incompletions are due to misreads or miscommunication with the receivers. I'm no football coach so someone who has more than just an opinion about it (facts) please tell me that Tommy is not just a slow, athletic pick machine. I've been going round with guys at work for 2 weeks now that think he's just another miss at QB. I think he will be great in time, still just a bit green right now.

 

You and I agree. Defenses at this level do a lot of things Tommy has never seen before. These coaches can't prepare him for everything he's going to see out there. For example, that last interception against NW I believe it was a zone coverage in which the DE dropped into that short zone coverage and TA simply didn't see him until it was too late. He'll learn from that. Or Purdue, a game in which he also threw 3 interceptions. Turns out Purdue came out in an entirely new scheme and Nebrask had no way of preparing for it. Can't blame a freshman for making some. Intakes against a defense he had never seen. I remind you all we won that game handily.

 

TA brings enough to the table to do far overcome his mistakes by making some equally amazing positive plays. If we choose to focus on the negatives it wouldn't be fair becuase the positives are just flat out amazing to watch. Give this guy some experience and more repitition seeing some if these defenses, and it is clear he has all the physical tolls to be amongst the nations elite.

 

We also agree, someday this kid will be considered an elite college QB.

No, that last pick against NW he got scared that he was going to get rocked and threw off his back foot.