Should Mike Riley bench Tommy Armstrong?

[74Hunter]

When Tommy is being Tommy, he's freaking brilliant and I still can't grasp how anyone can't see that? The dude can run and throw, he does it all. Good timing, he's a leader, he's exactly what we need at QB.

 

That play call was so f'ing beyond stupid, that stupid doesn't do it justice. You don't call a pass, you don't even say the word pass. Pass in that situation is not even in your vocabulary. If someone said pass at all while that play was being called, someone should have bitchslapped the dude that said pass..

 

 

Tommy should be running more, and we should be designing passes that roll Tommy out of the pocket and completes intermediate 10-15 yard throws. Why? Because that's clearly what he does well and this staff swore that was what they were gonna stick to.

 

Making Tommy try to play Peyton Manning in Hurricane Juaquin is something a freaking moron would do.

Yes.

[benjibean1]

TA should bench MR and DL.

[lo country]

TA should bench MR and DL.

This.

[Hunter94]

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.

who you gonna play, howdy doody?

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

When Tommy is being Tommy, he's freaking brilliant and I still can't grasp how anyone can't see that? The dude can run and throw, he does it all. Good timing, he's a leader, he's exactly what we need at QB.

 

That play call was so f'ing beyond stupid, that stupid doesn't do it justice. You don't call a pass, you don't even say the word pass. Pass in that situation is not even in your vocabulary. If someone said pass at all while that play was being called, someone should have bitchslapped the dude that said pass..

 

 

Tommy should be running more, and we should be designing passes that roll Tommy out of the pocket and completes intermediate 10-15 yard throws. Why? Because that's clearly what he does well and this staff swore that was what they were gonna stick to.

 

Making Tommy try to play Peyton Manning in Hurricane Juaquin is something a freaking moron would do.

 

When Tommy plays well, he's really shown he can be an offensive weapon. I was critical of TA after the first game and screamed for him to be benched but I can see he's improved quite a bit. But when Tommy's game is off, he's way off. My main frustration is he still thinks it's acceptable to throw off his back foot.

[Hunter94]

This staf...smh.

 

IF the players start to think they threw Tommy, who has been the leader of this team, under the bus then they are in big time trouble. More losses to add on top of an already terrible start to their careers here.

 

I am sure after what Bo told these players when he was fired, these players were already loyal to Bo and skeptical of this staff. Then you add in the losses, the heat the players get from the losses, and just the mere possibility or feel the staff has thrown a player under the bus.

 

Please, someone get a fire extinguisher, because we are going to need it.

too much conjecture.....settle down.

[Hayseed]

We will never know for sure, but that looks an awfully lot like a pass play to me.

I think Coach Riley is an honest guy and it really was a broken play that allowed the rusher to be in Tommy's face immediately and like Tommy's prone to do being a guy who wants to win, he tried to make a silk purse out of a pig's ear.

 

The 4th down call was to give Illinois plenty of time to pull off a big one for their new Chinese fans. The play they reviewed, actually both plays they reviewed, were not catches. First one his toe was out of bounds, second one the ball hit the ground.

 

Still, never should've been anywhere near that close to begin with.

[Count 'Bility]

When Tommy is being Tommy, he's freaking brilliant and I still can't grasp how anyone can't see that? The dude can run and throw, he does it all. Good timing, he's a leader, he's exactly what we need at QB.

 

That play call was so f'ing beyond stupid, that stupid doesn't do it justice. You don't call a pass, you don't even say the word pass. Pass in that situation is not even in your vocabulary. If someone said pass at all while that play was being called, someone should have bitchslapped the dude that said pass..

 

 

Tommy should be running more, and we should be designing passes that roll Tommy out of the pocket and completes intermediate 10-15 yard throws. Why? Because that's clearly what he does well and this staff swore that was what they were gonna stick to.

 

Making Tommy try to play Peyton Manning in Hurricane Juaquin is something a freaking moron would do.

Yeah, It's what Beck did with Martinez.

 

 

nah dang.

[Count 'Bility]

I saw the term "Pedhorst" in this thread. I just wanna point out how original that is.

[AFhusker]

 

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.

 

Carter was supposed to go into motion and block the guy who surprised TA. When he didn't, it screwed up the blocking for the play.

[Ratt Mhule]

TA is the only reason we are not 1-4 right now and the only reason why we didn't get blown out by Miami and you want him benched? That's comical

[74Hunter]

 

 

 

 

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.

Carter was supposed to go into motion and block the guy who surprised TA. When he didn't, it screwed up the blocking for the play.

Why was Ozighbo looking back for the pass instead of blocking?

 

Something isn't looking good, and it starts at the top.

[zoogs]

Carter was supposed to go into motion and block the guy who surprised TA. When he didn't, it screwed up the blocking for the play.

If that's the case, I guess it explains why it'd be harder to call a timeout.

 

Maybe next time stick with something simpler, though. It's just 55 seconds on the clock. Bring it home. Prime directive.

[Kernal]

 

Carter was supposed to go into motion and block the guy who surprised TA. When he didn't, it screwed up the blocking for the play.

If that's the case, I guess it explains why it'd be harder to call a timeout.

 

Maybe next time stick with something simpler, though. It's just 55 seconds on the clock. Bring it home. Prime directive.

 

 

I read somewhere that by the time they got set there wasn't enough time for Armstrong to send Carter in motion. Idk. There were a lot of problems with that play. Like you said, just a straight hand off would have sufficed.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Uh no, this one is on the coaches and the fact that they threw TA under the bus should tell us all we need to know. Didn't see that one coming from this "nice" coaching staff.