Logan Smothers

Toe said:
I'd still temper your expectations for Smothers, at least for the near future. Remember that it's the top two guys that get most of the snaps in practice, and Smothers wasn't one of them this past year. Luke saw a decent amount of game time in his true freshman year, but the same can't be said for Smothers.

Maybe he's one of those guys who's ready to rock on day one, but I don't think that should ever be the expectation a freshman.
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why not?  other. teams play freshman QB's all the time.

 
No more 4 or 3 year starters at quarterback please.  I've been thinking this since TMart (and again with Tommy Yolo Gun) and lately with my man AM.  Nothing against these fellas.  Just don't have the patience for on the job training and learning to "quarterback" as freshmen and sophomores.  We need a system in place to have Juniors taking over from graduating Seniors. And repeat.  That's time to mentally prepare, understand the plays, make the throws, the reads, get stronger, mature and grow in the program (as Fr/So).  Only a rare spectacular player should be a 3 year starter.  And in that case, his first season will come with growing pains too.

 
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admo said:
No more 4 or 3 year starters at quarterback please.  I've been thinking this since TMart (and again with Tommy Yolo Gun) and lately with my man AM.  Nothing against these fellas.  Just don't have the patience for on the job training and learning to "quarterback" as freshmen and sophomores.  We need a system in place to have Juniors taking over from graduating Seniors. And repeat.  That's time to mentally prepare, understand the plays, make the throws, the reads, get stronger, mature and grow in the program (as Fr/So).  Only a rare spectacular player should be a 3 year starter.  And in that case, his first season will come with growing pains too.
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Would you have said this after AMart’s freshman season?   I generally agree with you, but think you’re describing a best case scenario.  However, with the Portal, I just don’t see too many young QBs wanting to spend two seasons of eligibility on the bench.  It’s crazy to think that our next starter when AMart graduates could theoretically be on another team’s roster right now.  

 
admo said:
No more 4 or 3 year starters at quarterback please.  I've been thinking this since TMart (and again with Tommy Yolo Gun) and lately with my man AM.  Nothing against these fellas.  Just don't have the patience for on the job training and learning to "quarterback" as freshmen and sophomores.  We need a system in place to have Juniors taking over from graduating Seniors. And repeat.  That's time to mentally prepare, understand the plays, make the throws, the reads, get stronger, mature and grow in the program (as Fr/So).  Only a rare spectacular player should be a 3 year starter.  And in that case, his first season will come with growing pains too.
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I think Frost would say the same thing.  2AM started as a true freshman because we didn't have a QB room with guys that Frost felt could run his system.  So, he brought in a highly recruited player to start.  Now, if Smothers is the guy we want, eventually he won't be that 3 or 4 year starter and Frost will then want someone training behind him to take over when Smothers is gone.

 
admo said:
No more 4 or 3 year starters at quarterback please.  I've been thinking this since TMart (and again with Tommy Yolo Gun) and lately with my man AM.  Nothing against these fellas.  Just don't have the patience for on the job training and learning to "quarterback" as freshmen and sophomores.  We need a system in place to have Juniors taking over from graduating Seniors. And repeat.  That's time to mentally prepare, understand the plays, make the throws, the reads, get stronger, mature and grow in the program (as Fr/So).  Only a rare spectacular player should be a 3 year starter.  And in that case, his first season will come with growing pains too.
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You play the best guy in your QB room, period.  If that person so happens to be a freshman, let the kid play.  If you don't, you can bet on him playing somewhere else the following season unless your name is Alabama or Clemson.

 
Hilltop said:
You play the best guy in your QB room, period.  If that person so happens to be a freshman, let the kid play.  If you don't, you can bet on him playing somewhere else the following season unless your name is Alabama or Clemson.
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Obviously the goal is to have your upper classman being the better QB after being in the system.

 
hunter49 said:
why not?  other. teams play freshman QB's all the time.
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Yes, and we've played freshmen QBs too.

So f#&%ing what?!

Can we please ditch this idea that all football players should be ready to be starters the day they walk onto campus, and if they aren't, they're busts? That's tremendously unfair to the players! Believe it or not, player development is a thing that exists in college football! Some player is ready to start as a freshman? Great, good for him! But can we please acknowledge that it's still the exception and not the rule?

 
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Hilltop said:
You play the best guy in your QB room, period.  If that person so happens to be a freshman, let the kid play.  If you don't, you can bet on him playing somewhere else the following season unless your name is Alabama or Clemson.
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I agree, but these 2 teams haven't been immune to having QB's hit the transfer portal, primarily because they have pushed the best QB forward regardless of class, even ahead of established starters.  

Re-watching Smothers HS film, he threw a nice ball, but didn't drive it when needed.  Similiar to a Wuerfel minus the shot put throwing motion.  It will be interesting to see how he's developed, if he throws outs, & across the middle w/more zip.  

 
floridacorn said:
I agree, but these 2 teams haven't been immune to having QB's hit the transfer portal, primarily because they have pushed the best QB forward regardless of class, even ahead of established starters.  

Re-watching Smothers HS film, he threw a nice ball, but didn't drive it when needed.  Similiar to a Wuerfel minus the shot put throwing motion.  It will be interesting to see how he's developed, if he throws outs, & across the middle w/more zip.  
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Everyone has transfers at the QB position- It's the nature of the game.  I agree we have played the best - my comment was going against what was suggested above about making kids wait until they are a junior to play.  That is not realistic.

I'm definitely not publicly suggesting Smoothers is better than AM.  He looks the part but until a kid gets thrown in the fire, you never really know.    

 
Hilltop said:
Everyone has transfers at the QB position- It's the nature of the game.  I agree we have played the best - my comment was going against what was suggested above about making kids wait until they are a junior to play.  That is not realistic.
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Yes, transfers happen everywhere at the QB position.  And, not every QB is willing to wait.  I personally feel that's a bad decision for many.  But, there are players who are willing to be in the system for a year or two before they start.

 
BigRedBuster said:
Yes, transfers happen everywhere at the QB position.  And, not every QB is willing to wait.  I personally feel that's a bad decision for many.  But, there are players who are willing to be in the system for a year or two before they start.
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A kid waiting a year or two would be a 3 or 4 year starter.  That's what you were saying was bad above.  I agree most will be ok red shirting to learn the system and many will wait through their freshman year if it appears they will have a real shot at the number one as a sophomore.  However, very few will wait around until their junior year for a chance to compete to be a 2 year starter.  I do agree with you that it is a bad decision for some that transfer but there are enough success stories out there to keep all of them moving.    

 
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I don't recall us having a better quarterback who was pushed out of the way in order to start Taylor Martinez, Tommy Armstrong, or Adrian Martinez as freshmen, or the younger quarterback who deserved to take their place in subsequent seasons. 

I do remember us bringing in a more veteran hand to steady the ship while grooming the younger QBs, but we never talk about the Tanner Lee and Sam Keller years.

In the classic mold, Luke McCaffrey got two years as an understudy and many of us wanted him to push Adrian out. Now we're relieved our future isn't in Luke's hands. 

I think you want a stable of quarterbacks who are constantly pushing each other, but it's not so crowded that they know they'll never stand a chance. The new reality is that one of those guys in the stable is going to bolt if they're not starting, and I don't see that changing. 

 
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Hilltop said:
A kid waiting a year or two would be a 3 or 4 year starter.  That's what you were saying was bad above.  I agree most will be ok red shirting to learn the system and many will wait through their freshman year if it appears they will have a real shot at the number one as a sophomore.  However, very few will wait around until their junior year for a chance to compete to be a 2 year starter.  I do agree with you that it is a bad decision for some that transfer but there are enough success stories out there to keep all of them moving.    
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I don't remember being the one saying a 3-4 year start is bad.  I said the goal would be to have a player in the system for a couple years to learn the system and acclimate to college ball before they are relied on as the starter.

Obviously, if you have an absolute stud that comes in and is ready before then and is the better player, fine, start him.

 
BigRedBuster said:
I don't remember being the one saying a 3-4 year start is bad.  I said the goal would be to have a player in the system for a couple years to learn the system and acclimate to college ball before they are relied on as the starter.

Obviously, if you have an absolute stud that comes in and is ready before then and is the better player, fine, start him.
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You are correct- my apologies.  That was Admo that was stating that and you had just quoted him.  Your take is spot on imo- I just thought you were contradicting yourself. 

 
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