The 2nd coming of Gavin.
- Thread starter newwavedave1
- Start date
Touché.
But it’s really hard to compare Athens 9-5, 1650 yards and 54% completion percentage through 8 games to Gavin’s 13 game season of 9-8, 1750 yards and 47% (though 11 Rush tds). The eye test alone should answer the question.
Despite 2ppg more, our RZ offense has been significantly worse though (despite nearly as many trips so far as all of last season) advantage Gavin who could take off. And our D has struggled.
Absolutely, it was the "easy" move. But often the "easy" move does not yield the best results.
Thought about this for a while yesterday while hiking, the entire philosophy of the program ("the ball is the program") appears (probably is) to be a low risk, low reward philosophy. Outside routes for the WRs, fade routes and running it at the goal line to minimize the chances of an INT or a pick 6. Same with special teams- almost never run back kick or punt returns.
With a back like Monangai and a recent history of game-changing interceptions as we neared the end zone and a TD, I can sorta understand the reluctance to throw the ball....especially if Strong isn't healthy.
USC's coach knows what he's doing when it comes to offense in general and QB play in particular.
As was alluded to earlier by someone else, Wimsatt had very limited options with receivers, with pretty much only the one being able to get quickly and reliably open. And our OL's pass pro in several games this season is better than it was most of last season. And Wimsatt will likely have improved just like AK has likely improved some season on season.
The point being that it's likely that Wimsatt, in this current offense, would be producing somewhat better numbers than he did last season due to us having better pass protection and better receiving options this season. And we'd still have his running ability which helped us maintain drives and score even against good teams at times.
AK is undeniably more consistent throwing when he has plenty of time. GW would miss throws even when not under pressure. But AK's accuracy advantage goes away when he's under pressure and he lacks GW's running ability. And that has been a big factor for us.
To me, it's not at all clear that, in terms of winning games, AK is an upgrade over GW. It's not as simple as passing accuracy which seems to be how everybody wants to measure it. It would be that simple if our offense was better in general. But our offense is not very good and having better running QB threat helped a lot with that.
Just to be 10000% clear, no one is saying we need GW back. I’m just saying we need a beater upgrade than AK. This was supposed to be our dream season. Pony up and get a proven QB. You know like DJU 😀.
Agree with 1-2 but you lost me on 3. He was the best upgrade we could get….but may have been able to get a better one ?
The simple fact is that Schiano was only willing to bring in a low risk, low upside game manager who was already familiar and accepting of the philosophy KC is here to run. Central to this philosophy was feeding Monangai and Brown 60 minutes and relying on the D to ensure good field position. QB is of minimal importance in this model. The model fails playing from behind.
There was not a single other QB in the portal Schiano would have brought in, regardless of talent.
My point was from an unbiased perspective - AK may not have been the best available option.
But HC GS/OC KC may have considered the best available option.
The different being his history with OC KC being used to sway the analysis.
Perhaps.
But that’s the root of the problem with the entire program.
Offense is an afterthought and only considered in relation to the defense.
We need a QB (and an offense) that is successful and can sway games on their own.
Not within the confines of “let the defense win the game”.
With a stronger OL would help him tremendously. AK is pretty accurate when given time, but seems to lose composure under pressure.
For all the bad luck we've had with injuries this season, we've had fantastic luck in not having around 6-8 more interceptions on AK throws that really ought to have been picked off. Also had really good luck with some official's calls this season, although that has nothing to do with QBs.
All this talk of Wimsatt.. we did not trust him to pass much, did we?
With no real passing game, D could tee off on run blitz and pass blitz.
Either the OC or Wimsatt could have helped himself and WRs get open by
-Wimsatt scrambling for yardage gains more.. (he sometimes scurried away just to throw ball away instead)
-Wimsatt could have done the RPO properly and made good reads and keep it himself.
-Could have called and hit swing and screen passes
-Could have rolled Wimsatt out to get more time for routes to open
Each of those would have opened up receivers as LBs or DBs look to help contain QB runs or screens. Did we do that stuff.. not really. Why? no faith in Wimsatt? His obvious passing accuracy issues?
And don't even talk about his running on running plays. He was never a threat to throw on those runs. No defender had to wonder run/pass or even RB/QB run.. it was always right in their faces what was happening.
With no real passing game, D could tee off on run blitz and pass blitz.
Either the OC or Wimsatt could have helped himself and WRs get open by
-Wimsatt scrambling for yardage gains more.. (he sometimes scurried away just to throw ball away instead)
-Wimsatt could have done the RPO properly and made good reads and keep it himself.
-Could have called and hit swing and screen passes
-Could have rolled Wimsatt out to get more time for routes to open
Each of those would have opened up receivers as LBs or DBs look to help contain QB runs or screens. Did we do that stuff.. not really. Why? no faith in Wimsatt? His obvious passing accuracy issues?
And don't even talk about his running on running plays. He was never a threat to throw on those runs. No defender had to wonder run/pass or even RB/QB run.. it was always right in their faces what was happening.
yes, the disgrace in all of this is that GS did see this as the preferred option, disregarding actual talent.
Don’t you get that we didn’t need or even want them breaking open? On pass plays - there was a plan A - the intended receiver went straight to a planned spot. Everyone else was just a decoy because if plan A broke down, plan B was to throw the ball away. Full stop. You can watch last year’s film over and over again and this will be the reality on nearly every single pass down.
And no - it wasn’t that we had no receiver talent so we just knew nobody could ever get open. Gavin wasn’t trusted to make an in game decision to run either. It had nothing to do with the talent assessment of any player other than GW himself. For whatever reason, the staff only trusted him to try to execute exactly what was rehearsed as plan A or throw it away.
I'm a GS hater but I'm not sure about that. Plan B was for GW to run. GS ain't Einstein but he is smart enough to try to get a couple of extra yards when he can.....except on punt returns of course. But you know what I mean.
Gavin doesn't seem to be doing all that well at Kentucky this year, but it will be next season that will prove
Wimsatt has the talent to be a good college QB or has the physical talent but doesn't know how to use it
properly to be starting material. at a major program.
AK was a starter at Minnesota , but not one that made people think Johnny Unitas.
Just a serviceable one that shouldn't be expected to win games on his own talent, but also have the type of talent that wouldn't lose games because he wasn't good enough .
Athan Kaliakmanis is the type a program needs that can't afford to make mistakes, but not the type that
can bring a program to the elite level and coaches are looking to find someone better to lead the team, but
trust as the starter if a better one isn't on the roster that's ready to play as the starting QB.
Diego Pavia is the sleeper cheap NIL pick, but who knows what Vandy paid for him.
I've heard that Temple is preparing a higher bid for this guy.
Now I get why the NFL has a draft.
