Gatewood in only

[aujeff11 6,243]

1 minute ago, bigbird said:

How many ZR offenses are successfully being run right now in college?

How many offenses are expecting the likes of Malik Willis to develop passing skills and be the guy? We have QBs that are subpar to average in passing and better than average at tbe ZR. We should keep tbe ZR and work on tbe passing. This is the same square peg into round hole stuff that I’ve been railing on Gus about. He should adapt to the strengths and minimize the weaknesses. 

[JMassie11 1,610]

10 hours ago, Mikey said:

The guy runs a few plays designed to shorten the game and run out the clock and you can say he hasn't grasped the playbook? That ludicrous.

It’s not ludicrous when he throws a pass on a run play. Either A. He hasn’t grasped the playbook or B. he chose to pass on a run play purposely. Trust me I hope Gatewood is the next great thing but my opinion he would be better off at a different position. 

[bigbird 60,368]

10 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

How many offenses are expecting the likes of Malik Willis to develop passing skills and be the guy? We have QBs that are subpar to average in passing and better than average at tbe ZR. We should keep tbe ZR and work on tbe passing. This is the same square peg into round hole stuff that I’ve been railing on Gus about. He should adapt to the strengths and minimize the weaknesses. 

Except you forgot the biggest issue...the ZR doesn't work anymore.

 

And lots of teams take guys like MW and develop them. They might not be Peyton Manning, but they are more than serviceable.

[aujeff11 6,243]

6 minutes ago, bigbird said:

Except you forgot the biggest issue...the ZR doesn't work anymore.

Bull, it doesn’t have to be tbe base offense. It’s versatile and can allow our talented QBs to become an elite weapon. 

Let Kyle Shanahan explain it better than I can:

 

7 minutes ago, bigbird said:

And lots of teams take guys like MW and develop them. They might not be Peyton Manning, but they are more than serviceable.

I don’t want to live or die by MW’s arm, Marshall’s arm, or even Cam’s arm. They’re meant for tbe ZR.

Why Marshall didn’t do as well in 2014 is because he wasn’t afforded the same opportunity as a running QB that he was in 2013. They tried to turn him into a QB that he wasn’t ever going to be. Yeah his passing skills went up but his effectiveness went down. 

[KolchakAU85 430]

I think our future is Nix or Gatewood.

I don't think Willis is an SEC QB.

I think Cord Sandburg should change his name to "Cort" and audition for Russel Crowe's part in "The Quick and the Dead II".  Every time I hear someone talk about "Cord Sandburg", I think of "Cort".

I don't think Nix and Gatewood can coexist.  If Nix wins the starting job in the spring/fall, Gatewood will probably transfer.

[bigbird 60,368]

28 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

Bull, it doesn’t have to be tbe base offense. It’s versatile and can allow our talented QBs to become an elite weapon. 

Let Kyle Shanahan explain it better than I can:

 

I don’t want to live or die by MW’s arm, Marshall’s arm, or even Cam’s arm. They’re meant for tbe ZR.

Why Marshall didn’t do as well in 2014 is because he wasn’t afforded the same opportunity as a running QB that he was in 2013. They tried to turn him into a QB that he wasn’t ever going to be. Yeah his passing skills went up but his effectiveness went down. 

Well, it seems like this is just an agreed to disagree moment. Almost all the DCs I have known and talk with readily say the ZR is no longer a viable core offense.  It's very much like the triple option. 

 

BTW, here is what Urban has to say on it.  

https://www.footballstudyhall.com/platform/amp/2015/9/17/9345633/what-happened-to-the-zone-read-how-to-defend-spread-offense-urban-Meyer

[augolf1716 21,096]

Oh boy its going to be a fun 8 months...........................

[bigbird 60,368]

1 minute ago, augolf1716 said:

Oh boy its going to be a fun 8 months...........................

Longer if we continue to get blown up in the backfield.

[fredst 9,064]

It’s only December

[KolchakAU85 430]

43 minutes ago, fredst said:

It’s only December

December is the new August.

[auburnphan 6,050]

17 hours ago, AU64 said:

JMO but playing half or a quarter of a game today against a whipped team was not gonna prepare Willis or JG for Oregon.   They were playing with a patchwork team and not in a position to run the "full offense".

As I noted earlier, it would  not have affected the future.   It's up to Dillingham to get them ready for next season....what Chip was doing with them will be irrelevant IMO. 

If Gatewood is the guy, we all should thank Chip as he helped right the ship in getting Joey headed in the right direction on and off the field with some tough love but not too much that he transferred.

[cole256 17,039]

Let this board tell it half the guys that are QB's shouldn't be. You need to be a lumbering poor excuse for an athlete for everybody to agree you're a QB. If you can actually run? No we need you at wr, te, safety....

I remember when I'd say a good half of the fan base didn't want Russell Wilson because he didn't have accuracy and couldn't understand the offense......but go figure

[aucom96 1,614]

If running ZR option is all we have next season, we may be replacing a coach before the season is over. The better defenses were starting to blow up even Marshall on that toward the end. We don't have a Marshall on the roster nor any running back or line remotely close to what we had when he was here. 

[gravejd 3,269]

After 6 years of trying to figure out what the hell is happening with Auburn and particularly the offense...I’ll just say kudos to you guys for comitinueimg to try. 

It did look like Gatewood got a play wrong. I don’t think that means he can not grasp the playbook but I’m guessing that is where that statement comes from. 

Willis looks awful with reads but are those really reads?? Idk 

i do know we will still go into next season with no QB who has thrown more then a handful of passes in a college game. That’s not a knock on anyone its just the facts. To say what any of the qbs can or cannot does seems like talking out of the ass to me. 

If I was a betting man my money is on Gatewood unless a grad transfer comes along

[WarTiger 3,896]

18 hours ago, saminbama said:

In his small amount of playing time,  Gatewood showed me that Willis needs to change positions.  He looked much more decisive in his reads.  Willis can't pass and he can't make consistent reads on the zone/read.  His decision making leaves a lot to be desired.

You are going to make that determination after he threw a total of SEVEN passes all season.  Oh, and he completed FIVE of those.  That's the very definition of MASSIVE REACH.  In fact given the extremely small sample we have of any of the backups, its amazing how people can draw such definite/absolute conclusions.  Very glad nobody here is making any decisions for the program.    

The only truth we have here is that we as fans haven't seen enough of any of these backups at the QB position to make even the remotest conclusion about them.  The coaches know lightyears more about what these players can do than anybody here ever will.

[oracle79 3,569]

16 hours ago, jAUSon said:

For a coach to never, ever, give his backup qb's pass opportunities throughout his entire carreer, year after year, is just wrong and indefensible. You should stop hating Auburn for recognizong this and calling it out. You're just plain wrong.

 

[weagl1 1,781]

When I first saw MW in that spring game when he was a freshman I thought he was going to be the second coming of Marshall but based on the limited sample since then he just doesn’t appear to have developed.  Maybe Dilly Dilly can make something out of him but I just don’t know.  I think it is going to be an interesting spring with the 4 of them competing.  I’m not counting out Sandberg just based on maturity .  

[bigbird 60,368]

I don't care who the QB next year is.  However, whomever it is needs to be able to be a good passer in order to take advantage of our skill at receiver. Right now, our team strength is out wide and with the ones we are bringing in it will continue to be.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

6 hours ago, cole256 said:

I was thinking one to Coates I was thinking when he was rolling out to his left and he threw it to a spot rather than to Coates and it was perfect. I'm thinking it was against a&m. Actually I think it was Quan Bray

Oh yeah, I remember that one. I forgot about it until you mentioned Bray. Yes, that was a nice throw and probably was the best throw in that game.

[wde1968 262]

20 hours ago, au701948 said:

A few plays exhibited quick decision making, quickness and speed that Willis just does not have. Not to mention all this with his size. JMO

To me exchanges were way more smooth with Gatewood over Willis.

[johnnyAU 3,630]

Just judging from the warm ups before yesterday's game (and fully realizing they are meaningless ;)...)  Stidham and Willis had much better form and accuracy passing the ball. Gatewood had some struggles and the ball coming out of Sanberg's hand looks only slightly better than if it were being thrown by a place kicker/punter.  

Who knows what is going to happen in the off season and who will improve the most and take the lead? Gatewood certainly looks the part and he didn't disappoint when he was finally given a chance.  I just wish they had gotten in a bit sooner and had the opportunity to throw the ball down the field a little. It's a shame neither really was given that chance during the season even in mop up duty. It was 95+% run by design.  That really bothers me. 

[AU64 10,122]

55 minutes ago, weagl1 said:

When I first saw MW in that spring game when he was a freshman I thought he was going to be the second coming of Marshall but based on the limited sample since then he just doesn’t appear to have developed.  Maybe Dilly Dilly can make something out of him but I just don’t know.  I think it is going to be an interesting spring with the 4 of them competing.  I’m not counting out Sandberg just based on maturity .  

Agree on MW....was a big fan and expected him to play a lot ...and give JS a challenge but just does not seem to be moving in that direction.    

He and Shiver had problems at the mesh point several times on what I guess were read options?   though someone said there was no option?   Not sure about that because a time or two it seems that both guys wanted to keep the ball.     I would have considered him a good "wildcat" but looks like Boobee has nailed down that job. 

[weagl1 1,781]

8 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Agree on MW....was a big fan and expected him to play a lot ...and give JS a challenge but just does not seem to be moving in that direction.    

He and Shiver had problems at the mesh point several times on what I guess were read options?   though someone said there was no option?   Not sure about that because a time or two it seems that both guys wanted to keep the ball.     I would have considered him a good "wildcat" but looks like Boobee has nailed down that job. 

One thing is for sure he’s too good an athlete to keep on the bench.  If it doesn’t work out for him at QB this spring he needs to move on to DB.  

[AU64 10,122]

12 minutes ago, weagl1 said:

One thing is for sure he’s too good an athlete to keep on the bench.  If it doesn’t work out for him at QB this spring he needs to move on to DB.  

Good point because if he has a future in football beyond college it won't be as QB.   Can't see any point in him hanging around as a backup trying to beat out JG or Bo and probably doing mop up for another year or two.     JMO but he might as well take advantage of his size and speed to play where he might be able to enjoy a professional career.    

[AuburnTiger4Life 2,225]

I’m on the JG train. I know it’s early but he made better reads and I was really surprised by how explosive he was on that TD run (yes it was a TD). I think MW is more than capable of running the offense but JG has a higher ceiling imo. Nix could be special but it remains to be seen how he does against D1 defenses