All Things 2019 QB Talk

[countoff 331]

If you have two quarterbacks, then you have no quarterbacks.

At least that is what I have always believed.  But now in college football, the players can easily enter the transfer portal and so talented freshmen/sophomores will simply leave if not immediately named the starter.  So now I'm wondering if the best strategy for future success is to purposely plan and recruit for a 2 QB system.

I think Gus has two talented QBs right now but I'm concerned we will lose the one that does not get named the starter.

[DAG 33,949]

Gus tried a 3 QB system and it failed miserably . Don’t give him any ideas .

[Zeek 16,578]

Please God no

[keesler 5,922]

No.

But I understand your theory.  HC's have to walk a fine line with the talented QBs they bring in to their system.  They have to "sell" the backup position well to keep them from bolting to another program where they can get the PT they want.

Gus has to be able to show his QBs that they will get solid development and training and that his system is QB friendly, or we'll see guys move on somewhere else.

 

[gravejd 3,266]

The only reason to ever do a 2 QB system is in the Tebow case. When you have an experienced starter but you also have a dynamic young guy that needs to get touches. Any other time it is a bad idea. I don't even like the 2 skill set argument. Trying to do that just telegraphs plays to the other team. 

[WarDamnEagleWDE 12,737]

1 hour ago, countoff said:

If you have two quarterbacks, then you have no quarterbacks.

At least that is what I have always believed.  But now in college football, the players can easily enter the transfer portal and so talented freshmen/sophomores will simply leave if not immediately named the starter.  So now I'm wondering if the best strategy for future success is to purposely plan and recruit for a 2 QB system.

I think Gus has two talented QBs right now but I'm concerned we will lose the one that does not get named the starter.

If we have a sure fire starting QB and the other QB leaves because of that, so be it.

[McLoofus 35,182]

34 minutes ago, gravejd said:

The only reason to ever do a 2 QB system is in the Tebow case. When you have an experienced starter but you also have a dynamic young guy that needs to get touches. Any other time it is a bad idea. I don't even like the 2 skill set argument. Trying to do that just telegraphs plays to the other team. 

Always my thought in these conversations. UF 2006. That was the one time it worked. And I'd argue that it wasn't any more a "two QB system" than it was essentially a Wildcat-heavy offense a la Arkansas 2006 and Miami (Dolphins) 2008. 

Of course, the biggest and likely deciding difference for us that we have a RS FR and a true FR, not a senior and true FR. Furthermore, our true FR would presumably be in the Chris Leak- the senior- role. 

My guess is we run QB1 and hope to have lots of opportunities to work in QB2 for cleanup reps. But QB1 is a young guy and first time starter no matter what, so we might not have many reps that aren't better used getting him more comfortable in the offense. I used to bitch about Stidham hogging all the reps in 2017 but I was wrong and the folks that said he needed all the reps he could get were right. As for packages, we'll run a lot of Wildcat. Thing is, if Joey is QB1, he can do that, a la Cam in 2010 (and did we run unbalanced in 2013-14 with Nick taking those?). And if it's Bo, then we already have guys on the field like Boobee and quite possibly Joiner, so we wouldn't have to sub. 

2nd TL;DR of the day already: I don't hate the idea of "a 2-qb system", but I don't think the variables fall the right way for us to do it. 

Oh, and 2016 Clemson has nothing to do with it. The worst thing about that was that it wasn't even a system. It was just some dumb ass one-off crap that Gus read on the inside of a Bazooka gum wrapper that Monday and decided to try to translate to football because he was scared of Clemson's defense and didn't want to start Partyboy McPartypants. 

[gr82be 14,401]

1 hour ago, keesler said:

No.

But I understand your theory.  HC's have to walk a fine line with the talented QBs they bring in to their system.  They have to "sell" the backup position well to keep them from bolting to another program where they can get the PT they want.

Gus has to be able to show his QBs that they will get solid development and training and that his system is QB friendly, or we'll see guys move on somewhere else.

 

Gus could take a page from Bruce Pearl's book of coaching and keep the backup engaged and prepared. It's certainly two different sports but the players have to know they have a role and sometimes it's a support role. Purifoy and McCormick we're ready in the post season when they were needed because they knew their role. The backups should play but they are backups for a reason... someone else is better at what they are being asked to do. It's no different for a quarterback. And if he thinks the grass is greener someplace else then so be it. Lewis Grizzard had a point though, the grass is always greener over the septic tank. 

[gr82be 14,401]

25 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Partyboy McPartypants. 

I am so far removed from being a partyboy but if I was picking my profile name today this would be it. 

[gctiger 922]

1 hour ago, gravejd said:

The only reason to ever do a 2 QB system is in the Tebow case. When you have an experienced starter but you also have a dynamic young guy that needs to get touches. Any other time it is a bad idea. I don't even like the 2 skill set argument. Trying to do that just telegraphs plays to the other team. 

I agree.  One of the few things that I liked about Terry Bowden was that he involved Daymiene Craig as a backup.  Pat Nix would execute most of main drive, and Bowden would send in the young but talented Craig when well into the red zone.  It not only helped develop Craig but it also signaled a tremendous vote of confidence and support from the head coach.  

[DAG 33,949]

1 hour ago, WarDamnEagleWDE said:

If we have a sure fire starting QB and the other QB leaves because of that, so be it.

Clemson 2018. Worked out well for them.

[dyehardfanAU 2,117]

I hope Nix gets a lot of backup time in the first 4 games and Gatewood is good enough to start the whole season.

[WalkingCarpet 1,379]

51 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Oh, and 2016 Clemson has nothing to do with it. The worst thing about that was that it wasn't even a system. It was just some dumb ass one-off crap that Gus read on the inside of a Bazooka gum wrapper that Monday and decided to try to translate to football because he was scared of Clemson's defense and didn't want to start Partyboy McPartypants. 

That Clemson game in '16 was like the Battlefield Earth of offensive performances. WTF were they thinking? We are no closer to understanding what in the hell was going through Gustav's head that day three years ago then we are to finding extraterrestrial life. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

3 minutes ago, WalkingCarpet said:

That Clemson game in '16 was like the Battlefield Earth of offensive performances. WTF were they thinking? We are no closer to understanding what in the hell was going through Gustav's head that day three years ago then we are to finding extraterrestrial life. 

I have my theories. None of them make it okay. 

Genuine lol at Battlefield Earth, haha. 

[IronMan70 3,277]

No on the 2 QB idea. But if we do that, can we also bring back the "QB Spin-A-Roo" play call ?  It doesn't get much better than that.

[WalkingCarpet 1,379]

5 minutes ago, IronMan70 said:

No on the 2 QB idea. But if we do that, can we also bring back the "QB Spin-A-Roo" play call ?  It doesn't get much better than that.

Excuse me, it's called the "whirly bird." Get it right. 

[Sizzle 3,909]

44 minutes ago, DAG said:

Clemson 2018. Worked out well for them.

And Bama the year before that 

[kevon67 2,368]

I just don't see Nix leaving if he doesn't get the nod........his dad never left............I want the QB that gives Auburn the best oppurtunity to win.

[3rdgeneration 6,468]

I don't know, but I feel like Bo Nix has the maturity and the support to be able to wait for his time. I would hope that Joey Gatewood does as well, but Joey has already waited a year and Bo has not. So, if Joey wins it, I think Bo would stay. If Bo wins it, I am not sure if Joey stays. I'm not selling Joey short, I just don't have a feel for him, one way or another. And, I could be wrong about Bo. So there's my 2 cents, which means absolutely nothing! 

[3rdgeneration 6,468]

2 minutes ago, kevon67 said:

I just don't see Nix leaving if he doesn't get the nod........his dad never left............I want the QB that gives Auburn the best oppurtunity to win.

Just thinking the same as you. You said it better.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,627]

I wish we tried it w Jeremy and Nick more. I think that could’ve worked 

[aubiefifty 16,658]

Gus Malzahn wants starting QB named ‘earlier rather than later’

Updated 12:37 PM; Today 11:06 AM

3 minutes

Auburn Football

Josh Bean

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn during the 2019 Auburn A-Day scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn on April 13, 2019.

By Sam Blum | SBlum@al.com

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn wouldn’t put a timeline on when he expects to name a starting quarterback, though he hopes it occurs “earlier rather than later” into the start of fall camp.

Speaking to local reporters at SEC Media Days, Malzahn was quickly asked about his well-publicized quarterback battle, which pits true freshman Bo Nix against redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood.

“We’ve got a good plan to evaluate our quarterbacks and put them in as many situations as possible,” Malzahn said. “And then, when it’s time, usually what happens is that the whole team usually knows it, you know. So whenever that time happens, we’re going to name a starting quarterback. I hope that is earlier rather than later, but I’m not going to try to push it. I’m just going to let it happen.”

While Malzahn was pretty open about not wanting to have a two-QB system, he praised the work that both Nix and Gatewood have done in the offseason.

“The good thing is that both of those guys can be a run threat, which I think is important. Both can create when things break down,” Malzahn said. "They showed that in the spring. They both have big-time arms. So the good thing is, I think we have two good options. It’s going to be a fierce battle. Both of them are great competitors.

"Both of them have handled themselves really good from a leadership standpoint understanding that that one of their biggest jobs is to earn the trust of their teammates. A big part of that is when you’re away from the coaches in the summer, so I’m really hoping that, when we get in fall camp, that it feels different.”

Malzahn hasn’t clearly indicated if there’s a favorite going into the fall, though Gatewood does have additional experience. Players have openly compared him to Cam Newton, and former Auburn LB Deshaun Davis said during bowl practices that Gatewood was going to be a great QB.

“I mean, Joey, there’s no doubt he’s an imposing runner," Malzahn said. "There’s no doubt as far as that. But I will say this about Bo — he can flat-out run, too. He’s a very, very good athlete. Both those guys are gong to be run threats. When we’ve had a run threat at quarterback, that’s really a game-changer, as far as defenses having to prepare.”

[WalkingCarpet 1,379]

[aujeff11 6,243]

33 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

When we’ve had a run threat at quarterback, that’s really a game-changer, as far as defenses having to prepare.”

No kidding. Yet we trotted SW, JJ, and Stidham out there. 

 

33 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

hope that is earlier rather than later, but I’m not going to try to push it. I’m just going to let it happen.”

He’d be an idiot to give up his chance of gamesmanship by forcing Oregon to prepare for two. I’m sure his team will know for a fortnight and some change though.

[CAReeves2010 627]

36 minutes ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

I wish we tried it w Jeremy and Nick more. I think that could’ve worked 

NM behind center gave the offense a rhythm that would've won more games with a better D. Rotating JJ in would've slowed the pace and taken away from the HUNH Gus was trying to run.