A Day QB1

[ChristoThor 70]

Reading this does not make me feel good. I didn't see anything already discussing who is going to be starting on A day and wanted to post this here to see how others felt about this.

I understand it is too soon to really say anybody has earned the starting position, but sticking with Finley leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

https://flywareagle.com/2022/03/02/auburn-football-qb-first-team/

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by ChristoThor

[gr82be 14,423]

35 minutes ago, ChristoThor said:

Reading this does not make me feel good. I didn't see anything already discussing who is going to be starting on A day and wanted to post this here to see how others felt about this.

I understand it is too soon to really say anybody has earned the starting position, but sticking with Finley leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

https://flywareagle.com/2022/03/02/auburn-football-qb-first-team/

 

Wouldn't put a lot of stock in this at this point. What else can be said? Finley has a leg up on the offense at this time with game experience and he would be the obvious choice before spring practice starts. It's on the rest of the QBs to play well and win the job. It's most certainly a great opportunity for someone to rise up. 

[lca408 366]

10 minutes ago, gr82be said:

Wouldn't put a lot of stock in this at this point. What else can be said? Finley has a leg up on the offense at this time with game experience and he would be the obvious choice before spring practice starts. It's on the rest of the QBs to play well and win the job. It's most certainly a great opportunity for someone to rise up. 

Knowing the offense sure. Actually performing? Well we’ve seen how he performs in game and can compare that to Calzada and Ashford, even though Robby doesn’t have as much experience. It’s the default choice for now, doesn’t mean that’s who it will be at the end of Spring.

Edit - didn’t mean that as a reply to you, just in general.

Edited March 2, 2022 by lca408

[ChristoThor 70]

I can definitely see what you are saying. I understand that Finley is going to get his chance since he was already in this system and even started in it. I just worry that he is going to really perform in practice enough to get on the field and then choke. I know it is a bit irrational, but I just want to see someone else get a shot. I wish the best for Finley and maybe he can turn into a great QB at Auburn, but I just don't currently have a lot of faith in him and I worry he will push his way to a starting position past spring.

[Hank2020 3,199]

36 minutes ago, gr82be said:

Wouldn't put a lot of stock in this at this point. What else can be said? Finley has a leg up on the offense at this time with game experience and he would be the obvious choice before spring practice starts. It's on the rest of the QBs to play well and win the job. It's most certainly a great opportunity for someone to rise up. 

I am not sure that non game action will allow anyone to overtake the starting job at this point. Obviously we will see how it shakes out down the line.

[woodford 3,655]

31 minutes ago, ChristoThor said:

I can definitely see what you are saying. I understand that Finley is going to get his chance since he was already in this system and even started in it. I just worry that he is going to really perform in practice enough to get on the field and then choke. I know it is a bit irrational, but I just want to see someone else get a shot. I wish the best for Finley and maybe he can turn into a great QB at Auburn, but I just don't currently have a lot of faith in him and I worry he will push his way to a starting position past spring.

I don’t know if he’ll necessarily choke but whoever replaces him will simply outperform him. Finley just isn’t that good. It’s not that he can’t handle it mentally. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders. He lacks talent. 

[gr82be 14,423]

6 minutes ago, Hank2020 said:

I am not sure that non game action will allow anyone to overtake the starting job at this point. Obviously we will see how it shakes out down the line.

Harsin has enough on the line that it would behoove him to have all out scrimmages with the spilling of blood and guts. 

[SRBautigerfan 1,040]

8 minutes ago, Hank2020 said:

I am not sure that non game action will allow anyone to overtake the starting job at this point.

Game action?  They only get practices and scrimmages to make their move.  Once it's game time, QB2, 3 or 4 don't ever play again.

[autigeremt 6,601]

This is a clean slate situation. I wouldn't worry much with it. 

[Mikey 16,579]

I've read here and elsewhere that Calzada is recovering from an injury to his non-throwing shoulder and won't be participating in spring practice. If true, that pretty much sucks.

[casatiger 513]

No need to have the no contact jersey for any qb on the roster unless they are injured.   Need full contact to see who separates.  

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 hour ago, ChristoThor said:

I can definitely see what you are saying. I understand that Finley is going to get his chance since he was already in this system and even started in it. I just worry that he is going to really perform in practice enough to get on the field and then choke. I know it is a bit irrational, but I just want to see someone else get a shot. I wish the best for Finley and maybe he can turn into a great QB at Auburn, but I just don't currently have a lot of faith in him and I worry he will push his way to a starting position past spring.

If it eases your concerns, we know that Harsin will make a change if he needs to. I know we didn't see that at the end of the season last year when it seemed like we should, but we *did* see it much earlier in the season and we saw plenty of it with his assistant coaches. So maybe <QB1 candidate> does get the nod and maybe he does choke. Unlike 2019, we can feel confident that QB2 will get his shot.

It's also helpful that Finley and Davis both have a full year in the system and will be getting a full offseason in it. Hopefully that means that the staff can both work on things with those guys that they didn't get to last year and that they have more time to work with a QB3. I think that might partially explain why we never saw Davis last year. Think about how much work went into just Nix and Finley. There couldn't have been much time left to focus on Davis. And when Nix went down, Finley obviously still needed all the help they could give him. 

TL;DR We might not have a QB1 to feel really excited about but we might have 2 or 3 QB2s we can feel okay about. (And it's not like we're taking a giant step back from super awesome QB production to begin with.)

[alexava 6,973]

Didn’t Harsin tell the whole team that nobody played well enough to be penciled in to a position next year? Seems like this was discussed about the time Nix left. IOW nothing matters until about Labor Day weekend. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

Oh, one other thing that could be a win for us. Kiesau may or may not be a strong OC, but there's not going to be a getting-to-know-each-other phase with this offense like there had to have been with Harsin and Bobo. No new terminology, no clarifying who does what on game day, whatever. And returning the OL starters even further enhances the "hit the ground running" potential for the offense. 

I dunno. I realize we still have talent and depth issues but I feel like this year's offense has advantages over last year's. QB could absolutely be one of them. 

 

[aubiefifty 16,768]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

I've read here and elsewhere that Calzada is recovering from an injury to his non-throwing shoulder and won't be participating in spring practice. IfCalzada true, that pretty much sucks.

it would because it is my understanding austin davis who was our qb coach for a minute supposedly picked Calzada. i have no idea why but i assume he thought he could work with him well and coach him up.

[cctiger 571]

2 hours ago, woodford said:

Finley just isn’t that good. It’s not that he can’t handle it mentally. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders. He lacks talent. 

I seriously doubt if Finley could win the starting job at North Alabama. Slow, awkward, poor footwork. If there isn't a QB on the roster that is a better performer than Finley, Harsin will be in a world of hurt this season, especially with the O Line this year.

[Barnacle 9,064]

Gonna be wide open! Can’t wait for A-Day.

[au302 2,669]

I wouldn't put any stock into the A-Day starter. End of the depth chart for sure, because I don't see any way we keep all 5 through summer. It's telling that they brought in 3 new QB's, two portal and one HS, this year. I think Finley could be the A-Day starter due to Calzada's injury, but that's it.

With so many new faces, there will probably be a lot of shuffling of the depth chart through fall camp. I'm not even convinced that they don't pursue another portal guy if the right guy is interested (Daniels). Fun times

[Sizzle 3,912]

I mean it’s the only thing that makes sense. The coaches don’t even really know the other 2 QB’s they brought in so of course Finley would get the starting reps to begin with. I hope Dee Davis makes a strong push for the job

[AUloggerhead 2,229]

2 hours ago, au302 said:

I wouldn't put any stock into the A-Day starter. End of the depth chart for sure, because I don't see any way we keep all 5 through summer. It's telling that they brought in 3 new QB's, two portal and one HS, this year. I think Finley could be the A-Day starter due to Calzada's injury, but that's it.

With so many new faces, there will probably be a lot of shuffling of the depth chart through fall camp. I'm not even convinced that they don't pursue another portal guy if the right guy is interested (Daniels). Fun times

Curious, but why is it "telling" that 3 new QBs were added to the roster when 2 QBs departed -- 1 grad & 1 portal?  I mean, if we're going to have an actual QB competition then the more the merrier.   I think AU's QB situation is much better for it, and I'll even say we're in better shape than last season where AU had essentially one feasible starter and a few inexperienced reserves.  

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

I would be surprised if anyone other than Finley was the first QB at A Day.  I would also be surprised if he was still QB1 when we start fall practice.  

[au302 2,669]

42 minutes ago, AUloggerhead said:

Curious, but why is it "telling" that 3 new QBs were added to the roster when 2 QBs departed -- 1 grad & 1 portal?  I mean, if we're going to have an actual QB competition then the more the merrier.   I think AU's QB situation is much better for it, and I'll even say we're in better shape than last season where AU had essentially one feasible starter and a few inexperienced reserves.  

I completely agree with you. I'm glad he brought all these guys in, and I'm in the camp of wanting Daniels if he's actually a possibility. Just think that barring quick and rather drastic improvement the writing's on the wall for the incumbents. It can happen, but Loy was a warm body and Harsin got to see them for a year

[Didba 5,256]

6 hours ago, Mikey said:

I've read here and elsewhere that Calzada is recovering from an injury to his non-throwing shoulder and won't be participating in spring practice. If true, that pretty much sucks.

I mean that's been confirmed by numerous sources.

[Didba 5,256]

Not saying Finley is the answer but y'all are sure harsh on grading him as dogsh*t based off of 3-4 games of play after he arrived in the summer and didn't go through spring.  Further, he was thrust into a failing situation with Bobo at play caller.

Dude was still learning the offense during fall practice. Everyone should get a fair shake and any preconceived notions people have from last season should be dispelled until we see how everyone is doing in the spring.

[Hank2020 3,199]

9 hours ago, gr82be said:

Harsin has enough on the line that it would behoove him to have all out scrimmages with the spilling of blood and guts. 

I think Calzada had surgery so he will probably not be in the mix then.