You make the call...

[StatTiger 3,188]

I had an interesting discussion with a friend last night about and our new offense and our quarterbacks. Before I comment on our discussion please keep in mind that I firmly believe that JC will be our starter in 2004 unless he’s injured. This post is not meant as a critique of Jason Campbell or to question his ability to quarterback our offense. This is completely hypothetical and nothing more.

What if during the course of Spring Practice, Jason Campbell struggles in CAB’s new offense. While he struggles, a reserve QB appears to grasp the new system and executes the offense in a more efficient manner compared to Campbell. During A-Day, JC struggles and the #2 man has a solid outing during the scrimmage. When Fall practice rolls around the #2 man continues to pull away as Campbell continues to struggle with the new offense. JC’s biggest problem in the new offense is his failure to make the correct reads and he’s consistently making the safe throws or taking the sack. He’s not turning the ball over but he’s failing to see the mismatches created in the secondary. The #2 guy makes a few mental mistakes, occasionally forces the ball but he’s hitting the big plays and provides us with the ability to stretch the field.

If you were CTT, would you stick with the experience factor and water down the offense to adjust to Campbell, hoping that the light will come on sometime during the season? Borges tells you that JC will not force the ball, will complete a high percentage of passes but will struggle against the better defenses and we may have problems if the running game is taken away. He further believes that the #2 guy will throw the occasional pick but he will also hit the big plays, which will keep the defense honest and keep our ground game alive. In his opinion, if we stay with JC and simplify the offense, we will beat the lesser opponents but will struggle to move the ball against the LSU’s and UGA’s. If we go with the #2 man, we should have no problems against the lesser opponents and he might be able to create enough big plays to overcome his mistakes against the better defensive teams.

Bottom line, do we simplify the offense at the risk of becoming predictable against the better teams and probably go 8-3 or 9-2 at best? Or, do we go with the younger guy with the chance of playing competitive against the better teams but with the risk of having a few costly turnovers. If we go with JC, we would spend next year trying to develop a QB in 2005, going through the same growing pains for the second consecutive year. If we run with the backup in 2004, we may go 8-3 but our QB of the future would already have one solid year under his belt going into 2005.

What are your thoughts?

[quietfan 233]

Doesn't sound like a real choice under the alternatives as you describe them:

...the #2 guy will throw the occasional pick but he will also hit the big plays, which will keep the defense honest and keep our ground game alive. ...if we stay with JC and simplify the offense, we will beat the lesser opponents but will struggle to move the ball against the LSU’s and UGA’s. If we go with the #2 man, we should have no problems against the lesser opponents and he might be able to create enough big plays to overcome his mistakes against the better defensive teams.

I interpret this to mean both QB's beat the lesser opponents and the #2 guy gives us a better chance against the tougher opponents. If that's the case, then "#2" is really the better QB, giving us the best shot at victory, and should be "#1".

(...even if the occasional pick scares the "#2" out of me.. )

[JTTIGER 0]

TT does not have time nor the support to play the experience factor. He must go with the guy that gives us the best chance to beat the LSU/GA games. #2 must be the man. With this being said, I don't think that we have a #2 that will challenge this soon. Only wishful thinking!

[Tigerdog 0]

"Let the Best Man Win"

[BiggestAUfan 0]

Put the QB who understands the O best on the field.

Ironically Cade McNown was a lefty and we just happen to have a left handed (and former Mr. Alabama Football) on scholly!!!!!!!!

[SKCAUB 0]

TT would stick with JC...I would bet on it.

[War Eagle 96 10]

How bout if our receivers just start CATCHING THE DAMN BALL. And JC throws deep as well as he did against UT, UA and UW!

[CCTAU 3,302]

I thought we went through this in reverse with Cobb and JC already. It's a crappy position to be in. Cobb understood the offense and forced the ball. Those costly turnovers were indeed costly. Yes we went deep more, but we kow how everybody felt about Cobb????

[AUbirdie 0]

although your post was "hypothetical," i think the odds of your idea becoming a reality are considerably higher than the odds of jason campbell grasping a new offensive scheme.

[WarTim 3,456]

Your question, which is more of a statement that you do not like JC nor do you think he is the man that should be #1, is unanswerable.

Why not just state that YOU do not think our coaches know what they are doing and YOU do not think JC should be the starting qb?

Unreal.................

[Raven_tiger 5]

How bout if our receivers just start CATCHING THE DAMN BALL. And JC throws deep as well as he did against UT, UA and UW!

Holding their blocks would be nice too.

[aumurph 0]

WarTim,

I'm new to this board, but, MAN, calm down. You are inferring WAAAAY too much material from his post. Why don't you try asking him of his intentions instead of just ad libbing?

[texaubie 0]

WarTim,

I'm new to this board, but, MAN, calm down. You are inferring WAAAAY too much material from his post. Why don't you try asking him of his intentions instead of just ad libbing?

aumurph, save your breath, errr, key strokes...

[aumurph 0]

Tex,

Appreciate the advice...

[Raven_tiger 5]

On paper, our WRs look like they could be All-SEC. Unfortunately there have been a lot of dropped balls, poor blocking and poor route running. I don't blame the kids, I blame Knox for not correcting the problems. Who was our last good (very) WR? Frank Sanders??? That's too long of time of a time without a standout(s) WR in this league. Hopefully the WRs will have a better season than last season. Courtney impressed me with his guts, remember that hit in the SC game? Devin did a pretty good job returning kickoffs. I hope we see more of it.

[SouthLink02 8]

Bench Jason :ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:

[Bama Bo 0]

I know you guys could care less about a bammers opnion but, here it is anyway.

From what I've seen of Tubs is that I'd lay even money on him going "the safe" route. He seems to me to more towards a QB that won't "lose" a game more than he looks for one that will take chances and "win" one.

This is by no means a slam on Tubs. Personally, I agree with this line of thinking for the most part. That's why I liked Tyler Watts at Bama. You couldn't count on him to make really big plays that would win games, but very seldom did he make stupid mistakes that lost a game for you. (Notice I said SELDOM) I think this is the type of QB JC is.

JMHO.

[Raven_tiger 5]

Bench Jason :ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:

When he has time to throw, he seems to do ok. It's hard to spot open recievers while your running for you life. Having said that, I think that JC fails to recognize blitzes and call the proper audible. Again, hopefully coaching will solve that problem...I hope.

[WarTim 3,456]

WarTim,

I'm new to this board, but, MAN, calm down. You are inferring WAAAAY too much material from his post. Why don't you try asking him of his intentions instead of just ad libbing?

Since you are "new"...I will give you a break...THIS time.

[AURainman 6]

I know you guys could care less about a bammers opnion but, here it is anyway.

From what I've seen of Tubs is that I'd lay even money on him going "the safe" route. He seems to me to more towards a QB that won't "lose" a game more than he looks for one that will take chances and "win" one.

This is by no means a slam on Tubs. Personally, I agree with this line of thinking for the most part. That's why I liked Tyler Watts at Bama. You couldn't count on him to make really big plays that would win games, but very seldom did he make stupid mistakes that lost a game for you. (Notice I said SELDOM) I think this is the type of QB JC is.

JMHO.

I totally agree. Tubs is so predictable in this way. But, this is the same coach who fakes a punt on his own 10 yard line, too. How confusing.......

WarTim. Lay off of Stat. He is about as levelheaded as it gets and didn't mean a single negative thing from his hypothetical situation. You need to stop taking personal offense anytime anyone has a not-so-positive comment. You are wrecking the board for the rest of us.

I, for one, do not feel that this is much of a stretch. Jason has had serious difficulty adjusting to new schemes in practice. It is no mystery that he is slow on the learning curve. That is not to say that he cant handle the new offense, just that some youngster may outshine him. I say, if Cox, Denson, Luke, Sullivan, etc. are outshining JC come next year. LET THE BOY PLAY. Then we will have a very talented, experienced backup, should something happen. I doubt Booker or Fields will be up to speed at that point, so let them sit it out regardless.

[SouthLink02 8]

Bench Jason  :ph34r:  :ph34r:  :ph34r:

When he has time to throw, he seems to do ok. It's hard to spot open recievers while your running for you life. Having said that, I think that JC fails to recognize blitzes and call the proper audible. Again, hopefully coaching will solve that problem...I hope.

I think Jason just needs to get into a scheme that fits him and the ones he has had werent it hence him being quite average at best. I know many on here didnt agree with me last year when I said he was being over-rated but I still believe that. I think he is a great runner/scrambler but a quite average downfield passer. Yes, I agree he hasnt had many chances but when he has...I just dont see it in him.

[API50 0]

Bottom line...we leave the decision up to Borge who he believes he can win with.

[StatTiger 3,188]

Your question, which is more of a statement that you do not like JC nor do you think he is the man that should be #1, is unanswerable.

Why not just state that YOU do not think our coaches know what they are doing and YOU do not think JC should be the starting qb?

Unreal.................

No Timothy... YOU ARE WRONG

I suggest that you reread the opening paragraph of my post. This very same scenario ocurred in 1990 ( McIntosh & White ), 1995 ( Nix and Craig ) and in 2001 with Cobb and Campbell. In all three cases, the coaching staff had to make a decision on the QB of the present compared to the one for the future.

For future reference, if you want my actual opinion, all you have to do is ask!

[Erik81 0]

StatTiger is a wonderful resource to this board who consistantly provides intreguing comparisions and contrastion of stats we would not be aware of without his posts. This is a wonderful HYPOTHETICAL and relavent to Auburn football. Wartim, who turns your computer on for you?

[Argo 8]

Your question, which is more of a statement that you do not like JC nor do you think he is the man that should be #1, is unanswerable.

Why not just state that YOU do not think our coaches know what they are doing and YOU do not think JC should be the starting qb?

Unreal.................

No Timothy... YOU ARE WRONG

I suggest that you reread the opening paragraph of my post. This very same scenario ocurred in 1990 ( McIntosh & White ), 1995 ( Nix and Craig ) and in 2001 with Cobb and Campbell. In all three cases, the coaching staff had to make a decision on the QB of the present compared to the one for the future.

For future reference, if you want my actual opinion, all you have to do is ask!

Too many facts on one post, stat. It confused him.