2013 4* QB Jeremy Johnson signs with AU!

[WarEagle10 77]

The more I know about him, the more this kid reminds me of Jason Campbell. He's tall, has a great arm, soft spoken, and shows tremendous leadership ability. Is even a basketball star as well, like Campbell was. The only big difference I see is that he seems more physically developed as a high school senior than Campbell was.

I really hope we're able to bring him along properly. I'd love to see Kiehl step up and be the man next year, providing Jeremy the chance to redshirt, but I could see JJ doing very well if the need arises for him to take over.

So your conceding the starting job to KF over Wallace?

I'm conceding nothing. I simply think Frazier has far more potential. I was pleased with what I saw out of Wallace, and I think he could be successful, but the arc on even his shorter throws stuck out like a sore thumb to me and suggests he doesn't have enough arm to find consistent success against SEC defensive backs. Kiehl's problem is all between his ears. He looked like he was thinking too much and never gained a comfort with the dropback. Now, I'm a fan of going from under center and throwing on rhythm (3 step drop, 5 step drop, etc), but it just didn't seem to fit for him. With Malzahn back in town, my hope is that he will find both comfort and confidence in the system, because if that happens, he has all the tools to become an incredible QB.

He reminds me so much of Kodi Burns because he too cannot make even the simplest throws w/o sailing the ball over the intended receiver's head. He struggled on that little roll out pass to the TE all year. I dont see Kiehl getting it done. If arm strength was all there was he might be the guy but he seems deficient in every other category outside of arm strength. Wallace is clearly the better QB, so, if Frazier is going to beat him out he's really got his work cut out for him.

What concerns me about Kiehl is he admitted he watches the rush. A QB can not do that and be successful. Maybe a year of maturity, and being more comfortable with this O, will help him out. I just don't see how Wallace can't be the favorite going into the spring.

[Rednilla 5,396]

The more I know about him, the more this kid reminds me of Jason Campbell. He's tall, has a great arm, soft spoken, and shows tremendous leadership ability. Is even a basketball star as well, like Campbell was. The only big difference I see is that he seems more physically developed as a high school senior than Campbell was.

I really hope we're able to bring him along properly. I'd love to see Kiehl step up and be the man next year, providing Jeremy the chance to redshirt, but I could see JJ doing very well if the need arises for him to take over.

So your conceding the starting job to KF over Wallace?

I'm conceding nothing. I simply think Frazier has far more potential. I was pleased with what I saw out of Wallace, and I think he could be successful, but the arc on even his shorter throws stuck out like a sore thumb to me and suggests he doesn't have enough arm to find consistent success against SEC defensive backs. Kiehl's problem is all between his ears. He looked like he was thinking too much and never gained a comfort with the dropback. Now, I'm a fan of going from under center and throwing on rhythm (3 step drop, 5 step drop, etc), but it just didn't seem to fit for him. With Malzahn back in town, my hope is that he will find both comfort and confidence in the system, because if that happens, he has all the tools to become an incredible QB.

He reminds me so much of Kodi Burns because he too cannot make even the simplest throws w/o sailing the ball over the intended receiver's head. He struggled on that little roll out pass to the TE all year. I dont see Kiehl getting it done. If arm strength was all there was he might be the guy but he seems deficient in every other category outside of arm strength. Wallace is clearly the better QB, so, if Frazier is going to beat him out he's really got his work cut out for him.

Kodi Burns...and every other strong armed QB before they settled down. Wallace was not asked to do nearly as much as Frazier was, and he did well primarily against New Mexico State and Alabama A&M. Again, I was in fact pleased with what I saw out of Jonathan, but let's not go crowning him the next big thing at QB just yet.

Kiehl did quite well as a runner in 2011, so we know he is mobile. This year he was trying to process too much at once. We also know he can throw the deep ball well...remember that beautiful throw that Sammie Coates dropped against LSU? Kiehl's stats weren't all that bad against the Bayou Bengals, either, and IMO he should have stayed in against Arkansas. I kept waiting for him to come back in, take the reins, lead the team down the field, and become the leader he can be.

I suspect that the combination of being back in the offense he's run all his life and not having to make the same kinds of reads at the line that he did this year will make a world of difference to him.

[sevenlee36 1,654]

SMH. Quit with the Frazier talk. He is awful. He will not be the starting QB. Jeremy Johnson will have a chance to start. The sooner he comes in the better.

[AUWALT 10]

The coaches will have a true competition with all QB's and may the best man win the job for next year.

JJ will be our Quarterback for the future whether he gets the job next year or not.

[ellitor 33,113]

SMH. Quit with the Frazier talk. He is awful. He will not be the starting QB. Jeremy Johnson will have a chance to start. The sooner he comes in the better.

Don't count Kiehl out. Going back to his Junior high days he has been in Gu's offense for 6 years.

[Mikey 16,708]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

[TheBlueVue 177]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Dont bet a lot. Im not convinced what he seems to be lacking can be coached.

[ellitor 33,113]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Dont bet a lot. Im not convinced what he seems to be lacking can be coached.

The only thing he lacks is confidence and belief in himself as a QB. If Gus can reinstill that in him Kiehl will be tough to beat out.

[mustache eagle 2,412]

true freshmen are not the answer in the SEC. wallace did fine, but was the 3rd option for a reason. i would anticipate frazier to take back over. i look forward to the competition.

if anything else, the last couple of years shows why a freshman QB SHOULD take a redshirt ... get his feet under him and then be able to play with confidence down the road. playing a true freshman QB is a QB killer waiting to happen.

[aucanucktiger 1,798]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Dont bet a lot. Im not convinced what he seems to be lacking can be coached.

The only thing he lacks is confidence and belief in himself as a QB. If Gus can reinstill that in him Kiehl will be tough to beat out.

Gus will now get a chance to show us why he basically stalked Frazier since 8th grade and what he (and the rest of the country) saw in USA Today National High School Offensive Player of the Year Kiehl Frazier. I'm of the school that thinks no way anybody is THAT good in high school and THIS bad in college.

[TheBlueVue 177]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Dont bet a lot. Im not convinced what he seems to be lacking can be coached.

The only thing he lacks is confidence and belief in himself as a QB. If Gus can reinstill that in him Kiehl will be tough to beat out.

Gus will now get a chance to show us why he basically stalked Frazier since 8th grade and what he (and the rest of the country) saw in USA Today National High School Offensive Player of the Year Kiehl Frazier. I'm of the school that thinks no way anybody is THAT good in high school and THIS bad in college.

The competitive differences are vast. I said when he signed, things will be much much different in the SEC vs. a private school league in Arkansas. Certain intangibles cannot be coached. I agree with what I heard Joe Montana say in an interview once about being a successful QB..theres a good bit of it that you either have or you dont and w/o that its very difficult to play the position at a high level. If Kiehl has that quality he did one heckuva job keeping it out of view. Im not saying he doesn't but I saw more of it in a true freshman than I did in him and that is not a good sign, IMO.

[JFDTiger80 790]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Dont bet a lot. Im not convinced what he seems to be lacking can be coached.

The only thing he lacks is confidence and belief in himself as a QB. If Gus can reinstill that in him Kiehl will be tough to beat out.

I completely agree.

[ellitor 33,113]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Dont bet a lot. Im not convinced what he seems to be lacking can be coached.

The only thing he lacks is confidence and belief in himself as a QB. If Gus can reinstill that in him Kiehl will be tough to beat out.

Gus will now get a chance to show us why he basically stalked Frazier since 8th grade and what he (and the rest of the country) saw in USA Today National High School Offensive Player of the Year Kiehl Frazier. I'm of the school that thinks no way anybody is THAT good in high school and THIS bad in college.

The competitive differences are vast. I said when he signed, things will be much much different in the SEC vs. a private school league in Arkansas. Certain intangibles cannot be coached. I agree with what I heard Joe Montana say in an interview once about being a successful QB..theres a good bit of it that you either have or you dont and w/o that its very difficult to play the position at a high level. If Kiehl has that quality he did one heckuva job keeping it out of view. Im not saying he doesn't but I saw more of it in a true freshman than I did in him and that is not a good sign, IMO.

People were saying the same things about Jason Campbell after his junior year and then he completely turned it around his senior season. Just Sayin"

[bird36 5]

The year Jason Campbell got so much heat he was very accurate. Auburn was one of the top teams in the Nation in completion percentage. It was a offensive coordinator problem. We always threw the ball short of the first down so we could never sustain a drive or move the ball. If it was 3rd and 6 JC was sure to complete a 4 yard pass.

KF needs to fix his accuracy on short passes to succeed in Gus's offense.

[IronMan70 3,277]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Yep.

[mustache eagle 2,412]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Dont bet a lot. Im not convinced what he seems to be lacking can be coached.

The only thing he lacks is confidence and belief in himself as a QB. If Gus can reinstill that in him Kiehl will be tough to beat out.

Gus will now get a chance to show us why he basically stalked Frazier since 8th grade and what he (and the rest of the country) saw in USA Today National High School Offensive Player of the Year Kiehl Frazier. I'm of the school that thinks no way anybody is THAT good in high school and THIS bad in college.

The competitive differences are vast. I said when he signed, things will be much much different in the SEC vs. a private school league in Arkansas. Certain intangibles cannot be coached. I agree with what I heard Joe Montana say in an interview once about being a successful QB..theres a good bit of it that you either have or you dont and w/o that its very difficult to play the position at a high level. If Kiehl has that quality he did one heckuva job keeping it out of view. Im not saying he doesn't but I saw more of it in a true freshman than I did in him and that is not a good sign, IMO.

just to pick nits a little ... i believe that shiloh played public school ball. they were a 3A or 4A size school and apparently arky requires that a private school has to play up a classification. so they played up to either 4A or 5A. now i agree it was arky high school ball, but they won multi state titles. the only game i really saw frazier play was the national tv game against a great texas high school. shiloh got crushed, but there was no doubt that frazier was the best player on his team and possibly the best on the field that night.

the kid appears to have the intangibles to be great - leadership and steadiness - but seems to be a quiet leader. he appears to me to need to be a little bit more of a vocal, head slapping leader. i hope he looks in the mirror and realizes that this may be it and its time to exhibit loud leadership. if not, i am afraid he will get passed by. the kid seems to have the tools. hope he uses em.

[TheBlueVue 177]

The best pass thrown by an Auburn QB last season was the TD pass from Frazier to Blake in the Clemson game. Like the rest of the season, things went downhill from that game. He never should have been jerked from the Arky game, there were several series in the first half of that one when it looked the things were coming together for him. Then, WHAM, out of there.

If I had to bet money I'd put it on Frazier beating the competition out for the starting QB job.

Dont bet a lot. Im not convinced what he seems to be lacking can be coached.

The only thing he lacks is confidence and belief in himself as a QB. If Gus can reinstill that in him Kiehl will be tough to beat out.

Gus will now get a chance to show us why he basically stalked Frazier since 8th grade and what he (and the rest of the country) saw in USA Today National High School Offensive Player of the Year Kiehl Frazier. I'm of the school that thinks no way anybody is THAT good in high school and THIS bad in college.

The competitive differences are vast. I said when he signed, things will be much much different in the SEC vs. a private school league in Arkansas. Certain intangibles cannot be coached. I agree with what I heard Joe Montana say in an interview once about being a successful QB..theres a good bit of it that you either have or you dont and w/o that its very difficult to play the position at a high level. If Kiehl has that quality he did one heckuva job keeping it out of view. Im not saying he doesn't but I saw more of it in a true freshman than I did in him and that is not a good sign, IMO.

just to pick nits a little ... i believe that shiloh played public school ball. they were a 3A or 4A size school and apparently arky requires that a private school has to play up a classification. so they played up to either 4A or 5A. now i agree it was arky high school ball, but they won multi state titles. the only game i really saw frazier play was the national tv game against a great texas high school. shiloh got crushed, but there was no doubt that frazier was the best player on his team and possibly the best on the field that night.

the kid appears to have the intangibles to be great - leadership and steadiness - but seems to be a quiet leader. he appears to me to need to be a little bit more of a vocal, head slapping leader. i hope he looks in the mirror and realizes that this may be it and its time to exhibit loud leadership. if not, i am afraid he will get passed by. the kid seems to have the tools. hope he uses em.

Clearly you have seen what I have not. All I can remember from him is the way he looked everytime the cameras panned to his face during the games. I can only characterize the expression on his face as reflecting a state of something between petrified and lost.....coming from there will never win in the SEC. I dont know what it would take to get the competitive fire in his belly lit but, based on what Ive seen... it isn't yet.

[thewhiz7 273]

So this thread is about Jeremy Johnson?

[leglessdan 1,934]

So this thread is about Jeremy Johnson?

was

[mcgufcm 4,107]

Regarding Jeremy, I'll wait before I compare him to the guy who is probably third on the list of All-time Auburn QBs. A comparison to Jason Campbell is pretty high praise and high expectation. Part time starter as a RS Freshman, took over the job full-time mid-season in his Sophomore year (and looked great the rest of the way), SEC Offensive POY as a Senior, most accurate QB in Auburn history, first round draft pick.

I expect Johnson to a be a quality QB, and I hope he gets time to mature for AT LEAST one full season before being thrown to the wolves. Even Johnny Heisman-Football-Manzeil needed one year.

As for the guys currently on the roster, Wallace certainly has an unflappable demeanor. That's nothing to poo-poo, but it also doesn't mean he's going to win the job. Wallace looked pretty decent, but against the two best defenses he faced (neither of which was Alabama/LSU 2011 quality), he never led a scoring drive. Not one. Obviously, not all his fault, but it's also worth noting.

[IronMan70 3,277]

Regarding Jeremy, I'll wait before I compare him to the guy who is probably third on the list of All-time Auburn QBs. A comparison to Jason Campbell is pretty high praise and high expectation. Part time starter as a RS Freshman, took over the job full-time mid-season in his Sophomore year (and looked great the rest of the way), SEC Offensive POY as a Senior, most accurate QB in Auburn history, first round draft pick.

I expect Johnson to a be a quality QB, and I hope he gets time to mature for AT LEAST one full season before being thrown to the wolves. Even Johnny Heisman-Football-Manzeil needed one year.

As for the guys currently on the roster, Wallace certainly has an unflappable demeanor. That's nothing to poo-poo, but it also doesn't mean he's going to win the job. Wallace looked pretty decent, but against the two best defenses he faced (neither of which was Alabama/LSU 2011 quality), he never led a scoring drive. Not one. Obviously, not all his fault, but it's also worth noting.

A fact that people conveniently tend to overlook. That even included zero points when the 2nd team defenses were put in the two games. So even though we all like him, we need to wait before we call him the next best thing since sliced bread. I think the job is wide open between Frazier, Wallace and JJ. Even Smith will get a good luck from Gus. I'm like you though, I would like to see one of the 2 older guys step up so JJ can take a RS.

[Rednilla 5,396]

The competitive differences are vast. I said when he signed, things will be much much different in the SEC vs. a private school league in Arkansas. Certain intangibles cannot be coached. I agree with what I heard Joe Montana say in an interview once about being a successful QB..theres a good bit of it that you either have or you dont and w/o that its very difficult to play the position at a high level. If Kiehl has that quality he did one heckuva job keeping it out of view. Im not saying he doesn't but I saw more of it in a true freshman than I did in him and that is not a good sign, IMO.

Except he didn't play in a private school league. He played for a private school that competes in 4A ball in Arkansas. Arkansas only goes up to 5A, and I remember AUQBDad saying something about not being able to get the 5A teams to play against them. His senior season, they played Trinity High School, ranked #1 in the country after winning three of the five previous Texas 5A state championships (they would eventually lose in the state championship game that season, to the #14 team in the country...and yes I mean country, not state). Pretty sure there were 7 or 8 on that team who signed D-1 football scholarships. Now, the entire Springdale team was hopelessly over matched against Trinity...but Kiehl led Shiloh to more points than any other team in the regular season in spite of this fact. When playing against teams that were in the same realm athletically (although, as mentioned, his school was playing up a division), he was the state championship game MVP three years running. Think about that for a minute. He quarterbacked his team to three consecutive state championship--again, in the public school league's second highest classification--and was the best player on the field in the biggest game of all three of those seasons. Seems like I remember Kiehl's dad saying one time that Kiehl had won the championship every year of football he played until his freshman season at Auburn.

And maybe that's what's been getting to him. Maybe he's struggling to deal with the losing. I remember last winter how he and several of his teammates started working to ensure that there would not be any more blowouts like there were last year...and honestly, as long as he was the starter, there weren't...and there's more to being a quarterback than just throwing the ball. You've got to be the leader. Which is hard to do when your coach pulls you at halftime of the fifth start of your career. Especially considering he wasn't really playing that badly. In fact, he did seem, to me, to be on the verge of breaking through.

As decisive as Jonathan Wallace was, and as much as he did indeed show the moxie needed to play QB, he did so while acting essentially off the cuff. He never expected to play coming into the season, at least not in the capacity they used him, so his mentality was far different from Kiehl's. He had no pressure whatsoever on him to perform well, because if he hadn't done well, the season was already shot, and he's only a true freshman. That's not to take away from how he played, only to put it into perspective.

If he had the arm strength, then I'd say he had a good shot at it. And even without it, I'd say he has a decent chance, anyway, if for no other reason than any confidence he might have built in himself for making some things happen when nothing else was going right.

But I think it's far more likely that Kiehl, who grew up not just as a winner, but as the leader of winners, finds his comfort zone being back in Malzahn's scheme (and possibly even better for having the experience of last year in a more "traditional" style of offense).

[Rednilla 5,396]

Regarding Jeremy, I'll wait before I compare him to the guy who is probably third on the list of All-time Auburn QBs. A comparison to Jason Campbell is pretty high praise and high expectation. Part time starter as a RS Freshman, took over the job full-time mid-season in his Sophomore year (and looked great the rest of the way), SEC Offensive POY as a Senior, most accurate QB in Auburn history, first round draft pick.

I expect Johnson to a be a quality QB, and I hope he gets time to mature for AT LEAST one full season before being thrown to the wolves. Even Johnny Heisman-Football-Manzeil needed one year.

As for the guys currently on the roster, Wallace certainly has an unflappable demeanor. That's nothing to poo-poo, but it also doesn't mean he's going to win the job. Wallace looked pretty decent, but against the two best defenses he faced (neither of which was Alabama/LSU 2011 quality), he never led a scoring drive. Not one. Obviously, not all his fault, but it's also worth noting.

Well, yeah, it's high praise. But that doesn't mean it's true. Both are around 6 1/2 feet tall, both with strong arms, both mobile but more a threat throwing the ball than running it. I'm not saying I expect him to be Jason Campbell, because I don't. I expect Kiehl Frazier to take the starting job next year and take it firm hold of it for the next two seasons, thus giving Johnson an extra year of development before he is tested by fire.

That I'm comparing Johnson to JC, whom I remember watching from the student section as he ignored LSU Tigers coming at him from three directions and delivered to Courtney Taylor on 4th and 11, keeping the game winning drive alive and crushing LSU's spirit in the process, is a testament to how much I think of this kid. I don't know that he will develop into the kind of clutch performer Campbell turned out to be, but he's got the tools to do it.

[johnjacob 44]

The competitive differences are vast. I said when he signed, things will be much much different in the SEC vs. a private school league in Arkansas. Certain intangibles cannot be coached. I agree with what I heard Joe Montana say in an interview once about being a successful QB..theres a good bit of it that you either have or you dont and w/o that its very difficult to play the position at a high level. If Kiehl has that quality he did one heckuva job keeping it out of view. Im not saying he doesn't but I saw more of it in a true freshman than I did in him and that is not a good sign, IMO.

Except he didn't play in a private school league. He played for a private school that competes in 4A ball in Arkansas. Arkansas only goes up to 5A, and I remember AUQBDad saying something about not being able to get the 5A teams to play against them. His senior season, they played Trinity High School, ranked #1 in the country after winning three of the five previous Texas 5A state championships (they would eventually lose in the state championship game that season, to the #14 team in the country...and yes I mean country, not state). Pretty sure there were 7 or 8 on that team who signed D-1 football scholarships. Now, the entire Springdale team was hopelessly over matched against Trinity...but Kiehl led Shiloh to more points than any other team in the regular season in spite of this fact. When playing against teams that were in the same realm athletically (although, as mentioned, his school was playing up a division), he was the state championship game MVP three years running. Think about that for a minute. He quarterbacked his team to three consecutive state championship--again, in the public school league's second highest classification--and was the best player on the field in the biggest game of all three of those seasons. Seems like I remember Kiehl's dad saying one time that Kiehl had won the championship every year of football he played until his freshman season at Auburn.

And maybe that's what's been getting to him. Maybe he's struggling to deal with the losing. I remember last winter how he and several of his teammates started working to ensure that there would not be any more blowouts like there were last year...and honestly, as long as he was the starter, there weren't...and there's more to being a quarterback than just throwing the ball. You've got to be the leader. Which is hard to do when your coach pulls you at halftime of the fifth start of your career. Especially considering he wasn't really playing that badly. In fact, he did seem, to me, to be on the verge of breaking through.

As decisive as Jonathan Wallace was, and as much as he did indeed show the moxie needed to play QB, he did so while acting essentially off the cuff. He never expected to play coming into the season, at least not in the capacity they used him, so his mentality was far different from Kiehl's. He had no pressure whatsoever on him to perform well, because if he hadn't done well, the season was already shot, and he's only a true freshman. That's not to take away from how he played, only to put it into perspective.

If he had the arm strength, then I'd say he had a good shot at it. And even without it, I'd say he has a decent chance, anyway, if for no other reason than any confidence he might have built in himself for making some things happen when nothing else was going right.

But I think it's far more likely that Kiehl, who grew up not just as a winner, but as the leader of winners, finds his comfort zone being back in Malzahn's scheme (and possibly even better for having the experience of last year in a more "traditional" style of offense).

I thought the same thing about him starting to show promise of finally becoming a SEC qb when Chizik yanked him. I thought it was bc he was hurt, but now I'm not so sure Chizik was just being a bonehead.

[TheBlueVue 177]

The competitive differences are vast. I said when he signed, things will be much much different in the SEC vs. a private school league in Arkansas. Certain intangibles cannot be coached. I agree with what I heard Joe Montana say in an interview once about being a successful QB..theres a good bit of it that you either have or you dont and w/o that its very difficult to play the position at a high level. If Kiehl has that quality he did one heckuva job keeping it out of view. Im not saying he doesn't but I saw more of it in a true freshman than I did in him and that is not a good sign, IMO.

Except he didn't play in a private school league. He played for a private school that competes in 4A ball in Arkansas. Arkansas only goes up to 5A, and I remember AUQBDad saying something about not being able to get the 5A teams to play against them. His senior season, they played Trinity High School, ranked #1 in the country after winning three of the five previous Texas 5A state championships (they would eventually lose in the state championship game that season, to the #14 team in the country...and yes I mean country, not state). Pretty sure there were 7 or 8 on that team who signed D-1 football scholarships. Now, the entire Springdale team was hopelessly over matched against Trinity...but Kiehl led Shiloh to more points than any other team in the regular season in spite of this fact. When playing against teams that were in the same realm athletically (although, as mentioned, his school was playing up a division), he was the state championship game MVP three years running. Think about that for a minute. He quarterbacked his team to three consecutive state championship--again, in the public school league's second highest classification--and was the best player on the field in the biggest game of all three of those seasons. Seems like I remember Kiehl's dad saying one time that Kiehl had won the championship every year of football he played until his freshman season at Auburn.

And maybe that's what's been getting to him. Maybe he's struggling to deal with the losing. I remember last winter how he and several of his teammates started working to ensure that there would not be any more blowouts like there were last year...and honestly, as long as he was the starter, there weren't...and there's more to being a quarterback than just throwing the ball. You've got to be the leader. Which is hard to do when your coach pulls you at halftime of the fifth start of your career. Especially considering he wasn't really playing that badly. In fact, he did seem, to me, to be on the verge of breaking through.

As decisive as Jonathan Wallace was, and as much as he did indeed show the moxie needed to play QB, he did so while acting essentially off the cuff. He never expected to play coming into the season, at least not in the capacity they used him, so his mentality was far different from Kiehl's. He had no pressure whatsoever on him to perform well, because if he hadn't done well, the season was already shot, and he's only a true freshman. That's not to take away from how he played, only to put it into perspective.

If he had the arm strength, then I'd say he had a good shot at it. And even without it, I'd say he has a decent chance, anyway, if for no other reason than any confidence he might have built in himself for making some things happen when nothing else was going right.

But I think it's far more likely that Kiehl, who grew up not just as a winner, but as the leader of winners, finds his comfort zone being back in Malzahn's scheme (and possibly even better for having the experience of last year in a more "traditional" style of offense).

All your undying support notwithstanding the bottom line is, he has played awful. Everytime the cameras panned to his face his expression signaled panic, desperation and confusion. All that quiet leader stuff didn't help him a bit. Until he can consistently make a 10 yard throw on target, he's KB 2.0 to me. I would love to see the kid become an all american but based on what Ive seen so far, he's got a long road to travel and his HS accolades dont mean squat now.