JJ

[gr82b4au 5,568]

Well no sun shine pumping in this thread. But I must say I am just floored... I have been telling people for years that he would lead us to the promise land. I truly thought he would break passing records at AU. Well he still may, but not in a good way. He is the first sec qb since 2009 to start the first 2 games with 5 interceptions.

I just don't understand how he could look so good over the last 2 years and look so bad now. It really is amazing. What had caused this? I have my opinions but I want to hear what you think.

[3Jtiger22 0]

Poor developed

Poor play calling

Poor field of vision

Just poor

[doug3020 842]

Pressure. He's also heard what you said above. That's a lot of pressure. He got picked 3 times last week and it really blew his confidence. It happens. Kind of like a snap hook in golf. It can destroy your game and leave you thinking "where did that come from???"

[Tiger Scout 92]

one thing i have noticed is the receivers dont seem to to get wide open much. its tight windows to throw at. i agree i thought he looked good when he played the last two years. i think the thing that puzzles us all is the ints are thrown right to the defender and the receiver wasnt close to open

[Strychnine 1,802]

Well no sun shine pumping in this thread. But I must say I am just floored... I have been telling people for years that he would lead us to the promise land. I truly thought he would break passing records at AU. Well he still may, but not in a good way. He is the first sec qb since 2009 to start the first 2 games with 5 interceptions.

I just don't understand how he could look so good over the last 2 years and look so bad now. It really is amazing. What had caused this? I have my opinions but I want to hear what you think.

And he still may. I'll preface this by saying I'm not a QB or a QB coach, but this is what I see:

JJ has looked sharp at times, and he has looked like the game is too fast for him at times. When he's struggling, he is either trying to force the ball, not on the same page with his receiver, or struggling with field vision and subsequent decisions. He has shown that he has the arm that everyone thought he had, but that he is not as consistent as we expected now that he is THE guy. For lack of a better way of putting it, it seems like he's not playing with good instincts.

[AURealist 2,185]

... I have been telling people for years that he would lead us to the promise land.

Why? What was it you and others thought they saw? Did you actually see these great attributes or were you swayed by the opinion of others? I saw passes and scores, but behind a good O-line and no real pressure. His mechanics have always been questionable.

In answer to your question: He was never that good. Go back and watch the films. The jump-shot passes, the square hips, the all-arm throws,... Watch his helmet as he stares down his receivers. There's nothing new or amazing about his current play. He's just playing with a lesser offensive unit (so far).

[Barnacle 9,064]

^^I think most people, including myself, just listened to what the coaches were saying about him e.g. "He could start for any SEC team", "Most guys would have left by now", "he's an NFL talent" "he's special". It's one thing to be swayed by the opinion of others, but its another thing when that other is your head football coach.

[AUFriction 1,179]

Well no sun shine pumping in this thread. But I must say I am just floored... I have been telling people for years that he would lead us to the promise land. I truly thought he would break passing records at AU. Well he still may, but not in a good way. He is the first sec qb since 2009 to start the first 2 games with 5 interceptions.

I just don't understand how he could look so good over the last 2 years and look so bad now. It really is amazing. What had caused this? I have my opinions but I want to hear what you think.

And he still may. I'll preface this by saying I'm not a QB or a QB coach, but this is what I see:

JJ has looked sharp at times, and he has looked like the game is too fast for him at times. When he's struggling, he is either trying to force the ball, not on the same page with his receiver, or struggling with field vision and subsequent decisions. He has shown that he has the arm that everyone thought he had, but that he is not as consistent as we expected now that he is THE guy. For lack of a better way of putting it, it seems like he's not playing with good instincts.

This^

He has shown flashes of impressive play. He just keeps make dumb throws at key times. I'd like to see what he does next week. He HAS to play better, but I still think so e people are jumping the gun by writing him off completely.

[AuCivilEng1 10,995]

I feel like we were having this discussion 3 years ago at this time.

[AuCivilEng1 10,995]

Wait, nevermind......Kyle Frasier. I remember now.

[weagl1 1,781]

Sean White needs to be warming up because JJ's confidence appears to be shot. Maybe he will be better coming off the bench like the last 2 years.

[Barnacle 9,064]

What I am curious about, is what is going on during practices. He's getting these defensive looks in practice. So, either he's an all-star during practice, and can't translate that to the game field, which is a problem of focus, in my opinion; or, the alternative is that he plays like this during practice, and that we don't have anyone better.

[AURealist 2,185]

Sean White needs to be warming up because JJ's confidence appears to be shot. Maybe he will be better coming off the bench like the last 2 years.

You mean like when the game is well in hand or when he knows the starter will be playing the entire second half?

[au701948 996]

Well the coaches need to get the pressure off him and that can only come by getting the running game more dependable, mainly the OL playing consistently better. But but we keep having to reinvent it each week due to injuries too.

[tbone4jc 2,238]

Two games into his first season as the man seems a little shaky with decision making and reading defense's. I see a lot of potential in JJ as most do, I wonder if he is trying too hard to prove he is as good as he has been hyped up to be?

I think it's way too early in the season to criticize the play of the offense or defense because we are playing vanilla on both sides but we will see when we play LSU exactly how good or bad we are. We're 2-0! War Eagle!

[gr82b4au 5,568]

... I have been telling people for years that he would lead us to the promise land.

Why? What was it you and others thought they saw? Did you actually see these great attributes or were you swayed by the opinion of others? I saw passes and scores, but behind a good O-line and no real pressure. His mechanics have always been questionable.

In answer to your question: He was never that good. Go back and watch the films. The jump-shot passes, the square hips, the all-arm throws,... Watch his helmet as he stares down his receivers. There's nothing new or amazing about his current play. He's just playing with a lesser offensive unit (so far).

When I watched him play in games he was poised, accurate, and had a very high qbr. Ark game last year got me excited. Obviously I am not the only one who thought he would be great. But he is playing so bad right now that I think we are in trouble. Big trouble.

[au701948 996]

That can't happen to us again can it?

[tiger88 934]

JJ is better than Kiehl, I'm not sure how much though. The two big questions are:

1. Can JJ's issues be fixed?

2. If so, how long will it take? (I think we are talking in terms of how many seasons, or half seasons.)

[AUFAN78 3,889]

Well no sun shine pumping in this thread. But I must say I am just floored... I have been telling people for years that he would lead us to the promise land. I truly thought he would break passing records at AU. Well he still may, but not in a good way. He is the first sec qb since 2009 to start the first 2 games with 5 interceptions.

I just don't understand how he could look so good over the last 2 years and look so bad now. It really is amazing. What had caused this? I have my opinions but I want to hear what you think.

Pretty simple. He can't read defenses.

[Barnacle 9,064]

But can he read defenses? What on earth is going on in practice? That's the most baffling part to me.

[AUFAN78 3,889]

But can he read defenses? What on earth is going on in practice? That's the most baffling part to me.

WTH? Isn't it obvious?

[AuCivilEng1 10,995]

JJ and Kiehl remind me of each other because they just get so flustered under pressure. I agree that if the O line stops getting pushed around and Peyton becomes the back he is shaping up to be, JJ will get better. Go ahead and throw the Heisman talk and a high octane passing offense out the window now. If we are going to win, it's going to be behind our RB's. JJ is a rOle player at this point. Not the leader.Peyton and Ricardo are the leaders on that offense now as far as I'm concerned.

[tiger88 934]

I heard Stan say after the game he looks like a world beater at practice, just not in the game. Not sure what causes the difference.

[AURealist 2,185]

But can he read defenses? What on earth is going on in practice? That's the most baffling part to me.

You've really hit on something here. WHAT IS going on in practice? Remember last year when Gus was thinking "13 seconds better"? Were practices this year not so much practices, but adjustment/fine tuning sessions? Is Gus the kind of guy who has favorites and works with them as though they're already game-ready? I wonder...

[Barnacle 9,064]

But can he read defenses? What on earth is going on in practice? That's the most baffling part to me.

WTH? Isn't it obvious?

Not if you follow my logic. Look, I've seen all the throws you guys have. He hasn't been reading the defense on many of his throws, but if he can't read defenses, then he just can't read them, not in practice, not in the game, not ever. So, if that's the case then what on earth is going on in practice? Why do the coaches have so much confidence in a player that literally cannot read defenses?

Two answers:

Either, the guy knows how to read a defense, and shows that in practice, but cannot translate it to the field.

Or, he just can't read defenses.

I'm inclined to believe that he hasn't been able to focus in the game like he does in practice and that JJ actually does know how to read through his progressions. The alternative just doesn't make any sense, and its too troubling for me to think about.