Sean White named starting QB

[TitanTiger 20,511]

2 minutes ago, VipersStrike1 said:

He isn't a threat to a defense to run the Zone Read because he isn't built for it.

It will be as productive, net-wise for the season, as the hurry-to-the-LOS-and-run-the-HB-dive.

He may break off a couple of double digit yardage keepers and a handful of 5-yarders, but there will be a bevy of 1-yarders, zero yarders and negative yarders, all taking their toll on a QB not built for the punishment.

If a QB isn't picking apart defenses, a HC typically finds a different strong suit, not a weak one.

It wasn't the QB's strong suit at Tulsa in 2007 and 2008 either, and he still ran Paul Smith and David Johnson around 75 and 90 times that year respectively.  Like it or not, it's part of the offense and without it, the running game isn't as effective.

[alexava 6,973]

ok, i vote for Kerryon as team spokesman. i have never listened to him in a presser. my favorite player now.

[VipersStrike1 230]

2 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

Sean, unless he's killing it passing, will be given some shots to gash the defense a few times a game.

Other than the very first time he ran the ZR last season, shocking MSU out of their minds, where is the evidence he has the ability to "gash the defense" even once, let alone "a few times a game" with it?

Unless your definition of "gashing the defense" is 1-3 yards.

[Malcolm_FleX48 1,869]

My only question to this whole thing is, what does Gus gain from actually going public with this decision? It's sort of a less than idea position to go with. You can make announcements to the team without anything leaking out. However, to just announce to the media that the guy who you rode on for the latter half of the season, was locked in a heated competition for so long before even being called the starter with: A.) A player who teams widely regard as less than ideal of the position due to a lapse in being able to put it together, and B.) A JUCO QB who is more of a glorified wildcat QB with an arm, it's sort of baffling. It signals to a lot of other teams a lack of confidence in the guy who should have probably won the job outright if he was your best bet last year. Furthermore, what is wrong with playing it close to the vest and letting Clemson gameplan for 2 QBs and split time? Unless this is misdirection, it's a wasted opportunity, regardless of whatever coach speak Clemson's D-Coordinator used. 

This is probably the closest thing to an opinion that I have expressed on this board thus far, but it seems like this wasn't an ideal move that basically tells other teams that we REALLY don't have many if any viable options, especially should the injury bug hit, which is definitely likely when you consider that SW has a prior ligament injury with no surgery. Ligaments don't have blood supplies going to them to heal them and so it's in the same condition, regardless of whether he strengthened the supporting muscles around it, ligaments are still inflexible and incapable of significant non-surgical recovery so that's not really the most comforting fact to consider. Also consider a less than ideal pass protection situation and WRs who aren't exactly proven, then throw a lack of a definitive tight end with hot-routes built into the passing tree and it's tenuous footing for the season. 

Unless durability concerns are completely put aside, I can't really see us running him too often unless he is planning on making AMPLE use of a slide. And even that to some extent is risky.

[TitanTiger 20,511]

5 minutes ago, VipersStrike1 said:

Other than the very first time he ran the ZR last season, shocking MSU out of their minds, where is the evidence he has the ability to "gash the defense" even once, let alone "a few times a game" with it?

Unless your definition of "gashing the defense" is 1-3 yards.

Other than the 31 yard scamper against MSU, he had a run of 10 against Ole Miss, 11 against San Jose St and 12 against Kentucky.  I believe Gus wants to give him a few more shots at that during games.  They aren't ever going to key on him.  They won't fear him like they feared Nick and we don't need them to.  We just need them to hesitate a little to make sure he won't take off around the end because the DE or the LB crashed down too hard.  3-5 times a game if he pops them for 8-12 yards, it'll be there in their minds.

And we were protecting him last year by not giving him many carries because we had no viable backup with JJ6 falling apart.  Incidentally, he was injured anyway against Arkansas...on a pass play in the pocket.

[milehighfan 1,240]

I thought Gus took so long to name a starter was to keep Clemson in the dark. Sean is going to have to keep it some  on the read and the wide receivers are going to have to step up. Thank goodness we have a good o-line.

[VipersStrike1 230]

2 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

They are not going to concede the QB keeper to the defense and let the DEs crash down the line on the RB with impunity.

That's where misdirection and slight of hand, that moved the ball so successfully in 2009 w a pocket passer, can be your allies again.

DEs couldn't go all out on Tate. They had to respect O-Mac on the sweeps...and Fannin and Eric Smith on the dumpoffs in the flats.

Next time any of you are at an AU tailgate or party, ask them who caught more passes in 2009...Fannin or T-Zach. Guaranteed you'll get a lot of "Huh?" and "No way."

Fannin caught 16 more passes than T-Zach and averaged 9.8 yards per reception.

If Gus goes back to those roots, expect to see Kerryon and Cox catch some dumpoffs in the flats off misdirection and play-fakes.

THAT alleviates the DEs crashing down on the HB and is MUCH more productive than White running the ZR.

[ellitor 33,114]

FWIW regardless of some opinions here, info out of the AD is Sean is expected to run the ball more than last year. How much more IDK but the plan is for him to run more.

[DAG 34,017]

1 minute ago, ellitor said:

FWIW regardless of some opinions here, info out of the AD is Sean is expected to run the ball more than last year. How much more IDK but the plan is for him to run more.

Gus said as much in his quote the other day.  Let's see how it plays out.

[ellitor 33,114]

1 minute ago, DAG said:

Gus said as much in his quote the other day.  Let's see how it plays out.

Yep. I was about to edit my post adding I'm Missouri on anything Gus says.

[Malcolm_FleX48 1,869]

1 minute ago, DAG said:

Gus said as much in his quote the other day.  Let's see how it plays out.

Probably less than ideal. Wouldn't want to see any called keepers, and contrary to popular belief, the ZR is easily beatable. Hence why it is phased out of many offenses in the NFL. Both of these situations aren't ideal when you've got a sub 215 pocket-passing qb trying to run with ball with a prior injury history. 

[TitanTiger 20,511]

1 minute ago, VipersStrike1 said:

That's where misdirection and slight of hand, that moved the ball so successfully in 2009 w a pocket passer, can be your allies again.

DEs couldn't go all out on Tate. They had to respect O-Mac on the sweeps...and Fannin and Eric Smith on the dumpoffs in the flats.

Next time any of you are at an AU tailgate or party, ask them who caught more passes in 2009...Fannin or T-Zach. Guaranteed you'll get a lot of "Huh?" and "No way."

Fannin caught 16 more passes than T-Zach and averaged 9.8 yards per reception.

If Gus goes back to those roots, expect to see Kerryon and Cox catch some dumpoffs in the flats off misdirection and play-fakes.

THAT alleviates the DEs crashing down on the HB and is MUCH more productive than White running the ZR.

Yes, and that offense feasted on the bottom feeders of the league and cupcake OOC opponents, but faltered against better competition.  It failed to show up for LSU and Kentucky at all.  Mustered only 17 points against UGA (the other TD was a 99-yard kickoff return by Demond Washington), and started well against Bama then managed only one other score the last three quarters.  And we have a decent amount of those better teams to face this year.

[VipersStrike1 230]

2 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

Well, if he ran a 5.04 at the elite combine, then I can bet my house he won't be getting to 4.6 at his pro day...

Bet he could run a 4.4 on a Brower timer.

[Woodstock Tiger 131]

I see a trend in several of the player quotes - many of them use the word "relief" as their reaction to SW being named.  I presume they were told how they should respond to the question. 

"Tell them you are relieved."

I betchya Carl responded: 

"Relieved.  Next question." 

 

 

[WarTim 3,457]

Congrats to S. White!! It's "your Team"!! Lead on and WDE !!!?????????????

[VipersStrike1 230]

2 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

I'm guessing Sean will tuck it and run about 4-5 times a game on average, ending up with around 60-65 carries this year if we play 13 games.  Nick was a primary run threat in this offense, Sean won't be, but he will be a threat to keep it if the defenses start crashing down on the RBs too quickly.

He would keep it and run, but is def not a "threat."

Again, if I'm a DC playing him, I'm begging him to run the ZR because he isn't a threat to score or gain 1st Downs with it.

QB Draws are a different story. Aaron Murray proved that play was a threat to us in 2013. That, I'm in favor of White running occasionally. A QB can typically see his defenders, thus getting down to avoid contact, plus it's typically a North-South play, picking up yardage quicker vs. the ZR.

[TAYLORKEETON 807]

28 minutes ago, TitanTiger said:

Other than the 31 yard scamper against MSU, he had a run of 10 against Ole Miss, 11 against San Jose St and 12 against Kentucky.  I believe Gus wants to give him a few more shots at that during games.  They aren't ever going to key on him.  They won't fear him like they feared Nick and we don't need them to.  We just need them to hesitate a little to make sure he won't take off around the end because the DE or the LB crashed down too hard.  3-5 times a game if he pops them for 8-12 yards, it'll be there in their minds.

And we were protecting him last year by not giving him many carries because we had no viable backup with JJ6 falling apart.  Incidentally, he was injured anyway against Arkansas...on a pass play in the pocket.

If you watched some highlights...I lost count of all the read plays he should've kept. He could've had so many more rushing yards last year 

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

Quick! Show of hands how many people think Gus Malzahn's offense is the Read Option?

If your hand is still up, please proceed to apply it to your face vigorously. The reason Gus has his reputation is because he's been able to tailor an offense around his weapons (see Auburn 2009, 2010, 2013). I've been excited to see Sean run the show since he won the Elite 11 as an Auburn commit and it is apparent that is our best weapon at QB. If you don't think that Gus and the Auburn Tigers can make something of that, then you have a short memory.

[VipersStrike1 230]

1 hour ago, aujeff11 said:

Yep. According to this article, in the 2013 NFL class, the average increase in speed for SEC enrollees was a mere 0.07 from their listed high school times. Strength and conditioning and all.

Ouch. Don't tell @bigbird and @75 Walk On

[DAG 34,017]

17 minutes ago, Malcolm_FleX48 said:

Probably less than ideal. Wouldn't want to see any called keepers, and contrary to popular belief, the ZR is easily beatable. Hence why it is phased out of many offenses in the NFL. Both of these situations aren't ideal when you've got a sub 215 pocket-passing qb trying to run with ball with a prior injury history. 

 

I tend to agree.

[Malcolm_FleX48 1,869]

1 minute ago, JBiGGiE said:

Quick! Show of hands how many people think Gus Malzahn's offense is the Read Option?

If your hand is still up, please proceed to apply it to your face vigorously. The reason Gus has his reputation is because he's been able to tailor an offense around his weapons (see Auburn 2009, 2010, 2013). I've been excited to see Sean run the show since he won the Elite 11 as an Auburn commit and it is apparent that is our best weapon at QB. If you don't think that Gus and the Auburn Tigers can make something of that, then you have a short memory.

But in a single week? He never really had a definitive idea of who his QB would be based on this whole fiasco, which is the issue, otherwise he would have tailored it to him. In this case, the closest thing to tailoring he might do would be installing a few plays here and there and maybe restricting sections of the playbook.

[VipersStrike1 230]

1 hour ago, ellitor said:

I know JJ can run but he does not like to so that's why I say he's a pocket guy.

Serious question...did you feel this way 12 months ago?

[VipersStrike1 230]

1 hour ago, AUBwins said:

If Sean is getting 6-8 yards a carry

Nick Marshall didn't average 6 yards a carry in 2014, but it's possible White could?

I thought the 1000+ rushing yards for Johnson last season was the crème de la crème of predictions for many.

I've finally heard it all now.

[JBiGGiE 2,488]

1 minute ago, Malcolm_FleX48 said:

But in a single week? He never really had a definitive idea of who his QB would be based on this whole fiasco, which is the issue, otherwise he would have tailored it to him. In this case, the closest thing to tailoring he might do would be installing a few plays here and there and maybe restricting sections of the playbook.

Of course that is assuming that the 3-man QB race hasn't been a front for a few weeks. But conspiracy aside, for all we know Gus could have been planning since October of last year to reset with Sean White at the helm, after all, we are mostly in agreement that the biggest hinderance to Sean's QB play was injury and a slim playbook. It's not like Gus doesn't have a repertoire of offensive schemes he could implement.

But I agree a week is very short notice to install a tailored offense and as we saw in 2013, it took half the season before we stuck gold with the read option. I would wager that this iteration of the Auburn playbook likely has a little bit of every QB's strengths and we'll see which ones flourish as the season progresses.

[VipersStrike1 230]

1 hour ago, Auburn2Eugene said:

Will the misdirection work without a viable running threat from the QB?

Worked like a champ with the snail of snails in 2009.

The speed of the QB is next to irrelevant running misdirection with backs and WRs.

It's the timing of the misdirections and slight of hand by the QB that is paramount.