I have rarely ever posted on a message board, but I was reading this thread, and I have to point out some things I've realized as I've analyzed this year. Really, it's time for people to look at the QB performances this past year a little differently. It's amazing how people see what they want to see, and then tend to group performances together. In the Auburn game, Hatch basically played one quarter against a defense that was one of the best in the country at the time. He didn't turn it over, he moved the offense, and he rushed for about 50 yards in that game. It was not Hatch that had LSU down at halftime. It was Hatch that kept LSU in that game until the coaches decided to open up the offense in the second half when they had no choice. His "bad" performance against Auburn was better than the QB performance against Ole Miss, and definitely better than the second half of the Arkansas game, and LSU never lost when Hatch saw significant playing time. Hatch is 3-0 as a starter, yet he continues to be grouped in with the "poor QB play." Look at how many times LSU went 3 and out when Hatch was in on a series this season. Not very many. The exception to this might be when he was playing on a broken leg towards the end of the Georgia game. You'll be surprised when you look at all of this as I did. Including the games against Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, etc. And this was with the very predictable plays he was given. For those of you who don't think he can throw the ball more than 10 yards, please see the last quarter of the Florida game when they finally let him throw. He threw a perfect 30 yard pass to Byrd. In SEC play, he's 8 for 14 with no interceptions and many very helpful rushing yards. Yet people want to say he's never going to see the field again, etc. etc.
Oh okay. Gotcha. No argument from me on the huddle command theory. You're absolutely right. Isn't a little scary that we have all these guys with experience but still don't have a clear-cut QB of the future? On the two QB system, if one QB separates himself, it's not a guarantee CLM will stick with two QB's. He did give J.Russell free reign to be THE man...granted that was in Jimbo's offense. It looks like he only uses two QBs when one guy doesn't separate himself. Flynn didn't exactly separate himself from Perriloux. Even if Perriloux COULD separate himself from Flynn (which I doubt), he couldn't be trusted to fly solo. If one guy comes in and gives him everything he wants from his QB, he'll stick with one guy. Plus, he's got all guys with at least 3 years of eligibility. He doesn't have to be worried about getting quality time right away for the backup because he has to be the man next year. And sorry to right off Hatch. That's not fair to him. I'd just be surprised if he had a dog in this fight. But who knows...Mauck and Flynn didn't have anyone too excited starting out, but they brought :crystal: and :crystal: to LSU...Hatch is similar. My thing is, we're told not to get excited over skill (like in Lee, JJ, RS) but we can't get too excited over the Harvard pedigree either. It all comes down to how it translates on the field. Good thing is Les will have 5 QBs to decide on this coming year and none of them are exactly space cadets. I believe all of them (not sure about JJ) did well in high school academically.
Hatch would be a fine QB if he had an SEC caliber arm. He doesn't, he can't make all of the throws with enough zip and everyone, including the opposition, knows it.
Does everyone really know that? I think everyone knows that he probably has the weakest arm of any QB we have had on the roster in quite a while, but it doesn't mean he can't play within a system. That's the type of QB he is. He has to play a high percentage, timing based offense. If he takes a three step drop and fires, no WR will yet be out of range. As I mentioned earlier, that video posted earlier in the thread shows him throwing a ball about 42 yards in the air. That's plenty enough to be successful. No, he cant throw it 80 like JRuss, but he doesn't need to. Jamarcus was special. He could make things happen regardless of where on the field his receivers were. They were NEVER out of range. When plays break down, Hatch will have to use his feet, like Jamarcus used his arm. Not every national championship QB is Matt Leinart or Vince Young. There are Craig Krenzels and Ken Dorseys out there, too. I think this spring will reveal a lot. All 3 QBs have all had real, visceral, game time experience for the first time. I think of the QBs on the roster, JJ probably has the most upside, but Hatch has done nothing to warrant as much criticism as he gets. I just think Hatch, along with the coaching staff, understands his limitations, but you can scheme around that. It's much harder to scheme around poor decision making, a category in which I expect marked improvement from all 3.
Right. Look at Mauck and Flynn. Both of them were national championship QBs and neither of them had much of an arm: MAUCK Assets A smart, efficient passer. Reads the field very well and makes great decisions with the ball. Leads receivers and has outstanding timing. Has an adequate arm and can get the ball deep. Has solid mechanics and pocket presence. Runs well enough to escape. Flaws Doesn't get great zip on out routes. Has average accuracy. http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/nfl/players/Matt_Mauck/ On the 10:00 news on Channel 9, Dean Blevins gave his thoughts on Matt Mauck. "Average arm, best when LSU establishes running game, has trouble understanding secondary coverages, good leadership abilities, can run if he has to and will get rattled under pressure.". http://www.tigerforums.com/archive/index.php/t-11461.html Mauck has maturity, quick feet and improvisational ability (but without the arm strength of former starters Davey and Josh Booty. With Mauck's hard-nosed approach and instinct to tuck it away and run, head coach Nick Saban has to hope that his QB remains at full strength. http://espn.go.com/melkiper/s/2002/0807/1415116.html Van Pelt arrived last year as a late pick that competed with LSU QB Matt Mauck for a roster spot. Mauck, lacked the great arm but had the right mindset while Van Pelt had the physical tools but lacked the proper approach. http://www.fftoday.com/articles/waldman/05_radar_on_off.htm However, Mauck’s curious decision to leave LSU early reached head-scratcher status when he almost went undrafted in April. He’s a nice quarterback by college standards, but lacks arm strength and doesn’t do any one thing well enough to make you believe he’ll have a long NFL career. http://www.thehuddle.com/x4/art/rc-hb-rookqb.php Matt is tough and gutsy and very mobile enabling him to make plays with his feet...he has a decent arm with good accuracy in the short to medium range passing game...he's very mature and athletic...as an NFL QB Prospect he is considered a raw talent at this stage...but the kid's a winner who posted a 18-2 all time record as a starter for the LSU Tigers...He's an extremely smart QB that knows how to improvise and beat a Defense...Matt will be a 25 year old rookie and was married in February...he reminds me of a young Steve Grogan - a type of player who will make it as a backup at the next level and earn a chance to start somewhere down the road....this prospect may not even be Drafted but is certainly worth a chance as a Free Agent signee. http://www.eastcoastsportsnews.com/2004SecondDayGems.html FLYNN Flynn is smart and makes the best of his limited abilities. He has an average arm ... Isn't very mobile ... Flynn doesn't have the arm strength to make throws in tight spaces and that hurts him in man-to-man coverage. On the video you see Flynn throwing a touchdown pass to the wide receiver in the end zone, but if the cornerback turns his head he can knock the ball down. It's those types of plays that has scouts concerned when Flynn gets to the next level. ... if Flynn were taken, he doesn't have the arm strength to beat out Richard Bartel and he isn't the mobile. But his ability to pickup an offense and his leadership skills can give him an edge in some other areas. http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/04/dallas-cowboys-nfl-draft-series-lsu-qb-m.html Scouts Inc. (ESPN Insider): He shows excellent touch on intermediate throws, good poise and has adequate speed to create if nothing is open. But he lacks elite arm strength, will struggle making some NFL throws and tends to hold onto the ball too long." https://secure.jsonline.com/CommunityServer/packers/archive/tags/Matt+Flynn/default.aspx Likely needs to improve his release point. Kind of "shot puts" the ball more than throws it. https://secure.jsonline.com/CommunityServer/packers/archive/tags/Matt+Flynn/default.aspx Good decision-maker who is a valid threat to gain yardage with his feet...Cool under pressure and has the mobility and vision to tuck the ball and locate the cutback lanes on the draw...Knows when he needs to pull the ball down and run with it...Not the type that will force the issue and fire into the crowd just for the sake of making the play and will either throw it away or run with the ball when his targets are covered...Remains calm as the pocket is collapsing, doing a nice job of stepping up and out to avoid...Calm on the field and has good command in the huddle...Very effective at getting the ball to his receivers without having his targets needing to adjust to the ball on short-to-intermediate throws...Generates good placement when leading his receivers to the ball...When he spots rush lanes, he demonstrates good ball security tucking the ball and running with it...Has the timing needed to hit the receivers before they come out of their cuts...When going through his progressions, he is quick to locate his second and third receiving outlets...Has good accuracy throwing from the outside hash and is very good sliding out of the pocket...Will force the ball on occasion, but generally throws it away when his targets are covered...When he feels backside pressure, he has the feet and balance to step in and out of the pocket...Does not lock on to his target, doing a decent job of going through his progressions...Has the vision to scan the field and is efficient connecting with his receivers on roll-outs and from the outside hashes. ... Has good accuracy in the short area, but does not have the arm strength to consistently air the ball out...Sometimes telegraphs throws, as he tends to pat it before throwing...Can make some of his deep throws, but those attempts lack velocity and zip to keep it away from the defenders...Needs to develop more consistency coming over the top with his delivery, as he tends to wind up a bit...His release point is low, resulting in a fair share of passes being deflected...When he steps into throws, he is adequate firing in the seams, but lacks velocity...Needs to work on putting the ball out in front of the target on deep routes... http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/m...profile-tab-set-1:player-profile-tab-analysis Flynn is an intelligent, accurate passer. He is efficient and is confident in his ability to lead the offense. He does not force passes and is good at taking what the defense gives him. He is a good athlete that shows the ability to elude the rush and buy more time to throw the football, along with the ability to pick up some yardage once plays break down. There is not anything about his game physically that stands out. Flynn has decent size, but his arm and overall athletic ability are only average. He is mobile but he is not going to pick up big chunks of yardage or strike fear in defenses. As a passer, he lacks the arm to thread the needle and will not carry an offense on his shoulders. Flynn is tough and has the intangibles you want in a quarterback, but he is only average across the board physically. He could potentially develop into a quality backup quarterback because of his intelligence, but his potential may be limited at the next level. http://www.footballsfuture.com/2008/prospects/matt_flynn.html He shows consistently good decision-making and recognition skills. The Bad: Flynn must refine his throwing mechanics and footwork in the pocket to improve his overall accuracy. He hasn’t been an effective deep thrower because of limited athleticism and arm strength. http://nfldraft.rivals.com/cviewplayer.asp?sport=1&player=8682&type=scoutingreport#scouting Analysis: Flynn was a seventh-round draft pick out of LSU. Flynn is intelligent and makes good decisions, but lacks a strong arm and a quick release, and has far less upside than Brohm at the NFL level. http://www.opensports.com/football/nfl/player/profile/11180 He's a field general who understands the offense and takes advantage of what the defense gives him. He limits mistakes and makes good decisions. ... He'll go through his progressions and if nothing is available, he's willing to tuck the ball away and make a play with his feet. He's confident in the pocket and doesn't get rattled, even when he takes a hit. He can also forget the bad throws quickly. He can find the open receiver quickly and shows decent accuracy and better-than-average timing. ... The biggest issue with Flynn is his lack of arm strength. ... his long balls tend to float and the hang-time allows defenders to make plays on those balls. While he's fairly sound mechanically, he has a few flaws. On the short/intermediate throws, Flynn has a low release point and gets a lot of balls knocked back at him (and he's not terribly tall to begin with). http://cdsdraft.com/profile.php?id=1457
Also, here is another highlight clip of Hatch, from the Appy State game -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SiZX5j50Ms&feature=related The original one post earlier can be see here-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6BDcJ4WvHw
So, to kick-start my favorite subject again... Here's my theory. JJ and Lee share snaps in Peach Bowl, with JJ doing well enough to claim the upper hand going into the Spring. Lee continues to deny transfer rumors through Spring training. Shep pours it on in Spring practice and in the Spring Game. Garrett looks decent but green. JJ and Lee continue to battle it out with no breakout. It becomes clear that Shep will be ready to start as a soph, maybe even by the middle to end of his freshman year. Both Lee and JJ see the writing on the wall. One of them decides to transfer. I think that ends up being Lee. Garrett redshirts, JJ starts with Shep getting plenty of PT. Lee transfers and sits out a year by rule, and Hatch is JJ's backup. Or, not. :grin:
Interesting quotes from Lee, his father, and the coaches in the Advocate today: LEE: “I definitely feel like I need to prove this year wasn’t what I wanted it to be or what I can be,” Lee said. “I’m a better player than that and I want the chance to show I can be a lot better. I made a lot of stupid mistakes — immature stuff that I can learn from. I’m going into this spring looking forward for the chance to be competitive. “I love it here and I think the opportunity is still there for me to be a great player. That’s what I want. I came here to play football and be the starting quarterback at LSU.” His biggest bugaboo was misreading defenses and “trying to make plays that weren’t there.” “Sometimes adrenaline takes over and I was just trying to fit passes into spots that weren’t there,” Lee said. “That’s immaturity and something I have to learn from. One of the hardest things to adjust to is knowing that sometimes the smartest play is throwing the ball away.” “Not at all,” he said when asked if he has considered transferring. “It’s definitely been tough this season, but you really can’t let it bother you. I’ve had my struggles, but I’ve kept moving forward, kept working hard. I look forward to being here and I’m excited about the future. I wouldn’t stay here if I thought I didn’t have a chance to step back on the field as the starting quarterback.” LEE'S FATHER: “It’s been hard to watch him struggle because I know as a coach and as his father how much potential he has,” said Stephen Lee, Jarrett’s father and a 16-year coaching veteran. “I’ve talked to a lot of coaches who watched him play in high school and they all tell me he belongs at the party, that all the honors and things he did in high school weren’t a mistake or a fluke. “I truly believe he’s at the right level and the right place and now he has to make sure he recognizes what his strengths and weaknesses are and focuses on what he can do best. He just has to grow and mature and weather the storm. There’s not a short path to take to make you better overnight. He’s going to have to work harder than he ever has before.” COACH CROWTON: “Jarrett has done a lot of good things, but at the same time he made some errors that were hard to overcome,” LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton said. “What I try to do from a coaching standpoint is keep him focused and learning instead of dwelling on the mistakes.” “Experience will make him better and it’s important to me that he keeps a positive attitude and focuses on working on his strengths,” Crowton said. “I don’t want him to go into a shell and be afraid to make plays. We saw a lot of things from Jarrett this year that makes me comfortable that he’s got a tremendous upside that we haven’t seen yet.” COACH MILES: “He’s competing in practice and is practicing extremely well,” Miles said. “I don’t know if (transferring is) a subject that will be talked about, period.” http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/36791614.html LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee tries his hand at the helm of a motorcycle game at a Chick-fil-A Bowl welcome party for the team at ESPN Zone in the Atlanta area on Friday.
No doubt Lee has the physical tools to be an SEC QB it's his freshman brain that killed him this year. All along he has said all the right things and shown the right attitude even under heavy criticism. He has the ability to compete for the starting job, but the light will definitely have to come on soon.
Not to ingnore or make light of your thread.... Who Cares!!!! Next years problems at quarterback will be light years better than this years problems... Next years problems will be good ones, Hopefully anyway... :geaux:
