Realistically does OBrien stand a chance to push

[Gemini6]

Tommy next fall. It is very obvious that this staff cannot teach a running game unless they can pass it first.

We have seen other freshmen QBs play well at other schools. Can it happen here?

issues you are benching a three year starter, and a guy the team sees as a leader.

Our oline is still average, POB is not as mobile as Tommy

Does the team fold if you bench their leader?

Does this move force a complete youth movement as the older kids check out on the staff?

is a youth movrment bad?

Riley and staff have experienced the struggles of a 3rd year starting QB who can't efficiently run "their" offense. Do you really think they want to go through another season as this one?

While experience is worthy of much consideration, when that experience isn't getting the job done you start looking for someone who will.

This offense can click IF you have the right talent. This season has been about sticking a square peg in a hold and trying to wear down the edges so that it finally fits. It hasn't worked.

You can bet that if O'brien comes in, has a decent grasp of the offense and shines in practice, the coaches will have no problem playing him over a 3 year starter.

As far as the team folding, yea maybe some of the older guys. But a lot of what the younger guys are saying, I'm not concerned at the least. They care more about bringing about cohesion and winning. Some of the older dudes care more about being pissed off. Riley's had to deal with them this season. Next season, different scenario and approach.

 

[jflores]

Tommy next fall. It is very obvious that this staff cannot teach a running game unless they can pass it first.

We have seen other freshmen QBs play well at other schools. Can it happen here?

issues you are benching a three year starter, and a guy the team sees as a leader.

Our oline is still average, POB is not as mobile as Tommy

Does the team fold if you bench their leader?

Does this move force a complete youth movement as the older kids check out on the staff?

is a youth movrment bad?

You may as well just come out and say it. No one who asks this question wants TA to be pushed. They want TA on the pine and feel good that O'Brien day 1 is going to be night and day better so they don't look stupid for asking for it.

 

[planored]

He will strongly challenge to start, his footwork is better, release better, arm strength better just on that film.

 

[ridge22]

I think the another question is who in the hell is going to be on the offensive line next season? With Gates hurt now we have 5 seniors on the OL and no one else is even getting a sniff of playing time. 4 new starters and a true freshman at QB with a staff that has no imagination in the running game is not a recipe for success.

 

[GBR_Atlanta]

I'm not sure if he'll start right away, but I think he'll definitely push TA. POB is probably thinking to himself right now that he can make the throws that TA is struggling with. POB is coming here to play. Nothing demonstrates this more than him bypassing his spring semester and coming in early.

 

[TheBeav815]

I really hope O'Brien can come in and take that job. I believe a couple things pretty firmly at this point in the year:

1) This staff wants to throw about 35 times a game give or take 7-10 attempts.
2) That's setting Armstrong up to fail and the team to lose

They need an NFL-caliber QB if they're going to be pretty good, because Langsdorf just can't stand to call runs all game. Makes him itch.

I get that they can't run. But dude....they can't pass either. If you can't do sh** on offense, you've got a better chance if you go down running and hammering than go down chucking it 42 times.

Running is a mentality. We don't have Michigan's talent, I get it...but Harbaugh came in there and God dammit they were gonna run and hit, and if you didn't have that in you, you weren't gonna play. When we have an OC who wants to throw that much, of course they don't have the mentality you need to run the ball well.

 

[GBR_Atlanta]

The r

I really hope O'Brien can come in and take that job. I believe a couple things pretty firmly at this point in the year:

1) This staff wants to throw about 35 times a game give or take 7-10 attempts.
2) That's setting Armstrong up to fail and the team to lose

They need an NFL-caliber QB if they're going to be pretty good, because Langsdorf just can't stand to call runs all game. Makes him itch.

I get that they can't run. But dude....they can't pass either. If you can't do sh** on offense, you've got a better chance if you go down running and hammering than go down chucking it 42 times.

Running is a mentality. We don't have Michigan's talent, I get it...but Harbaugh came in there and God dammit they were gonna run and hit, and if you didn't have that in you, you weren't gonna play. When we have an OC who wants to throw that much, of course they don't have the mentality you need to run the ball well.

The running game just has me baffled. Am I paying too much attention to the backs? Is the line the far bigger problem here? It just seems like Newby can't get the job done up the middle.

 

[sparky62]

I'd worry about POB changing his mind on his verbal.

I'm praying this doesn't happen.

 

[sparky62]

The r


The running game just has me baffled. Am I paying too much attention to the backs? Is the line the far bigger problem here? It just seems like Newby can't get the job done up the middle.

The O-line is a huge liability.

 

[GBR_Atlanta]

I'm praying this doesn't happen.

Me too. Was just chatting with a friend about this. With the noise he's making, I'm hoping the new USC coach doesn't put the full court press on. I think that kid will be great here.

 

[TheBeav815]

The r


The running game just has me baffled. Am I paying too much attention to the backs? Is the line the far bigger problem here? It just seems like Newby can't get the job done up the middle.

Looks like both to me. Newby's vision and tackle-breaking are just non-existent. I don't for the life of me understand how he starts. He's running a little better than he was, but he looks like he should be battling to be 3rd string right now with the way he runs.

The line isn't great, but Newby is making them look even worse. I say again, run game is a mentality. When you have an RB who consistently wastes your effort as a blocker and a coach who doesn't think you can get it done on 3rd & short, that's demoralizing.

 

[leodisflowers]

Judging his film he seems to be a good one, but let's let him get into the system before we give him the savior label.

 

[jlb321]

guard-center-guard are creampuffs and the current tackles are cupcakes

I don't care who the coach is we aren't going to be able to run the ball with current personnel on the Oline -- we are feather soft up front

If I were Riley or Langsdorf the rest of the way I would run it 85% of the time just to end all this talk about all we have to do is just run the ball more

the only easy yards this team gets is throwing the ball .. and to get those yards you need to chuck it a ton because the QB your stuck with can't even complete 50% of his passes (in conf)

 

[jeans15]

TA has been average, but he has lucked into having the most TD passes of any QB in this conference. I guess the rest are just unlucky.

If we can have threads like this , then its game on about the piss poor coaching that's been going on.

The culture sucks because the coaching staff sucks. Period. Blaming Bo. Lame.

All the 3rd downs in the 2nd half were magically made by a high school QB, who after our horrible defense gave up long drives, answered with TD drives.

 

[jeans15]

And we wonder why the players have an US vs the world mentality. Yeah I'm sure they feel they have your support.

But then again the coach through the QB under the bus to make the fans happy so maybe that's what we want.

 

[regibson1]

All you can do is give him a shot. If he wins the job you give it to him.

Hopefully, at the very least, we will have a QB that the coaching staff is comfortable bringing in to play a series or two if Armstrong is having a bad day. POB has a different skill set than Armstrong and this could make it more difficult for teams to prepare against us if there is any kind of QB rotation.

I think that Armstrong starts, but hopefully POB can push him and play some series or rotate. He could provide some passing skills that currently are lacking.

 

[EyeLuvDaHuskerz]

I'm not sure if he'll start right away, but I think he'll definitely push TA. POB is probably thinking to himself right now that he can make the throws that TA is struggling with. POB is coming here to play. Nothing demonstrates this more than him bypassing his spring semester and coming in early.

Harrison Beck enrolled early. I'm not sure you should take anything more from O'Brien's early enrollment other than the fact he will have met his graduation requirements and he (like hundreds of other HS football commits) wants to get a headstart on college and getting acclimated to the team.

Generally speaking, if a blue chip player doesn't think they can beat out the person ahead of them on the current depth chart, I'm not sure they have the confidence to succeed at this level.

 

[dockentwo]

He will not start if TA is healthy. Riley puts a lot of emphasis in experience and has seemed to have bought into TA.

And a rb who isn't getting real YAC

 

[GBR_Atlanta]

Harrison Beck enrolled early. I'm not sure you should take anything more from O'Brien's early enrollment other than the fact he will have met his graduation requirements and he (like hundreds of other HS football commits) wants to get a headstart on college and getting acclimated to the team.

Generally speaking, if a blue chip player doesn't think they can beat out the person ahead of them on the current depth chart, I'm not sure they have the confidence to succeed at this level.

That's exactly what I'm taking. A head start on college and the team is what we're all excited about. I don't care about Harrison Beck. If POB wants to come in early, get a head start on this offense and push TA, I'm fine with it. I'm done believing that TA can be anything more than what I've seen. I'll save most of my excitement for when POB actually gets here, but I'm happy he's coming early.

 

[Shocker_Fan]

Zac Darlington please. I know Fyfe is the backup but he is not the answer.

Time to pull the plug on the TA experiment now.

 

[planored]

Coming in for spring provides the opportunity to play early next yr for POB. If he was a fall arrival that would be tough to do.