QB competitions

[mick2]

Coaches, players, whoever can answer this:

I think us as fans may take Qb competitions and turn them into Qb controversies.

from the outside, you have Crist a uber-talented qb coming of injury, Rees who may not have all the tools but has played great in place of Crist, Hendrix another super talent, Massa perhaps the odd man out, and the prodigy Everett Golson.

Getting a starter from that seems like a very difficult task!

even if you take out massa to position change, and golson will probably redshirt you still have a 3-way competition

I guess my questions are, do these competitions work themselves out during spring ball and preseason practice? how can you really make a decision without seeing in game reps?

and with crists injury and hendrix's window getting smaller, how does that factor into the final decision?

Are these competitions really as close as we think them to be?

and if you go with rees are you committing to him for the next 3 years?

I was just thinking of what it would be like to be in kelly's shoes, having to decide between the starter that has a hard time staying healthy, the kid who played well in the last 4 games, or the shiny new toy hendrix. Not to mention he's at the most prestigious university in america and if he makes the wrong decision hes gonna be blasted by everyone.

and Kelly looks like the gruden of college football by bringing in qbs every year, so we may be in this situation more often than not in coming years.

thoughts? opinions? or was this a dumb thread:embar:

 

[D-BOE34]

I think we make it seem like it is really close competition when in reality we don't really know. I remember a few years ago when the talk about Crist possibly taking JC starting job. Wasn't going to happen and according to the reports I read, JC was above and beyond the better QB arm in that race. We may have the same situation here. I think Rees is a glorified back up. Hendrix I haven't seen but since Kelly was raving about him he must have all the tools. Does he have the smarts? Then you have Crist. I think biggest upside of any of them. The team is going to rally round him. I think he wins out and shocks ND nation and is on fire this year.

 

[GreatGolson]

ill go with Crist 1a Golson 1b Rees 2a Henrix 2b

 

[jmurphy75]

Not a dumb thread at all, but the fact remains we as fans can just make opinions on outside info. I think that besides the skill set each has the coaches have to take a bunch of variables into consideration, like QB IQ, work ethic (film room) and overall chemistry with the team and especially the receivers. it's hard for us to see these things but I don't think it will be an easy decesion for the coaches to make ever let alone just seing them in spring ball. I do however think that our coaches will make the best call for the team and we can't go wrong with any of them.

 

[irishff1014]

I know that this is not going to make any sense at all but i do believe that Crist gives us the best chance to win in 2011. However Rees will be a good experienced back-up. The play book seems like it opens up alot when Crist is in the game.

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

I trust Kelly to make the right decision. All I know is it's a great problem to have.

 

[mick2]

if anybody can make the right decision, or win whether it was the right decision or not, its kelly. his body of work proves he knows what he wants out of his qb's and gets it from them.

i was just more wondering about what goes into the decision of naming the starter, and what effects could the decision have?

 

[IrishandColts]

If I were Hendrix I'd play somewhere else if I fell 3 behind. With a chance of Gunner or Maty coming next year.

 

[IrishinSyria]

ill go with Crist 1a Golson 1b Rees 2a Henrix 2b

I'd really love to know how you figure Golson=Crist and is over Rees and Hendrix.

Don't get me wrong, he seems like he may have a lot of potential, but so do all of the Quarterbacks who go to ND.

Right now, this is the "depth chart"

1)Crist 2) Rees 3)Hendrix 4)Massa 5)Golson 6) Montana

Not only could this change, it almost certainly will. Golson and Crist are the biggest wild cards, though anyone of these guys (with the possible exceptions of Montana and Massa) could end up the starter. It seems very premature for fans to start rooting for any particular guy to start.

 

[IrishSLC]

The QB position on the team is the one I worry/wonder about the most. Honestly the more I think about it I realize it's a good situation to be in.

We have Crist, who I think will be the starter, with the physical tools and experience (even if minimal) to manage games and make plays when we need them. Another year under Kelly on and off the field will do great things for him.

Rees, who I think will be the 2nd string. He has been a proven winner and while he lacks the flashy tools we would all like to see he has experience in big games. In those games he has had ups and downs but that is the benefit of experience. Making those crucial mistakes and learning from them. That quality in a backup is priceless. Especially if (Heaven forbid) Crist goes down with another injury.

Hendrix/Golson 3rd string. I think Hendrix gets the nod due to seniority and experience in Kelly's system. Hopefully, these 2 don't see the field under negative circumstances (Injury, poor performance) but if they do see the field due to the fact of their great play than that would be a nice surprise.

But, we've all heard rave reviews and watched H.S. highlights to know of their potential. I trust this staff to develop them into great athletes and respectful young men. The future is bright for ND Football.

Not a bad situation to be in at all in my opinion.

 

[IrishinSyria]

i was just more wondering about what goes into the decision of naming the starter, and what effects could the decision have?

Performance in practice, performance in games, intangible traits (does the team look to one guy as a leader?), ability to run the offense and Kelly's magic intuition will impact the decision.

As for what effects the decision could have... it's the single most important decision Kelly has to make for next year. This could be a very good team next year if we get good QB play.

 

[jmurphy75]

I hope that things go well enough with Christ/Rees/Hendrix that we can "redshirt" Golson

 

[NDinFL]

I think Golson gets redshirted, and it ends up..
Crist, (at first)
Hendrix
Rees
In my very humble opinion I think Hendrix bascially proves to the coaches that they simply cannot keep him off of the field. I also think that having surgery on BOTH of his knees really knocks Crist's mobility down just a touch.

 

[mick2]

Performance in practice, performance in games, intangible traits (does the team look to one guy as a leader?), ability to run the offense and Kelly's magic intuition will impact the decision.

As for what effects the decision could have... it's the single most important decision Kelly has to make for next year. This could be a very good team next year if we get good QB play.

so who leads in these categories today/

Performance in practice:
1.Hendrix 2.Rees 3.Crist (because crist is out)

Performance in games:
1.Crist 2. Rees 3. N/A

Physical tools:
1.Hendrix 2.Crist 3.Rees

Intangibles:
1.Crist 2. Rees 3. Hendrix

Leadership:
1.Crist/Rees 2.Hendrix

Ability to run the (complete) Offense:
1.Crist 2.Rees 3. Hendrix

To me Crist comes out either 1 or 2 in almost every category except practice perf. cuz he's missing a bunch of reps being injured. When healthy it seems like he is the guy for next year.

Crist also has a fifth year left if im not mistaken. so if Crist is named the 2011 starter and plays well, it would seem likely that kelly would want him back for stability at the position for 2012. that would leave hendrix with his senior year in 2013 and a possible 5th in 2014, and rees would be gone after 2013. Golson would be a junior in 2013.

somebody isn't going to be QB and do they transfer or stay and play a different position.

 

[Rhode Irish]

I really feel bad for Crist. Lets say that, for the sake of argument, Crist's injury kept him out of the last four games but was fully healed today and he was a full-go heading into the spring. In that scenario, he would be a no-brainer to start, IMO. The problem is that while he is hurt he is not getting reps in Kelly's system, so Rees is past him in the system and Hendrix has to be pretty close. I think Rees is the least talented of the three, but he is clearly a capable backup as he proved last season.

So in my mind, it is up to Hendrix to beat out Crist. If he does, great. That means he is one hell of a QB if he beats out a kid who was the starter until injury and has an elite pedigree. If not, great. That means Crist is ready to go, and I think that is a good thing. Whoever loses that competition would be ready to go in the event of injury or poor performance of the other. Rees would serve as the safety valve 3rd stringer, which is great because he has already proved we can win with him on the field.

That allows Golson to save a year and use it to learn the system. Massa, to me, is the odd man out. Hopefully they find a role for him or he finds another place he would like to play. Nothing against the kid, but I don't see how he can break through this depth chart and he's going to occupy a scholarship. Montana is essentially a non-factor, but he will not transfer and I don't see any way he could play another position.

 

[mick2]

I really feel bad for Crist. Lets say that, for the sake of argument, Crist's injury kept him out of the last four games but was fully healed today and he was a full-go heading into the spring. In that scenario, he would be a no-brainer to start, IMO. The problem is that while he is hurt he is not getting reps in Kelly's system, so Rees is past him in the system and Hendrix has to be pretty close. I think Rees is the least talented of the three, but he is clearly a capable backup as he proved last season.

So in my mind, it is up to Hendrix to beat out Crist. If he does, great. That means he is one hell of a QB if he beats out a kid who was the starter until injury and has an elite pedigree. If not, great. That means Crist is ready to go, and I think that is a good thing. Whoever loses that competition would be ready to go in the event of injury or poor performance of the other. Rees would serve as the safety valve 3rd stringer, which is great because he has already proved we can win with him on the field.

That allows Golson to save a year and use it to learn the system. Massa, to me, is the odd man out. Hopefully they find a role for him or he finds another place he would like to play. Nothing against the kid, but I don't see how he can break through this depth chart and he's going to occupy a scholarship. Montana is essentially a non-factor, but he will not transfer and I don't see any way he could play another position.

I agree here it may be a 2 horse race right now. here's the question though.

Do you go with the best chance to win now with a Healthy Crist?

Or do you set up for the future and go with Hendrix?

and also crist has a fifth year! so many factors!

scenario 1:
Crist is starter with Hendrix in mop up time, Crist leads us to bcs bowl win and rides off into the nfl sunset with floyd. Hendrix in 2012,13 with a golson package. golson takes over 2014 fulltime.

scenario 2:
Crist starter for 2011 and 12, hendrix transfers, rees backup and golson package. Golson takes over 2013 fulltime.

Scenario 3:
Hendrix beats out Crist, is the starter for 2011,12,13 before giving the reins to golson full time in 2014 if golson decides to stick around that long.

i dunno, how do you make this decision?

 

[Rhode Irish]

I agree here it may be a 2 horse race right now. here's the question though.

Do you go with the best chance to win now with a Healthy Crist?

Or do you set up for the future and go with Hendrix?

and also crist has a fifth year! so many factors!

scenario 1:
Crist is starter with Hendrix in mop up time, Crist leads us to bcs bowl win and rides off into the nfl sunset with floyd. Hendrix in 2012,13 with a golson package. golson takes over 2014 fulltime.

scenario 2:
Crist starter for 2011 and 12, hendrix transfers, rees backup and golson package. Golson takes over 2013 fulltime.

Scenario 3:
Hendrix beats out Crist, is the starter for 2011,12,13 before giving the reins to golson full time in 2014 if golson decides to stick around that long.

i dunno, how do you make this decision?

#1 would obviously be ideal. Haha. But right now I would lean toward #2 over #3. If I were handicapping it right now I'd go with maybe 65/35 in favor of #2. But it is almost impossible to say without having seen Hendrix at this point.

Like many have said, I trust Kelly to figure it out, and if Crist beats out Hendrix its a good thing, and if Hendrix beats out Crist it could also be a good thing. Either way, I want to see Golson redshirt this coming year and have a package or two installed for him the next year. I want to see him on the field. I think he is going to be terrific, but its just a hunch.

 

[tadman95]

The interesting unknown (besides Hendrix I guess) is Golson has a lot more experience running a spread offense than any of the incumbents. Not saying he would play next year but he does have experience and he will go through spring ball.

Just sayin'.