Thoughts on Today's Practice

[wizards8507]

Isn't Zaire similar in height?

He's listed that way, but it's probably a 2 inch difference at least.

 

[Irish2155]

Agreed. I don't know what Kelly wants to do but he has the size on the OL and the RBs to be a run-first offense should he so choose. How he wants to accomplish that is another manner.



Isn't Zaire similar in height? I don't know that height is the deciding factor in this argument.

Very similar height (on paper), but for whatever reason EG can't see over his OL. Who knows if Malik can or not. Didn't know this was an argument either.

 

[NDinL.A.]

To add EG can't see over his OL...eliminating the middle of the field.

It wasn't eliminated today. He had a couple of nice throws over the middle. And Zaire isn't much taller (he didn't have one over the middle, fwiw).

Also, interestingly enough, no one threw an INT, but Zaire was the only one to come close, as he had one curious pass that should have been picked but was bobbled and dropped.

And for those who are over Golson, I would warn against dismissing the fact that he can improve. He has a new QB coach dedicated to fixing his fundamentals, and for one practice anyway, everything was working. Whereas Kelly had to pull put Zaire at one point and have a quick footwork teaching session, Golson was on point almost the entire game. I get why people are over Golson. But maybe the finality of his career, plus Sanford coaching him might and Zaire truly pushing him might take Golson to a different level. I'm certainly not ruling that out...

 

[wizards8507]

Any feel on what Kelly's approach to letting the QBs run in practice is? I assume red jerseys and zero contact? That would effectively eliminate any advantage Malik could show over Golson.

 

[wizards8507]

He has a new QB coach dedicated to fixing his fundamentals, and for one practice anyway, everything was working.

Can his new QB coach add twenty pounds of muscle?

I don't know that many people have questioned Golson's fundamentals. It's always been about decision making and durability.

 

[woolybug25]

Any feel on what Kelly's approach to letting the QBs run in practice is? I assume red jerseys and zero contact? That would effectively eliminate any advantage Malik could show over Golson.

I thought I read earlier that he was going to have some practices without the red jerseys, no?

I agree. BK is in a tough spot though. No matter what direction he takes, there will be a large group of people that think he's making the wrong decision. He essentially has three choices:

- Start Golson
- Start Malik
- QB By Committee

There are people adamant for every one of those decisions. This is where BK makes his money, imo.

 

[Irish2155]

It wasn't eliminated today. He had a couple of nice throws over the middle. And Zaire isn't much taller (he didn't have one over the middle, fwiw).

Also, interestingly enough, no one threw an INT, but Zaire was the only one to come close, as he had one curious pass that should have been picked but was bobbled and dropped.

And for those who are over Golson, I would warn against dismissing the fact that he can improve. He has a new QB coach dedicated to fixing his fundamentals, and for one practice anyway, everything was working. Whereas Kelly had to pull put Zaire at one point and have a quick footwork teaching session, Golson was on point almost the entire game. I get why people are over Golson. But maybe the finality of his career, plus Sanford coaching him might and Zaire truly pushing him might take Golson to a different level. I'm certainly not ruling that out...

Again, great info...thanks a million, our new Jack Nolan.

I am hoping EG figures it out just like everyone else, turnovers especially. And I can't think of anyone with a better arm. At the same time the thought of MZ running a face first, down hill offense sounds appealing as well. They both will get many reps this year. Like others have pointed out, both bring something the other one doesn't. BK will figure out who plays when...

 

[NDinL.A.]

Can his new QB coach add twenty pounds of muscle?

I don't know that many people have questioned Golson's fundamentals. It's always been about decision making and durability.

He doesn't need 20 pounds of muscle. He didn't need it last year when he was shredding the FSU defense and came within a BS call of beating them on the road. Muscle would be nice, but it's necessary for him to be an elite QB, especially not in college.

People have absolutely questioned his fundamentals. His footwork in the pocket was sloppy at times and of course the way he carries the ball has been poor. Those are correctable things.

Zaire's sailing the ball multiple times over receivers' heads is also correctable. His missing wide-open receivers on go routes by 10 yards is fixable as well. But he better start fixing them now or he'll be left behind. I'm not saying that as a Golson fan, I'm saying that as an observer today. Zaire was awesome and then awful, whereas Golson was outstanding almost the entire time.

Your point about being hit is valid - today they weren't being hit. But if Zaire continues to sail passes without the threat of being hit, the competition will be over. And leadership won't matter if he clearly isn't the best player. And today, he wasn't.

 

[Hammer Of The Gods]

Until the first fumble?

More than anything for me its Golson's attitude after the mistakes than it is the actual mistake. like i said earlier, if Golson gets a 'pro' style running game, I think we will see him come into his own. Give him a million options and a variety of reads, he's toast and we will see 2014 all over again.

 

[Luckylucci]

Disappointed to hear the QB situation... I'm personally just over Golson...but thx for the write up as always LA...

Sorry but this post is straight ridiculous. You can't fathom how a player gets better? We should want Golson to clean it up and get things right. No matter how you feel about him he CLEARLY throws the ball downfield better. That's important in some groups of football fans/even coaches.

 

[ACamp1900]

Sorry but this post is straight ridiculous. You can't fathom how a player gets better? We should want Golson to clean it up and get things right. No matter how you feel about him he CLEARLY throws the ball downfield better. That's important in some groups of football fans/even coaches.

Ridiculous? I'm tired of turnover machines at QB, was hoping someone/ anyone who could protect the ball better could step up and was disappointed that it sounds like that's not happening... Nothing ridiculous about it.

 

[Luckylucci]

Ridiculous? I'm tired of turnover machines at QB, was hoping someone/ anyone who could protect the ball better could step up and was disappointed that it sounds like that's not happening... Nothing ridiculous about it.

How did you gather that is hasn't changed from what he said. Your literally making that up. He didn't say that nor would we have any idea that it hasn't happened. It's called MSU (making shit up).

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Why? He clearly has two superior traits to Golson: running ability and size. Neither of those manifest themselves in spring ball, but in a game can have an incredible impact (see: Cardale Jones) on the effectiveness of an offense.

Zaire is also subjectively perceived by some to have superior intangibles, which are quite important to QB play.

Wait.
Arguing that size and running ability is important is superfluous.

And to exaggerate the difference between malik and everett by dropping a cardale jones comparison is simply ridiculous.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Ridiculous? I'm tired of turnover machines at QB, was hoping someone/ anyone who could protect the ball better could step up and was disappointed that it sounds like that's not happening... Nothing ridiculous about it.

What if we end spring practice and EG hasn't thrown a single interception? What if he starts and tears it up in the BG game? What if he is the undisputed winner after summer?

 

[Irish2155]

Sorry but this post is straight ridiculous. You can't fathom how a player gets better? We should want Golson to clean it up and get things right. No matter how you feel about him he CLEARLY throws the ball downfield better. That's important in some groups of football fans/even coaches.

This sentence is straight ridiculous. If you disagree that is cool, calling it ridiculous is stupid...especially with so many others sharing the same opinion.

How do you know he CLEARLY throws the ball down field better? EG CLEARLY throws to the other team a lot and puts it on the ground as well....that is clear.

I'd argue MZ's running skills opens up more passing opportunities...open receivers. Plus stays ahead of the chains better.

 

[ACamp1900]

How did you gather that is hasn't changed from what he said. Your literally making that up. He didn't say that nor would we have any idea that it hasn't happened. It's called MSU (making shit up).

Dude, calm the heck down first off...

He said Golson clearly looked better, ideally I would like to hear there is a real battle there, if you can't handle that, then you're being... Ridiculous.

 

[Irish2155]

Dude, calm the heck down first off...

He said Golson clearly looked better, ideally I would like to hear there is a real battle there, if you can't handle that, then you're being... Ridiculous.

He is always like that man...it is ridiculous.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Why? He clearly has two superior traits to Golson: running ability and size. Neither of those manifest themselves in spring ball, but in a game can have an incredible impact (see: Cardale Jones) on the effectiveness of an offense.

Zaire is also subjectively perceived by some to have superior intangibles, which are quite important to QB play.

Edited.
Delete.

 

[NDBoiler]

Wooly, honestly, the guy who wrote that about Golson and Zaire last year sounds like an absolute genius.

Seriously though, the gap is wide, as far as practice goes. I texted a reporter friend of mine who was there (a guy who knows WAY more than me), just to make sure I wasn't crazy, and he said that the two weren't even close today. I mean, Golson looked even better than last year.

But as you said, it's just practice. Zaire brings that leadership, that ability to galvanize a team. So it's tough. But if he is as inconsistent as he was today, then that leadership will mean crap after another 3 and out. I'd go with Golson, because when he is right, he is a winner with a ton of game. But my closest friends are done with Golson, and I can see why after the last 5 games of the season. Zaire is an attractive option as well.



Not much as far as Brent...he beat the DB's in several one on ones, had a bad drop, got beat a couple of times, etc etc. I don't see him beating out the WR's in front of him, but he looks much improved.

Brown looked really good towards the end of the year. The LSU corners are very good, and they couldn't match up with him and Fuller a lot of times. The light bulb might have gone off. I wouldn't count him out yet...

Is Golson still holding the ball like a loaf of bread when he runs or scrambles?

 

[Luckylucci]

I'm blown away that people are passing judgement on something they haven't seen or read that is all. I do think it's ridiculous to assume something that hasn't happened. Sorry you guys do.

 

[ACamp1900]

All I said is I was disappointed by the QB news...

 

[Irish2155]

I'm blown away that people are passing judgement on something they haven't seen or read that is all. I do think it's ridiculous to assume something that hasn't happened. Sorry you guys do.

You don't get it...I'm blown away as well.

 

[ResLife Hero]

The one thing about EG that I didn't see mentioned is that he started to falter after the first loss of the season, and that was the first time in his career he ever had to suit up and run back out after losing the week before. He had a whole year+ to recover from the Bama beatdown.

IMO, he came back last year under the pressure of being expected to be a savior, balled out for a few games to where "heisman candidate" was getting thrown around which continued to build the pressure. Then, he gets "screwed" at FSU and starts trying to force throws and plays to get back to that heisman-candidate-program-saving-dual-threat-did-you-see-that-bomb-against-Rice-and-holy-crap-the-Stanford-game status.

With the whole year off, he wasn't really the veteran we described him as last year and had to come to terms with what losing felt like for the first time in a long time. I'm hoping the coaching he's getting, the experience he has, and the pressure of knowing MZ is gunning for his job will propel him mentally to where he can just play the game and make the throws he does consistently in practice.

 

[Luckylucci]

All I said is I was disappointed by the QB news...

Which in it of itself sounds crazy. We have a QB that looks really good and that is bad news? Count me as confused and dumbfounded.

I'm not saying he's the answer but your response is literally leaving me what I said above.

 

[Luckylucci]

You don't get it...I'm blown away as well.

What does this even mean? Besides trying to bag on a player that you have no idea about as of this moment, what's the point?

 

[Irish2155]

Which in it of itself sounds crazy. We have a QB that looks really good and that is bad news? Count me as confused and dumbfounded.

I'm saying he's the answer but your response is literally leaving me what I said above.

I can't believe they ever made you a mod...

 

[ACamp1900]

Which in it of itself sounds crazy. We have a QB that looks really good and that is bad news? Count me as confused and dumbfounded.

I'm saying he's the answer but your response is literally leaving me what I said above.

Whoever ends up starting at QB is going to be better by being legitimately pushed... Clear?

 

[Irish2155]

Whoever ends up starting at QB is going to be better by being legitimately pushed... Clear?

Leave it alone, he don't get it. Rationalizing with the irrational is an impossible task. I just can't believe he got "promoted" (for lack of a better word) to a Mod.

 

[Luckylucci]

Whoever ends up starting at QB is going to be better by being legitimately pushed... Clear?

Much better way to phrase the conversation. I can completely agree with that.

 

[Luckylucci]

Leave it alone, he don't get it. Rationalizing with the irrational is an impossible task. I just can't believe he got "promoted" (for lack of a better word) to a Mod.

If you have something to say, you can PM me. I'm not being irrational to think that our starting QB could improve.