Whitmer is not a D1 QB

[Waquoit]

When the 2nd down run brought the ball to the middle of the field, I said to my seatmates that we'll now throw a slant over the middle or throw deeper down the middle on third down. If we make the 1st down great but if incomplete, the ball is still centered for the field goal. Instead we threw a flare pass to McCombs who was tackled wide putting the ball on the right hash mark. It simply made for a tougher angle for Chad. I didn't like the 3rd down play call and sure enough, Chad missed the angled kick. Should he have made it? Perhaps, but the coach's 3rd down play call didn't help one bit.

That's the story of the Temple game. Play for the field goal, than go wide on 3rd down for the lousy angle. The guy kicks it pretty well and long from straight on. Like it or not, that's the reality. It should be factored in to the strategy.

 

[Waquoit]

On the Int, he had Green on the left in one on one coverage and it looked like he had a step on his guy. On the sack prior to the missed FG, he had Green open as a hot route and and hung onto the ball. Sometimes I think he just doesn't trust some of his receivers. Have to give different guys a chance to make a play for you.

CW not pulling the trigger is a big issue this year.

 

[Excalibur]

Boyle can run as I have seen him do in high school a number of times.

My issue with Whitmer is his locking onto one receiver and not scanning the rest of the field.

80% of D1A quarterbacks lock on to one receiver.

 

[Excalibur]

You must have misunderstood me. Michigan was 8 in the box on the down PRIOR to the interception. That down was 1st and 10, immediately after we had run the ball to Delorenzo over left guard for a first down on third and short, out of a 4 wide, shotgun set. We came back with anohter 4 wide shutgun set (this time with McCombs) on first down, and michigan loaded up the left side of our formation, 8 in the box, and Bennett false started. On 1st and 15 after the penalty, we went to a 4 wide set, with the QB under center and single back deep, and Whitmer threw the INT. You are correct, they went back to their 4-3 defensive front on that down. IF you watch the replay, you can see that if he makes the simple read, and progression, realizing the situation, he can set his feet, and essentially make the same throw, but longer, and over the receiver he intended, and hit Foxx on a wheel route down the sideline, wide open. THe play design is fantastic, and calling was great. I went over this in detail before.

Yes, I had the wrong play. But that begs the question, why was their defensive alignment on that play (the false start) so important? On the first down run by Max D, they were in a standard front with one linebacker out wide and the LB's 5 yards or more off the LOS. That was their standard front for most of the game, and we still couldn't run the ball. Even when they stacked the box, it was to show a blitz that in most cases never came. One of their common tactics was to put five on the line with a LB showing blitz on passing downs, only to drop everyone into coverage immediately on the snap and rush only 3 or 4.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Yes, I had the wrong play. But that begs the question, why was their defensive alignment on that play (the false start) so important? On the first down run by Max D, they were in a standard front with one linebacker out wide and the LB's 5 yards or more off the LOS. That was their standard front for most of the game, and we still couldn't run the ball. Even when they stacked the box, it was to show a blitz that in most cases never came. One of their common tactics was to put five on the line with a LB showing blitz on passing downs, only to drop everyone into coverage immediately on the snap and rush only 3 or 4.

I don't have the time right now to go through the whole thing again, because I actually have some real work to do that pays my bills. I actually don't recall seeing that as much as you say, but that doesn't mean it's not there.

You are right, we still couldn't run the ball consistently. There are moments, a handful of plays literally that you can count on one hand, where our running game looked good. That first down carry, was one of them. There was another play earlier in the game that went over the left side as well. It's entirely possible that Steve Greene and Jimmy Bennett are our best run blockers, and fastest linemen, and that truthfully, God bless them, is not good. THis isn't the George Deleone offense anymore though, adn it's crystal clear when you watch it. TJ Weist has put together a well designed, modern pro-style attack, that is appropriate for college level players. We had one long run from McCombs off the right side, but he made blockers miss, Mateas tried to get out on the run, and ended up with a face full of grass and air. He ran as hard and fast as he could I"m sure, and I will never fault a player for that, but he's not Moe Petrus or Keith Gray.

We had the benefit of multiple year starters on the OL for the past few years, that were very fast players for their size.

They haven't had a lot of time to practice with TJ Weist as offensive coordinator, and I think that the OC probably doesn't trust his running game right now, as much as he trusts his passing game.

Players play, and coaches coach.

I think the importance of that 5 man pressure at the line in that sequence, is that it did enough to get our offense unsettled enough, that one of our most experienced OL's false started. Why did that happen? Why were they unsettled by it?

no way to know, without sitting in on the meetings.

 

[BlueDogs]

80% of D1A quarterbacks lock on to one receiver.

THIS.

Whitmer is actually one our better QBs. Great? No. He just makes dumb mistakes. He actually made fewer dumb mistakes vs. Michigan and threw away the ball on several occasions. That is a progression in maturity. Most don't get beyond maybe a first read and a hot outlet. He forced a ball when he should not have. That is pretty standard in College football. A select few can see the field, read and go through progressions to second let alone third receivers. Also, this ability, even if a kid tries, is very limited under pressure. The only way this can improve is simplifying the playbook and getting enough reps over an over until the progression is second nature. With a wall paper playbook that doesn't happen.

The best thing UConn can do is simplify its schemes and playbook and focus on execution, execution and execution with each man beating his opponent every play.

 

[hthusky74]

THIS.

Whitmer is actually one our better QBs. Great? No. He just makes dumb mistakes. He actually made fewer dumb mistakes vs. Michigan and threw away the ball on several occasions. That is a progression in maturity. Most don't get beyond maybe a first read and a hot outlet. He forced a ball when he should not have. That is pretty standard in College football. A select few can see the field, read and go through progressions to second let alone third receivers. Also, this ability, even if a kid tries, is very limited under pressure. The only way this can improve is simplifying the playbook and getting enough reps over an over until the progression is second nature. With a wall paper playbook that doesn't happen.

The best thing UConn can do is simplify its schemes and playbook and focus on execution, execution and execution with each man beating his opponent every play.

I agree with your last paragraph totally. They need to keep it simple. However, how can you say he is one of our better QBs if we haven't seen the others play yet?

 

[Carl Spackler]

THIS.

Whitmer is actually one our better QBs. Great? No. He just makes dumb mistakes. He actually made fewer dumb mistakes vs. Michigan and threw away the ball on several occasions. That is a progression in maturity. Most don't get beyond maybe a first read and a hot outlet. He forced a ball when he should not have. That is pretty standard in College football. A select few can see the field, read and go through progressions to second let alone third receivers. Also, this ability, even if a kid tries, is very limited under pressure. The only way this can improve is simplifying the playbook and getting enough reps over an over until the progression is second nature. With a wall paper playbook that doesn't happen.

The best thing UConn can do is simplify its schemes and playbook and focus on execution, execution and execution with each man beating his opponent every play.

One of the problems I felt existed with the Deleone offense, was that it wasn't appropriate for college level players. Professional palyers have a lot more experience, and development time in the game. I think Weist has done a great job of installing an offensive system that is appropriate for college level players, and that includes the QB. On the interception play, if you watch, the play design is such that the layers of receivers, are in the same line of sight, and the same throwing motion. He made the wrong decision, in going to the underneath layer that had been open pretty much the entire game, rather than going over to the deep layer to Foxx, which was left wide open on the play. The ability to freeze safeties and linebackers with your vision and head motions is an advanced skill at being a successful QB. The play designs we have, under Weist, do not require the QB to do that in most situations, we have layered patterns of receivers, going out in patterns on the left and right, and we are using timing patterns in the middle of the field, or are setting up situations with isolations (like the negated TD throw). In these kinds of offensive plays, the QB needs to make a decision as to which level/depth vertically of the field he's going to throw to in making reads. This is much quicker and easier to develop in a QB, than the ability to make reads and progressions laterally across the field.

This are the opinions of me only, and are open for debate.

 

[BlueDogs]

I agree with your last paragraph totally. They need to keep it simple. However, how can you say he is one of our better QBs if we haven't seen the others play yet?

Sorry, I meant historically speaking. There may be better QBs in house. Boyle being a clear candidate.

 

[uconnbill]

80% of D1A quarterbacks lock on to one receiver.

So the other 20% are the one's who win regularly and bring their team to the next level. Throwing into triple coverage is never good and that happens all to much in big situations.

 

[UconnFamily]

80% of D1A quarterbacks lock on to one receiver.

You make a good point, however, when those 80% of D1A QBs realizes that the receiver they have their eyes locked is not open, they scan the field to see who else is open. D1A QBs can do this in a matter of few seconds, so that's Chandler problem, when he locks on 1 WR and he's not open he panics and either holds on to the ball or he passes it to that locked receiver that isn't open.

 

[Excalibur]

You make a good point, however, when those 80% of D1A QBs realizes that the receiver they have their eyes locked is not open, they scan the field to see who else is open. D1A QBs can do this in a matter of few seconds, so that's Chandler problem, when he locks on 1 WR and he's not open he panics and either holds on to the ball or he passes it to that locked receiver that isn't open.

He rarely has time to do any of that . . .

Make no mistake, he can be counted on to make one or two awful decisions every game. So can a lot of quarterbacks. If you want to witness other QB's making the same mistakes, just change the channel. My biggest complaint about him is that he gets skittish after he gets hit once, as if he's afraid to get hit again. That compromises his effectiveness much more than his locking onto a single receiver. But in my mind he's a garden variety Division 1-A quarterback. There are probably a half dozen other changes I'd make to the offense before sitting Whitmer.

 

[whaler11]

I have absolutely no idea is Whitmer is good. The line is so bad it's hard to even guess.

I know his mistakes kill them because they have no margin for error.

He struck me as looking scared to death on the drive he threw into triple coverage, but that might have just been me projecting onto him.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I am sure that it is also in Whitmer’s head that his head Coach, aka Paul ‘pass the bologna (blame);’ Pasqualoni elevated Boyle to #2 right after commenting in the press that the his QB is too short to pass while the Offensive line is doing a good job, i.e. GDL is my friend so screw everyone else.

As an FYI, a friend from Syracuse told me of PP’s ‘pass the bologna’ nickname the day after UConn hired him.

 

[HomeKing93]

Listening to PP talk about CW's height is funny to me. Did CW start shrinking after he decided to come to UConn?, Also, 6 foot college QBs can be productive passers.

 

[hthusky74]

Listening to PP talk about CW's height is funny to me. Did CW start shrinking after he decided to come to UConn?, Also, 6 foot college QBs can be productive passers.

Too bad we don't have one.

 

[freescooter]

My opinion on Whitmer is that he is mostly adequate. He throws some very bad picks, but he also makes some good plays. Most college quarterbacks make errors, sometimes headscratching errors. Even the pretty good one do. I think you need to take into account that we rank at the bottom in the rushing game, though George says we are making progress rolleyes I guess because we're ahead of FIU, and our offensive line is sub-par to be generous. With a good line and an average running game, I think he's be fine. Not great but certainly adequate. What he isn't is good enough to overcome the limitations of an offense that has as many inadequacies as ours does. Bu the is what he is. He's a JUCO quarterback and as someobody once said, guys mostly go the JUCO route for a reason.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Whitmer was a very highly rated QB coming out of HS. Went to Illinois with offers from Arizona, Stanford and others. Illinois went with the Dual Threat Route leaving him wanting to play elsewhere in a drop back/pro style system. Spent 1 year at Butler CC

 

[Jimdish255]

I will not argue that Nebrich may well be better than Whitmer, but you cannot draw any conclusions from the statistics. Whitmer has played against 2 Top 30 BCS teams and a Towson team that is probably as good or better than Temple. The level of competition is not even in the same stratosphere.

Yeah we can't judge the games but we can clearly see from spring scrimmage that Whitmer was miles ahead of Nebrich? Whitmer is a guy with some skills and obvious limitations. If everything else is right he can be productive, but when things aren't problems arise. Things are far from perfect when the running game and blocking are both poor. It's a tough combination.

 

[joey3$trike$]

Has to step it up vs Buffalo, I want to see a leader out there, just like the plays after the "catch" that was overturned. We see that he has the ability to make plays, the uh-oh moments have been at critical times and frankly every game for 2 years. In his defense, the line has been atrocious along with the running game. I haven't given up on him yet, but if he can't make plays rolling out or with his feet, it's not going to work with this o-line. Something has to change, more rollouts, better running by lyle, or simply just keep hitting the check downs and dunk and dink it down the field.

 

[Gregory Koch]

Stick with him at this point. Don't burn Boyle's redshirt. We have no chance of salvaging this season. At best we go 3-9, beating Buffalo, Temple, and Memphis. My pick is 2-10, beating Buffalo and Memphis. We couldn't beat Temple at home last year, and we've gotten worse, so I doubt we'll win. On the other hand, they lost to Fordham.

Unfortunately, what might happen is we start 1-8, then win 2 of our final 3 games (Temple and Memphis) and Warde Manuel decides that since PP showed "improvement" at the end of the year, he doesn't deserve to be fired. And then we're stuck with him next year.

 

[Jax Husky]

If Boyle's gonna be any good next year, he needs to play this year.