Bortles Goes Pro

[Drew]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2014/st...l-draft-blake-bortles-ucf-knights-enter-draft

 

[sportsart]

If you've noticed, and I know you have, most conference champions have a stand out QB. Does the AAC have any Bridgewaters or Bortles to overcome in 2014?

If Diaco is smart enough to let Foley implement the power blocking scheme he is well known for, it will take some pressure off the young OL we will have this year and we can have a decent running game.

When you have a QB who can read and release quickly like Casey, it takes the pressure off the OL to hold their blocks for longer than 3-4 seconds.

So in a perfect world we have an offense who can score some points and a defense that can grow as the season goes on.

7-5 and bowling. Yup...that was easy.

 

[BoatShow]

 

[TouchdownHusky]

If you've noticed, and I know you have, most conference champions have a stand out QB. Does the AAC have any Bridgewaters or Bortles to overcome in 2014?


If Diaco is smart enough to let Foley implement the power blocking scheme he is well known for, it will take some pressure off the young OL we will have this year and we can have a decent running game.

When you have a QB who can read and release quickly like Casey, it takes the pressure off the OL to hold their blocks for longer than 3-4 seconds.

So in a perfect world we have an offense who can score some points and a defense that can grow as the season goes on.

7-5 and bowling. Yup...that was easy.

Most conference champions DO have a stand out QB. Don't know about next year in AAC. How about UConn? Maybe CC can become that guy?
As for the running game . . . that'll come once teams respect that CC and 85 and others at WR need to be game planned for and reckoned with. An effective air attack will do wonders for opening up the running game.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Good luck to him. The upside is there but he has some big-time bust potential. He needs to go to a team with a great coaching staff with hopefully a QB that he can sit behind for at least a year because I think he's pretty much going to have to be re-built from the ground up wherever he goes.

 

[sdhusky]

Most conference champions DO have a stand out QB. Don't know about next year in AAC. How about UConn? Maybe CC can become that guy?
As for the running game . . . that'll come once teams respect that CC and 85 and others at WR need to be game planned for and reckoned with. An effective air attack will do wonders for opening up the running game.

The local teams go from being 7/8 win teams to nationally relevant with a standout QB.

Doug Flutie
McNabb
Matt Ryan
Pat White (RR was about .500 at WVU without PW)
Dan Marino

I may be crazy, but watching the Fiesta Bowl, I didn't think Bortles was more accurate than CC. Better runner? yes. Better passer?no.

 

[ZooCougar]

Casey gets rid of the ball fast! That alone will help the o line. Over the years we have had QBs who held onto the ball for too long. That probably made the line look worse than it was given the issues we already had with zone blocking.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I may be crazy, but watching the Fiesta Bowl, I didn't think Bortles was more accurate than CC. Better runner? yes. Better passer?no.

He was a dynamic college player but I totally agree with the accuracy. That being said, his mechanics are mediocre and his footwork is an absolute mess, so that could certainly be fixed at the next level. Even if you watch highlight tapes of his, the throws are almost never right on target and his receivers have to adjust.

 

[Waquoit]

Wasn't Blake Bortles in the Little River Band?

 

[Dooley]

Bortles will need that multi-million dollar contract to lock up that arm candy! My goodness.

Not a surprise that he declared. Likely a mid to high 1st round pick. He might end up in a good situation with a good team surrounding him to hit the ground running in the NFL.

 

[UConnMatt813]

Now she would be a solid recruiting coordinator for us.

 

[huskymedic]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2014/st...l-draft-blake-bortles-ucf-knights-enter-draft

as does Storm Johnson.

osknights1:44pm via TweetDeck
UCF junior RB Storm Johnson to declare for NFL Draft, per source. Announcing today with Blake Bortles: Post original url/1aauEx2

 

[Carl Spackler]

With a little over a week to go, it looks like the 2013 record for underclassmen declared is going to get broken, possibly by a lot. I hope for all those underclassmen, that the 2014 NFL draft doesn't break the other record that the 2013 class of underclassmen holds.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Those are literally unreal, kudos to the surgeon. Nice mammaries.

 

[Drew]

Certainly opens up things at the top of the conference with Storm declaring for the draft too

 

[Jerry1714]

The local teams go from being 7/8 win teams to nationally relevant with a standout QB.

Doug Flutie
McNabb
Matt Ryan
Pat White (RR was about .500 at WVU without PW)
Dan Marino

I may be crazy, but watching the Fiesta Bowl, I didn't think Bortles was more accurate than CC. Better runner? yes. Better passer?no.

Bortles will be a top 10 pick, potentially #1, and it is not because of his legs.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

The local teams go from being 7/8 win teams to nationally relevant with a standout QB.

Doug Flutie
McNabb
Matt Ryan
Pat White (RR was about .500 at WVU without PW)
Dan Marino

I may be crazy, but watching the Fiesta Bowl, I didn't think Bortles was more accurate than CC. Better runner? yes. Better passer?no.

Here's a rare moment . . . I don't disagree at all with what you are saying. CC may well be that missing piece that prevented UConn from having a passing game to open some breathing room for the ground game and to give offensive coordinators something else to plan for. As for the QBs you mention, absolutely yes. Their teams were able to ride their performances well beyond what the overall talent level might have indicated for that team. My point exactly, a good QB and a stable of talented WR's can be the great equalizer against teams that may have more talent up and down the depth chart on both sides of the ball.

 

[minidarren]

Bortles wins every day. I say, every single Bob 'Freaking' Diaco day.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

If you've noticed, and I know you have, most conference champions have a stand out QB. Does the AAC have any Bridgewaters or Bortles to overcome in 2014?

If Diaco is smart enough to let Foley implement the power blocking scheme he is well known for, it will take some pressure off the young OL we will have this year and we can have a decent running game.

When you have a QB who can read and release quickly like Casey, it takes the pressure off the OL to hold their blocks for longer than 3-4 seconds.

So in a perfect world we have an offense who can score some points and a defense that can grow as the season goes on.

7-5 and bowling. Yup...that was easy.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the Casey folks (I'm a CC supporter, as well), I have to ask the following. Is his arm strong enough, enough of a threat, to keep defenses honest? We all saw that he is decisive, "reads" well, is quick and accurate.

We also know what he can't do; run. The defenses he played against flat out ignored his "threat" on the read/option. But a lot of very good QB's can't run a lick.

There are now three games on film. If Defensive Coordinators deduce that arm strength is an issue, they're going to take away quick stuff and bubble screens that CC has, so far, excelled at throwing. Unless CC shows he can "air it out," things are going to get crowded, in close.

 

[sportsart]

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the Casey folks (I'm a CC supporter, as well), I have to ask the following. Is his arm strong enough, enough of a threat, to keep defenses honest? We all saw that he is decisive, "reads" well, is quick and accurate.

We also know what he can't do; run. The defenses he played against flat out ignored his "threat" on the read/option. But a lot of very goo d QB's can't run a lick.

There are now three games on film. If Defensive Coordinators deduce that arm strength is an issue, they're going to take away quick stuff and bubble screens that CC has, so far, excelled at throwing. Unless CC shows he can "air it out," things are going to get crowded, in close.

While I'm certainly no expert, CC's ability to read and release quickly helps him to not have to rifle it in there.

As long as he can throw it 30 yds down field accurately, he should have no trouble opening things up close.

 

[Carl Spackler]

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the Casey folks (I'm a CC supporter, as well), I have to ask the following. Is his arm strong enough, enough of a threat, to keep defenses honest? We all saw that he is decisive, "reads" well, is quick and accurate.

We also know what he can't do; run. The defenses he played against flat out ignored his "threat" on the read/option. But a lot of very good QB's can't run a lick.

There are now three games on film. If Defensive Coordinators deduce that arm strength is an issue, they're going to take away quick stuff and bubble screens that CC has, so far, excelled at throwing. Unless CC shows he can "air it out," things are going to get crowded, in close.

I think after watching Cochran on film, and working on defending the pass, the first thing a defensive coach is going to want to do, is see how Cochran reacts to getting hit really hard a few times, and they would find ways they think they could get some hits on him, look out Casey - if you throw an INT.

After that, you focus on taking away what the passing offense does best. You can't defend the 3 and 5 step route trees that Cochran does well, all over the field though, somebody will be open if the QB can make the right read, deliver the ball, without being disrupted by the pass rush. Offense always has advantage over defense in the game. Naturally.

The thing that will keep Cochran successful as a QB, is being very deliberate about dispersing the ball all over the field to multiple receivers. We've had this kind of QB in the past before at UCONN, on more than one occasion. Not overly physically gifted, but given enough time, able to make use of multiple options that he throws to.

If - IF IF IF, Cochran ends up the starter in the fall, I think he's probably schooled enough, and smart enough to know it too. It would get real easy for a QB in the UCONN offense to focus on a guy like Geremy Davis as a primary threat, but good defenses take away what you do well, and the way Cochran stays successful, is by keeping the ball going to multiple receivers all over the field, and making the choice of what receiver to take away by the defense, very hard to make. take away DAvis on the slant / go? That's fine, we'll go to the other side of the field to Foxx. Take away the middle of the field on the crossing routes? Fine - we go to Davis outside.....etc. etc...

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Bortles will be a top 10 pick, potentially #1, and it is not because of his legs.

It's also not because of what he can do with his arm right now. I'm very, very doubtful that he goes number 1. Top ten probably.

 

[uconnfan68]

Those are literally unreal, kudos to the surgeon. Nice mammaries.

"Yes, they are real, and they are spectacular." Name that quote.

 

[SAMCRO]

"Yes, they are real, and they are spectacular." Name that quote.

Seinfeld. Teri Hatcher I believe. Great episode.

 

[sdhusky]

If - IF IF IF, Cochran ends up the starter in the fall,

After watching CC for 3+ games on film, I can't image BD not starting CC.

He was soooo much more productive.