Both P. and Wiest had Cochrane 3rd on the depth chart

[Palatine]

So if they saw him every day in practice and know the best players on the team, why did both coaches have him so low on the depth chart?

 

[amory]

What's your point?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Palatine would like to remind us that posted back in October that Casey should've been given first crack. And his secondary point after gloating would be to ask why we would want to hire a guy (TJW) who couldn't make the right decision.

I'm guessing of course.

 

[metsfan2323]

Intangible's aren't always easy to identify.

There are many stories like this with QB's. Kurt Warner was stocking shelves, Tom Brady rode the bench at Michigan. Luckily for us this discovery was made early is Casey's career.

 

[TRest]

So if they saw him every day in practice and know the best players on the team, why did both coaches have him so low on the depth chart?

But he was always first in your heart.

 

[huskymedic]

... and who are these Wiest and Cochrane you speak

 

[Palatine]

The point is that there are a core of posters who constantly remind everyone that we don't see practice and the coaches do, so we should just go along with every decision the coaches make because they know better.

 

[Srqhusky]

The best way to explain this is how u do at the driving range. Some people grab a driver and can hit ball after ball 270 right down the middle. Then they will grab a 5 iron mis hit a few then statt sending ball after ball down the middle of the range. Now these same people can get on the course and find every tree or hit it thin. They may warm uo after five holes but by then they are buried. On their score card.

Basically casey is just a good course player and whitmer and boyle are only good on the driving range. They are able to perform but need to adapt when they see different situations. They may all be performing at the same level in practice but gametome is differe y

 

[Stinger92860]

Palatine would like to remind us that posted back in October that Casey should've been given first crack. And his secondary point after gloating would be to ask why we would want to hire a guy (TJW) who couldn't make the right decision.

I'm guessing of course.

I thought pal was a Nebrich guy?

 

[SubbaBub]

I going to assume that what few reps he was getting as #3 following fall practice were cut further after Boyle was named starter and CC had a few WTF plays in mop up duty.

 

[Palatine]

I think Nebrich is also a good example.

We never really got to see what Nebrich could do in a game. He sat for many of the same reasons as Casey. Not the best practice player. Not the best measurables. Both Casey and Nebrich needed to be given a chance in a real game to show their value.

The game is the thing. Coaches forget that because they spend the majority of their lives in practice and they can control every aspect of practice.

A couple of weeks ago, after losing to Dallas and playing just an awful game, Coughlin came to the mike and talked about what a great week of practice the Giants had leading up to the game. It's a huge blind spot for a coach. It can cause as many bad decisons as good ones.

 

[CTMike]

If Cochran looked like the best QB in the spring/summer... he would have been #1 on the depth chart.

He got his chance after Whitmer and Boyle played themselves out of the running - and I'm thrilled that he's made the most of his chance. And in no way do I think he miraculously became this good the last few weeks - he was obviously talented in high school. Just that - if he was the best option in the spring/summer - based on the available information - they would have gone with him. This is exactly why hindsight is 20/20.

 

[ruskin]

Given that CC is going to be an impact player here for a while, perhaps we should stop confusing his last name with that of the great former major league catcher.

 

[huskypantz]

I thought pal was a Nebrich guy?

Wasn't he a big Dennis Brown fan too?

 

[Colt house75]

The point is that there are a core of posters who constantly remind everyone that we don't see practice and the coaches do, so we should just go along with every decision the coaches make because they know better.

...and that's why they make the big bucks OR NOT....and get found out real quick.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Pal likes investing in penny stocks and third string QB's. If they wash out it's only a few bucks but if you hit it once, you can remind everyone how smart you feel you really are.

 

[JaYnYcE]

I wonder how Whitmer and Boyle might have done against Rutgers, Temple and Memphis.

 

[sportsart]

Casey had the benefit of a perfect storm. The OL got in rhythm, we hit the weak part of the schedule and, IMHO, the biggest reason he succeeded was TJ and Day developed a perfect game plan that used all of Casey's strengths.

Does it really matter how the others would have done and why Casey was 3rd string?

TJ did the most important things the old geysers couldn't do. When something didn't work, he adjusted and tried something else. Then tried something else...and then it clicked.

 

[rich1122]

The best way to explain this is how u do at the driving range. Some people grab a driver and can hit ball after ball 270 right down the middle. Then they will grab a 5 iron mis hit a few then statt sending ball after ball down the middle of the range. Now these same people can get on the course and find every tree or hit it thin. They may warm uo after five holes but by then they are buried. On their score card.

Basically casey is just a good course player and whitmer and boyle are only good on the driving range. They are able to perform but need to adapt when they see different situations. They may all be performing at the same level in practice but gametome is differe y

Agree totally and the O-Line somewhat got its act together, albeit against lesser competition. Boyle and Whitmer did not make throws like Casey. Two come to mind. The one to Foxx over the Safety, but keeping him out of the end zone. The other to Bradley for a TD against RU. Actually I have not seen throws like that in some years.

PS I would have taken Dennis Brown over Lorenzen Bad mistake.

 

[Skiblets]

I think Nebrich is also a good example.

We never really got to see what Nebrich could do in a game. He sat for many of the same reasons as Casey. Not the best practice player. Not the best measurables. Both Casey and Nebrich needed to be given a chance in a real game to show their value.

.

But if he's not the best practice player, what else does a staff have to evaluate performance on?

 

[Nostical]

Palatine is right about this. In hindsight, all the coaches missed it on Casey. Maybe also on Nebrich. Brady needed Bledsoe getting hurt to see the field. Imagine him still holding the clipboard? He's talked about it: the practice player vs the gamer.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The scuttlebutt coming out of the program was that Pasqualoni thought Cochrane wasn't a D1 QB after summer camp.

 

[junglehusky]

The other scuttlebutt that somebody posted here was that at least before this season Casey was content being a backup QB. Maybe he wants to be a coach like his Dad someday... a fair number of coaches spent their playing career as backups.

 

[noeynox]

But if he's not the best practice player, what else does a staff have to evaluate performance on?

But here's the thing, unless a starter at a position is killing it, what do you have to lose by seeing what someone else on the roster could do?

Palatine is right here. He has been saying this since Edsall was here, and there are other examples. Easly was one. Props to Pal.

 

[Husky25]

Boomer Esiason was a 7th string QB (you read that correctly) at Maryland (per interview on WEEI). Tom Brady was Michigan's starting quarterback in 1998 and 1999, but struggled to hold off then-wunderkind, Drew Henson (the first of the entitled who I can recall). Brady was also once 7th on the depth chart. Things have a way of working out.

The problem with college nowadays is the sense of entitlement. If a freshman is not on the two-deep or is redshirted, they immediately start targeting schools to transfer. You may remember that UConn had such a player on it's roster earlier this year.

Granted, I started following college football in earnest in the early 90's, but up until Peyton Manning (who was forced into the game as a Freshman), I don't remember reading about or hearing of college QB's who have started all 4 years in college. It never really happened. It couldn't happen prior to 1972, but why has there only been a single Freshman Heisman Trophy winner in 41 years? Because, by and large, the powers that be think it should happen either. 18-19 year olds don't really have the maturity on the whole to handle the accolades associate with such early success and Johnny Manziel is anecdotal evidence to the affirmative.