Fall Camp - The QB Battle

[Chin Diesel]

Every thread on fall camp will eventually work its way to this topic.

No clear #1. As we found out when RE 2.0 tried to take a year off to practice and develop a squad, it turns out every football program in the history of football was right. You play games to get better. Also, turns out having a quality QB is really highly correlated to overall team success.

We know decent QB play this year isn't just the QB. Need an OLine that can block and open up holes for RB's. Need an OC who can create offensive schemes which keeps defenses defesnsive. Need WR's who can get separation and catch. Need a defense who doesn't give up 40+ points every game necessitating passing on every play. But all those come back to a QB who can make plays. I'm okay if it's a pure passer, I'm okay with a dual threat and I'm okay with a run first QB. I don't care. I just want something that works with this team this year.

Right now, taking a wild guess and reading tea leaves in a language I can't read I'd go:

Roberson
Miller
Turner
Phommachanh

I just don't know how quickly or how well Tyler P is back from the knee injury. I really want Turner to be the real deal but handing over the keys to a true frosh is a big leap.

 

[Palatine]

At this time of the year, there are many college teams without a clear #1 QB. That is not a big deal. It is a common situation across the nation.

We are entering the season with more quality depth at QB than we have had in long time. Most important, Edsall will NOT be choosing the starter. That is a MASSIVE improvement in itself.

 

[Chin Diesel]

At this time of the year, there are many college teams without a clear #1 QB. That is not a big deal. It is a common situation across the nation.

We are entering the season with more quality depth at QB than we have had in long time. Most important, Edsall will NOT be choosing the starter. That is a MASSIVE improvement in itself.

Agree not having RE judge the competition is good.

Disagree there is quality depth. It is unknown depth. None of these QB's have been real successful in D1.

 

[ZooCougar]

We’re better off than last season.

 

[ZooCougar]

Also Jacob Drena hates you.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Also Jacob Drena hates you.

If we get to the point where Drena is part of the conversation, it's time to write off the season.

 

[ZooCougar]

If we get to the point where Drena is part of the conversation, it's time to write off the season.

In the Houston game he actually didn’t look terrible.

We’re looking at a three win season most likely so I am not going to sweat writing anything off.

 

[phillionaire]

At this time of the year, there are many college teams without a clear #1 QB. That is not a big deal. It is a common situation across the nation.

We are entering the season with more quality depth at QB than we have had in long time. Most important, Edsall will NOT be choosing the starter. That is a MASSIVE improvement in itself.

Letting a random fan choose the starter would be a massive improvement over randy

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Roberson
Miller
Turner
Phommachanh

I agree with the ranking...but I will add I feel it's a heavy Roberson lean.

Here is how I would break out the percent chance of starting...

70% Roberson
20% Miller
5% Turner
5% Phommachanh

If TR turns out to be much better as a runner than thrower...I would think the likelihood of a two qb system increases.

 

[seeya27]

Based on everything I have heard, the staff would like to redshirt Zion ideally. And that makes sense given the talent he is.

But is any chance he won't redshirt? Just curious to your opinions.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Based on everything I have heard, the staff would like to redshirt Zion ideally. And that makes sense given the talent he is.

But is any chance he won't redshirt? Just curious to your opinions.

To me, ideal situation is Roberson would be good enough to win the starting position. Tyler P keeps rehabbing, can practice a bit but doesn't need to play and Turner can RS. That gets the team through 2022 and then by 2023 there are three healthy QB's ready to battle.

 

[UConnRock]

Based on everything I have heard, the staff would like to redshirt Zion ideally. And that makes sense given the talent he is.

But is any chance he won't redshirt? Just curious to your opinions.

A staff is playing a dangerous game if they redshirt a player that otherwise would be seeing the field. With the open transfer portal the QB position becomes a roulette wheel as players look for playing time. If a freshman is really good he may transfer to a higher level of competition. If a freshman doesn't play when he thinks he should he will transfer for a better opportunity. There is no predictability due to the transfer portal especially for the QB position. You have to play to win based on the best players you have this season as the roster churning will continue.

 

[hardcorehusky]

How do we have a legitimate conversation about QB's and not include Millen? Who's Miller?

 

[Chin Diesel]

How do we have a legitimate conversation about QB's and not include Millen? Who's Miller?

I'll fall on that sword. I even looked it up to make sure I had it right. Must have typed it wrong.

 

[CL82]

Letting a random fan choose the starter would be a massive improvement over randy

And also a nice season ticket holder incentive

 

[ZooCougar]

I agree with the ranking...but I will add I feel it's a heavy Roberson lean.

Here is how I would break out the percent chance of starting...

70% Roberson
20% Miller
5% Turner
5% Phommachanh

If TR turns out to be much better as a runner than thrower...I would think the likelihood of a two qb system increases.

Barring a Roberson injury, here is how it shakes out.

100% Roberson
0% Everyone else

 

[Palatine]

Based on everything I have heard, the staff would like to redshirt Zion ideally. And that makes sense given the talent he is.

But is any chance he won't redshirt? Just curious to your opinions.

Zion can play and still redshirt. He can appear in up to four games. I would hope that in games that are out of hand, whether it's us winning by a lot or losing by a lot, that the other QBs would get a few snaps. That would certainly accelerate Zion's (or MIllen's or whoever's) development and improve our depth.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

A staff is playing a dangerous game if they redshirt a player that otherwise would be seeing the field. With the open transfer portal the QB position becomes a roulette wheel as players look for playing time. If a freshman is really good he may transfer to a higher level of competition. If a freshman doesn't play when he thinks he should he will transfer for a better opportunity. There is no predictability due to the transfer portal especially for the QB position. You have to play to win based on the best players you have this season as the roster churning will continue.

Your point is well taken, if he is as good as everyone says then give him a shot on the field as a freshman. Once practice starts in earnest, things should begin to shake out.

 

[metsfan2323]

Barring a Roberson injury, here is how it shakes out.

100% Roberson
0% Everyone else

If we're lucky because that would mean he is playing well.

 

[ZooCougar]

If we're lucky because that would mean he is playing well.

Who else is going to play assuming Puma isn’t 100%. A true freshman? The former NAU backup QB?

 

[TMB4405]

My guess based on nothing more than a feeling is Roberson is the guy for this year. If Turner is better he should play. In this day and age you just play the best person to win you games at any position but particularly the most important one. In the portal era there will be fewer and fewer guys staying 5 years to use a redshirt anyway at their original school.

Any freshman who can’t help can be redshirted. With the new rules you can get a look in a game now anyway.

 

[metsfan2323]

Who else is going to play assuming Puma isn’t 100%. A true freshman? The former NAU backup QB?

A true freshman was our best QB last year. Obviously not ideal but it happens. I would be surprised if Turner beat out Robertson but not shocked. If Robertson struggles early I would expect other QB's to get a shot unless they are terrible in practice.

BTW I am not expecting anything from the former NAU backup as you call him, but a former UCONN backup is playing for the Lions so you never know.

 

[Chin Diesel]

A staff is playing a dangerous game if they redshirt a player that otherwise would be seeing the field. With the open transfer portal the QB position becomes a roulette wheel as players look for playing time. If a freshman is really good he may transfer to a higher level of competition. If a freshman doesn't play when he thinks he should he will transfer for a better opportunity. There is no predictability due to the transfer portal especially for the QB position. You have to play to win based on the best players you have this season as the roster churning will continue.

And that is the wild card with Turner. You want to give him time to learn the ropes, the playbook and D1 speed but you may lose him after one year if he doesn't see PT and someone starts whispering in his ear.

My hope is Turner is just rusty enough and needs just enough time to adapt to not play in 2022 and then be able to spring board to the top of the chart his sophomore year. Maybe it's shiny new car syndrome but I am more excited about Turner's upside than I am Roberson's. I think Roberson is best chance for this year but can be surpassed for 2023.

 

[ZooCougar]

A true freshman was our best QB last year. Obviously not ideal but it happens. I would be surprised if Turner beat out Robertson but not shocked. If Robertson struggles early I would expect other QB's to get a shot unless they are terrible in practice.

BTW I am not expecting anything from the former NAU backup as you call him, but a former UCONN backup is playing for the Lions so you never know.

Millen could be better than every QB we had on the roster last year. You can’t overestimate how bad last year’s team was.

 

[Jimdish255]

We’re better off than last season.

In many ways but arguably QB has better upside and better depth than the recent past.