In retrospect... | The Boneyard

In retrospect...

coachcap

coachcap

Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
4,324
Reaction Score
14,002
Based on results, it looks like the signing of David Pindell & his anointing as starting qb 2 weeks into training camp was a calculated move by HCRE & staff to motivate B. Sherriffs. Barring injury, I can't see him behind center for the rest of the season, if ever. He's not polished enough for Lashlee's system.

End of today's conspiracy theory.
 
coachcap said:
Based on results, it looks like the signing of David Pindell & his anointing as starting qb 2 weeks into training camp was a calculated move by HCRE & staff to motivate B. Sherriffs. Barring injury, I can't see him behind center for the rest of the season, if ever. He's not polished enough for Lashlee's system.

End of today's conspiracy theory.
Expand ...

No
 
My theory is that it was very much Pindell’s job, but then over the course of the remaining days of summer football leading up to the Holy Cross game Edsall noticed that Pindell wasn’t in command of the playbook like Sherriffs. Not wanting to appear rash, he left Pindell start knowing that he would insert Sherriffs if the performance wasn’t there. And that is what happened and the rest is history.

Pindell has all the physical tools - although on his couple runs we briefly saw in the HC game he was not as fast as I expected when rushing. And maybe at this point he has the playbook master as well as command of the huddle.

This is just my theory.
 
I love conspiracy theories, but I disagree with this one. I was not at practice, but it would seem if there is one kid who does NOT need a fire lit under him, it is BS.

My opinion is that they liked Pindell's athleticism, but they were less than enamored with how he performed under the bright lights. I think he has the ability to play at this level and in this O; the real Q may be does he have the stuff to lead an O on the field. Remember, we are always one play from needing him, so let's hope he is learning from this experience.
 
Bryant having only one year of eligibility left was not someone you could count as you build for the future. My guess is, they are very similar in physical ability with maybe Pindell having slightly better physical gifts with his legs.

Here is the thing, Pindell had likely never faced the constant pressure HC brought that game and was getting rattled and it showed in his performance. In comes Bryant who has been playing under worst pressure and taking brutal hits along the way for years at the FBS level and HC must have felt like a walk in the park.

I am amazed at how efficient Shirreffs has become. He has become very accurate with the underneath stuff. He is not a gifted thrower that could take something off/put something on but man has he improved and misses some crucial throws sometimes but oh well. He's also learned to step up and slide around in the pocket and not just taking off.

In short, I disagree with the OP. Simply put Pindell was someone they hoped could do well this year and build with going forward. Shirreffs was given a final chance and he has made the most of it. If he sneaks into a bowl game he reaches almost legendary status in my book. Two bowl games in a career with turmoil that swirled around this program for most of his tenure here would be quite the accomplishment.
 
Uh...no. The new staff went after a top JUCO who had played in a similar offense. When he arrived it was a case of Edsall and Lashlee giving the job to their guy. Though the relatively quick hook leads me to think they weren’t as sold on him as they made out.

I always thought Sherriffs would be a solid collegecquarterback in a real offense with real plays. But in either case the coaches were looking for a bridge qb this year to get us to one of the current Frosh (or a recruit). In Pindell’s case it could have been a bit longer bridge if he had worked out. But with Sherriffs we will likely see one of the Frosh under center in 2018.
 
.-.
gioff23 said:
I love conspiracy theories, but I disagree with this one. I was not at practice, but it would seem if there is one kid who does NOT need a fire lit under him, it is BS.

My opinion is that they liked Pindell's athleticism, but they were less than enamored with how he performed under the bright lights. I think he has the ability to play at this level and in this O; the real Q may be does he have the stuff to lead an O on the field. Remember, we are always one play from needing him, so let's hope he is learning from this experience.
Expand ...

If BS doesn't need a fire lit under him, why did HCRE feel otherwise? Randy was quoted a few weeks ago that once Pindell was named starter, BS came to him & said that he would do anything possible to help the team. He inferred that until that point, he wasn't sure that BS was totally committed to righting the ship. That was the flashpoint.
 
freescooter said:
Uh...no. The new staff went after a top JUCO who had played in a similar offense. When he arrived it was a case of Edsall and Lashlee giving the job to their guy. Though the relatively quick hook leads me to think they weren’t as sold on him as they made out.

I always thought Sherriffs would be a solid collegecquarterback in a real offense with real plays. But in either case the coaches were looking for a bridge qb this year to get us to one of the current Frosh (or a recruit). In Pindell’s case it could have been a bit longer bridge if he had worked out. But with Sherriffs we will likely see one of the Frosh under center in 2018.
Expand ...

I can agree with this line of thinking. That's why I stated that, barring injury, I don't see him behind center again.
 
I think we will have a real battle next spring for the QB job between Pindell and Washington with McAfee the outside Long shot. Whoever gets the job, I have high hopes they will take our QB play another level. The potential is there, more than in years past.
 
coachcap said:
Based on results, it looks like the signing of David Pindell & his anointing as starting qb 2 weeks into training camp was a calculated move by HCRE & staff to motivate B. Sherriffs. Barring injury, I can't see him behind center for the rest of the season, if ever. He's not polished enough for Lashlee's system.

End of today's conspiracy theory.
Expand ...

Last year I got frustrated with Sherriff's tuck and run and limited vision. His toughness was never in question. This year under Lashlee's system he has flourished. With so many young pups starting on both sides of the ball the team desperately needed maturity and leadership in the huddle. Although they are sacrificing the opportunity to develop a young QB this year, they are more than making up for it with the development of future players such as Cam DeGeorge, Ryan Van Denmark, Nino Leone, Kevin Mensah, Keyion Dixon, Quavon Skanes and Mason Donaldson. Sherriff's presence and experience has to be helping them. Although Pindell would no doubt benefit from the experience, the team would not have progressed offensively as a whole without Bryant at the helm. It is obvious to me that Bryant has earned the right to lead this team - HIS team. No need to second guess the decision. The team has a Great leader and a pretty good QB in Bryant Sherriff's. He has been a breath of fresh air and a pleasure to watch.
 
I think it's simple. Pindell struggled with the mental element of the offense. Shirreffs vastly improved his decision making, and changed how he plays. So they gave it to the guy who was getting it.

I don't see how anyone could watch the tape from last year, as HCRE and Lashlee must have, and conclude that Sherriffs was the right guy at QB. He never went through progressions. Missed (not in throws, but visually) wide open guys, and aborted half our pass attempts by tucking and running rather than finding the open guy and releasing the ball. So they picked Pindell.

I didn't expect BS to make the enormous leap he has in learning how to play the position. I give him tremendous props for doing that. He earned the job back. It was never a physical thing.
 
.-.
The idea that Bryant needed a fire lit underneath him is somewhat absurd. If there is one trait the guy has been associated with throughout his UConn career, it's toughness.

And keep in mind that he was going to stop playing football. We all wished him well and wished his new family well. If I'm not mistaken, it was Edsall that reached out to him to come back very early on. Edsall doesn't reach out to folks he doesn't think can play or need a fire lit underneath them (queue up a discussion about New Jersey recruit who got sent home to play 1-AA here ____).

No, this is simple folks. Edsall thought that Pindell was a little better. Maybe Pindell's mechanics ARE a little better. But there's a lot to be said about experience and leadership. There's a lot to be said about someone who isn't going to shy away from the tough spots. And that's who Bryant is. I'm glad he came back...
 
Confident Carl said:
Last year I got frustrated with Sherriff's tuck and run and limited vision.
Expand ...
His tendency to lock on to a receiver was the thing that killed me. His heart and toughness were never in question.

This year he is distributing the ball very nicely. I could not be happier for him. Tough as nails and bleeds National Flag Blue.
 
Re: Shirreffs locking on to one receiver.

He played under a coach who was so conservative, he didn't return punts. It's possible (I think likely) that he was told to run the ball if the first option wasn't there.
His plays usually came in to the huddle with under 15 seconds left on the play clock leaving him just enough time to call the play and get to the line. He had very little time to read the defense pre-snap.
He played behind one of the worst OLs in college football, and rarely had time to go through multiple reads anyway.

Myself, and others, repeatedly said Shirreffs' play the last few years needed to be evaluated with the understanding that he literally had the worst offensive coaches in College Football. Virtually everything he did needed to be thrown out, and he should be re-evaluated on his current performance. He caught way too much criticism here.

I am guessing the coaches chose Pindell because in practice there wasn't much separating the two, Pindell will be here longer, and maybe they thought he has a higher ceiling. But Shirreffs deserves all the praise in the world for coming back to play again, after playing injured, being more of a professional than the man hired to coach him, and being thrown under the bus for a guy who is now a WR.
 
Out of respect for the kid (he should get a good job after this season), his last name is SHIRR EFFS. Even announcers get it wrong, endlessly.

Hopefully, he'll come back as a coach....
 
In fairness the receivers seem to be playing better this year. Maybe it is Lashlee, maybe it is the loss of Noel, maybe it is the new WR coach. Whatever it is, it seems to be working. Part of the problem for BS last year was he locked on one receiver because we only had one WR
 
.-.
A few things:
1) Under the previous banana republic, Shireffs locked onto receivers in large part due to not having enough time to throw.
1(a) Previous regime wanted Shireffs to bulk up to take the hits. He was turned into a fullback playing QB. Just he took hits instead of giving them.
2) Looking at the film and seeing what was coming back- RE HAD to go get a JUCO QB.
3) Pindell was the guy( the new leader of a new program) - until he faded in the Holy Cross game.
4) Shireffs wins the opportunity against Holy Cross.
5) Shireffs plays well, the offense moves the ball and now it is his job to keep.
6) If Shireffs doesn't pull out the game against Holy Cross, it is still Pindell's job to lose.
7) We have won 2 games in a row- now Pindell's only shots are in mop up time or injury to Shireffs.
 
gioff23 said:
In fairness the receivers seem to be playing better this year. Maybe it is Lashlee, maybe it is the loss of Noel, maybe it is the new WR coach. Whatever it is, it seems to be working. Part of the problem for BS last year was he locked on one receiver because we only had one WR
Expand ...
He also had a significantly worse offensive line (or at least a system that took too long for plays to develop) which probably contributed to his locking on to Noel and happy feet in the pocket. Whatever it may be, he's a brand new quarterback this year. I have nothing but respect for the kid in sticking it out.
 
hardcorehusky said:
A few things:
1) Under the previous banana republic, Shireffs locked onto receivers in large part due to not having enough time to throw.
1(a) Previous regime wanted Shireffs to bulk up to take the hits. He was turned into a fullback playing QB. Just he took hits instead of giving them.
2) Looking at the film and seeing what was coming back- RE HAD to go get a JUCO QB.
3) Pindell was the guy( the new leader of a new program) - until he faded in the Holy Cross game.
4) Shireffs wins the opportunity against Holy Cross.
5) Shireffs plays well, the offense moves the ball and now it is his job to keep.
6) If Shireffs doesn't pull out the game against Holy Cross, it is still Pindell's job to lose.
7) We have won 2 games in a row- now Pindell's only shots are in mop up time or injury to Shireffs.
Expand ...
Agree with most of this. Disagree that his locking on to a single receiver was due to pressure. His tendency to tuck and run was due to pressure. His tendency to lock on was due to, I don't know, inexperience, bad coaching? Regardless he's fixed both and good presence both in the pocket and when the play breaks down.
 
They were ready to move on from a fifth year senior they didn't recruit in favor of a guy they did in an obvious rebuilding year when the two looked about the same in practice. Then Holy Cross happened and BS started approaching school records for passing.

RE has never been a "move for the future" guy. He has always been a what gives us the best chance to win this week guy. It didn't always work out, but in this case it did.
 
Credit Lashlee with rejuvenating B.S. He loves the new O and the fact we have a much better O line—a better pace of play— and dare I say it—the best and deepest group of WR’s we’ve ever had. His commitment convo with RE—despite the early demotion—was also key to his being viewed as “all in” for the Huskies—-and spoke volumes.
BS is a fearless leader and a great teammate. We’re lucky he stayed. We’ll have a long winter to worry about who will be QB next year. Who knows, the next guy may be the best yet. You never know.
 
After seeing how Pindell performed in 1st game and how prepared Shirreffs was coming out of pullpen, I had a little birdie whispering in my ear that Edsall wanted to show players what "earned not given" means and how back ups need to be ready as "next man up" .
 
.-.
HuskyHawk said:
I think it's simple. Pindell struggled with the mental element of the offense. Shirreffs vastly improved his decision making, and changed how he plays. So they gave it to the guy who was getting it.

I don't see how anyone could watch the tape from last year, as HCRE and Lashlee must have, and conclude that Sherriffs was the right guy at QB. He never went through progressions. Missed (not in throws, but visually) wide open guys, and aborted half our pass attempts by tucking and running rather than finding the open guy and releasing the ball. So they picked Pindell.

I didn't expect BS to make the enormous leap he has in learning how to play the position. I give him tremendous props for doing that. He earned the job back. It was never a physical thing.
Expand ...
Does anyone wonder what Brian Shireffs would have done under these coaches for 4 years. It's why players have loyalty to a coach more so than a school. Sure there are exceptions...and those are the result of football blue-bloods,
 
Some perspective on the kid that folks said was a no-QB retread from NC State and Red Pants wrote off :

NCAA CFB Leader Stats

#7 in Passing Efficiency
#22 in Passing Yards
#13 in Passing Yards per Completion
#23 in Passing Yards per Game

I'm glad he believed in himself when few would, and we owe him a big thanks for coming back. I'm not sure a lot of players would after last year. I apologize for defending him as a serviceable QB. He is better than serviceable. He's good. By the numbers, very good.
 
I honestly don't think that this coaching staff is into playing games. That kind of stuff loses you credibility quickly. Pindell won the job, he was their guy, but they had to win that first game. It was a must win. The hook wasn't really quick. Pindell had every opportunity. Shirreffs just came in, moved the team, and took it away from him. Full stop. It happens.
 
HuskyHawk said:
I think it's simple. Pindell struggled with the mental element of the offense. Shirreffs vastly improved his decision making, and changed how he plays. So they gave it to the guy who was getting it.

I don't see how anyone could watch the tape from last year, as HCRE and Lashlee must have, and conclude that Sherriffs was the right guy at QB. He never went through progressions. Missed (not in throws, but visually) wide open guys, and aborted half our pass attempts by tucking and running rather than finding the open guy and releasing the ball. So they picked Pindell.

I didn't expect BS to make the enormous leap he has in learning how to play the position. I give him tremendous props for doing that. He earned the job back. It was never a physical thing.
Expand ...


I agree with what your saying but not the fact that BS was missing "wide open guys" last year. I don't think we EVER had wide open guys consistently. This was less on BS and more on the Oline as they we inconsistent with sustaining their blocks and NEVER allowed for enough time for the receivers to get open or BS to spot them last second. In fact most games had tv announcers calling out our receivers for not getting open and BS getting hammered bcuz of it. IMO less on BS one more on self preservation as he was running for his life on most plays. How he is still playing based on the significant hits he has been forced to sustain due to lack of protection is even more impressive. He done unbelievably well this year under Lashlee but our Oline has improved and is now forming actual pockets which has given him time to step up and get the throw off. His play has been a pleasant surprise
 
The only reason to light a fire under BS is because his central nervous system is so shot from getting hit so much
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,148
Messages
4,554,852
Members
10,438
Latest member
UConnheart


Top Bottom