QB situation - Burn the shirt?

[UConnTailgating]

Anyone ever think that Cochran may not be happy if he doesn't get the shot to play? Would hate to see him transfer...

 

[huskymedic]

Anyone ever think that Cochran may not be happy if he doesn't get the shot to play? Would hate to see him transfer...

NOT...

 

[UConnDan97]

Anyone ever think that Cochran may not be happy if he doesn't get the shot to play? Would hate to see him transfer...

Yes....the first 11 games were not enough to push him over the edge and put in for a transfer....but missing the 12th game....oh man!!!

 

[Bootsthemonkey]

I'll be very surprised if Whitmer isn't ready. That said, no you don't burn the redshirt. I'm not at practice every day like the coaches but I saw nothing in the spring that made me think Cochran will give you a better chance to win vs Cincy. Let him keep his redshirt and continue to develop and get stronger at the position.

 

[huskymedic]

My sense is Whitmer will be cleared and good to go but it wouldn't surprise me in the leadt that it may not be announced to late in the week if not game- time.

 

[Jimdish255]

Wasn't Cochran rated just as high as Lagow? Personally, I would like to see McCummings. Screen passes, wildcat, play action, our offense might actually have some complexity to it for the first time all year, and a slight chance exists that Cincy won't know the exact play we are running before we run it.

Having a zero throw option does not add complexity to an offense. Casey may be the best talent on the bench, but if he isn't ready you don't burn the redshirt. I also think the redshirt is overrated and if a bowl game is on the line you go for the win. Lastly, if our gameplan resembles the second half of yesterday's game it won't matter who the QB is. Change that and we have a shot without turnovers.

 

[jbdphi]

Didn't USF just burn a redshirt in their last game of the season and the kid got injured almost right away? Hard to believe Skip Holtz got an extension, isn't it?

 

[huskymedic]

Didn't USF just burn a redshirt in their last game of the season and the kid got injured almost right away? Hard to believe Skip Holtz got an extension, isn't it?

Yup - Bobby Eveld. The extension was last summer - doesn't mean they won't eat it (not sure they do it though but he did get the dreaded vote of confidence recently).

 

[huskysupporter]

First of all, you are going to throw in a kid who has never played a down of D-1 football against a very stout Cincy defense, and I would argue that you have no better chance of winning with him in right now as you do with Mac.

Secondly, we still don't know very much about Lagow. For more on this, I will invoke the memory of Nebrich, who was the all-time state of Virginia yards leader but was clearly not ready for D-1 ball (regardless of what many would say on this board).

So....NO.

Glad I read this post before I posted. It is exactly what I was going to post.

 

[whaler11]

Cochran wasn't even in the conversation for the job before he broke his wrist.

If you saw the spring game you'd think this was lunacy to even consider.

 

[Waquoit]

JMac has a score to settle with the Bearcats. He's our starter if Whitmer can't go.

 

[mets1090]

Only way you burn the redshirt is if he clearly gives you the best chance to win but I really doubt that's the case. I would rather go with the guy who has started for a full season in this offense. Cochran hasn't played at game speed since he was in high school. So even if they are close, those factors swing it back towards JMac.

 

[jdb50]

JMac and S McC. I don't see how you put CC in here unless he's been getting 2nd team snaps for a few weeks. I like the angle on JMac with a score to settle. If JMac gets hurt I'd go with Scotty running read option and we'll find out if he can throw it.

 

[gandydancer]

J Mac doesn't get hurt and he has a monster game. The O-line steps up. Everyone expects a running game and a dink and a dunk, but he goes deep early and often. The Huskies go bowling and the cats go home with their tail between their legs.

 

[businesslawyer]

The last two times we didn't go bowling, Cincy ended our chances. They did it at home, on senior day, in '06, putting us at 4-7 in a game where Butler got beat deep in the clutch and a 4th Q missed Extra Point factored in. And they did it in Cincy last year to end our season at 5-7. While they have a 5-2 edge over us since we joined the Big East, '06 was the only time we lost to them at the Rent as we beat them in '08 (with Endres starting his first game) and in '10 (setting up our trip to Tampa for the Fiesta Bowl bid).

 

[CL82]

If playing Cochran gives you the best chance to win, you play him.

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Yeah but does he? I could see it earlier in the year, so that at least he gets experience and a chance to grow into the job, but with 1 game left? If Whitmer can't play you go with Johnny Mac, and have McCummings ready if needed.

 

[mets1090]

Yeah but does he? I could see it earlier in the year, so that at least he gets experience and a chance to grow into the job, but with 1 game left? If Whitmer can't play you go with Johnny Mac, and have McCummings ready if needed.

This is basically all there is to say.

If Whitmer went down long term with 6 games remaining, you could argue to play a true Freshman. He is more likely to improve throughout the year than JMac and this experience could pay off in the long run. But at this point with 1 game left the Redshirt is too valuable.

I agree that in general a Redshirt is overblown - if a true Freshman is an 7 on a scale of 1-10 and someone else is a 6.5, you go with the Freshman to try to win now. You never know what will happen down the road with recruiting, transfers and health. But with just 1 game left, I would rather keep Cochran's year of eligibility incidentally for those same reasons. What happens if Lagow just isn't that good? Or if he just doesn't mesh with our WRs or if he decides to not sign because he thinks he can play sooner elsewhere? Redshirting Cochran helps to hedge against that kind of uncertainty.

Again, if this decision was being made when we were 3-4 or so the thought process would be different but I think that in a 1 game situation you go with the guy who has already run this offense and actually has D1 experience. Even if CC is slightly better than JMac today (and will hopefully be much better down the line), the benefit of an extra year for CC far outweighs 1 game this year that he gives us at best a 5% better chance of winning if he even gives us a better chance at all.

 

[freescooter]

It isn't like everyone has been waiting for Cochran expecting him to be the next Payton Manning (who by the way was being redshirted until the starter got hurt half way through his freshman year). Based on the Spring game, he was #4 in a 4 man rotation. I think you go with Mac. And assuming he stays healthy, that is the end of it. Something happens to him you go with McCummings and hope for the best. What you're really talking about is burning a redshirt for less than a full game. And you'd have to be convinced that he would make the difference. You wouldn't do it on a hope. I suspect nobody is convinced he would be "the one" either given the way we recruited quarterbacks around him.

 

[Waquoit]

Based on the Spring game, he (CC) was #4 in a 4 man rotation.

I disagree. There was a huge drop after #1, but I thought Cochran was the clear #2.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

This is not a difficult question.

You blow Cochran's redshirt only if Whitmer, McCummings, and McEntee are out of the game and physically cannot play football.

 

[Husky25]

Redshirts are overrated. You only Redshirt if a kid isn't ready to play. You don't Redshirt to "save" a kid for later.

A) Cochran wasn't ready to play. He had a wrist injury to start the year.
B) I think your premise is completely backward. I am of the opinion that a Redshirt should only be burned out of necessity or if a kid as far and away the best at his position and will start or contribute (heavily) right away (Think Scott Lutrus). What they did with Joe Williams this year is a disgrace.

Generally, there is such a gap in both physical and mental maturity between a 17 year old high school senior and 19 year old college "Sophomore" that the Redshirt year is virtually required for development. Also if the "pro-style" playbook employed by Coach Pasqualoni and DeLeone is so difficult, Cochran probably needs the time to fully grasp it. High school systems are generally much less sophisticated.

 

[Husky25]

Anyone ever think that Cochran may not be happy if he doesn't get the shot to play? Would hate to see him transfer...

I'm thinking it has been explained to him in detail. What if he gets in there, crashes, and burns? His confidence level takes a tumble...

 

[huskysupporter]

This is not a difficult question.

You blow Cochran's redshirt only if Whitmer, McCummings, and McEntee are out of the game and physically cannot play football.

Wrong. If all 3 are out, you put in Michael Smith and run the wildcat. You do not burn Cochran's redshirt. He is a true frosh who, by all accounts, struggled in the spring.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

A) Cochran wasn't ready to play. He had a wrist injury to start the year. Agreed. Plus you don't burn the kid's red shirt year with one game left in this pi$$ poor season.
B) I think your premise is completely backward. I am of the opinion that a Redshirt should only be burned out of necessity or if a kid as far and away the best at his position and will start or contribute (heavily) right away (Think Scott Lutrus). Agreed. What they did with Joe Williams this year is a disgrace. Totally agree with this. WTF is this coaching staff thinking. And if he's not as good as advertised when recruited then PP should be fired for making this kid an offer. Is PP just giving away schollys or is there substance behind his offers.

Generally, there is such a gap in both physical and mental maturity between a 17 year old high school senior and 19 year old college "Sophomore" that the Redshirt year is virtually required for development. Also if the "pro-style" playbook employed by Coach Pasqualoni and DeLeone is so difficult, Cochran probably needs the time to fully grasp it. High school systems are generally much less sophisticated. How difficult is it to remember Lyle McCombs up the middle, second and long?

For better or worse, you go with Johnny Mac, then Scott McCummings and then Michael Smith. Win or losse, UConn needs to remember this serious lack of depth at this crucial position and never again find themselves in it. Keep the redshirt and kick yourself in the , coaches for not doing a better job in shoring this position up.

 

[freescooter]

For better or worse, you go with Johnny Mac, then Scott McCummings and then Michael Smith. Win or losse, UConn needs to remember this serious lack of depth at this crucial position and never again find themselves in it. Keep the redshirt and kick yourself in the , coaches for not doing a better job in shoring this position up.

Well I agree with the main point, but I do think it takes a bit of time to shore up this position which let's be charitable, wasn't a high priority for the previous regime. Plus add the fact that the guy who should have started last year left in 2010 with his "issues" and you have a mess...So what did you want the coaching staff to do? they brought in a JUCO who could play immediately, brought in a true freshman who could ultimately compete for the job in another year, and recruited a guy to come in next season. this year he has a senior back-up who has a season under his belt as a starter...not Payton Manning to be sure, but probably comparable to lots of backups with more experience than most. In a real pinch you could go with McCummings who at least knows the position. And if a disaster had struck around game 6-7 you could even have gone true frosh. I mean how much shoring up did you expect given where the position was when he arrived?

 

[Waquoit]

Johnny Mac did pretty well in the 2nd half against Cincy last year. (We don't have to talk about the 1st half)

 

[businesslawyer]

For better or worse, you go with Johnny Mac, then Scott McCummings and then Michael Smith. Win or losse, UConn needs to remember this serious lack of depth at this crucial position and never again find themselves in it. Keep the redshirt and kick yourself in the , coaches for not doing a better job in shoring this position up.

They have four QBs on the roster. It's hard to have more than that. If you're sitting at 5th or 6th on the depth chart at QB, you leave the school and go somewhere else to play.

 

[uconndogs]

The thought of us going to that wildcat for 100% of our plays makes me nauceous. I hope McCummings has practiced the basic offense as well. What I really hope is Whitmer can go and, if not, Johnny Mac stays healthy through the game. I absolutely don't believe Cochran could be anywhere near ready.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

They have four QBs on the roster. It's hard to have more than that. If you're sitting at 5th or 6th on the depth chart at QB, you leave the school and go somewhere else to play.

Wow, four QBs? Talk about excess. Let's inventory:

CW? Adequate, maybe next year an above average QB.
McCummings? Coaches don't think he can throw. Receivers wide open on their way to the end zone can't catch the ball. And the Wildcat has been a miserable failure this year.
JM? Walk on who was awful last year. Congrats on a nice relief job last Saturday, but do we really want to revert to last season's passing game?
Cochran? Injured, a freshman, maybe the future, not worth burning the red shirt at this point (see Michael Nebrich vs Fordham during first quarter last season)/

So unless they do something stupid like burn Cochran's RS for one game, the QB situation at UConn continues to be terrible. So yeah, back up the bus and load up the position until it starts to look like other school at this level. Heck even healthy, UConn offense might be the worst in the nation. Its a joke.

 

[businesslawyer]

Wow, four QBs? Talk about excess. Let's inventory:

CW? Adequate, maybe next year an above average QB.
McCummings? Coaches don't think he can throw. Receivers wide open on their way to the end zone can't catch the ball. And the Wildcat has been a miserable failure this year.
JM? Walk on who was awful last year. Congrats on a nice relief job last Saturday, but do we really want to revert to last season's passing game?
Cochran? Injured, a freshman, maybe the future, not worth burning the red shirt at this point (see Michael Nebrich vs Fordham during first quarter last season)/

So unless they do something stupid like burn Cochran's RS for one game, the QB situation at UConn continues to be terrible. So yeah, back up the bus and load up the position until it starts to look like other school at this level. Heck even healthy, UConn offense might be the worst in the nation. Its a joke.

I don't think you actually absorbed a word I said.