So who starts at QB next week? | Page 6 | The Boneyard

So who starts at QB next week?

People who are criticizing BS for staring down one receiving are missing one important fact -- with the OL, you really only have time to make one read anyway, so in a way, BS is the perfect QB for our porous OL.
 
Irish Loop said:
People who are criticizing BS for staring down one receiving are missing one important fact -- with the OL, you really only have time to make one read anyway, so in a way, BS is the perfect QB for our porous OL.
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and you're missing one important fact - pre-snap reads are just as important as progressions.
 
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The only decent offense we have seen the last few years is the hurry up against Navy last year with Sheriffs again at qb.
 
CL82 said:
Have you been watching UConn football, because that has been our narrative, a lot. ;)

Ideally, I love to have one guy go to guy leading the team and yes I think that's optimal. I don't think Pindell, who struggled against Holy Cross, is going find the reads easier against USF. Putting him in there has the potential to kill his confidence. I think Bryant is more ready to deal with the speed of the game and the pressure he'll be under. But the bottom line is that the OL has to give these guys more time. If that doesn't happen and the game get out of hand, I have not problem with bring in the #2 (or maybe the 1b) QB.
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If you name him starting QB after summer ball then bench him after he completes 68% of his passes in game one..........you better hope BS is strong in every game. If not, you just set up an entire season of musical chairs at QB.
 
Exit 4 said:
My concern is that pindell will bomb out early next week and BS will be back in, then what? BS will have to be your guy for several games after that point because I don't think your do that three weeks in a row.

I think it's easier to tell Pindell that for this one week we are going with BS and that he better study hard to be ready for week three.
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Under that scenario, the Coach can look him in the eye and say "I gave you a good shot, but I have to make a change now. Keep your head up and be ready if your number gets called again." If he is a mature competitor he will be pissed, but it is acceptable. If you bench him after his first FBS start, in a game he played ok in, you can't honestly say you gave him a fair shot.

If I am coach, he is the guy for at least 2 and half games. If it isn't working then, I go to BS.
 
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MilliniumPrince said:
If you name him starting QB after summer ball then bench him after he completes 68% of his passes in game one.....you better hope BS is strong in every game. If not, you just set up an entire season of musical chairs at QB.
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It isn't a question of completion percentage. Look at results. In 9 offensive possessions he went 3-out 3 times got 1 first down and punted twice turned it over on downs twice, fumbled once and drove it for a score 1 time. You can complete 100% of your passes but if the team isn't moving and can't get first downs and score point you aren't getting the job done. Compare that with Sherriffs who drove for 3 scores in 5 tries with the final one really designed to kill the clock. Made big throws, and he completed 9/13 69% of his passes and he still made a big throw in that drive. The only 3 and out was when UConn inexplicably decided to slow it down after taking a 1 point lead. Really it was like night and day watching. I can't for the life of me get how people couldn't see the difference. It is the same with running back. One guy had 1 yard rushin the other had 130 including 2 huge ones--1 getting us out of our own end and one setting up a score. To me Hopkins is the running back and Newsome is the 3rd down back catching the ball out of the backfield.
 
businesslawyer said:
I haven't said who I would start yet. What I have said is I'm o.k. with the staff using its judgment and going with what they think is best. I could see why they thought Pindell might have the physical skills and upside to have more upside and make more plays. Was he responsible for Arkeel not to be able to run the ball at all? I don't know. maybe. Maybe not. Someone who knows what he was supposed to do much better than I will have to make that call. Obviously, everything ran better when BS came in, but was that he was personally better or the OL and TB stepped up and HC wore out on D? Again, I just don't know.

Just from the game itself I think anyone would go with BS -- I certainly would -- but I didn't see such a big gap that if the Staff still feels DP is the answer I'm going to worry about it (unless and until he can't get it done).
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Pindell couldn't get the job done last night, no "unless and until" about it. He shows some signs, but based on this one performance, his leadership skills are just not there yet. And I'm sick and tired of reading all the excuses about why he couldn't get the job done against a mediocre, mid-level DI-AA program. You either get the job done or you don't. Pindell didn't. Sherriffs did.

If anybody other than Sherriffs starts the next game, I'm through paying a whole lot of attention for the rest of this season, because it becomes more like Fiascoball than Edsall's first tenure. The coaching staff made a wrong call on who the starter should have been. They wanted it to be their hand picked guy so badly they let that get in the way of what the best decision was for the entire team. That question got answered last night, at least for the time being, until Sherriffs demonstrates that he can't get the job done anymore. Last night he saved our asses against a nobody opponent.
 
What is the magical threshold of 2.5 games that equates to being given a fair shot? Why not 5 games? Why not 12?

Irony is equating an arbitrary number of games (2.5) as a "fair shot" while pretending it's fair to ignore the fact Shirreffs played for literally the worst offensive coordinator and head coach in college football.
 
MilliniumPrince said:
If you name him starting QB after summer ball then bench him after he completes 68% of his passes in game one.....you better hope BS is strong in every game. If not, you just set up an entire season of musical chairs at QB.
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Completion percentage isn't the issue. Take a look at the disparity in QB rating, something like 95 to 37 percent in favor of Sherriffs. You now have a situation where the QBs are likely going to be musical chairs regardless, but in that situation you play whomever has the hot hand at the moment. Right now that is Bryant Sherriffs. That could change somewhere down the road, but he gives you your best chance to win football games presently.
 
freescooter said:
It isn't a question of completion percentage. Look at results. In 9 offensive possessions he went 3-out 3 times got 1 first down and punted twice turned it over on downs twice, fumbled once and drove it for a score 1 time. You can complete 100% of your passes but if the team isn't moving and can't get first downs and score point you aren't getting the job done. Compare that with Sherriffs who drove for 3 scores in 5 tries with the final one really designed to kill the clock. Made big throws, and he completed 9/13 69% of his passes and he still made a big throw in that drive. The only 3 and out was when UConn inexplicably decided to slow it down after taking a 1 point lead. Really it was like night and day watching. I can't for the life of me get how people couldn't see the difference. It is the same with running back. One guy had 1 yard rushin the other had 130 including 2 huge ones--1 getting us out of our own end and one setting up a score. To me Hopkins is the running back and Newsome is the 3rd down back catching the ball out of the backfield.
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Have to love how he continues to hold onto that completion percentage.

he averaged 5.5 yards per completion. he completed a bunch of easy short throws in the flats and WR screens. Save one drive, he wasn't productive. And his replacement had a higher completion percentage for nearly double the yards per catch.

If Pindell is the starter I won't be too upset, but he'll be under even more pressure to produce, because everyone will expect a quick hook if he isn't. He'll be looking over his shoulder for both defenders and Bryant Shirreffs. I don't think that is a recipe for success. The coaches have more info than we do, and I trust their judgement.
 
UConnNick said:
If anybody other than Sherriffs starts the next game, I'm through paying a whole lot of attention for the rest of this season, because it becomes more like Fiascoball than Edsall's first tenure.
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Nothing like taking a stand early. But I think Shirreffs might have a leg up on Sherriffs so you're going to be disappointed.
 
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Shirreffs more than proved himself last nite. Pindell must be ready, but the veteran ran the offense like a well oiled machine.
Converted on third downs, team scored through the air and on the ground. Put up three TDs in little over a quarter. How do you not go with this kind of success. Much different team with Shirreffs.
 
Bryant threw for 365 and ran for 100 and scored twice vs USF in 2015. Threw for 306 and 2 TDs vs USF last season. Has to be him after the way he took over the Holy Cross game.
 
freescooter said:
It isn't a question of completion percentage. Look at results. In 9 offensive possessions he went 3-out 3 times got 1 first down and punted twice turned it over on downs twice, fumbled once and drove it for a score 1 time. You can complete 100% of your passes but if the team isn't moving and can't get first downs and score point you aren't getting the job done. Compare that with Sherriffs who drove for 3 scores in 5 tries with the final one really designed to kill the clock. Made big throws, and he completed 9/13 69% of his passes and he still made a big throw in that drive. The only 3 and out was when UConn inexplicably decided to slow it down after taking a 1 point lead. Really it was like night and day watching. I can't for the life of me get how people couldn't see the difference. It is the same with running back. One guy had 1 yard rushin the other had 130 including 2 huge ones--1 getting us out of our own end and one setting up a score. To me Hopkins is the running back and Newsome is the 3rd down back catching the ball out of the backfield.
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And guess who Shirreffs had in the backfield majority of the time, Hopkins. Who was in majority of the time Pindell played? Newsome. A lot of those early three and outs were due to Newsome gaining 0 yards from scrimmage. Before the fumble Pindell drove us on a 71-yard TD drive and then 15 yards the next drive on 2 plays the 2nd being his 1st down scramble fumble.
 
TheDoggPound said:
And guess who Shirreffs had in the backfield majority of the time, Hopkins. Who was in majority of the time Pindell played? Newsome. A lot of those early three and outs were due to Newsome gaining 0 yards from scrimmage. Before the fumble Pindell drove us on a 71-yard TD drive and then 15 yards the next drive on 2 plays the 2nd being his 1st down scramble fumble.
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You think Hopkins would have fared much better? Newsome ran into like three guys behind the LOS every time he touched the ball. I'm not saying Newsome ought to be pounding between the tackles, but it wasn't like he was screwing up
 
uconnphil2016 said:
You think Hopkins would have fared much better? Newsome ran into like three guys behind the LOS every time he touched the ball. I'm not saying Newsome ought to be pounding between the tackles, but it wasn't like he was screwing up
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Not necessarily but we as an offense were feeling things out the 1st couple of drives, can't hold that against Pindell.

I do think though that Hopkins is better suited on 1st down, especially in the 1st half vs a fresh defense while rotating in Arkeel on 2nd down and passing downs.
 
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UConnNick said:
Pindell couldn't get the job done last night, no "unless and until" about it. He shows some signs, but based on this one performance, his leadership skills are just not there yet. And I'm sick and tired of reading all the excuses about why he couldn't get the job done against a mediocre, mid-level DI-AA program. You either get the job done or you don't. Pindell didn't. Sherriffs did.

If anybody other than Sherriffs starts the next game, I'm through paying a whole lot of attention for the rest of this season, because it becomes more like Fiascoball than Edsall's first tenure. The coaching staff made a wrong call on who the starter should have been. They wanted it to be their hand picked guy so badly they let that get in the way of what the best decision was for the entire team. That question got answered last night, at least for the time being, until Sherriffs demonstrates that he can't get the job done anymore. Last night he saved our asses against a nobody opponent.
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Randy Edsall isn't a guy who gives "his guy" the starting job just for kicks. Obviously Pindell got the job done in camp. Shirreffs was fantastic last night, there's no doubt about it, but to say that you'll give up on the season if they start a guy who earned the job in weeks of practice for a guy who played 1 quarter of great football is pathetic.

And for the record, I don't care who starts. I'll trust the people being paid to make that decision.
 
This decision has less to so with FB than it does PR. Statistically they were about equal but you had DP playing in his first FBS game. I'm sure they were more than a few of his teammates that would have preferred BS won the job.

Then there is the matter of this being Holy Cross, a middling to low level FCS team, and BS has 3 TD's in four drives.
Scoring against them isn't a heisman winning feat.

It is a tough call for Randy. Do you pull the guy who won the job in camp even though statistically they were equal? Do you make a change based on the idea thar scoring and winning are objective #1 even though it might just be a fluke of variance? Do you have a greater risk of losing the locker room for either decision? Change because results matter or stick to show/build confidence?

From a player perspective, the guy that starts vs. USF may end up losing in the end. If DP gets benched again, the BS can win the job for the season. If BS starts and gets benched, you may have a mess on your hands.

Not easy but if the tape doesn't reveal a clear answer, then I mean towards giving DP another shot. And I'm one Sherriffs biggest fans on this board. He is still one of best QB's we have had here but, if you don't give DP another chance, then you can't switch back later. You'd either be committing to BS or a carousel.

The tape evaluation is key even though the live eye test there was a clear change when BS went in.
 
Seriously? One guy moved the team to 3 scores and they actually looked very competent. The other, to be charitable struggled and couldn't score against a middling fcs program. There is the old saying that there are liars, damned liars and statisticians. That applies to the play of the 2 qbs. Comparing passing stats tells you nothing about how they performed. One guy went 3-out, 6-out fumble. The other drove for 3 scores in 4 tries. There was zero comparison. The teams looked like two different teams out there. Under Pindell it looked tile Diaco volume 4. When Sherriffs came in the whole thing was transformed.
 
If Pindell starts it tells me that Lashlee has a way to go as a coach since he is unwilling to make a change because he doesn't want to admit his initial choice was wrong. Per Edsall Edsall made the qb change. He "discussed" it with Lashlee. If Lashlee refuses to make the change again, they need to have a similar "discussion."
 
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freescooter said:
Seriously? One guy moved the team to 3 scores and they actually looked very competent. The other, to be charitable struggled and couldn't score against a middling fcs program. There is the old saying that there are liars, damned liars and statisticians. That applies to the play of the 2 qbs. Comparing passing stats tells you nothing about how they performed. One guy went 3-out, 6-out fumble. The other drove for 3 scores in 4 tries. There was zero comparison. The teams looked like two different teams out there. Under Pindell it looked tile Diaco volume 4. When Sherriffs came in the whole thing was transformed.
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What if the WR were just running better routes and dropped fewer passes? Bryant was clearly more productive, that's not the question. The question is who is the best option to start on Saturday? They are not necessarily the same thing. The staff picked DP early. We'll never know why but, you would hope it was because he was clearly better. Is he better? Not, if you are looking only at the first game. Whatever they decide, the judgement will come Saturday.
 
Irish Loop said:
People who are criticizing BS for staring down one receiving are missing one important fact -- with the OL, you really only have time to make one read anyway, so in a way, BS is the perfect QB for our porous OL.
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Not true. Look at the times they maxed protected. He still just looks at Hergy.
 
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I would start Pindell. He showed a lot in camp and the unknown issue was whether he was ready for the bright lights. He wasn't in game 1. We had BS, who as a more experienced backup bailed us out. If BS starts and sputters DP may not perform as well in that backup role. Start Pindell. He likely has learned a lot this week. Stay with him until we can't, knowing BS is a ready and reliable back-up.
 
There are great arguments for both sides but I'm just not sure that the Pindell crowd is thinking it through.

Shirreffs was better and led us to 20 points in the 4th quarter. Pindell led us to 7 points in 3 quarters. Shirreffs was heavily responsible for those scores. It would be different if we had a pick 6 or a fumble recovery in the red zone or something. He led drive after drive.

The big thing we've seen is that even under Diaco, Bryant was incredibly effective in a hurry up offense. We constantly bemoaned our slow offense and the resistance to using the hurry up all the time on this board. Now our offense is designed to be fast, Bryant got in and killed it like he always does in the high speed offense. Further, he isn't playing with dislodged ribs.

I get the theories on Pindell. I like him and I think he'll be very good but it is pretty obvious that BS should play QB until he is hurt or doesn't produce. At that point bring Pindell back in.
 
Hoophound said:
There are great arguments for both sides but I'm just not sure that the Pindell crowd is thinking it through.

Shirreffs was better and led us to 20 points in the 4th quarter. Pindell led us to 7 points in 3 quarters. Shirreffs was heavily responsible for those scores. It would be different if we had a pick 6 or a fumble recovery in the red zone or something. He led drive after drive.

The big thing we've seen is that even under Diaco, Bryant was incredibly effective in a hurry up offense. We constantly bemoaned our slow offense and the resistance to using the hurry up all the time on this board. Now our offense is designed to be fast, Bryant got in and killed it like he always does in the high speed offense. Further, he isn't playing with dislodged ribs.

I get the theories on Pindell. I like him and I think he'll be very good but it is pretty obvious that BS should play QB until he is hurt or doesn't produce. At that point bring Pindell back in.
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If you make the decision solely on the results, not the underlying performance, of Thursday then there really isn't an argument. As the Head Coach, Randy has to first decide if making the decision in that manner is in the best interest of the season. This should not be about future seasons. After six seasons of "next year," that should be universally agreed upon by everyone.

As a management exercise, this is not a decision that is easily made. You have to weigh your long term evaluations vs. a singular though critical test. You have to look at how it will affect the rest of the team. Buy-in from the players matters a lot. Randy's explanation will matter a lot. Diaco would have screwed it up royally so, we at least we have that going for us.

For me it comes down to whether you think Pindell is better than the results indicated. If so, then you give him another start knowing that the next change would be permanent. If you saw things that indicate that he isn't head and shoulders better than Sherriffs, then you make the change and tell the team that performance under the lights matters and that you perform or risk your spot.

Other than the fumble, the red flag that I saw with my untrained eye is that Pindell's arm strength on the out and flat routes looked suspect. The balls seemed to take a long time to get there.
 
Its difficult for me to take a hard position with so little evidence as to who should be our starting quarterback. Pindall looked better to me during the open practice than any other quarterback on the field. That was only one day and it was not under game conditions. We have seen a lot of Brian Sherriffs the past few years and have a pretty good idea as to what his skill set is although you do have to consider the line play in front of him and the problems with our prior head coach and offensive coordinator.
In the Holy Cross game, Brian not only out performed David in one quarter of play but he seem to have a better command of the offense. Still, it was only one quarter of football against a tiring Holy Cross defense. I speculated here on the starting quaterback poll thread that Shirriffs would start the year at quarterback but would be replaced by Pindell during the season. I based that opinion on Brian's two years of experince at this level and the fact that he had both the spring and the summer to learn the new offense. Still, I suspect that Pindall has better all around quarterbacking skills than Sherriffs does. Whether it was nerves or lack of experince, I think most of us would agree that Sheriffs looked more ready to play than Pindall did on Thursday night.
Going forward, no matter what happens this week in practice my guess is that Edsall will not be able to ignore the fact that one quaterback got us in the endzone 3 times in one quarter and the other only one time in 3 quarters. In any case, I will root hard for who ever is playing on Saturday and keep an open mind as to who is the best quarterback on this year's Uconn Huskies as the season goes on.
 
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