Drew Barker: Game manager or Game winner?
- Thread starter Glenn Fohr
- Start date
In your first year, I think you want him to be a game manager. But I don't think that fits Gran's style or even the team right now. A good game manager isn't afraid to go 3 and out and punt because the defense can pick him up. On paper, UK doesn't look to have that kind of defense so the offense is going to have to be the catalyst. With Gran's pace of play and wanting to put up points, Barker is going to be asked to take some risks. That's going to cause mistakes sometimes and at times, inconsistent play out of that position due to a lack of experience.
I think he has to make plays. To be able to play a game like that, you have to have a dominant defense, that can force offenses to play behind the chains, and going by last season UK won't be able to do that consistently this year. But after looking at the offense in the East, maybe so, UT may be the only decent offense in the division, if Dobbs goes down then they will be as erratic as the rest of us. But very few teams can play a game with the qb only trying to play mistake free, none of them are in the SEC East.
I don't know if he is a game manager. I see him throwing some when he should throw away but this also leads to huge plays which makes him more of a game winner imo.
I think he will win a couple games for us this year but a couple bad passes could let some of the bad teams keep it close.
I think he will win a couple games for us this year but a couple bad passes could let some of the bad teams keep it close.
To win games this year we'll have to be I some shoot outs I don't think our D can hold opponents to low scores. Drew will have to be a game winner.
Yep. And FWIW, describing a QB's play as a "game manager" is another one of those football cliches I hate.
Sure, it is great to play QB on a team that has a great defense and plenty of offensive weapons. But on 3rd and 7 it is usually incumbent on the QB to "make a play"; if you are behind late in the game, the QB must "make a play", if a game turns into a shoot out the QB must "make some plays". The QB doesn't have to a hero but it is crazy to think, even as a"game manager", he doesn't have to make some plays.
Peace
I agree wholeheartedly! Usually the qbs that get labeled that win so whatever they call him if we win idc. When i scouted Drew the things that stuck out was he was a gamer and also more of a pg type like a Andy Dalton than a guy with immense arm talent. Drew fits this scheme very well imo and i feel very confident he throws for over 3000 yards this year.
I agree guys, game manager is a cliché, like "step up" or my most hated phrase, "mental toughness". Can't stand that phrase. That should only be used for those wonderful vets of ours who have seen combat.
I don't know that UK can ever afford to have a "game manager" in the true sense of the phrase (i.e. someone who isn't good enough to put you on his shoulders, but someone who doesn't screw up enough to lose games for you); however, I do think it's important for a program like UK to have a QB that DOES effectively manage a game b/c winning the turnover battle is the most important statistic in football.
To win Drew has to be the guy that doesn't make mistakes moreso than "wins games" due to individual play of his own.
1. Drew isn't going to make many plays with his feet...so most of his game will be on his arm.
2. If Drew can give us close to the Hartline Sr year (22 TD vs. 8 Ints)...get the ball out quickly and accurately. Keep us in manageable down/distances by not missing on easy plays, etc.. We should be fine. That kind of QB play can take a ton of pressure off shaky tackle spots and allow to keep our great RB as part of the gameplan.
In the end..>I'm hoping Drew can keep the Ints in the neighborhood of 10 or less and I think we'll be doing very fine on offense if that occurs. UK tossed 16 Ints last year for comparison sake.
1. Drew isn't going to make many plays with his feet...so most of his game will be on his arm.
2. If Drew can give us close to the Hartline Sr year (22 TD vs. 8 Ints)...get the ball out quickly and accurately. Keep us in manageable down/distances by not missing on easy plays, etc.. We should be fine. That kind of QB play can take a ton of pressure off shaky tackle spots and allow to keep our great RB as part of the gameplan.
In the end..>I'm hoping Drew can keep the Ints in the neighborhood of 10 or less and I think we'll be doing very fine on offense if that occurs. UK tossed 16 Ints last year for comparison sake.
I just don't think we have the talent on the roster to hope Barker is a game manager. That might work if we were one of the most talented teams in the league. We're Kentucky. That is just not the case. Bama can get away with having a guy at QB who is a game manager. We need the QB to be able to win games with his talent. If our defense was better and one of the best in the league, the game manager type might be cool. Let's hope Barker is more than just a game manager.