some of you have asked me when I didn't write a General Consensus this season, and I had a variety of reasons. But in fact, I did write one, and I wrote it right after the JSU game. Now Mike Wardlaw has a very good reason not to run this story, and I hold him no ill will or anger for not going with it, but damn do I feel good about it today. So without any further introduction, I present......
<p align="center">The General Consensus</p> <p align="center">Realer than Real Deal Holyfield</p>
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The great philosopher Harry Callahan once said a man's got to know his limitations. I am intimately familiar with mine. I don't run races, I don't play the piano, and I don't dress in Spandex. I do this for the greater good. And now, for the greater good of MSU football, it's time for all of us to realize Tyson Lee's limitations, and how the idea of him playing a big role in our offense hinders rather than helps us.</p>
</p>
I have no doubt from the times I have read interviews or seen Lee speak that he is a smart guy, a good leader, the type of person who will make a great coach down the road some day if that is his chosen profession. But I have also seen from standing right next to him that I tower over him, and I'm all of 5 foot 11. The bottom line is in this world, in the SEC, there just isn't a place for short, slow quarterbacks who can't see inside the pocket, not even the sidelines. </p>
</p>
It's not like Lee didn't know this. He wasn't offered a scholarship to play at any SEC school. He chose to walk-on here, and it was only through the previous guy's desire to create a quarterback controversy where none should have existed that the idea of Lee contributing came up. Remember back to when it was announced he would be walking on? Did any of you think, that's our future starter, I beat he beats out Wes Carroll. I didn't, nobody I knew did, and I can't imagine the great majority of our fanbase did either. But in he came, completely shooting Caroll's confidence in the process. After the Georgia Tech debacle, the other guy made Lee the starter. Granted he won 3 starts, and when you glance at his statistics, they look above average. But a deeper look shows the lack of downfield passing Lee brings, he averaged less than ten yards per completion. That's a telling statistic, as the passing game is where you look to stretch the field. More often than not, Lee's completions were a result of being flushed from the pocket and taking the safe dumpoff to a running back. </p>
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Flash forward to this season, and Lee has already suffered an injury. You see, that's what happens when someone who outweighs you by seventy pounds or more hits you full speed, just ask Mike Henig. Lee looks to be ready to play this weekend, but really, maybe he should just let some healing take place. Maybe we should just stick with Chris Relf.</p>
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Ah yes, Chris Relf. You might recall in my second column this year, I guaranteed Tyler Russell would take over as starting QB by the Houston game. Well, I'm going to have to rethink that one. You see, once again I believed something the previous coach said, I really thought that Relf was too much of a project to contribute. But he proved me and that other guy wrong last Saturday with an impressive performance. But the thing I like the most about Relf is that we don't have to limit the offense to suit him. With Lee, we have to eliminate a lot of option, simply because he isn't as mobile or durable as Relf is/looks to be. In our next game, Relf actually outweighs the starting Auburn linebackers, Lee gives up 50 pounds per man.</p>
In a year like this, where we aren't harboring any real hopes of championships, we need to do all we can to work for the future. Relf has the physical tools to be a solid quarterback in the SEC. He's got the big arm, he's got mobility, he's got the frame. Why hinder his development by giving more reps to a senior who doesn't really add anything to our offense? It's not like we are putting a hurt on Lee's pro potential. Relf needs to be getting the snaps in practice and during the game.</p>
</p>
Now, I realize that I am basing this off one performance against a below average opponent. But we have been playing below average opponents for decades. How many times has a QB accounted for four touchdowns in all those games? If Relf can perform half as well Saturday as he did against JSU, we can definitely win the game. If he can just be the dreaded "game manager", not turn it over, keep some drives alive with his feet, and make the easy plays, our offense can be effective. If he maximizes all of his physical potential, we could be talking about a Tebow Lite. Imagine if the QB position could put up 2500 all purpose yards, with Dixon and the other backs getting another 1500. That would be massive improvement, and we aren't even talking 400 yards a game. That kind of production gets us to 6 wins, and I don't think we can get that production with Lee under center for a majority, even a plurality of snaps. We need to move forward with Relf, take our lumps with the young guy, and look ahead to a bright future. I like what I saw out of Relf, and I want to see more.</p>
</p> <p align="center">General Topics</p> <p align="center"> </p>
So this will be a new feature on the Consensus where I'll just throw out some ideas and things I noticed that I couldn't put a few hundred words around. Firstly, Chad Bumphis, that made me happy. Who was the last wideout we had get double digit touchdowns in a season? I don't remember, but I think that's going to happen with Bumphis. It was great to see a player who obviously didn't have full command of the playbook and didn't have all of the fundamentals down still being given an opportunity to make plays, and delivering. I thought Heavens showed some of the speed and elusiveness we heard about this fall, and Chris Smith made a nice catch, I thought he would redshirt. I was surprised to not see Ladarius Perkins, or did I miss him? We have a great young skill position corp, and we should continue to add talent to it, and hopefully to the line. </p>
</p>
Defensively, I keyed on Pernell Mcphee for five or six plays, and I agree with all the people saying his stat line was deceiving. He was either pushing his man into the backfield or being held in a vise that would have made Kevin Von Erich proud. I'll just make the logical assumption that the plays I watched weren't the exception. I look forward to seeing him get to the QB this season.</p>
</p>
All in all, a total game experience. The Dawgzillatron was great, the intro video with Walken made me laugh, and I loved the Sonic Boom. My seats were right above the visitor's section, and the JSU fans were great to talk to, especially the one lady who cursed Comegy from the kickoff on. Reminded me of…well, me circa last year. We really need to play them again.</p>
</p>Looking at this week, I think we can win, and we could easily lose. The only outcome that would truly surprise me is a blowout loss. Yes, I would be more surprised if we lost 42-0 than if we won by that margin. Something about this Auburn team sits uneasy with me, I just don't see it. And Chizik strikes me as a more civilized Orgeron. I could see them losing a bunch this year. Of course, I had us 8-4 and Ole Miss 3-9 last year, so what do I know. But either way, I'll be back next week for the General Consensus. Until then, dismissed.
<p align="center">The General Consensus</p> <p align="center">Realer than Real Deal Holyfield</p>
</p>
</p>
</p>
The great philosopher Harry Callahan once said a man's got to know his limitations. I am intimately familiar with mine. I don't run races, I don't play the piano, and I don't dress in Spandex. I do this for the greater good. And now, for the greater good of MSU football, it's time for all of us to realize Tyson Lee's limitations, and how the idea of him playing a big role in our offense hinders rather than helps us.</p>
</p>
I have no doubt from the times I have read interviews or seen Lee speak that he is a smart guy, a good leader, the type of person who will make a great coach down the road some day if that is his chosen profession. But I have also seen from standing right next to him that I tower over him, and I'm all of 5 foot 11. The bottom line is in this world, in the SEC, there just isn't a place for short, slow quarterbacks who can't see inside the pocket, not even the sidelines. </p>
</p>
It's not like Lee didn't know this. He wasn't offered a scholarship to play at any SEC school. He chose to walk-on here, and it was only through the previous guy's desire to create a quarterback controversy where none should have existed that the idea of Lee contributing came up. Remember back to when it was announced he would be walking on? Did any of you think, that's our future starter, I beat he beats out Wes Carroll. I didn't, nobody I knew did, and I can't imagine the great majority of our fanbase did either. But in he came, completely shooting Caroll's confidence in the process. After the Georgia Tech debacle, the other guy made Lee the starter. Granted he won 3 starts, and when you glance at his statistics, they look above average. But a deeper look shows the lack of downfield passing Lee brings, he averaged less than ten yards per completion. That's a telling statistic, as the passing game is where you look to stretch the field. More often than not, Lee's completions were a result of being flushed from the pocket and taking the safe dumpoff to a running back. </p>
</p>
Flash forward to this season, and Lee has already suffered an injury. You see, that's what happens when someone who outweighs you by seventy pounds or more hits you full speed, just ask Mike Henig. Lee looks to be ready to play this weekend, but really, maybe he should just let some healing take place. Maybe we should just stick with Chris Relf.</p>
</p>
Ah yes, Chris Relf. You might recall in my second column this year, I guaranteed Tyler Russell would take over as starting QB by the Houston game. Well, I'm going to have to rethink that one. You see, once again I believed something the previous coach said, I really thought that Relf was too much of a project to contribute. But he proved me and that other guy wrong last Saturday with an impressive performance. But the thing I like the most about Relf is that we don't have to limit the offense to suit him. With Lee, we have to eliminate a lot of option, simply because he isn't as mobile or durable as Relf is/looks to be. In our next game, Relf actually outweighs the starting Auburn linebackers, Lee gives up 50 pounds per man.</p>
In a year like this, where we aren't harboring any real hopes of championships, we need to do all we can to work for the future. Relf has the physical tools to be a solid quarterback in the SEC. He's got the big arm, he's got mobility, he's got the frame. Why hinder his development by giving more reps to a senior who doesn't really add anything to our offense? It's not like we are putting a hurt on Lee's pro potential. Relf needs to be getting the snaps in practice and during the game.</p>
</p>
Now, I realize that I am basing this off one performance against a below average opponent. But we have been playing below average opponents for decades. How many times has a QB accounted for four touchdowns in all those games? If Relf can perform half as well Saturday as he did against JSU, we can definitely win the game. If he can just be the dreaded "game manager", not turn it over, keep some drives alive with his feet, and make the easy plays, our offense can be effective. If he maximizes all of his physical potential, we could be talking about a Tebow Lite. Imagine if the QB position could put up 2500 all purpose yards, with Dixon and the other backs getting another 1500. That would be massive improvement, and we aren't even talking 400 yards a game. That kind of production gets us to 6 wins, and I don't think we can get that production with Lee under center for a majority, even a plurality of snaps. We need to move forward with Relf, take our lumps with the young guy, and look ahead to a bright future. I like what I saw out of Relf, and I want to see more.</p>
</p> <p align="center">General Topics</p> <p align="center"> </p>
So this will be a new feature on the Consensus where I'll just throw out some ideas and things I noticed that I couldn't put a few hundred words around. Firstly, Chad Bumphis, that made me happy. Who was the last wideout we had get double digit touchdowns in a season? I don't remember, but I think that's going to happen with Bumphis. It was great to see a player who obviously didn't have full command of the playbook and didn't have all of the fundamentals down still being given an opportunity to make plays, and delivering. I thought Heavens showed some of the speed and elusiveness we heard about this fall, and Chris Smith made a nice catch, I thought he would redshirt. I was surprised to not see Ladarius Perkins, or did I miss him? We have a great young skill position corp, and we should continue to add talent to it, and hopefully to the line. </p>
</p>
Defensively, I keyed on Pernell Mcphee for five or six plays, and I agree with all the people saying his stat line was deceiving. He was either pushing his man into the backfield or being held in a vise that would have made Kevin Von Erich proud. I'll just make the logical assumption that the plays I watched weren't the exception. I look forward to seeing him get to the QB this season.</p>
</p>
All in all, a total game experience. The Dawgzillatron was great, the intro video with Walken made me laugh, and I loved the Sonic Boom. My seats were right above the visitor's section, and the JSU fans were great to talk to, especially the one lady who cursed Comegy from the kickoff on. Reminded me of…well, me circa last year. We really need to play them again.</p>
</p>Looking at this week, I think we can win, and we could easily lose. The only outcome that would truly surprise me is a blowout loss. Yes, I would be more surprised if we lost 42-0 than if we won by that margin. Something about this Auburn team sits uneasy with me, I just don't see it. And Chizik strikes me as a more civilized Orgeron. I could see them losing a bunch this year. Of course, I had us 8-4 and Ole Miss 3-9 last year, so what do I know. But either way, I'll be back next week for the General Consensus. Until then, dismissed.
