QB position is wide open

[truebluewildcat_rivals34254]

Folks I believe it's anybody's race this off season...

DB was popular because things were going so badly...rightfully so, and he needed to get his shot...but Charlotte and today showed us he may not be ready yet...i know it's a small sample size but if he can't impress against Charlotte and UL, he's going to struggle when running the gauntlet in the thick of the sec schedule next year...

Pat has all the raw talent and physical traits...I also think that he gives us some natural athleticism and mobility in and more importantly (since there usually isn't a lot of time to be had in) out of the pocket and that the staff may need to look into implementing a QB ground game...but for some reason he seemed to regress this year after showing flashes of something special last year....

They both have their strengths and weaknesses...

One of them is going to have to go above and beyond with the work this off season...and I hope some skill players around them decide to do the same...

 

[Glenn Fohr]

If Towles can get a coach to get into his head, and get the kid in the film room for the summer, then he can be the player we need. He needs the confidence back he had against Missouri.

 

[buckkiller]

Every position is up for grabs.

 

[Johnfarrel]

Barker did not play earlier because he was not ready. He got the last two starts because Patrick was struggling. Getting your second start as a red shirt Freshman in a rivalry game in a must win situation is a rough row to hoe. Losing Boom and Jo Jo sealed his fate for this game. I think he probably will and should be the starter next year. Towles has had his shot, and the new Guy coming in may be good but as a true Freshman in the SEC he probably would be eaten alive.

 

[Anon1639625937]

TrueBlueWildcat great post but in the end no matter the QBs we have or the QBs we hope to have none will matter until our coaching staff has the abilities to help them be more then are now. Look at the offense with Towels and with Barker. They both repeatedly make the same mistakes, while the playing never takes advantage of their strengths and plays to their weaknesses. Just saying..,,

 

[Lonesome Hippopotamus]

Can Barker have a full season with number ones, ya knwo to practice and what now? Then I will be convinced.

 

[jaknfo90]

"QB position is wide open"

You think? I can't think of many positions that shouldn't be wide open and that includes most, if not all, coaching positions! Oh I forgot, we're UK, GO BIG BLUE another season of mediocrity on tap and we should be thankful.

 

[oldsports_]

If Towles can get a coach to get into his head, and get the kid in the film room for the summer, then he can be the player we need. He needs the confidence back he had against Missouri.

Missouri? really?

 

[Glenn Fohr]

Yes, Missouri. He was 24 of 29 that night with 2 tds.

 

[docholiday51]

As far as where Towles or Barker can take this team there is not really any difference in the two.

Towles is faster and has the better arm but he doesn't see the field.He can extend plays and has a better chance to turn nothing into something.He is more likely to throw the interception because he doesn't see the field

Barker's release is quicker and he is more accurate but doesn't have the arm strength to get the ball where it needs to go.He is too slow to extend plays.

I hope the QB position is wide open and that the search extends beyond these 2 because neither is the answer to what this team needs.

 

[Xception]

Towles has had ample time to show what he can do and it wasn't working out . Playing Barker next year will reap benefits later on . If you play Towles next year and it doesn't go well (it won't) then it's another wasted year of development for Barker who has more years to play . It's unlikely we go to a bowl next year either , so what's the advantage of playing Towles ?

 

[Free_Salato_Blue]

Need to strap this VR trainer on the QB's this summer and a taser for throwing ints.

 

[mrhotdice]

Every position is up for grabs.

Correct, no one can say I will start next year.

 

[jc2010]

Same OC, same filter (CMS), same result, it doesn't matter who the qb is

 

[Ajax10]

TrueBlueWildcat great post but in the end no matter the QBs we have or the QBs we hope to have none will matter until our coaching staff has the abilities to help them be more then are now. Look at the offense with Towels and with Barker. They both repeatedly make the same mistakes, while the playing never takes advantage of their strengths and plays to their weaknesses. Just saying..,,

This^^ Coaching staffs lack of adjustments and continued poor calls/decisions give any QB little chance for success.

 

[CloverforkCat]

QUESTION...... Is there a 5th year Grad student QB out there that could come in and grasp this offense like other schools have had come in and have success ?

 

[RJKentuckyBlue]

Wouldn't matter if Tom Brady was our QB, with our defense we need to score in the 40's to have a chance. For the love of god, everyone in the free world knew UL was going to run read option, except the brain trust on our sideline. Coaching at every position is our problem.

 

[truebluewildcat_rivals34254]

QUESTION...... Is there a 5th year Grad student QB out there that could come in and grasp this offense like other schools have had come in and have success ?

I would hope that this is an option the staff is exploring...

I wouldn't limit it to somebody with just one year left...maybe a kid who has graduated early as an underclassmen and has 2 years left like Jake Coker...would also prefer that they have some dual threat ability that way if the kid didn't win the job out right, the staff could implement some wildcat packages and he could bring a new element to the offense as well as get some experience and be in a position to really excel the next season...

absolutely need athleticism and mobility at the QB position in today's game...the defensive athletes are faster and more athletic as they've ever been...and the game plan has shifted from stopping the run to getting to the QB because it's a passing era...

being able to advance the ball and score on the ground from the QB position gives the offense one more weapon and can take some pressure of the OL, WRs, and RBs...

 

[Mattcg]

We need a new staff not just a QB

 

[GJNorman1]

As far as where Towles or Barker can take this team there is not really any difference in the two.

Towles is faster and has the better arm but he doesn't see the field.He can extend plays and has a better chance to turn nothing into something.He is more likely to throw the interception because he doesn't see the field

Barker's release is quicker and he is more accurate but doesn't have the arm strength to get the ball where it needs to go.He is too slow to extend plays.

I hope the QB position is wide open and that the search extends beyond these 2 because neither is the answer to what this team needs.

Barker can't see the field. Notice Badet completely Wide open in the Endzone and Barker hurls it into the stands.

 

[C.W.1]

What about Reese Phillips? I'd give him a shot. He always seemed to be the most accurate of the 3 QBs. Between Towles and Barker, I'd go with Towles. He is a better runner and his arm strength forces the defense to defend the entire field.

At this point, the offensive problems are much deeper than QB. Offensive line can't block, WRs can't catch, etc. The first thing UK needs to do is to decide on their 5 best offensive linemen and stick with them and quit rotating them. UK's isn't good enough to win by not playing their best offensive linemen. The second thing is to bench WRs when they drop the ball and play other receivers.

 

[docholiday51]

Towles has had ample time to show what he can do and it wasn't working out . Playing Barker next year will reap benefits later on . If you play Towles next year and it doesn't go well (it won't) then it's another wasted year of development for Barker who has more years to play . It's unlikely we go to a bowl next year either , so what's the advantage of playing Towles ?

I agree on the Towles issue,he has had ample time but it has only taken 2 games to see that Barker doesn't have the talent/skill to be as productive as we need him to be at this level.The coaching staff hasn't got much right this year but they are/were correct that Towles is better than Barker

 

[Xception]

I agree on the Towles issue,he has had ample time but it has only taken 2 games to see that Barker doesn't have the talent/skill to be as productive as we need him to be at this level.The coaching staff hasn't got much right this year but they are/were correct that Towles is better than Barker

You ignored developing for the future and it took you two games to determine than Barker doesn't have the skills but two years of suck from Towles is preferable ? Towles is a fourth year junior and he's not going to get better at this point . Drew can still make strides if given enough attention and apparently the staff was wrong because we played Towles all year for what exactly ?

 

[docholiday51]

You ignored developing for the future and it took you two games to determine than Barker doesn't have the skills but two years of suck from Towles is preferable ? Towles is a fourth year junior and he's not going to get better at this point . Drew can still make strides if given enough attention and apparently the staff was wrong because we played Towles all year for what exactly ?

Towles is the better of two poor options,Barker doesn't have the foot speed or arm strength of Dusty Bonner.The coaching staff was reluctant to play Barker for some reasons and after 2 games I think it is beginning to be plain what those reasons were.I am not a big fan of Towles for the same reasons many others aren't but he is better than Barker

The season is mercifully over so I hope we can begin to look elsewhere for a QB,maybe Gunnar Hoak or some other true frosh can step up.(no I don't like that option but I truly believe that is where we are right now)

 

[GJNorman1]

Towles is the better of two poor options,Barker doesn't have the foot speed or arm strength of Dusty Bonner.The coaching staff was reluctant to play Barker for some reasons and after 2 games I think it is beginning to be plain what those reasons were.I am not a big fan of Towles for the same reasons many others aren't but he is better than Barker

The season is mercifully over so I hope we can begin to look elsewhere for a QB,maybe Gunnar Hoak or some other true frosh can step up.(no I don't like that option but I truly believe that is where we are right now)

I agree with what you are saying except the ditching of Towles for a Freshmen, when he will be a 5th year senior, that has won 10 games in 2 years and has a boatload of talent. You get back to work and you take the best gamble, which is that Towles will live up to his ability in year 5 and win us at least 6 games. And then you build on that with Drew Barker or Hoak or whoever the following year

 

[akaukswoosh]

Towles is the better of two poor options,Barker doesn't have the foot speed or arm strength of Dusty Bonner.The coaching staff was reluctant to play Barker for some reasons and after 2 games I think it is beginning to be plain what those reasons were.I am not a big fan of Towles for the same reasons many others aren't but he is better than Barker

The season is mercifully over so I hope we can begin to look elsewhere for a QB,maybe Gunnar Hoak or some other true frosh can step up.(no I don't like that option but I truly believe that is where we are right now)

If Hoak can compete I'm all for him. Tweeted this yesterday.

Gunnar Hoak® ‏@GunnarHoak12 15h15 hours ago Dublin, OH

still #ALLIN keep supporting! #BBN

 

[docholiday51]

If Hoak can compete I'm all for him. Tweeted this yesterday.

Gunnar Hoak® ‏@GunnarHoak12 15h15 hours ago Dublin, OH

still #ALLIN keep supporting! #BBN

That is/was my point,IF he can compete then put him out there,I'm not in favor of ditching anyone just for the sake of doing it.I think the coaches are trying to put the best players they have on the field(now player development is a whole other matter with this staff)

 

[Xception]

Towles doesn't have a boatload of talent , if he did he wouldn't have lost his job . He is just as likely to throw a pick as he is a td . He has no compusure , can't cycle through his reads even against poor teams , can't lead a wr most of the time , checks out of plays just to throw a pick , the team doesn't believe in him . But hey he has the measurements and can throw it long but innacurate . So he looks the part but it's just a base template that needs too many fixes to work next year , he's not going to morph into a player with actual football abilities .

 

[docholiday51]

Towles doesn't have a boatload of talent , if he did he wouldn't have lost his job . He is just as likely to throw a pick as he is a td . He has no compusure , can't cycle through his reads even against poor teams , can't lead a wr most of the time , checks out of plays just to throw a pick , the team doesn't believe in him . But hey he has the measurements and can throw it long but innacurate . So he looks the part but it's just a base template that needs too many fixes to work next year , he's not going to morph into a player with actual football abilities .

Agree on all counts,it looks like he will do what he does elsewhere,not a bad thing

 

[K_TIME]

Towles is transferring so it's Barker's job in a cakewalk...and if he can't find open men any better than he showed vs. UL we now have less talent at QB than we did before.

 

[Levibooty]

Towles is transferring so it's Barker's job in a cakewalk...and if he can't find open men any better than he showed vs. UL we now have less talent at QB than we did before.

We definitely have less talent but I can't say we have a less talented QB. My suspicions tend to be at OC and OL coach.

 

[Burly]

Barker has no arm strength and is slow...Towles is leaving to go out west & play. Hopefully we pull a dual threat guy from somewhere

 

[K_TIME]

We definitely have less talent but I can't say we have a less talented QB. My suspicions tend to be at OC and OL coach.

Watching Drew struggle to hit an open Juice Johnson on 30 yard route in endzone, then overthrow the sideline routes rest of game, etc...it screamed of arm strength was lacking in Drew. And Drew was never able to outrun a sole to the edges on scrambles and when in open field a few times...he looked like days of JLO who couldn't outrun people.

Drew will have to perform at a way higher level in decision making and accuracy and anticipation to be a better QB than Towles...he simply doesn't have elite QB raw talent. It's easy to see. But in college you can get by w.o them...look at Auburn...Sean White vs. Johnson...White was way better due to his mind. Drew has to get to that point to be a legit SEC QB.

 

[Tannerdad]

We need to get a Juco in here, IMO

We need a QB

 

[Levibooty]

Watching Drew struggle to hit an open Juice Johnson on 30 yard route in endzone, then overthrow the sideline routes rest of game, etc...it screamed of arm strength was lacking in Drew. And Drew was never able to outrun a sole to the edges on scrambles and when in open field a few times...he looked like days of JLO who couldn't outrun people.

Drew will have to perform at a way higher level in decision making and accuracy and anticipation to be a better QB than Towles...he simply doesn't have elite QB raw talent. It's easy to see. But in college you can get by w.o them...look at Auburn...Sean White vs. Johnson...White was way better due to his mind. Drew has to get to that point to be a legit SEC QB.

Well Trent Dilfer and his Elite 11 organization certainly does not agree with you. As I have already stated I think the problem may have more to do with the OC and the OL coach than the QB's. That said there is precious little statistical evidence to support one QB over the other.

 

[jc2010]

Barker failed to see an open receiver? That's the first time that happened this year:smiley: