What can we expect from the QB battle in camp?
Seven weeks away from the opener as of Saturday.
As we creep closer to the start of training camp, I was thinking over the weekend about what I’d hope to see and hear from a fan’s standpoint when it comes to the quarterback position when the team gets going in August.
Is James the guy? Can Lonergan take over? Can Shaker make some noise?
Here’s where I’m at with ACC Kickoff Week coming soon. These opinions could likely change once seeing practice for a month, but I’m pretty firm on the stance for now…
QB competition sets the tone
It’s mostly cliche at this point, but it’s also the truth. Nothing improves a team like competition on a daily basis. BC is going to have plenty of it at important positions this training camp. QB obviously leads the way and that group should (hopefully) set the high-intensity tone each day leading up to August 30.
James should be the guy…for now
Grayson James deserves to start the season as ‘the guy’ considering he still hasn’t had that opportunity yet, despite showing he’s capable of leading the offense to points. I’ll also continue to preach how much stock I personally put into how he handled himself last season despite the noise. In the six games he started – including the last five – James went 4-2, put up his best performance against Pitt (20-28, 253, 2 TDs) and still managed to throw for 301 yards in pretty crappy conditions in the Bronx. As long as the running game is still there (they put up 37 points against Syracuse and he had 51 yards), the offense works with James. You can even make the argument he’s got one of the most underrated skill groups in the conference and could thrive if given the chance to lead the way from the get-go.
Lonergan could very easily win the job
Having said all that, Dylan Lonergan made this a real competition a day or two into spring ball. Lonergan may not have much college tape to look at, (he played in two games for the Tide…finished 5-of-6 for 23 yards), but as I’ve said before, you can see why he was a target of O’Brien’s during his Alabama days. His junior year in high school he threw for almost 4,000 yards with 39 touchdowns. The accuracy stands out. I actually think Lonergan is better throwing on the move than James too. Even though their deep ball is fairly even in my opinion, the ‘zip’ on his ball is a real thing. If Lonergan does win the job, it won’t be because of the prior relationship with O’Brien, it’ll be because they believe he’s just a little better.
Don’t forget about Shaker
There’s also the young freshman gunslinger from Oklahoma, Shaker Reisig. He’s clearly a step behind the other two at his age, but he showed play-making ability in April and will get plenty of chances to move up the depth chart if the staff believes James, Lonergan or both need a push.
Offense should be in good shape no matter what
These guys are good. Assuming we don’t get a Dennis Grosel-type situation (no offense, he was the nicest kid ever and kept them competitive, should’ve beaten Clemson) where Shaker has to play a lot early before he’s truly ready, James or Lonergan is more than capable of leading the offense to the end zone and more importantly, leading the team to wins.
