Poll: Our QB Opening Day
- Thread starter GatorJ
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- Jun 9, 2014
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Always a good sign when one of your contenders for starter is lauded for his remarkably accurate short passing game.
- Jun 22, 2014
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- Jun 11, 2014
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Zaire starts game 1. Franks plays, and sees more time in game 2.
LDR never plays a meaningful down in a Gator uniform again.
LDR never plays a meaningful down in a Gator uniform again.
- Oct 6, 2016
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LDR or Zaire starts. Franks signals in plays, Trask writes them down while Allen cleans the team pool back at UF. Toney watches a complete shytshow and thanks God he's not playing against anyone that isn't a walk on
Jake from State Farm
I'm wearing Khakis, why?
- Sep 6, 2014
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With mustard, please!
- Jun 13, 2014
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- Oct 6, 2016
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- Jun 10, 2014
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- Jun 11, 2014
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- Jun 12, 2014
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Kerwin Bell?
- Jun 13, 2014
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like Treon did right?
Mac didn't make the SEC change the grad transfer rule for no reason. Zaire is better than Harris. Zaire already ran many concepts of our offense at ND. He is mobile enough and can get rid of the ball quick enough to deal with that blitzing defense.
- Jun 11, 2014
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- Jun 9, 2014
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Lots of reasons to feel uncertain about the QB position.
Franks' spring effort was a mixed bag. Lack of experience and accuracy remain big question marks, and too much is being made of his arm. None of the three players who earned statues in front of BHG had a cannon. Get the ball there early and accurate. That's what matters most.
Zaire comes in with 98 career throws and one monster game against LSU. Sounds good until you realize a vanilla-brained OC who does far better with a script than the improv will be scheming the plays. If Brantley looked out of place in Meyer's offense, think of how much a fish out of water Zaire might look handing off on first and second down and facing the blitz on third. Nada.
That leaves Del Rio, whose 219 career throws makes him the faraway experience leader. Whether you agree it's important is irrelevant. Mac will be heavily weighing that unless Franks or Zaire does something big in pre-season practice or the first few games to dissuade him.
The ball's in nobody's court. It's essentially there for the taking if any of the three separates himself, likely more possible through lack of mistakes than by making something happen because that's the order of priority made plain by our plain-Jane coach, let's play prevent offense. Del Rio could win by default if the other two "fail" to win it. And then all hell will break loose until Del Rio goes down again with a season-ending injury because he has no pocket awareness, tends to hold onto the ball too long and has feet of stone.
Not exactly what we've come to expect or hope at Florida, but it is what it is.
Franks' spring effort was a mixed bag. Lack of experience and accuracy remain big question marks, and too much is being made of his arm. None of the three players who earned statues in front of BHG had a cannon. Get the ball there early and accurate. That's what matters most.
Zaire comes in with 98 career throws and one monster game against LSU. Sounds good until you realize a vanilla-brained OC who does far better with a script than the improv will be scheming the plays. If Brantley looked out of place in Meyer's offense, think of how much a fish out of water Zaire might look handing off on first and second down and facing the blitz on third. Nada.
That leaves Del Rio, whose 219 career throws makes him the faraway experience leader. Whether you agree it's important is irrelevant. Mac will be heavily weighing that unless Franks or Zaire does something big in pre-season practice or the first few games to dissuade him.
The ball's in nobody's court. It's essentially there for the taking if any of the three separates himself, likely more possible through lack of mistakes than by making something happen because that's the order of priority made plain by our plain-Jane coach, let's play prevent offense. Del Rio could win by default if the other two "fail" to win it. And then all hell will break loose until Del Rio goes down again with a season-ending injury because he has no pocket awareness, tends to hold onto the ball too long and has feet of stone.
Not exactly what we've come to expect or hope at Florida, but it is what it is.
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- Jun 11, 2014
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Dougie and I were talking about this on the phone yesterday. When it comes to opening day there are only one of two kids who's going to start IMO. Either LDR or Zaire.
Franks and Trask are redshirt freshman and neither are going to start in Dallas. Tony and Allen are true freshman. Neither of them are going to start either. Nothing from the history of Mac tells me he is going to start an inexperienced kid in a big-time environment on the road like that. With the way that he restricts his QBs because of his fear of turnovers he's just not going to put them in that situation.
So that leaves Zaire and LDR. It makes most sense that he goes with one of the two of them. Even if they completely shyt the bed, he can still always choose one of the others for the following home game to get them snaps. And then you could begin the passing of the torch.
Unless of course LDR or Zaire have a really good game in Dallas.
Franks and Trask are redshirt freshman and neither are going to start in Dallas. Tony and Allen are true freshman. Neither of them are going to start either. Nothing from the history of Mac tells me he is going to start an inexperienced kid in a big-time environment on the road like that. With the way that he restricts his QBs because of his fear of turnovers he's just not going to put them in that situation.
So that leaves Zaire and LDR. It makes most sense that he goes with one of the two of them. Even if they completely shyt the bed, he can still always choose one of the others for the following home game to get them snaps. And then you could begin the passing of the torch.
Unless of course LDR or Zaire have a really good game in Dallas.
- Aug 28, 2014
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- Jun 9, 2014
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This logically makes the most sense. My guess is Del Rio gets the nod over Zaire initially, not based on ability but due to familiarity with the playbook. They'll probably both get snaps over the first few games, ala Grier-Harris, until Zaire's learning curve and athleticism make it too tempting for the coaching staff to not name him as starter for the rugged October SEC slate.
You can't win anything meaningful in the SEC without a playmaker at QB. Del Rio is, as Law likes to say, a game manager and he's not built to last a full season.
- Aug 28, 2014
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Watching the tapes of LDR in his first three games you could see him progress and there is a big difference just from game 1 to game 2. I would expect the same to be true of Franks with his first start. Just projecting LDRs first game to how Franks first game would go there were two throws behind backs out of the backfield, a lob over the head of a back, and of course the opening deep pass that was a little long. LDR makes those throws by game 3 (even game 2). But four passes can be the difference in the Meatchicken game.
The problem for the coaching staff is that if LDR is healthy and starts Meatchicken (and we win), how do you pull him to get Franks some playing time all the while keeping Zaire in the mix.
The problem for the coaching staff is that if LDR is healthy and starts Meatchicken (and we win), how do you pull him to get Franks some playing time all the while keeping Zaire in the mix.
- Jun 13, 2014
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I kind of thought that was what Mac might do if Zaire didn't come here. Start LDR and then replace him the next game with Franks if the Michigan defense ate LDR up. I guess the same thing could happen with Zaire if he looks bad in that game and we lose. I still get the feeling Mac is scared of using Franks right now however. If Zaire was the starter for our 2nd game it will be interesting to see who Mac gives the most snaps to after he is pulled.
- Aug 28, 2014
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(I've reviewed the pre-injury tape on LDR. After I review the post injury tape I may change my opinion.)
Think about what you would based on where the QBs are. Here's my (faulty) evaluation at this point.
1) LDR when healthy looked pretty good.
2) Zaire like it or not is sub-60% completion QB. Those kinda stats don't translate to winning. No I don't expect him to get better.
3) Franks - for all the potential talent we haven't seen him under live fire. Just projecting he does as well(bad?) as LDR did in his first start we don't want that vs meatchicken.
Pros/cons of each QB
1) LDR: Pro: Experience and is capable. Con: Can that arm come back from injury.
2) Zaire: Pro: Experience, running ability. Con: Lack of accuracy and playbook
3) Franks: Pro: Allegedly talented. Con: Lack of experience and an unknown.
Now if I'm the coach what do I do?
Game 1) To win Meatchicken I start LDR and let Zaire run around for a change of pace. That leaves me with the development problem.
Game 2) If Meatchicken is a win I have to start LDR. But now is the time I have to get Franks playing experience by hook or by crook. Zaire sits Franks comes in in relief. Or heel the whole second half. Fcvk I dont know what to do.
Game 3 and beyond) Don't know.
Maybe it's just LDR/Zair all season with slipping Franks in at the end of cupcake games to get him ready for next year.
