- Sep 8, 2014
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Shane Matthews on Feleipe Franks: ‘Just because Feleipe was a four-star recruit doesn’t mean he’ll pan out’
http://gridironnow.com/shane-matthews-feleipe-franks-pan-out/
Signing four- and five-star quarterbacks is one thing. Developing them is another. Look no further than the issues with Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks, a former four-star recruit.
How’s that working out?
Franks, a redshirt freshman, was one of the top five pro-style quarterbacks as well as a national top-60 prospect overall in the 2016 recruiting cycle. He has yet to live up to the expectations. Will he ever live up to them?
Monday, on his daily radio show on ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF in Gainesville, former Florida quarterback Shane Matthews shared his concern with co-host Brady Ackerman, who is a former Gators running back. The discussion began with Matthews expressing his disappointment in Franks’ development.
“There’s a process that you kind of put quarterbacks through from a fundamental standpoint and mental game,” Matthews said. “Some can handle it. Some can’t.”
Matthews used an interesting comparison.
“If we’re taking Statistics 101 together, I might be better at grasping what the teacher is saying than you,” he said. “That has nothing to do with being a four-star or five-star recruit. Either you get it or you don’t.
“Just because Feleipe was a four-star recruit doesn’t mean he’ll pan out. Nothing against the kid, but I don’t know. We haven’t seen enough. I don’t know if we will see it.”
Florida fans saw it with Matthews, who signed in 1988 during the tail end of the Galen Hall era. When Steve Spurrier was hired after the 1989 season, Matthews was buried on the depth chart. But Matthews took to Spurrier’s offense – you might say he grasped what the teacher was saying – and became a three-year starter who helped ignite Spurrier’s Fun ‘n’ Gun offense. Matthews didn’t have exceptional arm talent but he did have a high football IQ.
Part of Spurrier’s brilliance was understanding how to attack opposing defenses’ weaknesses. More important, he taught quarterbacks such as Matthews, Danny Wuerffel and Rex Grossman how to do the same.
Franks may have been able to get by in high school with his size and cannon arm, but that’s not enough now. He began the season as the starter, but was benched in the opener, then lost his starting job to Luke Del Rio. After Del Rio was lost for the season with a broken collarbone, Franks got his job back. He struggled Saturday against LSU, and there were times against the Tigers when it seemed as if Florida’s best option was to insert Kadarius Toney and let him run the wildcat.
I don’t want to get too negative, but the wildcat should not be an option in Gainesville. If Jim McElwain can teach his dog to play the position, as he claimed at his introductory news conference, he should be able to get some production out his pupils.
Then again, if the entire class is failing Statistics 101, maybe that’s a teaching problem.
http://gridironnow.com/shane-matthews-feleipe-franks-pan-out/
Signing four- and five-star quarterbacks is one thing. Developing them is another. Look no further than the issues with Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks, a former four-star recruit.
How’s that working out?
Franks, a redshirt freshman, was one of the top five pro-style quarterbacks as well as a national top-60 prospect overall in the 2016 recruiting cycle. He has yet to live up to the expectations. Will he ever live up to them?
Monday, on his daily radio show on ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF in Gainesville, former Florida quarterback Shane Matthews shared his concern with co-host Brady Ackerman, who is a former Gators running back. The discussion began with Matthews expressing his disappointment in Franks’ development.
“There’s a process that you kind of put quarterbacks through from a fundamental standpoint and mental game,” Matthews said. “Some can handle it. Some can’t.”
Matthews used an interesting comparison.
“If we’re taking Statistics 101 together, I might be better at grasping what the teacher is saying than you,” he said. “That has nothing to do with being a four-star or five-star recruit. Either you get it or you don’t.
“Just because Feleipe was a four-star recruit doesn’t mean he’ll pan out. Nothing against the kid, but I don’t know. We haven’t seen enough. I don’t know if we will see it.”
Florida fans saw it with Matthews, who signed in 1988 during the tail end of the Galen Hall era. When Steve Spurrier was hired after the 1989 season, Matthews was buried on the depth chart. But Matthews took to Spurrier’s offense – you might say he grasped what the teacher was saying – and became a three-year starter who helped ignite Spurrier’s Fun ‘n’ Gun offense. Matthews didn’t have exceptional arm talent but he did have a high football IQ.
Part of Spurrier’s brilliance was understanding how to attack opposing defenses’ weaknesses. More important, he taught quarterbacks such as Matthews, Danny Wuerffel and Rex Grossman how to do the same.
Franks may have been able to get by in high school with his size and cannon arm, but that’s not enough now. He began the season as the starter, but was benched in the opener, then lost his starting job to Luke Del Rio. After Del Rio was lost for the season with a broken collarbone, Franks got his job back. He struggled Saturday against LSU, and there were times against the Tigers when it seemed as if Florida’s best option was to insert Kadarius Toney and let him run the wildcat.
I don’t want to get too negative, but the wildcat should not be an option in Gainesville. If Jim McElwain can teach his dog to play the position, as he claimed at his introductory news conference, he should be able to get some production out his pupils.
Then again, if the entire class is failing Statistics 101, maybe that’s a teaching problem.
