Gators release depth chart; throw in towel and start Delance

[SeabeeGator]

gotcha... again

You’re the master. Almost as good as your trolling of @NOLAGATOR

 

[YLGator]

Agreed. Completely irrelevant. The whole argument above is just the latest fodder for the ones who never really liked Mullen and still don't.

Not irrelevant at all. The argument isn't should Mullen have started a green freshman over the established Franks. Trask has been around as long a Franks. They're both 4th year Juniors. After 8 qtrs of football, its clear as day that Trask is ten times the QB Franks ever was, but somehow Mullen decided a guy that wasn't even good enough to beat KY was the right call, while he had a gunslinger sitting on the bench. That's concerning no matter how you spin it.

 

[oxrageous]

Not irrelevant at all. The argument isn't should Mullen have started a green freshman over the established Franks. Trask has been around as long a Franks. They're both 4th year Juniors. After 8 qtrs of football, its clear as day that Trask is ten times the QB Franks ever was, but somehow Mullen decided a guy that wasn't even good enough to beat KY was the right call, while he had a gunslinger sitting on the bench. That's concerning no matter how you spin it.

It’s the problem with coaches being hellbent on running their system, even if it costs them games. He felt Franks was better at running his system.

 

[YLGator]

It’s the problem with coaches being hellbent on running their system, even if it costs them games. He felt Franks was better at running his system.

Thought his job was to win games and championships, not run his system.

 

[Gator Fever]

I think we need to see a few more games before Trask enters the hall of fame.

 

[soflagator]

Not irrelevant at all. The argument isn't should Mullen have started a green freshman over the established Franks. Trask has been around as long a Franks. They're both 4th year Juniors. After 8 qtrs of football, its clear as day that Trask is ten times the QB Franks ever was, but somehow Mullen decided a guy that wasn't even good enough to beat KY was the right call, while he had a gunslinger sitting on the bench. That's concerning no matter how you spin it.

Do you remember the '99 season. Probably Spurrier's worst overall offense. And yet, there was a gunslinger sitting on the bench redshirting, while Johnson and Palmer bumbled their way to a very sub-par season. Why wasn't Grossman given a chance? For that matter, why did he essentially split carries in 2000? As Fever pointed out, we're not talking about a kid who's played admirably so far and looks better than his predecessor, at least before he's faced real challenges. We're talking about a kid who deserved, and nearly won the Heisman a year later. And he's splitting time with Jesse Palmer?

I already mentioned the Dean/DW scenario. Who knows if we even drop that Aub game if he plays the whole time.

It happens. That's coaching, and the best of them from time to time don't recognize that certain players may handle the pressure of games better and actually make their team better. It's partly wanting to run his system. But he even modified that at times last year as Franks got more comfortable. So it's mostly just thinking we have the best chance to win with a particular player and making what he feels is the best choice. And I'll repeat, outside of Mizzou, I don't think there's a single game last year where you can say Franks' performance was what lost it. Even Mizzou ran much deeper than QB play, imo. And as mentioned earlier, one of the great,and also awful, things about social media is that there is no hidden news. Just last week ut fans were commenting on dissent in the locker room because much of the team didn't want Gurantano any more. If there was clear cut evidence that Trask was the better player prior to him being inserted in Lexington, there's not a chance that we wouldn't have heard some grumblings somewhere over the last 12 months. This team has rallied around KT, but I don't think anyone felt that FF was holding us back while a better option stood idle.

When I say it's irrelevant, I guess the better wording would be "moot" at this point. I'm not alarmed that Trask has looked better because I think that can happen to even the best OC's. I'd rather see his development and the possibilities to come as one of the great stories like Bell and other walk-ons. Instead of manufacturing a negative or using as the newest installment of "I'm ok with Mullen, but....",(not saying you in particular, just an observation) I'm seeing this whole thing as really cool positive and the stuff our kids could be telling stories about one day.

 

[GatorAuthor]

I can’t dive deep into this debate, but there’s always the possibility the guys who sat simply weren’t ready yet. Maybe Rex and Trask needed that extra year of practice and film study to improve and be ready.

BTW, that Heisman award was the absolute worst. Rex got jobbed in favor of Eric Freaking Crouch. Ridiculous. Still irks me.

 

[soflagator]

I can’t dive deep into this debate, but there’s always the possibility the guys who sat simply weren’t ready yet. Maybe Rex and Trask needed that extra year of practice and film study to improve and be ready.

BTW, that Heisman award was the absolute worst. Rex got jobbed in favor of Eric Freaking Crouch. Ridiculous. Still irks me.

Only 39, but in my lifetime, it's the worst. People get upset about 2008, but '01 was on a different level. Crouch didn't belong in NY anymore than he and his team deserved to be in Pasadena.

Heisman voters, hijackers and Dockett ruined what should've been a memorable season.

 

[oxrageous]

Do you remember the '99 season. Probably Spurrier's worst overall offense. And yet, there was a gunslinger sitting on the bench redshirting, while Johnson and Palmer bumbled their way to a very sub-par season. Why wasn't Grossman given a chance? For that matter, why did he essentially split carries in 2000? As Fever pointed out, we're not talking about a kid who's played admirably so far and looks better than his predecessor, at least before he's faced real challenges. We're talking about a kid who deserved, and nearly won the Heisman a year later. And he's splitting time with Jesse Palmer?

I already mentioned the Dean/DW scenario. Who knows if we even drop that Aub game if he plays the whole time.

It happens. That's coaching, and the best of them from time to time don't recognize that certain players may handle the pressure of games better and actually make their team better. It's partly wanting to run his system. But he even modified that at times last year as Franks got more comfortable. So it's mostly just thinking we have the best chance to win with a particular player and making what he feels is the best choice. And I'll repeat, outside of Mizzou, I don't think there's a single game last year where you can say Franks' performance was what lost it. Even Mizzou ran much deeper than QB play, imo. And as mentioned earlier, one of the great,and also awful, things about social media is that there is no hidden news. Just last week ut fans were commenting on dissent in the locker room because much of the team didn't want Gurantano any more. If there was clear cut evidence that Trask was the better player prior to him being inserted in Lexington, there's not a chance that we wouldn't have heard some grumblings somewhere over the last 12 months. This team has rallied around KT, but I don't think anyone felt that FF was holding us back while a better option stood idle.

When I say it's irrelevant, I guess the better wording would be "moot" at this point. I'm not alarmed that Trask has looked better because I think that can happen to even the best OC's. I'd rather see his development and the possibilities to come as one of the great stories like Bell and other walk-ons. Instead of manufacturing a negative or using as the newest installment of "I'm ok with Mullen, but....",(not saying you in particular, just an observation) I'm seeing this whole thing as really cool positive and the stuff our kids could be telling stories about one day.

These are some good points. But I think there's also a factor that benching QB's can be bad for teams psychologically, and coaches are wary of it. Or what if they bench a guy and the replacement is worse? Now you have throw the first guy back in, who is probably both pissed and shattered confidence-wise.

Rotating QB's is unlike any other position. When you bench an offensive lineman, nobody cares or blinks an eye. When a QB is pulled, it has a large impact. I think coaches get scared of that impact being negative in a mental sense as much as the actual play on the field.

 

[oxrageous]

However I'm not sure if what I stated above applies to Steve Spurrier. Yanking QB's has never seemed to phase him.

 

[Uncle Rob]

Not irrelevant at all. The argument isn't should Mullen have started a green freshman over the established Franks. Trask has been around as long a Franks. They're both 4th year Juniors. After 8 qtrs of football, its clear as day that Trask is ten times the QB Franks ever was, but somehow Mullen decided a guy that wasn't even good enough to beat KY was the right call, while he had a gunslinger sitting on the bench. That's concerning no matter how you spin it.

Franks was the starter because he beat USCe, Florida State, and Michigan to end the season and the team believed in him. Trask was injured at times when he might have won the starting job and was also tainted by the "has never been a starter" story. I can't really blame Mullen going with Franks. If he had not been injured and we lost to Kentucky, Mullen would have had a decision to make.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

However I'm not sure if what I stated above applies to Steve Spurrier. Yanking QB's has never seemed to phase him.

I was thinking the same thing. SOS is the only one I can think of in recent years who could seemingly get away with it. I wonder if it was because everyone knew he'd do it and do it regularly, that it never seemed to faze his QBs. Well, some of them anyway.

 

[gatormandan]

Franks was the starter because he beat USCe, Florida State, and Michigan to end the season and the team believed in him. Trask was injured at times when he might have won the starting job and was also tainted by the "has never been a starter" story. I can't really blame Mullen going with Franks. If he had not been injured and we lost to Kentucky, Mullen would have had a decision to make.

I would like to believe that if we lost to Ky Mullen would have made a switch but I don't. I think as long as Franks is healthy he starts.

 

[Deathroll]

I do recall SOS stating on several occasions that DW was not the "best" quarterback in practice but was somehow able to elevate his game when it was time to play. Maybe Trask is of the same mold.

 

[rogdochar]

I throw my support behind Sofla (sorry Sofla). I'm thinking that whenever Mullen considered swapping out Franks & Trask, he got butterflies in his stomach because it is a risky move. That plus it would be Mullen giving up his essential offense : Trask, apparently, is a "no-run" QB. IMO, Trask needs to do some effective running if that's the best choice and if he's facile enough to get 5+ yards. I'd like to see Trask gouge Auburn's D with some ad-lib runs to daylight - just not injure himself on his slides. Like to see us control things well enough to see EJ punish Auburn too.

Don't forget, as we watch Trask growing with experience, we may be watching our starting QB for next year.??

 

[lagator]

These are some good points. But I think there's also a factor that benching QB's can be bad for teams psychologically, and coaches are wary of it. Or what if they bench a guy and the replacement is worse? Now you have throw the first guy back in, who is probably both pissed and shattered confidence-wise.

Rotating QB's is unlike any other position. When you bench an offensive lineman, nobody cares or blinks an eye. When a QB is pulled, it has a large impact. I think coaches get scared of that impact being negative in a mental sense as much as the actual play on the field.

True, but if we had started the season with Trask as the starter there would have been no need to bench the starter.

On the other hand, to me it looks like the perfect scenario.

Look at it this way, Franks got the start avoiding controversy and dissension in the locker room. He earned it last year, and all the team was behind him. Then as fate had it, the more productive QB ended up in place in the best way possible for team motivation, obviously not the best for Franks who unfortunately suffered a terrible injury. But the way it happened, no one got benched and the team had added motivation to rally and win for their injured brother.

Meanwhile Trask avoided potential injury by sitting on the bench through the first 2.5 games until we actually needed him, then in a way that almost seems feel-good story scripted, the fickle finger of fate shows up and forces Mullen's hand. Trask steps in, controversy-free, and leads the comeback. He then gets a couple more tune-up games to get his legs under himself in time for the start of the real season (yeah, I listed to the Podcast Ox).

Now Trask, fully engulfed in the starter position, the most unlikely of hero's who couldn't even start in High School, gets to lead the disrespected team as a home underdogs with few giving this group of second-tier players and their misfit QB any chance against the Big Bad SEC West power.

Seriously, you couldn't make up a better story if you were writing it for a Hallmark after-school special. Only one question remains, can the kid actually play with the big boys?