- Feb 4, 2015
- 3,673
- 5,746
I may get flack here but I'm not throwing this dude under the bus. Mac and Nuss know their business, and I feel Mac made the best choice he could on a starter, but he's untested, really untested, and there are two things gnawing at me about our QB that really won't be made clear until big boy football starts vs SEC defenses.
1. Arm strength: He would seem to have the least of all four on the roster. His knowledge of the schemes has helped him run things, and he looked solid vs the second stringers in the O and B game, but Mac said there have been some bad INTs in practice and I saw another sure one go through Harris's hands. He doesn't get it downfield like the others and if he can't put the necessary zip on it, SEC DB's will feast.
2. Escapability: Our defenders have said Austin can extend plays better than Del Rio can. He's more athletic and has the stronger arm. In fact, it seems as if all three of the other guys are more athletic and able to scramble better. If our OL has not taken as many steps forward as we hope, and let's face it, they were atrocious when pass protecting last year, Del Rio will be a sack dummy.
UK, and certainly UT, will have game tape to look at and they will know Del Rio's tendencies, as well as how Mac and Nuss are going to try to call the game with him in at QB. Just knowing the schemes and where guys are going to be won't be enough cuz the bad guys will too.
Mac and Nuss know what they're doing; I trust their player evaluation and they'll game plan the best they can, and my hope is that the OL and RB pool are good enough to alleviate any pressure on Del Rio to carry the game to the opponent, but the intensity and speed of play in weeks two and four are going to be on a completely different level from anything he's seen in practice and it'll be against two teams that we beat by a combined total of six points last year.
I hope that, come September 25th, I can laugh at myself for having even a shred of doubt about him after we make it 12 vs UT. But our QB and OL play are by far the two biggest question marks going into the season.
1. Arm strength: He would seem to have the least of all four on the roster. His knowledge of the schemes has helped him run things, and he looked solid vs the second stringers in the O and B game, but Mac said there have been some bad INTs in practice and I saw another sure one go through Harris's hands. He doesn't get it downfield like the others and if he can't put the necessary zip on it, SEC DB's will feast.
2. Escapability: Our defenders have said Austin can extend plays better than Del Rio can. He's more athletic and has the stronger arm. In fact, it seems as if all three of the other guys are more athletic and able to scramble better. If our OL has not taken as many steps forward as we hope, and let's face it, they were atrocious when pass protecting last year, Del Rio will be a sack dummy.
UK, and certainly UT, will have game tape to look at and they will know Del Rio's tendencies, as well as how Mac and Nuss are going to try to call the game with him in at QB. Just knowing the schemes and where guys are going to be won't be enough cuz the bad guys will too.
Mac and Nuss know what they're doing; I trust their player evaluation and they'll game plan the best they can, and my hope is that the OL and RB pool are good enough to alleviate any pressure on Del Rio to carry the game to the opponent, but the intensity and speed of play in weeks two and four are going to be on a completely different level from anything he's seen in practice and it'll be against two teams that we beat by a combined total of six points last year.
I hope that, come September 25th, I can laugh at myself for having even a shred of doubt about him after we make it 12 vs UT. But our QB and OL play are by far the two biggest question marks going into the season.
You're too easy, Mr. Unacceptable. 
