Peacefrog
Degenerate
I really enjoyed our last play on offense.
College Football’s Freshman Quarterbacks Aren’t Playing Like Freshmen
- Thread starter funkytownfrog
- Start date
Purp
Active Member
That makes one of us.
VA Froggie
Active Member
Totally agree, he is not playing like a Freshman, has tremendous composure. Yes is throwing a very hard ball but that is correctable. Between his ears, appears very much in control.
KillerFrog InD KitchenSink
Active Member
I think it is too early to judge Duggan, but he certainly is not one of these take the league by storm right away freshmen we’ve seen around the sport. Doesn’t mean he won’t be great. I do think we will see him start this game. If he clicks right away, it could be his show exclusively against SMU. But if he shows he continues to be inconsistent in the first few series, I bet we will continue to rotate them this game. Keep the training wheels on until he shows he can ride.
jake102
Active Member
I’d argue that through two games our WRs are the worst P5 WRs.... and I watch a lot of football. They are probably the worst group I’ve seen at P5 in a few years. Only two games, but the drop % would likely be close to 25% of all catchable balls. Take away the screens and quick outs and the number is likely north of 50%. Dropped every single slant and intermediate route against Purdue, it was actually kind of remarkable.
Froggish
Active Member
Sadly I don’t think this is a stretch..WRs have been awful. So bad it’s almost hard to determine just where Duggan or Delton are at. It’s can’t be stated enough how little help the WRs are giving the QBs. Passes are never going to be perfect but most have been catchable balls. At some point a receiver has to just make a play. 50/50 balls are part of the game.
Why do we seem to be one of the few programs who doesn’t sit a WR on the bench when he can’t catch..We just keep lining him up. As far as I’m concerned DDavis needs to sit for a while. We given him a ton of chances to be a hero.
QB goal is to consistently see 225 yards and a 65% completion rate to contend for a title.
Moose Stuff
Active Member
More Frogs the Better
Full Member
I think if you look at what a QB is supposed to do, then he's playing beyond his years. He has shown composure, ability to read defenses, ability to actually go through progressions, toughness, mental awareness. Yeah, he throws some balls too hard but think of all the stuff he is doing right and it's not surprising that there is one aspect of the college game that is still a little quick. He's not forcing throws and not seeing defenders, just rushing them a bit at the moment he pulls the trigger. It will get better.
Hopefully, the receivers pick it up. I watched most of the Clemson/A&M game and Trevor Lawrence threw quite a few passes that weren't perfect, even though he is supposed to be all everything, but his receivers made some plays. Combine some better play from the receivers with him developing a little more touch, and he is very capable of producing good and perhaps sometimes exceptional QB play.
Hopefully, the receivers pick it up. I watched most of the Clemson/A&M game and Trevor Lawrence threw quite a few passes that weren't perfect, even though he is supposed to be all everything, but his receivers made some plays. Combine some better play from the receivers with him developing a little more touch, and he is very capable of producing good and perhaps sometimes exceptional QB play.
They've been poor, but I don't think our system and route designs do much to help our guys get open either. We hardly ever spring guys open for the routine 7-10 yard catches that some other teams seem to complete on a routine basis, I gotta think there's something that we're doing from a schematic standpoint that's making it hard for guys to run free. Too many plays where everyone is blanketed and I have a hard time believing it's always because our guys can't run routes.
You are right though, we literally did not complete one pass to a WR that wasn't directed straight toward the sideline besides the Davis TD and that kind of looked like a broken play. That is remarkable.
Jake, a brutal assessment, but sadly true, and it is sad.
I had such optimistic hopes for Meeking, Hunt, and Stephens. Size, athletic ability, length, etc. It appeared we had a good recruiting class for receivers. Now look, Meeking is gone and Hunt and Stephens are basically no shows for consistent production.
There is a way out of this though, QB performance aside for a minute with a starting receiver group of Reagor, Al'Dontre, Barber, Barkley, and Pro Wells. And......since we have a stable of good running backs, use more of a 2 back set where Anderson and Sewo can catch the ball in space - they do have hands. IMO, this rotation will work.
Limp Lizard
Full Member
I watched the "condensed" version of the Purdue game yesterday. Of course there were the drops and overthrows. But every throw by Duggan was to an open receiver, with none of the usual bad decisions one sees in young QBs. Even as a Senior Dalton would often throw into the teeth of a double or triple team. Duggan has the arm strength and decision making ability. All he needs is a little more finess and he will be fine.
Froggish
Active Member
He may very well be playing like a freshman...BUT not like one we've ever had around here....
Important to recognize that at this point we are just spoon feeding Duggan.
1. He hasn't been named the starter.
2. He's splitting reps in games AND in practice which impedes development.
3. Dalton and SRob both averaged 30+ Passing attempts in their first 4 games out. Max is averaging 20 so far..We have yet to ask him to win us game with his arm.
4. He's really not played in a game where we were behind..How do you know if a QB is any good if he never has to carry a team? Boykin and Dalton could do that. SRob absolutely could not.
Important to recognize that at this point we are just spoon feeding Duggan.
1. He hasn't been named the starter.
2. He's splitting reps in games AND in practice which impedes development.
3. Dalton and SRob both averaged 30+ Passing attempts in their first 4 games out. Max is averaging 20 so far..We have yet to ask him to win us game with his arm.
4. He's really not played in a game where we were behind..How do you know if a QB is any good if he never has to carry a team? Boykin and Dalton could do that. SRob absolutely could not.
82 Frog Fever
Active Member
The thing to look for is Max’s growth in the next 2 games. After that, I doubt there will be any question about playing like a freshman.
Last year I would have said this is spot on; however, I have been impressed with the ability of our receivers to get more open. I don't know if they are better route runners or we have better play design but there has been an improvement. Last year it felt like we could never get guys open. Through two games this year we have had a bunch of guys open but unfortunately they completely forgot how to catch the ball. I still think there is plenty of room for improvement. We do not get guys open like OU but I have seen improvement from last year.
Billy Clyde
Active Member
Liked for the reference to Jamelle Holieway. Can't ever think of or read that name without Keith Jackson's voice in my head: "HolieWAAAAAAAY!" God I miss that man's voice on Fall Saturdays.
Also- If Max had been the QB here the last 2 seasons, we'd have won 3 National Championships. He's that much better than errbody.
Also- If Max had been the QB here the last 2 seasons, we'd have won 3 National Championships. He's that much better than errbody.
NewFrogFan
Full Member
Yes. Witness Joe Burrow 2018 vs 2019. For all those waiting to pounce, the post merely has to do with drastic improvement from one year to next. The larger piece for TCU is the fact that there is a large number of very good players that will not be here next year, so the issues could be totally different next year.
Uncle_Frog
Active Member
When watching the game live I thought Duggan made some poor throws that were simply too hard. He did that a few times and sailed one or two throws.
However, I watched the "condensed game" on Youtube and his throws weren't as bad as originally thought. Actually it seemed like 3/4 were essentially on target. I came away thinking our WRs looked awful and simply can't catch. There was one series where the WRs dropped three passes in a row that all would have been first downs. All three were catchable balls. That kind of WR play has to affect a QB if he starts to lose confidence in his WRs.
