Thought on QB battle...

[LynchburgVol]

It occurred to me that Kiffin probably wouldn't mind if Crompton won the starting job. It will make it easier to sell to a recruit that the current starting QB is a senior, and if the true frosh enrolls mid term could compete for the starting position.

[volchef]

Of course the "we've got nobody, we suck, you can start right away" argument works too :)

[real turf fan]

Their current most viewed thread.

http://www.cockytalk.com/showthread.php?t=93742

[OBs Dogs Nutsack Flea]

I'm not sold on Crompton at all.....I maintain that if Kiffin turns him into a decent quarterback, he should be the SEC coach of the year. I just pray that we're toughening up our O-Line and can run the ball...

[overact]

It won't take long for Crompton to shit his pants. Just wait. When the lights come on, no one's at home.

[GhenghisVol]

Play selection is going to help, I dont think we throw more than 20 times a game, but expanding the field, which is something Fulmer refused to do, is going to take a lot of pressure off. When Fulmer abandoned the middle of the field and stopped throwing deep we were doomed. Kiffin understands the vertical passing game, and he also understands that even incompletions are good when you are stretching the field.

Also junking Flummo's "pro" offense should keep the QB and receiver on the same page. Not surprising Crompton had zero confidence in himself last year, I had given up on Ainge too, we'll just have to wait and see but if Crompton flames out it wont be because the coaching staff broke him down from the inside out.

[wagee12]

It occurred to me that Kiffin probably wouldn't mind if Crompton won the starting job. It will make it easier to sell to a recruit that the current starting QB is a senior, and if the true frosh enrolls mid term could compete for the starting position.

A couple of points for you to consider:
1. I doubt Kiffin is figuring it that way. He is supremely confident in his ability to recruit, so much so that he cut two quarterbacks loose from the last signing class.
2. This is even more important than No. 1, Lane Kiffin wants to win this fall, not 2011 or 12, he wants to win every game he plays. He would not sacrifice the chance to win in order to gain some type of psycological edge in recruiting a big time quarterback prospect.
3. I think what he is doing now is trying to put some measure of confidence back into Crompy and see if he can salvage him from the scrap heap. Despite glowing reports from Buffalo Hind Part last year, Ruff Tuff struggled in major scrimmages leading up the spring orchestrated exercise in which Crompy threw against reserves only.
4. Personally, I have zero confidence in Ruff Tuff ever being able to handle the mental aspects of a game. However, I will yield to the coaches on this one. Between Kiffin, Chaney and Reaves, they probably are starting to get a handle on things in Knoxville.

[ONUV]

remember last year's spring game where crompton played fairly well? he had performed poorly till the spring game but miraculously came through in the spring game. it was all a conspiracy by fulmer to stop a QB controversy from happening. these political moves eventually got him fired.

[IndianVol]

It occurred to me that Kiffin probably wouldn't mind if Crompton won the starting job. It will make it easier to sell to a recruit that the current starting QB is a senior, and if the true frosh enrolls mid term could compete for the starting position.

Kiffin will start the QB that gives us the best chance to win, but this year it will be a lot of running the ball and have the QB just "manage" the game.

[Napervol]

remember last year's spring game where crompton played fairly well? he had performed poorly till the spring game but miraculously came through in the spring game. it was all a conspiracy by fulmer to stop a QB controversy from happening. these political moves eventually got him fired.

yep, Rufftuff will not start..and may never play again...I do not care what is going on right now. Kiffin would have to be dumber than dirt shit to not know the booing that went on from the fans due to the ineptness of Crompton last year. He gets in a game and does the same shit this year, the same boos will be there. We have had enough of people playing who just do not have the aptitude.

[LWSVOL]

A couple of points for you to consider:
1. I doubt Kiffin is figuring it that way. He is supremely confident in his ability to recruit, so much so that he cut two quarterbacks loose from the last signing class.
2. This is even more important than No. 1, Lane Kiffin wants to win this fall, not 2011 or 12, he wants to win every game he plays. He would not sacrifice the chance to win in order to gain some type of psycological edge in recruiting a big time quarterback prospect.
3. I think what he is doing now is trying to put some measure of confidence back into Crompy and see if he can salvage him from the scrap heap. Despite glowing reports from Buffalo Hind Part last year, Ruff Tuff struggled in major scrimmages leading up the spring orchestrated exercise in which Crompy threw against reserves only.
4. Personally, I have zero confidence in Ruff Tuff ever being able to handle the mental aspects of a game. However, I will yield to the coaches on this one. Between Kiffin, Chaney and Reaves, they probably are starting to get a handle on things in Knoxville.

yes sir. he is going to try to win and the QB (and any other position) will be the one he believes gives him the best chance. Coaches think no other way and Orgeron would kill him if he tried anything different than the best. If Monte didn't kill him first..:bigsmile:

[smithtn]

Regarding Crompton and the way the coaches are treating him in the media, maybe you need to think about leadership a little.

The reason these guys are saying the stuff that is positive about him is to try to develop him. They had no choice, at the beginning of practice with Stephens hurt, unless they wanted Coleman to be their starter---and he is not ready. Great guy, has charisma, but is not ready and a long way from being what is needed, at this point, to win in the SEC. His supporters from Chattanooga not withstanding, he cannot beat Crompton in normal run of the mill situations where plays are going to be called for the Vols. The edge that Coleman has is his ability to think; the called play takes about 80% of that away. Crompton's physical ability to take punishment and his much better arm are important, with the way plays will be called in this offense---especially with a not-ready-for-prime-time Offensive Line.

Stephens' return fixes the QB problem, a bit. Note also that these coaches did not say anything to the media that is negative about Stephens, either. They are using the same leadership principles to encourage him through a tough situation. If Dave Clausson had been here still, he would have found several ways to demean Stephens in the media by now, because Clausson did not want Cutcliffe's recruit to succeed. Also, Clausson had never coached in a conference with this much athletic ability; his system was designed to make bad athletes able to win over other bad athletes in small conferences.

These coaches are not at all like Dave the Doofus last year, who was such a little controlling twit that he managed by demeaning. You had to know something was trouble about hiim when he argued with Phillip Fulmer, day three.

(Yeah, go ahead and make disparaging comments about Phillip. So far his record, win percentage and production to UT have all eclipsed any coach on this staff. And Dave Claussen was certainly not competent, qualified or good enough to be mouthing off to him, as was later proved.) Monte Kiffin is a legend, and several; of the other coaches are great coaches, too. But Fulmer's % is three times what Lane Kiffin's is.

As far as QB goes, I think Stephens will start. He has the opportunity to be coached by a great OC, a great QB coach, and learn about receivers from a guy who really knows hot to teach them, and to make sure they play on the same page as the QB. I suspect that Stephens will be amazing at times this year, and that the coaches will be consistent enough to be able to help him get better, rather than destroy his attitude.

Unless something happens---like Stephens unable to come back from injury, or something---Crompton will be # 2; and Coleman will be frustrated once more. But the most important point about it all is that they will begin to build confidence in Stephens. If he works in the dedicated manner he has already---and does not relax or lose his focus, he can be the difference between 6-6 and 9 & 3---between a BOWL GAME and a bowl game---provided the OL takes the coaching, and the receivers take coaching. The coaching for receivers is certainly better than Claussen's division II receivers coach he brought with him---and that is said just because the receivers coach can find Knoxville and intends to make sure the receivers run the routes, rather than get lost and need to be retrained between series.

Stephens will be named the starter in the fall and not named now to keep up competition, I believe; unless some of the OL's allow the D at him, as was suggested was going on last year, with the posts saying that from people who implied conspiratorial things, etc. That allegation stunned me, when it was made, as did supporting posts. And reports of that happening on the UT OL before to Casey Clausen by a respected pro---who supposedly told a well known booster about it---were the kind of thing that almost made me mail back my Orange Power T cap.

But a lot of those bozos from last year who were supposedly involved are bozoed outa town.


The shotgun is different and more demanding,depending on how it will be used. It can be that, with the lack of depth at OL, UT will use it to supplement the run, because it certainly can be used that way, if a weak OL or thin OL is involved. And that is one of the advantages of zone blocking, in that it will allow weak OL depth or quality to be used to deliver running yards, depending. The shotgun is problematic for QB's who have trouble with their reads and progressions, because it requires real reads, rather than progressions down the line through the sequence. It needs a a guy who can think clearly and who has the mental discipline to do certain things.

Stephens does, and has the big arm. Plus he has a major league QB coach teaching him. This could be fun, with receivers getting competent coaching.

I do not see Crompton as having that mental discipline, based on the games & practice stuff I've seen

Coleman has the discipline, but is only marginal at the arm needed, IMO. And once Stephens is back in full competition,
Coleman's reps will go down, as will Crompton's, ultimately, I believe.

[GhenghisVol]

I've been talking about leadership and confidence building for over a month, sorry you missed it.

If Coleman cant shine in the current situation, its unlikely he'll ever be #1. There's already rumors of him transferring over on Volqueers. I dont think any amount of confidence building is going to resurrect Crompton, I agree Stephens is clearly superior. I just hope the staff fixes his release because its unnaturral. He rolls his hand underneath the ball then finishes across his chest. Weirdest thing I ever saw. If this staff can fix his mechanics I think he'll be a very good QB.

[Chatta Vol]

The weirdest thing just happened, I read all of one of Shitty's post. I do the usual thing where i read the first to lines, laugh, say my usual" Shitty you goofy bastard" (i dont post it anymore but i still think it everytime) ...but it kinda made sense and before i knew it, i had finished it, allll of it. Is it me? I'm I all f'ed up now, WTF just happened???

Now keep in mind, i'm comparing that post to all Shitty's other black helicopter post....having said that, Smitty that was a almost decent post, good job.

(WTF did i just do?)

[Polemicvol]

I like the zone blocking scheme as a predicate to running the ball. That's what the Denver Broncos have done for years in the NFL.

When a team can run the ball, it will make the QB's job about 1,000% easier. When your team can't pick up third and one worth a shit, then you are fucked as a QB in any scheme we've seen in Knoxville. Except perhaps in the "hurry up" shotgun offense we ran for two years in Cutcliffe's 2nd coming.

If the QB's lined up under center in an offense that can't run the ball, then he's gonna throw a lot of balls at the worms and to the cheerleaders. Cause he's gonna be running for his life.

Crompton might be functional in this new system. I know he sure looked bad in the Clausen offense. Maybe he can just keep us from losing the game by minimizing mistakes. He's a senior, you would think he could do that.

[Smokeys Marauders]

I did the same thing, I may have to change my avatar-picture-thingy-mo-bob, and no mention of Trooper either.

[Polemicvol]

It's just a different kind of dotage.

But the thread runs through it. Univ. of Dillip Dulmer defense, first and foremost. Blame Clausen always. Then string together a bunch of logical fallacies so someone might be fooled into thinking that maybe, somehow, smith made sense.

He doesn't.