Ok, you probably read the title and you think I'm crazy. When I proposed this idea to Mike in one of the many text discussions we have daily he told me specifically that "I will call you crazy" and it will not be the last time someone calls me crazy.....
But I think that OSU Football should NOT take a QB in this cycle and I am going to lay out my 4 Reasons why OSU should not take a QB this cycle and I want to hear your thoughts!
1. This is a "Down" Year for QBs
Regardless of the region, this is not the best year for the numbers of high quality, cornerstone QBs. The ones that are of that quality know it and they are leveraging it. They are in the driver's seat. So a program like OSU is going to be at the very back of the line while the blue bloods of college football and other winning programs get their QB. That's fine with me, 2020 is supposed to be one of the best years both in Oregon and around the country for alot of positions including QB. By then, the current staff will have a track record to speak about and have a much easier time getting a cornerstone QB to commit
2. Our Current QB Roster is Front Loaded
Here is our current roster of QBs as listed on the online roster this morning:
Dukart - Incoming Freshman
Willard - Redshirt Freshman
Blount - Redshirt Sophomore
Colletto - Sophomore
Moore: Redshirt Freshman
Luton: Senior
So right now we have 6 quarterbacks on the roster and we really don't know how good they can be given the new coaching staff and new playbook. So why not let them have a year to figure it out and let the coaches figure out the real pecking order and the talent? It's not like we have 4 graduating, we have time. I believe there is definitely talent on our QB roster, we just haven't had enough time yet to see it and haven't had the right coaches to develop what we have.
3. Our Current Coaches are New and Have Alot to Prove
We all like Smith and we all know that this is his alma mater and this is definitely his passion. We have definitely upgraded in terms of coaches across the board. But none of that matters to a 4 star QB right now who is looking at the program from the outside. What he sees is this: 4-20 over two years and an all new coaching staff. So why try to convince a 4 star kid to come to OSU when UCLA, Cal, Georgia, WSU and Colorado all have track records better than we do? For that matter why try to even stretch a good 3 star to come to OSU? Look, let's be honest. We don't need just another QB, we need to seriously upgrade the talent at QB. So what that means to me is that unless you really have that "cornerstone" QB like a Bachmeier, then let it go, focus on the guys we have and make them better, and start reaching out to the 2020 kids and really go after one of them? I think that when the current season ends, our coaching staff will have a compelling story to tell. So focus on telling that story to a true 4 star 2020 QB.
4. Focus on building What the Blue Bloods have: Linemen and Speed
Take a moment and think about 3 programs, one in the Pac 12 and 2 nationally that are all accepted as "blue bloods". For my 3, I am picking Stanford, Ohio State and Georgia. One of the many factors that makes them this perennially is this: They have incredible OL and DL and Speed. Year after year. So why not focus on this?
Stanford hasn't changed their game plan since Shaw became head coach. You know what is coming, you still can't stop it. Why? Line play and speed. Ohio State puts OL and DL into the NFL every year and they are big and they are quick. Georgia does the same. They focus every single year on making sure that they have OL, DL and speed. Heck, some could even argue that Stanford doesn't even have that much speed, but they still beat you. If you look at Bama, LSU, Michigan, Auburn and a few other perennial power house programs you see this trend over and over. Offensive juggernaut line, Defensive Line and speed. So what is the situation at OSU?
Currently Sumner Houston is senior and we have not had a true "center" for awhile. If you have been following @beavernation and a few others with me, you know that I am passionate about the need for a true, cornerstone center. One that has played the position in high school at least 3 years or a JuCo transfer that has played the position for at least 2 years and has at least a 2/2 or even better a 3/3 for eligibility. There are only 2 people in football that touch the ball every play, the QB and the center, so why not focus on this very important position for that 2020 QB that we will land? Our OL is good for now, but you can always get better. So let's get better!
We all know that DL is thinner than rice paper so that has to be a focus. Enough said there.
So the last thing I would focus on? Speed. Speed kills, speed wins games, and right now we could use more speed at WR, more speed at RB, and and speed at LB. So for me, I would rather have a 4 star center, a 4 star stud WR with killer speed, and more OL and especially DL.
So that is why I believe that OSU should not take a QB this cycle. I believe that we can and will succeed, have the right coaching staff (yes I said that with the last clowns) and we will have a much better product on the field this year. So let's focus on what makes other power house programs good year after year and then focus on "that guy" in 2020 for the above reasons.
Did I miss a good reason? What are your thoughts?
But I think that OSU Football should NOT take a QB in this cycle and I am going to lay out my 4 Reasons why OSU should not take a QB this cycle and I want to hear your thoughts!
1. This is a "Down" Year for QBs
Regardless of the region, this is not the best year for the numbers of high quality, cornerstone QBs. The ones that are of that quality know it and they are leveraging it. They are in the driver's seat. So a program like OSU is going to be at the very back of the line while the blue bloods of college football and other winning programs get their QB. That's fine with me, 2020 is supposed to be one of the best years both in Oregon and around the country for alot of positions including QB. By then, the current staff will have a track record to speak about and have a much easier time getting a cornerstone QB to commit
2. Our Current QB Roster is Front Loaded
Here is our current roster of QBs as listed on the online roster this morning:
Dukart - Incoming Freshman
Willard - Redshirt Freshman
Blount - Redshirt Sophomore
Colletto - Sophomore
Moore: Redshirt Freshman
Luton: Senior
So right now we have 6 quarterbacks on the roster and we really don't know how good they can be given the new coaching staff and new playbook. So why not let them have a year to figure it out and let the coaches figure out the real pecking order and the talent? It's not like we have 4 graduating, we have time. I believe there is definitely talent on our QB roster, we just haven't had enough time yet to see it and haven't had the right coaches to develop what we have.
3. Our Current Coaches are New and Have Alot to Prove
We all like Smith and we all know that this is his alma mater and this is definitely his passion. We have definitely upgraded in terms of coaches across the board. But none of that matters to a 4 star QB right now who is looking at the program from the outside. What he sees is this: 4-20 over two years and an all new coaching staff. So why try to convince a 4 star kid to come to OSU when UCLA, Cal, Georgia, WSU and Colorado all have track records better than we do? For that matter why try to even stretch a good 3 star to come to OSU? Look, let's be honest. We don't need just another QB, we need to seriously upgrade the talent at QB. So what that means to me is that unless you really have that "cornerstone" QB like a Bachmeier, then let it go, focus on the guys we have and make them better, and start reaching out to the 2020 kids and really go after one of them? I think that when the current season ends, our coaching staff will have a compelling story to tell. So focus on telling that story to a true 4 star 2020 QB.
4. Focus on building What the Blue Bloods have: Linemen and Speed
Take a moment and think about 3 programs, one in the Pac 12 and 2 nationally that are all accepted as "blue bloods". For my 3, I am picking Stanford, Ohio State and Georgia. One of the many factors that makes them this perennially is this: They have incredible OL and DL and Speed. Year after year. So why not focus on this?
Stanford hasn't changed their game plan since Shaw became head coach. You know what is coming, you still can't stop it. Why? Line play and speed. Ohio State puts OL and DL into the NFL every year and they are big and they are quick. Georgia does the same. They focus every single year on making sure that they have OL, DL and speed. Heck, some could even argue that Stanford doesn't even have that much speed, but they still beat you. If you look at Bama, LSU, Michigan, Auburn and a few other perennial power house programs you see this trend over and over. Offensive juggernaut line, Defensive Line and speed. So what is the situation at OSU?
Currently Sumner Houston is senior and we have not had a true "center" for awhile. If you have been following @beavernation and a few others with me, you know that I am passionate about the need for a true, cornerstone center. One that has played the position in high school at least 3 years or a JuCo transfer that has played the position for at least 2 years and has at least a 2/2 or even better a 3/3 for eligibility. There are only 2 people in football that touch the ball every play, the QB and the center, so why not focus on this very important position for that 2020 QB that we will land? Our OL is good for now, but you can always get better. So let's get better!
We all know that DL is thinner than rice paper so that has to be a focus. Enough said there.
So the last thing I would focus on? Speed. Speed kills, speed wins games, and right now we could use more speed at WR, more speed at RB, and and speed at LB. So for me, I would rather have a 4 star center, a 4 star stud WR with killer speed, and more OL and especially DL.
So that is why I believe that OSU should not take a QB this cycle. I believe that we can and will succeed, have the right coaching staff (yes I said that with the last clowns) and we will have a much better product on the field this year. So let's focus on what makes other power house programs good year after year and then focus on "that guy" in 2020 for the above reasons.
Did I miss a good reason? What are your thoughts?
