Re: Dubois Article in Monday Advocate re: Russell Unappreciated

I think once people get in their heads that the fault goes to the coaches for playing hurt players when we have 2 studs on the bench, they will shut up about Flynn.

I blame talk radio and internet boards around here for never mentioning that fact. Or, I could blame the coaching staff for not telling anyone about it. :hihi:

 

Like the opponents for instance?

 

You missed the :hihi:

 

No, No, No....I'm not saying that at all.
If the O-line consistently lets down JR and he gets sacked a lot because he is not mobile enough, putting a running QB in there that can scramble, maybe needed.

The only way this happens is if, JR struggles reading Def's, doesn't make quick & sound decisions, and WR's aren't getting open, then JR will struggle and we may need another QB with another dimension to keep the Def's honest.

I'm behind JR 100% and he will be awesome this season because I think he is improved in the touch passes, accuracy, and reading Def's. He will have an amazing year if the O-line gives him time and creates running lanes for the RB's.

 

I appreciate Russell, and I don't think there is a lack of appreciation among most Tiger fans. JR looked like the sophomore he was last season. You can't expect a raw sophomore to look like a polished senior QB, you have no right to expect it. Just because he is a big kid, does not mean he matured faster or got 2 years of experience without playing on the field. It takes 2 years of playing to get 2 years of experience.

Yes, Flynn is good, he showed it in the Peach Bowl. But you have to trust Les and Jimbo want whats best for the team.

Dubois may be trying to create a story where there is none. I think JR played very well last season for an untested sophomore.

I expected him to progress this season, and based on week one, he has done nothing to quash that expectation, but he will have to prove it against better competition. He may be here two more years, and as a sr. QB, I'd expect him to be pretty polished by then.

 

Truth is, Nick should have let it ride with JR in the '04 season and Marcus Randall become the saftey that he is today. This discussion would not be happening, if that had been the case. Nick is a great coach and that's the decision he made and we live with. 20/20 hindsight is great for all us pee wee coaches and arm chair qbs...

JR is a great qb and will be even greater by the end of this year, maybe the best to ever wear purple and gold. Matt Flynn will make lots of money on Sundays in the NFL, also. He may even be called upon to be a hero, again for the Tigers. Thank God he is there and has the attitude that he does.

RP will make his name soon enough. Les Miles has handled the situation about as perfectly as you could ask for.

We are blessed with 3 great young men and QB's!!!

Let's kick some mildcat a$$!!

GEAUX TIGERS!!!!

 

I think a lot of people saw Flynn do things with ease that continually escaped Russell, and allowed the offense to run a lot more smoothly than it had been the rest of the year. I never made any assessment about who I thought should start since I don't get to see them work/practice, but I don't necessarily think that the biggest arm is always the safest bet. I've made the case for Flynn's ability to lead the team based on his leadership skills, quick-thinking, and running ability. And I've also always contended that Russell would be unstoppable if he improved in certain areas, but also noted that he hadn't shown such improvement over the course of his tenure.

From what I saw Saturday, it seems as though he is coming along quite nicely in that respect. The USL defenders were talking about how he was changing the play at the line, and saying that it was like he knew what defense they were running. That sounds quite promising. I think it's easy to get somewhat over-excited after seeing the offense go vertical so much, so I don't want to make any premature assessments. I mean, it was just USL. But, if he can improve on that performance against much stiffer competition, we will own the SEC.