So, then i pose this question to you. Was Tebow a product of Meyer? Or... does Meyer owe all of his accolades to Tim Tebow, and did Tebow create an illusion of Meyer being a lot better coach than he actually is?
Too soon to tell. I'm not gonna bag on Meyer for one year of "not quite as good as the last four" because i agree with izz; you just don't lose a kid of that caliber and say, "Ain't no biggie, we'll just reload." Yeah, uh, good luck with that. Mandel made that same point; Tebow's and Harvin's just don't grow on trees. Those aren't just rivals.com five-stars, those are "once-in-a-generation" athletes. And great players always make coaches look good. Had Ryan Mallett transferred to here instead of Arkansas, we might be looking at Miles/Crowton a little differently. I also think that Meyer/Addazio are very close to botching up their QB situation just as badly as Miles/Crowton have over here. If Burton goes down with an injury (not out of the realm of possibility) or can't throw very well (and he can't, yet) they are screwed.
Brantley is a 3rd generation legacy, he wasn't going anywhere else. Meyer never thought he'd be the starter, because he signed Cam Newton the same year.
At this point in time I'd say 70% Tebow, 30% Meyer. Tebow was basically a fullback playing QB who had just enough of an arm to keep defenses honest, and had Harvin to give LBs fits trying to chase/cover him. Meyer was smart enough to draw up a game plan that utilized that combination of talent well, but that's pretty hard for a coach to screw up, even Crowton. Tebow's physical abilities and leadership just can't be taught. Meyer is a good coach, but he strikes me as a "system" coach who needs the right personnel to make things happen, and he has benefited from excellent recruiting.
The option is much more a part of the scheme for Meyer's Florida teams. Brantley is poorly built to run it, but the offense doesn't work without it. It seems to be an add-on for LSU's offense. Jefferson runs too fast to the outside, not forcing the DE to make a decision. If one player can cover both the QB and the running back, the option won't work. The problem is that Crowton is committed to the pass and doesn't seem to know how to teach the reads necessary to run it correctly. Not sure why he has it in the play book. GEAUX TIGERS
