This probably isn't worth it's own thread, but I thought it was pretty interesting.
On my fairly long commute in to work today, was listening to Rick Neuheisel on a satellite radio show call "Full Ride". He was commenting upon the various folks named starting QB this week.
A few nuggets that relate to us.
1. He noted that most of these "competitions" are really not particularly close, and most were really decided long ago. The coaches like to describe the competitions as "extremely close" and keep them going because they don't want the guy who wins to get complacent and they want to keep the guy who loses involved, improving, and keep him from transferring out.
I've mentioned this effect a few times in discussions about how our QB competitions were going - or had gone. For example, I don't think that Nunes-Nottingham in 2012 was much of a competition, despite the fact that most fans were wrong about who was going to win. In fact, as far back as the 2012 spring game, and more strongly in the open fall scrimmage, it was clear that Nunes had the featured position and got most time with the first stringers. The fact that once Nunes was struggling, Nottingham never came in was further evidence he was not in fact close.
Which leads to point #2 ...Â
2. This year, Stanford's competition may in fact have been close, or at least decided late.
Neuheisel claims that last spring while visiting Stanford, he saw Chryst penciled as the prospective starter and the coaches spoke about his as if he would be starting. However, he says that Burns simply outperformed Chryst on the field this fall, forced the coaches' hand, and that the staff wouldn't have been able to look the players in the eye if they hadn't gone with Burns.
Now Neuheisel likes to talk, so I am not quite sure just how much in the details I believe him here, but he does have access to some inside information.
3. Which Neuheisel then contrasted with the situation at U$C.
He claimed that the coaches wanted to reward Browne for his patience and years spent in the program. However, he claimed that there was substantial grumbling around the locker room that Darnold had actually been playing better. Neuheisel ended with a warning that there could be some upheavel in Trohan-land if things don't get off to a decent start.
On my fairly long commute in to work today, was listening to Rick Neuheisel on a satellite radio show call "Full Ride". He was commenting upon the various folks named starting QB this week.
A few nuggets that relate to us.
1. He noted that most of these "competitions" are really not particularly close, and most were really decided long ago. The coaches like to describe the competitions as "extremely close" and keep them going because they don't want the guy who wins to get complacent and they want to keep the guy who loses involved, improving, and keep him from transferring out.
I've mentioned this effect a few times in discussions about how our QB competitions were going - or had gone. For example, I don't think that Nunes-Nottingham in 2012 was much of a competition, despite the fact that most fans were wrong about who was going to win. In fact, as far back as the 2012 spring game, and more strongly in the open fall scrimmage, it was clear that Nunes had the featured position and got most time with the first stringers. The fact that once Nunes was struggling, Nottingham never came in was further evidence he was not in fact close.
Which leads to point #2 ...Â
2. This year, Stanford's competition may in fact have been close, or at least decided late.
Neuheisel claims that last spring while visiting Stanford, he saw Chryst penciled as the prospective starter and the coaches spoke about his as if he would be starting. However, he says that Burns simply outperformed Chryst on the field this fall, forced the coaches' hand, and that the staff wouldn't have been able to look the players in the eye if they hadn't gone with Burns.
Now Neuheisel likes to talk, so I am not quite sure just how much in the details I believe him here, but he does have access to some inside information.
3. Which Neuheisel then contrasted with the situation at U$C.
He claimed that the coaches wanted to reward Browne for his patience and years spent in the program. However, he claimed that there was substantial grumbling around the locker room that Darnold had actually been playing better. Neuheisel ended with a warning that there could be some upheavel in Trohan-land if things don't get off to a decent start.