[qwerty49]

[quote author=qwerty49 link=topic=17483.msg202728#msg202728 date=1506318154]My impression of the "steadying influence" was distinctly different from Shaw's.  I thought Burns was not mentally prepared to come in when Chryst got hurt, and I thought that showed in his play.  I suspected last year after he lost the starting job that Burns lost focus and intensity.  When there were moments last year when Chryst was not, um, necessarily stellar, I looked in my binoculars for Burns on the sidelines.  He was never anywhere near the coaches -- always somewhere near the end of the sidelines, smiling, joking, but not outwardly into the flow of what was happening on the field.  I guess I'm just used to the cliche view of the backup QB with a visor and a headset, next to the coach, relaying messages from the eye in the sky OC, clearly engaged with the flow of the game.

Just my impression.

The article in question was about the Spring Game, and specifically about Burns coming in after Costello had been bad. CTCard was saying that Shaw might have felt similarly about this game. Shaw didn't say anything about his rationale for swapping Burns and Costello against UCLA, as far as I saw.
[/quote]

Ah, yes, my bad. I was actually really hoping Shaw didn't say that about the UCLA game. But I'll stand behind my impression of Burns. He just didn't look like he was ready when called on. Granted, it's a tough situation, but a QB has to be really focused on what's happening, whether he's on the field or not.

[qwerty49]

[quote author=qwerty49 link=topic=17483.msg202728#msg202728 date=1506318154]My impression of the "steadying influence" was distinctly different from Shaw's.  I thought Burns was not mentally prepared to come in when Chryst got hurt, and I thought that showed in his play.  I suspected last year after he lost the starting job that Burns lost focus and intensity.  When there were moments last year when Chryst was not, um, necessarily stellar, I looked in my binoculars for Burns on the sidelines.  He was never anywhere near the coaches -- always somewhere near the end of the sidelines, smiling, joking, but not outwardly into the flow of what was happening on the field.  I guess I'm just used to the cliche view of the backup QB with a visor and a headset, next to the coach, relaying messages from the eye in the sky OC, clearly engaged with the flow of the game.

Just my impression.

The article in question was about the Spring Game, and specifically about Burns coming in after Costello had been bad. CTCard was saying that Shaw might have felt similarly about this game. Shaw didn't say anything about his rationale for swapping Burns and Costello against UCLA, as far as I saw.
[/quote]

Ah, yes, my bad. I was actually really hoping Shaw didn't say that about the UCLA game. But I'll stand behind my impression of Burns. He just didn't look like he was ready when called on. Granted, it's a tough situation, but a QB has to be really focused on what's happening, whether he's on the field or not.