How bad were our QBs last season?

[ArmyBull]

Flowers was a true freshman getting spot play in a west coast offense where most of his packages were wildcat.  He started one game the day after he found out his brother was dead (having lost his other brother, mother, and father to death) and people are trying to use last season to gauge his overall talent.  I think that kid has a iron resolve and where you see him lagging, I see something special in a guy who has managed to make it through that and to be honest, he's one of the top 3 athletes on the team overall and you're putting in him an offense he was raised running and saying, "just play ball."

 

Bench is not starting.  Flowers was clearly the better guy in the spring.  I think Taggart didn't want  bench, his senior, to keep his head in the game.  The QB position is Flowers to lose, I think he will excel.  He displayed a good arm in the spring... sure there was the windy spring game but he made some big throws in a gusting wind that I thought were nice.  He's a true soph... I look for him to make mistakes, but he's going to go HAM. It's one of the reasons I think Woulard wants in now... Flowers could create a strangle hold on the QB spot for the next three years.  

 

I guess it is a matter of perspective.  He did not just start one game.  HE WAS NAMED THE STARTER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON, did not finish the game and never started again (did he even see the field again).  I agree, 100%, that the QB position is Flowers to lose.  It is not Flowers' fault, but CWT is in win now mode.  

 

He should have stuck with Flowers last year.  I do not want to hear about all of the emotional trials,  many of the kids have a story of overcoming, if that makes me sound like a jerk then I am sorry, USF football is business.  CWT will make the business decision of going with Bench at some point.  Flowers is not ready and does not have the fortune of working through growing pains this year.  Tough spot for the kid for sure.  I saw plenty of the spring game and I have seen NOTHING from Flowers that makes me think he is ready to lead this team.

Edited July 30, 2015 by ArmyBull

[WWMJD]

Flowers at least has some potential to be better than average. Bench isn't terrible, but it seems unlikely he will have some major revelation in the offseason. If they are neck-and-neck in terms of who can win games, I'd rather start the sophomore with the high ceiling.

[USFbulls24]

Miserable.

 

I still think even more of an issue is Taggart running the offense. Hopefully the change in offense will be what was holding us back and not Taggart, but considering there were teams that had the same talent if not less to work with were able to put up points with a bad QB most of my blame goes to him.

 

Look at the handful of guys even behind white ranked in the 100+ area and there teams were still able to outscore our team by a good amount. 

 

1. Trevor Siemian (Northwestern) QBR - 43.3. NW averaged 23 ppg last year.
2. Tyler Jones (Texas State) QBR - 43.0. TX ST averaged 34 ppg last year.
3. Quinn Kaehler (San Diego State) QBR - 42.2. SDST averaged 25 ppg last year.
4. James Knapke (Bowling Green State) QBR - 41.0. BG averaged 30 ppg last year.
5. Colby Kirkegaard (Wyoming) QBR - 40.3. WY averaged 21 ppg last year.
6. Pete Thomas (Louisiana Monroe) QBR - 39.9. LM averaged 20 ppg last year.

USF averaged 17 ppg last year. That's with a 36 point effort against FCS Western Carolina. Remove that game and we averaged 15.5 points in 11 games and that's with 38 points against Tulsa. Take away the 38 points in the Tulsa game along with the 36 against Western Carolina and in 10 games we averaged 13 ppg.

 

In the AAC our offense doesn't have to have a QB who has a QBR in the 60-70 area to put up points and to win football games. Would be nice, but not necessary.

 

Need improvement out of the QB and the person running the offense.

[ArmyBull]

Flowers at least has some potential to be better than average. Bench isn't terrible, but it seems unlikely he will have some major revelation in the offseason. If they are neck-and-neck in terms of who can win games, I'd rather start the sophomore with the high ceiling.

 

A coach that is on every hot seat in America is not going to ride potential.  Trust me, I hope I am 100% wrong but if we have learned anything from CWT it is that he will not let a struggling QB develop, He lost that chance last year, should have rode Flower's potential the rest of the season.  Now CWT's job career is on the line.

 

As some have posted here already, the problem is not Flowers, it is CWT handling of the situation.  What has changed with CWT in the off season that makes us now think he is ready to develop Flowers' potential?  

[DELdaBull]

We were bad.

Can we get worse?

[Apis Bull]

I know a lot of you want to slam on CWT for our QB woes and some if not most is deserved, however, plays were there last season and the QBs just missed them.

[WWMJD]

Can always get worse.

[WWMJD]

I know a lot of you want to slam on CWT for our QB woes and some if not most is deserved, however, plays were there last season and the QBs just missed them.

 

There were also balls dropped by WRs, blocks missed by OLs, tackles missed by defensive players... I'm not as negative on Taggart as some here are but eventually the responsibility for our performance has to fall on his shoulders.

[Triple B]

Miserable.

 

I still think even more of an issue is Taggart running the offense. Hopefully the change in offense will be what was holding us back and not Taggart, but considering there were teams that had the same talent if not less to work with were able to put up points with a bad QB most of my blame goes to him.

 

Look at the handful of guys even behind white ranked in the 100+ area and there teams were still able to outscore our team by a good amount. 

 

1. Trevor Siemian (Northwestern) QBR - 43.3. NW averaged 23 ppg last year.
2. Tyler Jones (Texas State) QBR - 43.0. TX ST averaged 34 ppg last year.
3. Quinn Kaehler (San Diego State) QBR - 42.2. SDST averaged 25 ppg last year.
4. James Knapke (Bowling Green State) QBR - 41.0. BG averaged 30 ppg last year.
5. Colby Kirkegaard (Wyoming) QBR - 40.3. WY averaged 21 ppg last year.
6. Pete Thomas (Louisiana Monroe) QBR - 39.9. LM averaged 20 ppg last year.

USF averaged 17 ppg last year. That's with a 36 point effort against FCS Western Carolina. Remove that game and we averaged 15.5 points in 11 games and that's with 38 points against Tulsa. Take away the 38 points in the Tulsa game along with the 36 against Western Carolina and in 10 games we averaged 13 ppg.

 

In the AAC our offense doesn't have to have a QB who has a QBR in the 60-70 area to put up points and to win football games. Would be nice, but not necessary.

 

Need improvement out of the QB and the person running the offense.

 

Not sure what this qb ranking is you're going by but it's hard to put much stock in it when one lower rated than MW had these type stats:

 

Tyler Jones - TSU

 

246/376  65.4%

2670 yds

22 TD's

7 INT's

 

 

CWT is totally responsible for the bottom line but blaming him for the lack of scoring because of the way he RAN the offense is off base, especially if you watched us play last year. As was mentioned, often the plays were there to be made and the players just didn't execute. We need improvement out of the qb AND every other player on offense to score more points. Hopefully the changes with the  offense will make them execute better.

[Bulls On Parade]

I know a lot of you want to slam on CWT for our QB woes and some if not most is deserved, however, plays were there last season and the QBs just missed them.

I agree the plays are there but when your team is holding, dropping passes for ints and missing open receivers you get what we had last year.

So glad Welch has graduated.

Edited July 30, 2015 by Bulls On Parade