Did anyone go to practice today?

[Kenny Hawgins]

Right right, hawgon wasn't saying they shouldn't have to earn it, he was saying what's with giving him all those reps and only 3 to rafe and 10 to aa.  Well not reps, throws.  Idk how many reps they had.

Well, if they have to earn it and they didn't get more throws, it would seem that they haven't earned them.

[rzrbackramsfan]

Well, if they have to earn it and they didn't get more throws, it would seem that they haven't earned them.

How can you earn it if you don't get more throws?

[kodiakisland]

Do you frequently mention completely irrelevant facts in court which, for all intents and purposes, appear to be an implied accusation?

If he is good he does.

[HometownHawg]

How can you earn it if you don't get more throws?

In the other practices where the coaches are everyday. They get enough reps to prove themselves. Apparently they haven't earned it yet.

[ChitownHawg]

Let me be frank: BA is not an SEC qb. I predict him to play all season long and be in the bottom 4 qb's in the SEC in efficiency and production.

My opinion? Give Rafe the reps. He won't be all-sec, but he'll learn and grow into the QB we need. He showed it in high school, in the AA GAME, and today.

No one is arguing with this opinion you have. What we are arguing with you is your crap about the scrimmage. No one saw the same thing as you. Add in your above opinion with your scrimmage report and it seems you are simply muck raking.

Back to your opinion. You may very well be proven correct. It MAY be proven that Rafe fails in college as well. We simply don't know as he has not played a down. By game 3 we will know if BA can bring the same quality of QB to college as he had in high school.

Plus some of you guys with Rafe and BM would wreck a team. Teams need chemistry. Players need to know if they work hard and play well they will be rewarded. This is no Xbox. You don't just yank someone and give the position to someone who has not earned it. Rafe has not earned it. BM could not earn it under 3 different coaches.

To give a position to a kid without the kid earning it is demoralize a team.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Let me be frank: BA is not an SEC qb. I predict him to play all season long and be in the bottom 4 qb's in the SEC in efficiency and production.

My opinion? Give Rafe the reps. He won't be all-sec, but he'll learn and grow into the QB we need. He showed it in high school, in the AA GAME, and today.

Really? The kid throws 3 passes all day long and you are ready to hand him the job? There is certainly a lot more to running an SEC offense than just throwing the ball. But to your point, if Peavey had gone 20 of 25 for 240 yards, I might say that you have a point, but you can't pass judgement on R/Jr QB after the first few practices when Peavey only threw 3 passes on Saturday. Even if you don't have an agenda, this certainly makes you appear that you do.

OFFENSIVE STATS

Passing

Brandon Allen: 17-for-20, 247 yards, TD, INT

AJ Derby: 8-for-13, 145 yards, TD, INT

Austin Allen: 5-for-10, 69 yards

Damon Mitchell: 3-for-6, 33 yards

Rafe Peavey: 3-for-3, 36 yards

- See more at: http:// [[[Stop spamming your site, Eric.]]] .com/robbies-hog-blog/statistics-arkansas-101-play-scrimmage#sthash.oObJ5qIQ.dpuf

[grayhawg]

He should quit playing his buddy's kid. 

He did when BA was about 50% healthy, playing and practicing are not the same thing.

[gmarv]

well i,m excited that spring practice is here it,s gotta get me to
the fall.that said it seems to do 2 things get the players reps
and get hogville reps. good first practice guys were in game form.

[Theolesnort]

Way, way to early to be making judgments on the QB position just yet and it is way to early for Bielema to be stepping on his OC toes and telling him who to play at QB if he has the confidence he says he has in his OC.

[Mike_e]

He should quit playing his buddy's kid.

Using this same line of thinking you would say that a coach should never even have his own son on the team.

Dude, do yourself a favor and pick an NFL team.  This isn't some made for TV reality show or some game put together by a bunch of coder geeks.

These coaches are preparing the kids for real life along with football and if you don't think that knowing someone will help a little; well, think a bunch more about it.  Even if some favoritism were being shown (which I doubt since Darby does have some skills) learning to overcome even this adversity is a huge plus in the game of life.

So, get out of the basement and go for a walk in the fresh air.  And CALM the freak down about it.

[Hawgon]

Using this same line of thinking you would say that a coach should never even have his own son on the team.

Yeah, I don't think in most cases a kid should play for his dad.  Remember how Saul Smith used to take so much crap when he played for Tubby?  About the only way playing for your dad works is if you are far and away the best player out there or buried on the bench. 

[Prestworthy]

Remember all u guys bashing BA and screaming for Rafe, didn't BA look good in HS and didn't he start in the AA game as well.  Also didn't Clint S complete less than 50% of his passes his sophomore year as well.

I don't remember BA starting in an AA game. But that's not my point. Even if he did, BA deserved a shot and he got it. Time to move on.

[three hog night]

That's what I didn't understand.  He did not look like a RS Junior SEC QB.  When pressure came he was frantic.  I was at the practice and made it a point to keep an eye on the QBs.  It's puzzling that the coaches see something in BAllen that I don't.  The INT he threw was right in front of me.  Very bad decision on his part.  Threw it into coverage.

I almost laughed Prestworthy.  You have an unfounded high view of yourself, yet You are terribly critical of others and bashed our QB on later post in this thread.  It would be a good thing if you flipped your judgement so that you would see YOU in a critical light and stopped judging others harshly without any knowledge.  OR....you could learn how football is played before cloggin up HV with babble.

[three hog night]

The stats back him up.  Ba was one of the ten worse qbs in qbr for all of college football and had great camps.

Yep BA looks great when he is healthy and looks bad when his throwing shoulder is injured.  It is pretty simple....

[three hog night]

Really? The kid throws 3 passes all day long and you are ready to hand him the job? There is certainly a lot more to running an SEC offense than just throwing the ball. But to your point, if Peavey had gone 20 of 25 for 240 yards, I might say that you have a point, but you can't pass judgement on R/Jr QB after the first few practices when Peavey only threw 3 passes on Saturday. Even if you don't have an agenda, this certainly makes you appear that you do.

OFFENSIVE STATS

Passing

Brandon Allen: 17-for-20, 247 yards, TD, INT

AJ Derby: 8-for-13, 145 yards, TD, INT

Austin Allen: 5-for-10, 69 yards

Damon Mitchell: 3-for-6, 33 yards

Rafe Peavey: 3-for-3, 36 yards

- See more at: http:// [[[Stop spamming your site, Eric.]]] .com/robbies-hog-blog/statistics-arkansas-101-play-scrimmage#sthash.oObJ5qIQ.dpuf

We really should be happy about this scrimmage instead of people attacking BA or propping up RP for stardom.  BA looked very good with a better than 80% completion percentage.  I am glad Derby looks better because that means our QB coach is good.  It is even more encouraging that AA is closing the gap on Derby, because that means he is beating a much better version of Derby than we saw last season.

[ChitownHawg]

Way, way to early to be making judgments on the QB position just yet and it is way to early for Bielema to be stepping on his OC toes and telling him who to play at QB if he has the confidence he says he has in his OC.

I believe in his presser he did say it was Chaney's decision.

[ChitownHawg]

I don't remember BA starting in an AA game. But that's not my point. Even if he did, BA deserved a shot and he got it. Time to move on.

You do realize that the AA game is made up of high school kids and the college game made up of college kids? Also college coaches. Just checking as you seem to think that one high school game is going to make Rafe a success.

The coaches and people attending the practices / scrimmage are saying Rafe is looking ok. Which makes sense as he is a freshman.

BA is #1 according to our coaches. I am ok with that as they will live or die with that decision.

For you I ask one simple question - are you willing to accept another 3-9 season if Rafe is the QB? By accepting I mean not complaining. Just asking.

[ChitownHawg]

We really should be happy about this scrimmage instead of people attacking BA or propping up RP for stardom.  BA looked very good with a better than 80% completion percentage.  I am glad Derby looks better because that means our QB coach is good.  It is even more encouraging that AA is closing the gap on Derby, because that means he is beating a much better version of Derby than we saw last season.

The comfort I get out of the QB bashing is it happened when Mallett and Wilson were here. Remember the term "Greenwood Mafia"?

Being out of state I don't have the privilege of attending the scrimmages as some, so I have to rely up in others and stats. To date the people I respect in the media and on HV are comfortable with BA - TO DATE. Haters seem to overlook the fact most BA supporters, I believe, would accept his benching if he cannot get it done. And someone else is showing promise.

[hognatx]

Derby is probably looking a lot like he did last year in practice. Problem with him is when the lights come on. It's not a matter of BB being "stuck in his ways."

If you telling me that derby still 2nd string when he was not allowed to throw the ball last year is a good thing, then it's bad coaching or ""stuck in his ways", and that's not good for us 

[Mike Irwin]

Check the title of this thread and then consider that 90% of it has been about Brandon Allen, AJ Derby and Rafe Peavey.

As far as I'm concerned the real story yesterday was the defense. Eleven sacks for 70 yards in losses? That's astounding.

Add to that two interceptions, five passes broken up, a fumble recovery and a fumble caused by the defense PLUS 16 tackles for losses that approached minus 100 yards.

All of that and we have a guy in this thread saying the defense was weak. Even more astounding to me, with all that chaos created by the defense how did Brandon Allen manage to complete 85% of his passes?

I agree with those of you who've pointed out many times that part of Allen's problem is the defense he faced every day in practice was nothing compared to what he saw in SEC games. Hopefully that's about to change because if it doesn't it won't matter who the quarterback is.

I'm not ready to pronounce Robb Smith the savior of the program but I liked what I saw from his people yesterday. They've got an attitude. Those of you who saw the fight know that. You also saw De Andre Coley, a 190 pound safety from Miami, hit a 3rd string running back so hard the ball shot forward 30 yards down the field while trainers rushed out hoping the running back wasn't dead (he wasn't).

It was a great way to end a scrimmage.

[HoopS]

Positions are earned.  Simple as that.  I don't care if BB knows Derby's dad - it was Derby who had pretty good stats yesterday.  Better than AA's.  I trust the coaches when they say AA is closing the gap.  Good.  Competition is good.  If AA is elevated, he will have earned it and be better for it. 

It is funny to me to see demands to stop playing his friend's kid, because you want your kid (the local product) getting those snaps.  You don't want favoritism yet you really do.

[MS_HogFan]

From  [[[Stop spamming your site, Eric.]]] .com

Brandon Allen: 17-for-20, 247 yards, TD, INT, 85% completion, 12.35 ypa

AJ Derby: 8-for-13, 145 yards, TD, INT, 61.5%, 11ypa

Austin Allen: 5-for-10, 69 yards 50%, 6.9 ypa

Damon Mitchell: 3-for-6, 33 yards 50%, 5.5 ypa

Rafe Peavey: 3-for-3, 36 yards, 100%, 12 ypa

Rushing

Alex Collins: 8 attempts, 38 yards, 4.75 ypc

Denzell Evans: 8 attempts, 53 yards, 6.625  ypc

Connor McPherson: 6 carries, 20 yards, 3.33 ypc

Jonathan Williams: 5 attempts, 7 yards, 1.4 ypc

Kody Walker: 2 carries, 15 yards, 7.5 ypc

Patrick Arinze: 1 attempt, 3 yards, 3 ypc

Receiving

Drew Morgan: 5 catches, 109 yards, 21.8 ypc

Hunter Henry: 4 catches, 91 yards, TD, 22.75 ypc

Jared Cornelius: 4 catches, 60 yards, 15 ypc

Kody Walker: 4 catches, 27 yards, 6.75 ypc

Jeremy Sprinkle: 3 catches, 73 yards, 24.33 ypc

Cody Hollister: 3 catches, 43 yards, 14.33 ypc

Keon Hatcher: 3 catches, 18 yards, 6 ypc

Alex Voelzke: 3 catches, 15 yards, TD, 5 ypc

Alex Collins: 2 catches, 18 yards, 9 ypc

Kendrick Payne: 1 catch, 22 yards, 22 ypc

Scotty Thurman: 1 catch, 21 yards, 21 ypc

Will Duncan: 1 catch, 20 yards, 20 ypc

Connor McPherson: 1 catch, 8 yards, 8 ypc

Kohl Slaughter: 1 catch, 5 yards, 5 ypc

DEFENSIVE STATS

Leading Tacklers (guys with 4 or more): Deatrich Wise 9, Daunte Carr 8, Otha Peters 7, Martrell Spaight 7, Taiwan Johnson 6, De'Andre Coley 6, Brooks Ellis 5, Carroll Washington 5, TQ Coleman 5, Braylon Mitchell 4, Alan Turner 4

Tackles for Losses: JaMichael Winston 3 (-14), Tevin Beanum 2 (-13), D.J. Dean 2 (-12), Martrell Spaight 2 (-8), Deatrich Wise 2 (-5), Karl Roesler 1 (-8), Daunte Carr 1 (-7), Otha Peters 1 (-7), Ke'Tyrus Marks 1 (-7), Carroll Washington 1 (-6)

Sacks: Deatrich Wise 2 (13), Tevin Beanum 2 (-13), D.J. Dean 2 (-12), Karl Roesler 1 (-8), Daunte Carr 1 (-7), Otha Peters 1 (-7), Ke'Tyrus Marks 1 (-7), Martrell Spaight 1 (-4)

Interceptions: Daunte Carr, Alan Turner

Pass Breakups: TQ Coleman 2, Otha Peters, Tevin Mitchel, De'Andre Coley

Forced Fumble: De'Andre Coley

Recovered Fumble: Matt Dodson

- See more at: http:// [[[Stop spamming your site, Eric.]]] .com/robbies-hog-blog/statistics-arkansas-101-play-scrimmage#sthash.ue31dMJz.dpuf

Who is Conner mcphearson?

[hognatx]

Yep BA looks great when he is healthy and looks bad when his throwing shoulder is injured.  It is pretty simple....

what. it's not about his injury "IT"S HIS OVERALL ABILITY TO PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL" i can't under stand how you go into spring with  out trying to find your best QB. if we only throw 50 passes in scrimmage who believes we will throw in the fall?

[Hawgzinbowlz]

what. it's not about his injury "IT"S HIS OVERALL ABILITY TO PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL" i can't under stand how you go into spring with  out trying to find your best QB. if we only throw 50 passes in scrimmage who believes we will throw in the fall?

If you PM CBB or Coach Chaney they will likely enlighten your understanding.

Their revelations will probably include our style of play next season.

" GO HOGS "

[rzrbackramsfan]

Using this same line of thinking you would say that a coach should never even have his own son on the team.

Dude, do yourself a favor and pick an NFL team.  This isn't some made for TV reality show or some game put together by a bunch of coder geeks.

These coaches are preparing the kids for real life along with football and if you don't think that knowing someone will help a little; well, think a bunch more about it.  Even if some favoritism were being shown (which I doubt since Darby does have some skills) learning to overcome even this adversity is a huge plus in the game of life.

So, get out of the basement and go for a walk in the fresh air.  And CALM the freak down about it.

You could probably calm down while were at it.

Is derby the son of Bielemas friend though? Idk.

[rzrbackramsfan]

Yep BA looks great when he is healthy and looks bad when his throwing shoulder is injured.  It is pretty simple....

Also ba looked great against the sunbelt and bad against the sec. 

[Chief Mac]

He should quit playing his buddy's kid. 

because in your infinite professional opinion the kid is rubbish.  So where is it you coach?

[Chief Mac]

I don't remember BA starting in an AA game. But that's not my point. Even if he did, BA deserved a shot and he got it. Time to move on.

this is both sad and comical at the same time.  One year, one in which he was injured most of the year, is indicative of full potential?  Based on that some really great QBs should never had played a down. 

Do yourself a favor, step away from the ledge. 

[rzrbackramsfan]

because in your infinite professional opinion the kid is rubbish.  So where is it you coach?

Where is what?

[Chief Mac]

Where is what?

maybe you should look at the post I quoted for understanding of what I was implying

[Hawgzinbowlz]

As far as I'm concerned the real story yesterday was the defense...

For an early scrimmage the defensive play was encouraging. I think we will see an improvement over last year, from a cohesion perspective. How much remains to be seen.

+1 to Dan Skipper. LOL

BA will start against Auburn if he remains injury free. It's not close at this point.

Oh, if Jeremy Sprinkle stays injury free, some opposing DBs will get torched. Very athletic and a match up problem. A nice bookend to HH.

" GO HOGS "

[rzrbackramsfan]

maybe you should look at the post I quoted for understanding of what I was implying

Yes, you quoted stop playing his buddy's son.  So, where is what?

[Prestworthy]

You do realize that the AA game is made up of high school kids and the college game made up of college kids? Also college coaches. Just checking as you seem to think that one high school game is going to make Rafe a success.

The coaches and people attending the practices / scrimmage are saying Rafe is looking ok. Which makes sense as he is a freshman.

BA is #1 according to our coaches. I am ok with that as they will live or die with that decision.

For you I ask one simple question - are you willing to accept another 3-9 season if Rafe is the QB? By accepting I mean not complaining. Just asking.

I'd be ok with 3-9 under Rafe if he improved throughout the season. I think he'd only get better in 2015. He's a freshman. 3-9 under BA again is unacceptable. Just a waste of reps and experience.

[razorback44]

what. it's not about his injury "IT"S HIS OVERALL ABILITY TO PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL" i can't under stand how you go into spring with  out trying to find your best QB. if we only throw 50 passes in scrimmage who believes we will throw in the fall?

Counting the seven sacks, 58.4% of the plays called were pass plays.  I'm not sure why kind of number you were expecting but that seems about right to me.

[Andrew Hogfan]

I'd be ok with 3-9 under Rafe if he improved throughout the season. I think he'd only get better in 2015. He's a freshman. 3-9 under BA again is unacceptable. Just a waste of reps and experience.

I wouldn't be okay with 3-9 under Rafe or anyone under center. BA will start next year because he has the most experiance. We will not go 3-9 next year. We will be bowling. And this thread is full of idiots.

[Hawgzinbowlz]

...The coaches and people attending the practices / scrimmage are saying Rafe is looking ok. Which makes sense as he is a freshman.

BA is #1 according to our coaches. I am ok with that as they will live or die with that decision.

For you I ask one simple question - are you willing to accept another 3-9 season if Rafe is the QB? By accepting I mean not complaining. Just asking.

BA is head and shoulders above the other QBs. I'm hoping another QB shows enough improvement to push him, which would help our offensive depth.
The idea that Rafe could develop from a 3-9 season and BA could not improve/develop from an injury plagued 3-9 season makes no sense. (I'm not referring to your ideas)

" GO HOGS "

[Athog]

It's not Halloween but from the looks of things expect a scary season. Allen and Derby! The nightmare is not over.

Nightmare based on WHAT?? Last year? That is an ASSumption! Every good QB improves in the year's jump after playing and getting experience. In all fairness it is better to wait and see rather than waving the white flag before the first game.

[rzrbackramsfan]

I wouldn't be okay with 3-9 under Rafe or anyone under center. BA will start next year because he has the most experiance. We will not go 3-9 next year. We will be bowling. And this thread is full of idiots.

He may start the season starting it but doubt he'll finish it that way. 

[ricepig]

He may start the season starting it but doubt he'll finish it that way. 

Derby to replace him?

[Hawgzinbowlz]

I wouldn't be okay with 3-9 under Rafe or anyone under center. BA will start next year because he has the most experiance. We will not go 3-9 next year. We will be bowling. And this thread is full of idiots.

Sentence :
1. Agreed
2. Head and shoulders above all the other QBs.
3. Agreed
4. Agreed, hopefully.
5. LOL, please identify.

" GO HOGS "

[urkillnmesmalls]

Apparently, he has earned more than AA.  The conspiracies are getting silly.

Kenny...with all due respect, in that Auburn game last year, when BA had to leave for a bit to get his foot reattached to his leg, Derby threw a horrible pick, and fumbled the center exchange twice in the two series he was out. I'm certainly not the coach, and I can't see practice, but did see what happened in the game. 

The result was one of the best call ins I heard on any sports show last year, when someone recapped what he did on every snap, and suggested that he was 46 and fat, but could have done every bit as well as Derby did during his time in there.  At first I thought to myself, "Yeah, every fan thinks that, but then if you ran them out there they wouldn't even be able to take the snap."  Then I remembered what happened, and I started laughing, because it was pretty well true.   

Now...that may be player bashing, but what happened is a fact....not opinion.  If that's our second string option, then BB will have to answer for what happens if BA goes down with an injury again next season.  As a Hog fan, if you feel comfortable about that, then I'm not sure I understand why.   

[ChitownHawg]

Right right, hawgon wasn't saying they shouldn't have to earn it, he was saying what's with giving him all those reps and only 3 to rafe and 10 to aa.  Well not reps, throws.  Idk how many reps they had.

I'm sorry but you make me laugh. If I were Hawgon I would ask you not to help me argue points. The reason they received less snaps is because they are lower on the depth chart. It is that way with every team. CBB said AA was closing the gap which means he will start seeing more snaps in place of Derby.

I predict, barring injuries, BA, AA, Derby. Rafe will be red shirted. I have no clue as to what will happen with Duwop.

[ricepig]

Kenny...with all due respect, in that Auburn game last year, when BA had to leave for a bit to get his foot reattached to his leg, Derby threw a horrible pick, and fumbled the center exchange twice in the two series he was out. I'm certainly not the coach, and I can't see practice, but did see what happened in the game. 

The result was one of the best call ins I heard on any sports show last year, when someone recapped what he did on every snap, and suggested that he was 46 and fat, but could have done every bit as well as Derby did during his time in there.  At first I thought to myself, "Yeah, every fan thinks that, but then if you ran them out there they wouldn't even be able to take the snap."  Then I remembered what happened, and I started laughing, because it was pretty well true.   

Now...that may be player bashing, but what happened is a fact....not opinion.  If that's our second string option, then BB will have to answer for what happens if BA goes down with an injury again next season.  As a Hog fan, if you feel comfortable about that, then I'm not sure I understand why.   

I seemed to remember a previous QB that couldn't take a snap for about two years, must not be easy.

[ChitownHawg]

Check the title of this thread and then consider that 90% of it has been about Brandon Allen, AJ Derby and Rafe Peavey.

As far as I'm concerned the real story yesterday was the defense. Eleven sacks for 70 yards in losses? That's astounding.

Add to that two interceptions, five passes broken up, a fumble recovery and a fumble caused by the defense PLUS 16 tackles for losses that approached minus 100 yards.

All of that and we have a guy in this thread saying the defense was weak. Even more astounding to me, with all that chaos created by the defense how did Brandon Allen manage to complete 85% of his passes?

I agree with those of you who've pointed out many times that part of Allen's problem is the defense he faced every day in practice was nothing compared to what he saw in SEC games. Hopefully that's about to change because if it doesn't it won't matter who the quarterback is.

I'm not ready to pronounce Robb Smith the savior of the program but I liked what I saw from his people yesterday. They've got an attitude. Those of you who saw the fight know that. You also saw De Andre Coley, a 190 pound safety from Miami, hit a 3rd string running back so hard the ball shot forward 30 yards down the field while trainers rushed out hoping the running back wasn't dead (he wasn't).

It was a great way to end a scrimmage.

This is indeed encouraging. Serious question Mike. During CBP / CWR we use to hear how players on defense were looking like beasts, but then the season would come and not much else.

Of course after the last two years I would love a CWR defense. What similarity and differences are you seeng from the new staff versus what we had with CWR (the last time we had a so so defense)?

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

I believe in his presser he did say it was Chaney's decision.

CBB was talking about the back-up QB. Both agree right now that BA is the best QB

[ChitownHawg]

I'd be ok with 3-9 under Rafe if he improved throughout the season. I think he'd only get better in 2015. He's a freshman. 3-9 under BA again is unacceptable. Just a waste of reps and experience.

Fair enough. Now if an injury prevented Rafe from playing his best would you throw him in the trash heap when Storey joined the team?

[urkillnmesmalls]

I seemed to remember a previous QB that couldn't take a snap for about two years, must not be easy.

There are a lot of variables that go into that.  A big one is, who is the 2nd string QB practicing snaps with in practice? 

Here's the thing for me.  If BA does down in game one against Auburn, and we're left with Derby, we would have to see MONUMENTAL improvement for him to be successful.  If he's our best 2nd option, then so be it.  But MANY of my friends and I agree that we cannot have a drop off that is that big between our QB's, and expect success.  If all of the eggs are in the BA basket, then so be it.  But...with that many heralded QB's on the roster, it's completely on BB's shoulders to get at least one of them ready to step in and be effective enough to be competitive. 

[Danny J]

Derby? Why is he even in the picture still? What a joke.

I totally 100% agree. If he is a viable back up then either A...we are back to Nutt era throwing QB's(minus Stoerner) or B...we were spoiled under BP.

No way Jose should Derby even be in competition for the backup spot ahead of AA or RP.

The more and more I think about it all the "we will be so much better or I was at practice and our WR's and DB's look SO much better"...blah blah blah the more angry I become. I have heard this garbage over and over about DB's for the last 5 years. I now feel this way about WR's, QB's and LB's. I will believe progress when I see it.

I am no longer buying all the positive propaganda and getting my hopes up....again. I am keeping a open mind and hoping to see actual improvement during real games and not in scrimmages. Sorry....had to vent a little.

[ChitownHawg]

I totally 100% agree. If he is a viable back up then either A...we are back to Nutt era throwing QB's(minus Stoerner) or B...we were spoiled under BP.

No way Jose should Derby even be in competition for the backup spot ahead of AA or RP.

Even if he has improved?

My guess is they started the Spring with the depth chart from the end of the season. AA is making his move per CBB. Which is not bad considering we have had what 6 or 7 practices? I believe going into the Fall camp AA will be #2 and big brother better watch his back. 

[ricepig]

There are a lot of variables that go into that.  A big one is, who is the 2nd string QB practicing snaps with in practice? 

Here's the thing for me.  If BA does down in game one against Auburn, and we're left with Derby, we would have to see MONUMENTAL improvement for him to be successful.  If he's our best 2nd option, then so be it.  But MANY of my friends and I agree that we cannot have a drop off that is that big between our QB's, and expect success.  If all of the eggs are in the BA basket, then so be it.  But...with that many heralded QB's on the roster, it's completely on BB's shoulders to get at least one of them ready to step in and be effective enough to be competitive. 

They usually take snaps from both centers, when they get the reps with the 1's, and then with their 2's. Wouldn't you say there was no excuse for the HC not getting him ready?

I don't think Derby is #2, but I'm not out there every day, and you have to rely on those who are to make those judgments.