My QB mis-analysis

[Guy Chamberlin]

Eric Crouch as a Freshman:

49 - 104 48.5% completion, 5.7 yards per pass attempt. 4 TDs/4 INTs

4.8 per rushing attempt

Tommie Frazier as a Freshman

44 - 100 44% completion, 7.2 yards per attempt. 10 TDs/1 INT

4.6 per rushing attempt

It's early. I'm okay with how Armstrong handled himself as a Freshman and like his chances of improving.

 

[Hunter94]

...

so the first time you got on your bicycle you didn't fall on your a$$?? right.........let the kid develop!

 

[The Dude]

If we get the guy we saw the first 3 quarters of the bowl game, I have no qualms with going forward with Armstrong.

 

[knapplc]

I don't think he is way off base at all. I know people love to talk about how well TA runs the option but I guess I did not see it all that much. Teams will let him run and key the option back, because TA is not really a burner AND because there is no proven guy behind him.

Now, with that being said...TA might be a "winner" some guys just win...I don't know why but they do...

Rivals has Tommy at a 4.5 40. Taylor "burner" Martinez was listed at a 4.47.

I think Tommy has plenty of speed.

 

[Saunders]

I don't think he is way off base at all. I know people love to talk about how well TA runs the option but I guess I did not see it all that much. Teams will let him run and key the option back, because TA is not really a burner AND because there is no proven guy behind him.

Now, with that being said...TA might be a "winner" some guys just win...I don't know why but they do...

Rivals has Tommy at a 4.5 40. Taylor "burner" Martinez was listed at a 4.47.

I think Tommy has plenty of speed.

Yeah but that's HS recruiting times. Tommy is closer to Zac Lee speed than TM. His running strength is agility, not speed.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

I think Tommy has shown he can run the option just fine. I remember at least a few games where he made teams pay with the option. The NW game last year and the Michigan game come to mind.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

I don't think he is way off base at all. I know people love to talk about how well TA runs the option but I guess I did not see it all that much. Teams will let him run and key the option back, because TA is not really a burner AND because there is no proven guy behind him.

Now, with that being said...TA might be a "winner" some guys just win...I don't know why but they do...

Rivals has Tommy at a 4.5 40. Taylor "burner" Martinez was listed at a 4.47.I think Tommy has plenty of speed.

Yeah but that's HS recruiting times. Tommy is closer to Zac Lee speed than TM. His running strength is agility, not speed.

He definitely has better agility than speed...but I'd argue he definitely looked better and faster running with the ball in the bowl game. It seems the time off gave his knee time to heal, hence the extra pep in his step.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Patchwork oline. Paralysis by analysis. Imo

 

[TheSker]

I don't think he is way off base at all. I know people love to talk about how well TA runs the option but I guess I did not see it all that much. Teams will let him run and key the option back, because TA is not really a burner AND because there is no proven guy behind him.

Now, with that being said...TA might be a "winner" some guys just win...I don't know why but they do...

Rivals has Tommy at a 4.5 40. Taylor "burner" Martinez was listed at a 4.47.

I think Tommy has plenty of speed.

Yeah but that's HS recruiting times. Tommy is closer to Zac Lee speed than TM. His running strength is agility, not speed.

I'm fine with Armstrong's leadership and his ability to run the offense. The big thing I believe we need to see from the quarterback spot is a reduction in turnovers.

 

[knapplc]

He definitely has better agility than speed...but I'd argue he definitely looked better and faster running with the ball in the bowl game. It seems the time off gave his knee time to heal, hence the extra pep in his step.

His run for a first down in the first quarter, I think on our first drive, showed speed enough to run this offense. He makes it through the line and he's going to get yards in chunks of five or ten at a time, and with Ameer, Cross, and the plethora of younger RBs, that's more than fast enough.

We do not need Taylor Martinez Kessel-run-in-twelve-parsecs speed at quarterback. We were spoiled with Martinez, and it was great to have that home-run threat every snap, but we're more than capable of grinding out drives five yards at a time with Armstrong.

And that's a good point about giving Tommy's knee time to heal up. People seem to forget he got his knee scoped seven weeks before his first start of 2013, and this was his level of mobility 13 months before he started his first bowl game:

 

[NUance]

He definitely has better agility than speed...but I'd argue he definitely looked better and faster running with the ball in the bowl game. It seems the time off gave his knee time to heal, hence the extra pep in his step.

His run for a first down in the first quarter, I think on our first drive, showed speed enough to run this offense. He makes it through the line and he's going to get yards in chunks of five or ten at a time, and with Ameer, Cross, and the plethora of younger RBs, that's more than fast enough.

We do not need Taylor Martinez Kessel-run-in-twelve-parsecs speed at quarterback. We were spoiled with Martinez, and it was great to have that home-run threat every snap, but we're more than capable of grinding out drives five yards at a time with Armstrong.

And that's a good point about giving Tommy's knee time to heal up. People seem to forget he got his knee scoped seven weeks before his first start of 2013, and this was his level of mobility 13 months before he started his first bowl game:

sh#t, Knapp. Did Tommy just steal your mobility scooter?? That's way worse than a bicycle.

 

[walksalone]

I just hope that Beck really looks at his ability to pass the ball in practice. Find passes he (and the receivers) can complete in their sleep. If they are not completed 7-80% (or some other formula) in practice ditch them. Spoon feed him success early on the get him comfortable. Like RGIII his rookie year, they only called plays he felt good about and executing. Do the same with TA.

We have the best RB in the B1G and possibly nation. Lean on him. Lean on Cross, Newby and Taylor. Let our run game slow the game, grind the D and win the games. Throw in enough PA to keep the D honest with low reward/high percentage designed passes. Play call so that we are facing 2nd and mi or 3rd and short instead of 3rd and long. TELL TA to lean on the experienced receivers in Bell and JT.

If TA can't get it done, move on. Nothing wrong with that. Don't hitch the Big Red Wagon to one guy because of the "it" factor or he started last year. Get the best guy and try to truly find him before kick off.

I hope this plays out as you said, but I have a feeling it won't. He'll put TA in bad situations which will lead the kid to making bad decisions and we'll have T-Mart 2.0

 

[Hoosker]

Support goes a long way.

Something to think about.

 

[hskrfan4life]

Support goes a long way.

Something to think about.

Exactly, however if we get consistent bad play from Armstrong, I don't want Bo or Beck to be shy about pulling him.

 

[Blackshirt96]

You should take a step back & look at all of the stats. TA had 6 Ints in 2 games (NW - Purdue) & one vs a very good D Mich St. I'm trying to remember correctly, but I think 2 were WR tips, 1 was a over shot on a long ball & the rest were bad reads that caused INT's. He also showed some flashes of greatneee. He was also only a Fr & was splitting time with RK3.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWZzoJJMObM

This throw was very good. It was slightly behind Enunwa which actually helped him aviod the big hit. The pass itself was 50 yds. Even if Enunwa only catches the ball, it completely flips the field postion and gives NU a new set of downs.

He also had some very good option plays that I think you will see more of this year.

He "only" had 1 INT against MSU because he was too busy fumbling the ball at the 5 yard line.

Understand, I want Armstrong to show he can play. I was excited to see him play once TMart got hurt. He has to show a lot of growth this season to warrant putting him in the field.

But you are ready to throw in Stanton or Fife? Two guys who have never seen the field. That makes sense.

Passing

Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A A TD Int Rate

QB 12 84 143 58.7 1155 8.1 6.7 6 7 130.6

Do you think this team should have stuck with this QB after this first year?