Brantley versus Burton

[Escambia94]

I know that the Orange and Blue Game is not a true indicator for the real season, but think of this as one more reason to consider switching things up at QB once in a while, if not permanently.

Orange and Blue Game 2010
In the annual Orange and Blue Spring Game, the blue team won 27–24. Quarterback John Brantley was 15/19 and threw for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns. Trey Burton was 12/18 for 120 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD, 123 yards on 10 carries with 2 TDs. [1]

JB's QB rating for the preseason game was 192.2, Burton's was 129.9. Throw in Burton's 123 yards on the ground and you have a spread-option 2nd team that nearly beat out the hybrid spread-option/ pro-style 1st team. Also note that Pouncey was not in the O & B game and there were far fewer snap issues.

Discuss. Why do we not see more of Burton? Why do we <insert complaint from 12 different threads here>? We saw a preview of this in preseason! What kinds of adjustments have we made or not made since preseason and after our losses? What next?

 

[The Zooker]

The Thunderdome is next. Two men enter. One man leaves. It's the law.

 

[Escambia94]

Maybe we do need a Thunderdome. We saw Burton emerge as the stud from the Kentucky game, and has emerged as the spark for the offense, yet JB is the anointed one.

Addazio would probably be seen as a genius if he kept running Burton, much the same way Mullen ran Relf at us for 100+ yards. Maybe we would not have beaten Alabama, but we may have won against LSU and/or MSU. Imagine that MSU game with 500 straight dives from both teams. That would have been a sight.

 

[GainesvillebornNraised]

when all we do is little 4 and 9 yd passes theres no reason burton cant make those throws or murphy these kids played QB in HS for 4 yrs str8

but burton is actually good for our offense and keeps defenses honest while JB is none of that he just occasionally makes a good throw he never makes a run or an out better. ever because he moves incredibly slow

 

[Escambia94]

Exactly. Even if JB is better, the defense lines up knowing that he is not a threat to run. They also know that he only passes 4 yards at a time, so why not blitz him, jam up the running backs, and swarm the 4-yard passes? Bat down those lobs over the LOS to Hines, and all that is left is JB scrambling for 3, or *gasp* Brick-hands Thompson catches one deep on accident.

I'm no armchair quarterback, but the key to the spread-option is having an option. Burton gives us options. JB gives us great looking, well-spun, hard-thrown incomplete passes with no threat of a run. I *think* Burton can throw a 3-yard swing pass as well as JB.

 

[mjfan23]

They need to let the kid throw, imo.

He comes in, everyone knows its a run, and he still gets yards. Idc if he takes the ball and throws it 60 yards downfeild to no one, least make the defense think about it.

 

[DRU2012]

As I've said, JB needs to just start LOOKING for chances to audible to long passes (they're available to him, more and more often now that everyone "knows" how our offense is run), in contrast to how he is now, not even noticing when there's a receiver being left uncovered by the defense. He's gun shy, at this point, and it's unclear if it's fixable. He could sweep away the questions and the "chains" they've got on him in this clunky, primitive offense by just GOING FOR IT. As I've also said, though, just doesn't seem he's got that in him. It's a shame.
Burton, on the other hand, HAS that in him and more. I tend to believe he doesn't have JB's "cannon arm", may not throw JB's "beautiful deep ball" (we just don't know for sure regarding either kid--especially #12, who's neither been given nor SEIZED an opportunity to show what he has in this regard, or why this staff chose to rely on him in the first place), but what does it matter? Given the playbook more than half way through the season, pretty obvious #8 is more suited to run it when it fits, and maybe throw it aside and pull off some "magic" when he thinks/feels it isn't. "Catching lightening in a bottle" is about the only thing that can do anything like "save the season" now.

 

[Mr2Bits]

We need to let Trey Burton run the offense for a series or two (including several passes down the field) to see what he can do before thinking he can take over the starting job.

 

[Escambia94]

We need to let Trey Burton run the offense for a series or two (including several passes down the field) to see what he can do before thinking he can take over the starting job.

Agreed. If Chris Relf of MSU can beat us with his ugly throwing and questionable accuracy, Trey Burton can do just as well. Give him a couple series to prove it, and he probably will shine.