I trust your insights and analyses, E-, and they do fit with my albeit much more cursory memory of the game-flow-of-events, and while they DO concern me, I am suspending judgement on whether we've seen either the limit of JB's general bag'o'tricks OR Weis' plans for how to use them. I will wait until after this week's game to begin worrying about "what he can't do", how that will hamper us the rest of the season, and what the Coaches can and must do about it.
Everything you say is true, as far as the facts of what we saw--but does that mean he won't try, and MAKE, those throws when the situation calls for it? If your pronouncements are correct, no. However, we've seen him do both in the years leading up to this one: yes, in practice and mop-up before last year, and at least attempting it early last year as the starter, before faltering...the big question THEN becomes, is this really "the New Brantley", the confident leader who is blossoming under Weis' tutilege and has integrated the natural skills we saw before with a calm maturity, or has he permanently "LOST IT"? The implication in your own observations is the latter, that he now can't and won't "just let it fly" as he once did, that every problem you describe is a result of #12 being, in a fundamental way, now ruled by fear. By this view, the confidence he now exudes is just an overlay, good enough to serve him as long as he remains in a "safe comfort zone" where he can either hand off to a running back or hit them or some other "out guy" in the flat, on the corner, or short-over-the-middle and let THEM get the necessary yardage. Well, either Weis knows this and that's all we'll see, or Brantley will soon be exposed. We will see for ourselves by example or omission I think in this next game--which is a good thing, 'cause if it really is as you say, that just won't get it done and we'll need to start phasing in Driskell a lot sooner than would be ideal.
I can't quite figure how I ended up John Brantley IV's "defender in the court of (semi-) public opinion", if only for a few days, but I want to see how things go against UAB before making hard judgments. For the moment, I choose to accept the Coaches' claims, the players' attitudes and my own optimistic impressions of #12's in-game demeanor and performance at relatively face value: it would be the best thing that could happen for the sake of this season AND the future, it's true, but that does not blind me. He too must continue to learn, grow and build on that first performance--and we MUST stretch the field, as you put it "pop the umbrella", and I expect to see some work in this area on Saturday. Not only does he need to show himself, the team and the coaches that we HAVE this capability (and "practice makes perfect" is more than just words!), it is of great importance that we show future opponents that we have it, for the sake of our RB's, AND to loosen up the short-to-middle-game that will give this year's team its ball-control capability. With what may very well be growing into a dominating, shut-down defense, strong special teams, some long quick strike threat and the ability to chew up big chunks of time and ground yardage, this team could eventually emerge a true contender for the SEC-East crown this season after all.
On the other hand, there's your alternative view of and possible outcome from the same basic set of incomplete data, courtesy of the same, soul "Game 1" from which we're extrapolating. Here's one thought: if things are as you say, then Weis (and Coach M) knows it, and the whole way they brought Driskell in relatively early, when things were going apparently so smoothly, and the explanations they gave later (this regime already shows a unique "disinformational" style, after all), in truth may turn out to be the beginning of a subtle, "under-the-radar" way of phasing in their QB-of-the-not-so-distant-future in a non-controversial, non-team-splitting way. Of course, this could only work for a certain limited length of time, but "ideally" (if that is a word you can use here) the charade would become a moot point--they'd be ready to start Driskell about the same time Brantley's true limitations (and by that point, likely outright failures) had become obvious to all.
Sure sounds less-than-inspiring, though. I am a realist in the face of facts, hard data, but that's not where we are now. I believe there is at least room for hope, for optimism. There is, after all, a pretty cool middle ground, a possible path of decent success where THIS year's #12 is your "bridge", a sort of Sabelhaus/Leak who is just good enough, has just enough of the necessary poise, efficiency and skill to get us through a 9 or 10 win season, while everything ELSE, including the education and growth of our NEXT QB, comes together. I know (and hope I'm ready for the possibility, even likelihood) that my newfound hope for more may very well be unrealistic, but it IS still out there: we just don't know yet. We'll know a lot more after this weekend (I think I will, anyway).
Everything you say is true, as far as the facts of what we saw--but does that mean he won't try, and MAKE, those throws when the situation calls for it? If your pronouncements are correct, no. However, we've seen him do both in the years leading up to this one: yes, in practice and mop-up before last year, and at least attempting it early last year as the starter, before faltering...the big question THEN becomes, is this really "the New Brantley", the confident leader who is blossoming under Weis' tutilege and has integrated the natural skills we saw before with a calm maturity, or has he permanently "LOST IT"? The implication in your own observations is the latter, that he now can't and won't "just let it fly" as he once did, that every problem you describe is a result of #12 being, in a fundamental way, now ruled by fear. By this view, the confidence he now exudes is just an overlay, good enough to serve him as long as he remains in a "safe comfort zone" where he can either hand off to a running back or hit them or some other "out guy" in the flat, on the corner, or short-over-the-middle and let THEM get the necessary yardage. Well, either Weis knows this and that's all we'll see, or Brantley will soon be exposed. We will see for ourselves by example or omission I think in this next game--which is a good thing, 'cause if it really is as you say, that just won't get it done and we'll need to start phasing in Driskell a lot sooner than would be ideal.
I can't quite figure how I ended up John Brantley IV's "defender in the court of (semi-) public opinion", if only for a few days, but I want to see how things go against UAB before making hard judgments. For the moment, I choose to accept the Coaches' claims, the players' attitudes and my own optimistic impressions of #12's in-game demeanor and performance at relatively face value: it would be the best thing that could happen for the sake of this season AND the future, it's true, but that does not blind me. He too must continue to learn, grow and build on that first performance--and we MUST stretch the field, as you put it "pop the umbrella", and I expect to see some work in this area on Saturday. Not only does he need to show himself, the team and the coaches that we HAVE this capability (and "practice makes perfect" is more than just words!), it is of great importance that we show future opponents that we have it, for the sake of our RB's, AND to loosen up the short-to-middle-game that will give this year's team its ball-control capability. With what may very well be growing into a dominating, shut-down defense, strong special teams, some long quick strike threat and the ability to chew up big chunks of time and ground yardage, this team could eventually emerge a true contender for the SEC-East crown this season after all.
On the other hand, there's your alternative view of and possible outcome from the same basic set of incomplete data, courtesy of the same, soul "Game 1" from which we're extrapolating. Here's one thought: if things are as you say, then Weis (and Coach M) knows it, and the whole way they brought Driskell in relatively early, when things were going apparently so smoothly, and the explanations they gave later (this regime already shows a unique "disinformational" style, after all), in truth may turn out to be the beginning of a subtle, "under-the-radar" way of phasing in their QB-of-the-not-so-distant-future in a non-controversial, non-team-splitting way. Of course, this could only work for a certain limited length of time, but "ideally" (if that is a word you can use here) the charade would become a moot point--they'd be ready to start Driskell about the same time Brantley's true limitations (and by that point, likely outright failures) had become obvious to all.
Sure sounds less-than-inspiring, though. I am a realist in the face of facts, hard data, but that's not where we are now. I believe there is at least room for hope, for optimism. There is, after all, a pretty cool middle ground, a possible path of decent success where THIS year's #12 is your "bridge", a sort of Sabelhaus/Leak who is just good enough, has just enough of the necessary poise, efficiency and skill to get us through a 9 or 10 win season, while everything ELSE, including the education and growth of our NEXT QB, comes together. I know (and hope I'm ready for the possibility, even likelihood) that my newfound hope for more may very well be unrealistic, but it IS still out there: we just don't know yet. We'll know a lot more after this weekend (I think I will, anyway).
. I'm trying my best to see where the cards fall. I will be honest by the end of last year I was DONE with JB wanting him to just leave, quit or something besides being a thorn in my side on game day. He sucked in my opinion!! So I wouldn't say your comments are too negative. I would say your calling it like you see it. There is nothing wrong with that at all. I for one haven't even rewound a single play of the game.( I got burned out doing it last year ) lol.We got to get the right men in there for the job. I don't care who or what he is. That's the bottom line.
