What does he have to do?

[grad88]

Make every player compete and earn his position. It is the only way to go.

If a player can't handle competition, then he shouldn't be playing football.

[UNTLifer]

Who do we have to compete with Andrew Smith next year once Hall leaves? Ieans physical stats are impressive but who is actually the 3rd string QB?

Joey Byerly.

[BIG DAWG]

Don't anyone forget about Meager. He will probably redshirt this season, and might find himself in the mix 2005. He was recruited by some pretty big schools before he broke his leg. Virginia Tech was one of the schools if I remember right

[CaribbeanGreen]

I vote for Jason Attaway.

[stebo]

Make every player compete and earn his position. It is the only way to go.

If a player can't handle competition, then he shouldn't be playing football.

That is not how it works. We have invesed time and money into these players and they have invested their future in us. You try telling Awasom that his starting spot is "up for grabs" this year, or BK last year, or Cody Spencer last year... any number fo the marquee players would apply. There are some things that can be messed with, the QB is not one of them. A QB has to have chemistry with his surrounding coast, everything ferom the line, to his blockers, to his receivers, to his runners, everything. So, no - not every job is up for grabs every single year, only the jobs of the mediocre, broderline, or bad players are up fro grabs this year. Hall went 8-1 last year with his only loss being in a bowl game to a VERY GOOD Memphis team. If you put his job up for grabs as you suggest, just to appease a few botter fans; then the team will be split right down the middle on the whole thing again. We have already gotten past that, we do not want to bring it back.

Scott is the starter unless he gets hurt. Drew will be the starter next year or if Scott gets hurt this year. The only way you see Dreww start a game this year is if Scott goes down, or if we lose a conference game or two. Then - and only then - would Dickey give Drew a shot at trying to get his spot back and start rebuilding Drew's confidence siomehow. Andrew Smith last year was not the same Andrew Smith as 2002, he has lost his confidence. The mop up time that he would get was absolutely horrible. He couldn't even perform against the 3rd stringers in the 4th quarter mop up time against Sun belt compeition last year; Dickey had to keep Scott in and risk injury so we wouldn't lose the game in the 4th. I don't know what happened to him, maybe it really was the defense that helped lead Drew to the bowl and the win in 2002... but he will always have that on Scott and Scott HATES that... which gives us a hungry Scott, not a content Scott. He wants to win his bowl game, too. So don't be worried about him slacking out there. Wait till he lights up Baylor for another 30 or 40 points, all of these stupid arguements will stop - just like they did last year.

[Stan R]

Boy do I hope we light up baylor for 30 or 40 points. That is, of course, assuming they score less than 30 or 40 points..

[UNTSIG]

One quick question to you that are tired of this thread. Why? It's a football board and we are debating the starting quarterback. JW

[KPFC Sports Dept.]

One quick question to you that are tired of this thread.  Why?  It's a football board and we are debating the starting quarterback.  JW

It got old the 348,952,724,078th time.

[UNTSIG]

I guess we should talk about the football helmet design then huh

[KPFC Sports Dept.]

I guess we should talk about the football helmet design then huh

If you want, but that has been beaten down just as badly.

[BIG DAWG]

stebo is RIGHT! You can not just swap your damn QB's all of the time. Chemistry and rhythm are at stake. Two very key components to any great offense. Is that not what we all want, a great offense to go with our great defense? You cannot have that with a revolving QB door! Name a starter and let the team rally around him.

stebo was also right in the fact about competing for spots. You are all right, competition is a necessity in football, but did Kennedy, Spencer, Casey, etc have to compete for their spots every year?

Don't tell me it is different with the QB situation either, because I see zero proof that the two QB's are even close.

The argument is that Hall played against lesser competion than Smith, but did Smith not put up his same crappy numbers against the same Sunbelt competion in 2002?

[Guest e-bone]

Andrew Smith last year was not the same Andrew Smith as 2002, he has lost his confidence.  The mop up time that he would get was absolutely horrible.  He couldn't even perform against the 3rd stringers in the 4th quarter mop up time against Sun belt compeition last year; Dickey had to keep Scott in and risk injury so we wouldn't lose the game in the 4th.  I don't know what happened to him, maybe it really was the defense that helped lead Drew to the bowl and the win in 2002...

It seems you will not let the truth get in the way of your "argument". Andrew had exactly 3 pass attempts against Sun Belt competition. It is kind of hard to get into a groove in "mop up time" when you get 3 pass attempts in 7 games.

I really cannot believe that you are actually trying to make this argument. Andrew Smith had THREE pass attempts against Sun Belt competition. THREE! And you are trying to make it sound like he got significant opportunities to play against the Sun Belt.

The real truth is that Andrew started against the toughest teams the Mean Green had to play all season, and then Scott got to come in later in the game against the second and third stringers. Is it really so hard to see how Scott had marginally better games against OOC opponents?

It was stacked against Andrew from the start. The only way he would have been able to keep the starting job would have been for him to have very good games against Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Air Force. He was basically set up to fail from the beginning, because when he would not play well against those teams everyone would have been crying for Scott to start, which indeed happened. And not surprisingly, Scott played great against the Sun Belt.

And now we have people comparing Andrew's and Scott's stats from last season as if it is proof that Scott is better. The only thing those stats prove is that Andrew played against teams like Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Air Force, while Scott played against the Sun Belt. Reverse the roles and the outcome would have been the same. Except that we might have won the NO Bowl.

As for the, "maybe it really was the defense that helped lead Drew to the bowl and the win in 2002..." garbage, I'll once again remind everyone that Scott Hall had the nations leading rusher, and practically the same defense returned from the 2002 season.

But of course Scott Hall was the reason for success last season, and the Mean Green were successful in 2002 despite Andrew Smith, right?

Edited May 18, 2004 by e-bone

[stebo]

Look E-Bone,

I didn't say that I knew why Smith lost it last year, pehaps it was because he had someone looking over his shoulder constantly and he couldn't handle the pressure. But the Air Force game and the Arkansas game showed split time betwen the two against the same defenses and Scott was far superior. Smith got in for for more time than your stats skew.. you are right, he only atempted 3 passes. Because he was either being sacked, fumbling the snap and jumping on it, or scrwing up a hand off. And all of this wa because of the chemistry issue.

Andrew is a fine QB, I don't know why he cracked last year. I remember him saving the day in Jonesboro and I remmeber him having some moderate success in 2002; but that defense in 2002 was incredible. Our offense ended up ranked in the 100's even with a bowl win in 2002. Last year we had a more balanced team. Scott just has the "it" factor and I am not going to change your mind on that. You and your brother and JD like Drew better, that is great. all fans have the right to have their favorites. But Scott is untouchable this year to start the season and unless he really screws up or gets injured then it is his job all season long. Accept it or be miserable.

Did you go to Air Force or Arkansas last year? If you ahd seen the difference that was made once Scott went in than you would not be able to argue this. Even the most biased fan could not argue who was the better player if they went to those games.

[Guest e-bone]

"But Scott is untouchable this year to start the season and unless he really screws up..."

It will be interesting to see if he gets benched for playing poor in OOC games like Andrew was last season. However, even if he does play poor in OOC games, I seriously doubt the love fest for Scott Hall that exists on the board will stop.

I am just tired of having people like this Big Dawg idiot come in here and say how bad Andrew sucks. Andrew is the only QB we have to have won a bowl game, and he did it as a freshman after he had been shoved into the starting spot following Hall getting injured. It pisses me off how people dismiss him like he did nothing for this team. And it pisses me off when morons come on here and say that the running game and defense were the reasons that the Mean Green succeeded in 2002, and then turn around and praise Scott Hall for single handedly winning the conference championship last season, when he had the same defense and and even better rushing game than Andrew did.

Maybe it is the stereotypes that people have of black and white athletes, maybe it is because people are friends with one players dad, maybe it is because people have short memories. But I'm sick and tired of people on this board thinking that Scott Hall can do no wrong, and that Andrew Smith can do no right.

Edited May 18, 2004 by e-bone

[CaribbeanGreen]

I'll also cast a vote for the immortal Big Dick Bridges.

[stebo]

Drew got benched because he woud go in (against very tough teams) and screw up... and then Scott would go in and do considerably better. If the reverse happens this year ten just as many people will be wanting for Drew to start again. Drew had me rooting for him... and then he lost me when I saw in person how much better Scott was playing. If Scott screws up and Drew is able to give relief, you can bet your grandmother's pension fund that Dickey will play Drew more. Dickey gets bonuses for having, 7, 8, 9 win seasons, a bowl visit, a bowl win, certain rankings, etc... and he is going to do everything that he can to make as much money as possible and win as many games as possible. Last year, Scott was the better resource for that. Even with all that being said, there are some players that are untouchable. A good example was BK last year. Look, BK didn't exactly have a stellar year last year and some fresh legs MIGHT have helped out quite a few times. But he earned his spot, he has the respect of his teammates, and nobody would ever try to bench him. Hall is the same way this year. Awasom, Bazaldua, Hall... heck, probably about 6 or 7 guys are untouchable. They are the backbone of the team and are going to be starting unless they are hurt. Smith will be that guy next year I hope. I personally don't think that Byerly is that much better than either Hall or Smith.

[Pierow 2]

I do not think Ieans id the answer at all.  They were trying him at receiver last year during the spring.  We will see I guess

I think the DUBSTER was yankin' our chain.

[Guest JohnDenver]

I am just tired of having people like this Big Dawg idiot come in here and say how bad Andrew sucks. Andrew is the only QB we have to have won a bowl game, and he did it as a freshman after he had been shoved into the starting spot following Hall getting injured. It pisses me off how people dismiss him like he did nothing for this team. And it pisses me off when morons come on here and say that the running game and defense were the reasons that the Mean Green succeeded in 2002, and then turn around and praise Scott Hall for single handedly winning the conference championship last season, when he had the same defense and and even better rushing game than Andrew did.

Maybe it is the stereotypes that people have of black and white athletes, maybe it is because people are friends with one players dad, maybe it is because people have short memories. But I'm sick and tired of people on this board thinking that Scott Hall can do no wrong, and that Andrew Smith can do no right.

Best post of the year.

[MrStrange62]

There is no such thing as a returning starter.

Every spot should be up for grabs, every year.  Usually the guy who played that position will have a leg up on people who didn't, but if he gets beat out, he gets beat out.

Yes...everyone mark down what I am about to say: Cerebus.... Your right. This isnt the NFL, in college every position every year is up for grabs. Do I personally feel Scott is the man? Yes, but if someone else can do the job better, so be it. Scott has proven himself as a solid consistant (for the most part) starter, and someone else, I feel, would have to step up big time to take the starting job from Scott.

GMG!!!

[Got5onIt]

I actually had more success playing with Andrew Smith on NCAA '04 then Scott Hall.

[UNTFan23]

I actually had more success playing with Andrew Smith on NCAA '04 then Scott Hall.     

Wasn't it Yoda, the Jedi Master, who made the comment, "One player does not a team make."

[fullgreenjacket]

Maybe it is the stereotypes that people have of black and white athletes,

Now we are getting down to it. I was wondering how long it would take to break out the Race Card, When all else fails you can always fall back on that lame excuse.

[Guest JohnDenver]

Lock down 3.... 2..... 1.......

[SteaminWillieBeamin]

If you people want to read what EVERYONE has to say on this topic, use the search function. It has been beatin down... big time.