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CougarbibI think Bronco will get it figured out. I think it is more complicated than most of you seem to think it is. Since a couple of you didn't notice that I said TIC in my previous post - let me be clear that I am not one of the ones that thinks Heaps is definitely the starter and that Bronco should therfore announce it right now. I think that it is still getting sorted out. At this point, I cannot see Munns in the mix for the UW game, or anytime soon after that. He may eventually get in the mix but is behind everyone else. Lark may still be a factor - although it is a long-shot. I do think they will all have goten a fair shake by the time it all sorts out.
Keep in mind, Munns was out taking care of academics part of Fall camp after missing Spring Camp. That is why Munns' fair shake will look like he got "short changed". He was not ready to truly compete for Sept 4. But he may be a great one before it is all over.
Lark has shown spurts that seem quite promising. I would like to see him run against the 1s, if Bronco feels that is what helps him make this decision. But Bronco only has so many reps to give with and against the ones.
Nelson is exciting. Clearly he does not have the arm and throw that Heaps has, and probably not what Lark or Munns has. The question is whether he has enough arm to get the job done - cuz his legs have the potential to drive other teams nuts like several mobile QBs will do to us this year. I think he deserves respect. A lot of people scoffed at the idea of Steve Young playing QB. Brandon Doman had to hear that he wasn't good enough until he proved that he actually was good enough. I distinctly remember the majority of posters at CB whining that Beck didn't deserve the light of day - too small, etc. People were calling for Max Hall to be benched in his senior year for heaven's sakes. So just give Nelson some respect. He either will or will not be good enough when the dust settles. He definitley seems like a team player and one that will accept whatever role the coaches give him. I know that noone wants to hear it, but an O/L starter very recently projected in a private conversation that Nelson would start the UW game. It was not becasue that O/L felt he had a stronger arm. The comment was about leadership and grit. Heaps and some of the other hot shot new guys have not won people over with their work ethic or lack thereof. But that coment is a week and several practices old now. Maybe we would get a different projection now. Things can change quickly in weither direction. Bronco has mentioned needing to see more reps to decide. On some of those 3 and outs that everyone keeps talking about for Nelson - did u notice that someone called a running play on 3rd down on at least one of them that didn't quite get there. Is it possible that coaches are trying to prepare the entire team and may be having Nelson run certain types of situations that have killed our defense in the past - mobile QB run threat kind of stuff. Are they perhaps having him give the running backs more reps and testing the run defense? I don't know what the coaches are doing. But I guarantee you that everything is planned and scripted and they are preparing the entire team. If Nelson does not have a D1 arm - the coaches would have known that last year and would not have approached the QB situatoin the way they have. This competition is more about knowing what ot do when than who has the strongest or more accurate throw. We all know Heaps has the best arm and Nelson has the best legs. We didn't need Spring and Fall camp to figure that out. The coaches are trying to figure something else out - more complicated.
Heaps has potential every bit as exciting as Ben Olsen had. It turns out Olsen was not tough enough and not a team player and ultimatley, lacked leadership, as near as I can tell. But he threw a very pretty ball. My son-in-law was on his high school team. I really wanted Ben Olsen to play 4 years and break all the records and win the Heisman and get us a NC. But then he pouted and transferred. Everyone lost out on that situation - but especially Ben Olson. So maybe the coaches are trying to make sure Heaps is tough enough and willing to earn his place as a leader of this team. He may do just that. I trust it will all get sorted out.
Go Cougs
Keep in mind, Munns was out taking care of academics part of Fall camp after missing Spring Camp. That is why Munns' fair shake will look like he got "short changed". He was not ready to truly compete for Sept 4. But he may be a great one before it is all over.
Lark has shown spurts that seem quite promising. I would like to see him run against the 1s, if Bronco feels that is what helps him make this decision. But Bronco only has so many reps to give with and against the ones.
Nelson is exciting. Clearly he does not have the arm and throw that Heaps has, and probably not what Lark or Munns has. The question is whether he has enough arm to get the job done - cuz his legs have the potential to drive other teams nuts like several mobile QBs will do to us this year. I think he deserves respect. A lot of people scoffed at the idea of Steve Young playing QB. Brandon Doman had to hear that he wasn't good enough until he proved that he actually was good enough. I distinctly remember the majority of posters at CB whining that Beck didn't deserve the light of day - too small, etc. People were calling for Max Hall to be benched in his senior year for heaven's sakes. So just give Nelson some respect. He either will or will not be good enough when the dust settles. He definitley seems like a team player and one that will accept whatever role the coaches give him. I know that noone wants to hear it, but an O/L starter very recently projected in a private conversation that Nelson would start the UW game. It was not becasue that O/L felt he had a stronger arm. The comment was about leadership and grit. Heaps and some of the other hot shot new guys have not won people over with their work ethic or lack thereof. But that coment is a week and several practices old now. Maybe we would get a different projection now. Things can change quickly in weither direction. Bronco has mentioned needing to see more reps to decide. On some of those 3 and outs that everyone keeps talking about for Nelson - did u notice that someone called a running play on 3rd down on at least one of them that didn't quite get there. Is it possible that coaches are trying to prepare the entire team and may be having Nelson run certain types of situations that have killed our defense in the past - mobile QB run threat kind of stuff. Are they perhaps having him give the running backs more reps and testing the run defense? I don't know what the coaches are doing. But I guarantee you that everything is planned and scripted and they are preparing the entire team. If Nelson does not have a D1 arm - the coaches would have known that last year and would not have approached the QB situatoin the way they have. This competition is more about knowing what ot do when than who has the strongest or more accurate throw. We all know Heaps has the best arm and Nelson has the best legs. We didn't need Spring and Fall camp to figure that out. The coaches are trying to figure something else out - more complicated.
Heaps has potential every bit as exciting as Ben Olsen had. It turns out Olsen was not tough enough and not a team player and ultimatley, lacked leadership, as near as I can tell. But he threw a very pretty ball. My son-in-law was on his high school team. I really wanted Ben Olsen to play 4 years and break all the records and win the Heisman and get us a NC. But then he pouted and transferred. Everyone lost out on that situation - but especially Ben Olson. So maybe the coaches are trying to make sure Heaps is tough enough and willing to earn his place as a leader of this team. He may do just that. I trust it will all get sorted out.
Go Cougs