Talked to a friend who was at the spring game, and who late last night caught up with one of the coaches to get his take. Good stuff he had to share.
Some of this comes from my observations, and some from his.
1. First, let's tap the brakes on anointing anyone the next Dan Marino based on a spring game. Having played in a couple of these myself, I can tell you that it means pretty much nada in the grand scheme of things. If the spring game was the deciding factor in who's the best QB on your roster, then bill turkowski would have started for the 1987 national championship team instead of steve walsh. The reality is, the decision on who is the QB1 for this team (when King leaves), isn't going to be decided until August of 2022, so sit back and watch, and enjoy the ride.
2. Garcia has definitely been the beneficiary of the "california QB school." you see it in his mechanics, especially his footwork. he's been well taught and physically, it makes him college ready.
3. Garcia's stats were great, BUT .... at least a half dozen of those throws were on the same group of routes where guys were "high school open." so take those with a mega large grain of salt. Garcia was sacked 4 times, and it should have been 5. He's relying upon instinct and arm, instead of processing the offense. that gets you "lofty stats in a spring game when a lot of the defense you're playing against won't make the travel squad in the fall, but it also gets you picked twice in the first half against alabama." still, he showed good pocket awareness on multiple plays.
4. TVD only played the first half, and that was by design. he's been ahead of garcia for the spring, and there's some pretty good reasons why. putting aside the stats, here's the big one that has the coaches privately declaring TVD "won" the scrimmage and had his best performance of the spring: of his 20 throws, 19 went to the right guy. That's a Walsh/Dorsey type stat, and it's impressive for a guy who is still a freshman. Again, take it in context, as everything was dumbed down for the scrimmage, both offensively and defensively, but it confirms what they've been seeing and saying all spring: TVD has the mental "it" factor.
5. One reason the other players gravitate to TVD, even though he's not a "rah-rah kind of kid." in a meeting, the coaches show him something. he gets it immediately. so much so, he can actually help the other guys who don't pick things up as fast, and that includes things like O-line protections, and WR coverage reads. "You teach him something, and he'll understand everyone's job, not just his. that's the kind of stuff that gets guys 10 year NFL careers when you have the big arm to go with it like he does."
6. The coaches are not going to go anywhere near naming QB2 until the end of fall practice. they're not that stupid. and don't be surprised if we see the "or" designation on the depth chart for most of the season. they love how both kids are really engaged and preparing as though they are starters. they want to keep that up and keep the developmental pressure on both guys. that being said, TVD would be the first guy off the bench to get reps for DKing if the season started tomorrow.
7. TVD owned the two best throws of the day, and one was an incompletion. The TD to Restrepo was an NFL throw and catch. The other, was the opening play incomplete deep ball to Rambo where Tyrique was called for PI. according to the coaches, that ball "pretty much landed on the blade of grass where he was aiming. impressive toss." The throw wiggins dropped that would have been a 70+ yard TD was a great throw by TVD too.
8. Garcia's throw to Pope that was dropped was a money throw. Again, his best of the day and it was an incompletion.
9. If both these guys keep going like they are, then the decision on who starts is going to be "the toughest call since howard had to choose between Vinny and Kosar in 1983." This QB room (King/TVD/Garcia/Matocha) is the best we've had since Kelly/Kosar/Testaverde because not only are the guys talented, the attitude is outstanding. No one is saying there's going to be a heisman winner, a NC, a hall of famer, and three guys with long NFL careers, but "when you compare where we were at the end of spring two years ago (manny's first), to where we are now, it's light years difference. Howell (at UNC) may be the best QB in the ACC next year, but we have as good a QB room as anyone, and that includes UNC and Clemson."
Can't wait for fall practice. Stay healthy!
Some of this comes from my observations, and some from his.
1. First, let's tap the brakes on anointing anyone the next Dan Marino based on a spring game. Having played in a couple of these myself, I can tell you that it means pretty much nada in the grand scheme of things. If the spring game was the deciding factor in who's the best QB on your roster, then bill turkowski would have started for the 1987 national championship team instead of steve walsh. The reality is, the decision on who is the QB1 for this team (when King leaves), isn't going to be decided until August of 2022, so sit back and watch, and enjoy the ride.
2. Garcia has definitely been the beneficiary of the "california QB school." you see it in his mechanics, especially his footwork. he's been well taught and physically, it makes him college ready.
3. Garcia's stats were great, BUT .... at least a half dozen of those throws were on the same group of routes where guys were "high school open." so take those with a mega large grain of salt. Garcia was sacked 4 times, and it should have been 5. He's relying upon instinct and arm, instead of processing the offense. that gets you "lofty stats in a spring game when a lot of the defense you're playing against won't make the travel squad in the fall, but it also gets you picked twice in the first half against alabama." still, he showed good pocket awareness on multiple plays.
4. TVD only played the first half, and that was by design. he's been ahead of garcia for the spring, and there's some pretty good reasons why. putting aside the stats, here's the big one that has the coaches privately declaring TVD "won" the scrimmage and had his best performance of the spring: of his 20 throws, 19 went to the right guy. That's a Walsh/Dorsey type stat, and it's impressive for a guy who is still a freshman. Again, take it in context, as everything was dumbed down for the scrimmage, both offensively and defensively, but it confirms what they've been seeing and saying all spring: TVD has the mental "it" factor.
5. One reason the other players gravitate to TVD, even though he's not a "rah-rah kind of kid." in a meeting, the coaches show him something. he gets it immediately. so much so, he can actually help the other guys who don't pick things up as fast, and that includes things like O-line protections, and WR coverage reads. "You teach him something, and he'll understand everyone's job, not just his. that's the kind of stuff that gets guys 10 year NFL careers when you have the big arm to go with it like he does."
6. The coaches are not going to go anywhere near naming QB2 until the end of fall practice. they're not that stupid. and don't be surprised if we see the "or" designation on the depth chart for most of the season. they love how both kids are really engaged and preparing as though they are starters. they want to keep that up and keep the developmental pressure on both guys. that being said, TVD would be the first guy off the bench to get reps for DKing if the season started tomorrow.
7. TVD owned the two best throws of the day, and one was an incompletion. The TD to Restrepo was an NFL throw and catch. The other, was the opening play incomplete deep ball to Rambo where Tyrique was called for PI. according to the coaches, that ball "pretty much landed on the blade of grass where he was aiming. impressive toss." The throw wiggins dropped that would have been a 70+ yard TD was a great throw by TVD too.
8. Garcia's throw to Pope that was dropped was a money throw. Again, his best of the day and it was an incompletion.
9. If both these guys keep going like they are, then the decision on who starts is going to be "the toughest call since howard had to choose between Vinny and Kosar in 1983." This QB room (King/TVD/Garcia/Matocha) is the best we've had since Kelly/Kosar/Testaverde because not only are the guys talented, the attitude is outstanding. No one is saying there's going to be a heisman winner, a NC, a hall of famer, and three guys with long NFL careers, but "when you compare where we were at the end of spring two years ago (manny's first), to where we are now, it's light years difference. Howell (at UNC) may be the best QB in the ACC next year, but we have as good a QB room as anyone, and that includes UNC and Clemson."
Can't wait for fall practice. Stay healthy!
