JDL
- Thread starter chugspig
- Start date
All I know is JDL is set to be the “starter”. Whether that means a qtr or the whole season I don’t know.
We, do not want to see Cruz start, UNLESS he is CLEARLY the best, beat out competition.
Being Neck and Neck, whether good or bad, is NOT CLEARLY beating competition.
Reaaons why dont want Cruz to start.
1. Cruz is the least mobile, and is more of a Pure Dropback Pocket Passer.
Meaning he will take more sacks.
2. Cruz is not as good a fit for Run and Shoot as JDL, Cooper.
3. If Cruz ends up the starter, he might probably end up the starter until he grads, and if that happened JDL almost no matter how good, if he ends up good, would only start 1,2 seasons, and not start until his 4th year Junior, 5th Year season, if he wouldnt transfer out by, before then.
4. Cruz may or might or may might not have more, be better, short term value, this year or next year, but JDL has more long term value and a higher upside ceiling.
And JDL probably has a better chance at being a NFL QB, then Cruz.
5. Cruz is 3 stars, JDL is 4 stars.
6. You want to start your 4 stars like Cooper, JDL, unless a 3 star like Cruz is CLEARLY better, CLEARLY BEATS OUT THE 4 STARS.
7. IF a 4 star and a 3 star are neck and neck, you probably want to start the 4 star.
8. That's because if you dont start your 4 star QB, and dont get your 4 star QB into post season and into the NFL, that does not help recruiting.
4 star QB's, Top 10 to 20 in nation, rated QB's, like JDL goto WSU over Alabama's, because they want a better chance of starting, going to the NFL, which they will get if thet goto a WSU type over a Alabama type.
9. If Rolo, WSU builds, develops a reputation of starting 4 star QB's, developing 4 star QB's, putting 4 star QB's into postseason, NFL, then that would lead to 5 star QB's going to WSU.
10. If Cooper starts until he grads, then JDL would get more years starting after Cooper grads, then he would if Cruz was starter until he grads.
So if either Cooper, JDL, 4 star QB's start:
A. That would be good for future Recruiting.
B. JDL would probably get more years starting
BUT IF Cruz a 3 star is CLEARLY BETTER, BEATS OUT, then Cruz should, would be starter.
BUT that's not the case. Cruz is in a Neck and Neck race, almost tie, and as such is PROBABLY NOT CLEARLY BETTER, and should probably not start.
So We want Cooper, JDL, a 4 star QB to start.
Being Neck and Neck, whether good or bad, is NOT CLEARLY beating competition.
Reaaons why dont want Cruz to start.
1. Cruz is the least mobile, and is more of a Pure Dropback Pocket Passer.
Meaning he will take more sacks.
2. Cruz is not as good a fit for Run and Shoot as JDL, Cooper.
3. If Cruz ends up the starter, he might probably end up the starter until he grads, and if that happened JDL almost no matter how good, if he ends up good, would only start 1,2 seasons, and not start until his 4th year Junior, 5th Year season, if he wouldnt transfer out by, before then.
4. Cruz may or might or may might not have more, be better, short term value, this year or next year, but JDL has more long term value and a higher upside ceiling.
And JDL probably has a better chance at being a NFL QB, then Cruz.
5. Cruz is 3 stars, JDL is 4 stars.
6. You want to start your 4 stars like Cooper, JDL, unless a 3 star like Cruz is CLEARLY better, CLEARLY BEATS OUT THE 4 STARS.
7. IF a 4 star and a 3 star are neck and neck, you probably want to start the 4 star.
8. That's because if you dont start your 4 star QB, and dont get your 4 star QB into post season and into the NFL, that does not help recruiting.
4 star QB's, Top 10 to 20 in nation, rated QB's, like JDL goto WSU over Alabama's, because they want a better chance of starting, going to the NFL, which they will get if thet goto a WSU type over a Alabama type.
9. If Rolo, WSU builds, develops a reputation of starting 4 star QB's, developing 4 star QB's, putting 4 star QB's into postseason, NFL, then that would lead to 5 star QB's going to WSU.
10. If Cooper starts until he grads, then JDL would get more years starting after Cooper grads, then he would if Cruz was starter until he grads.
So if either Cooper, JDL, 4 star QB's start:
A. That would be good for future Recruiting.
B. JDL would probably get more years starting
BUT IF Cruz a 3 star is CLEARLY BETTER, BEATS OUT, then Cruz should, would be starter.
BUT that's not the case. Cruz is in a Neck and Neck race, almost tie, and as such is PROBABLY NOT CLEARLY BETTER, and should probably not start.
So We want Cooper, JDL, a 4 star QB to start.
I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but again...if Cooper or Cruz weren’t performing head and shoulders above de Laura, then the decision was clear. That’s not to say that JDL will have an endless leash, but he’s probably the right choice to start.
Wasn't JDL a high level Leach QB recruit ?
There is a reason why Ohio St offered him. Kid is a really good football player. I'm most excited to see what he can do with his feet and extending plays. Will be fun to watch his growth over the season and beyond. His ability to run will help Max and 22 as well.
And that is why you dont want 3, THREE STAR Cruz starting over 4, FOUR STAR JDL, unless 3 star Cruz is CLEARLY DOMINANTLY BETTER, beats out 4 STAR JDL with Ohio State offer that Top 10 QB in nation.
Lets say in the future a JDL type 5 star Top 2 QB in nation, gets offers from both Ohio St, and WSU.
And Lets say that recruit would have chosen WSU over Ohio St, to BE THE MAN, Starter, etc.
Then lets say that recruit, thinks, says "Well I would goto WSU over Ohio St, but Cruz a 3 star started over 4 star JDL who also had a offer from Ohio State. And Cruz, JDL were neck and neck. Its not like Cruz beat out JDL. And JDL deserved to be the starter. If I goto WSU, will WSU, Rolo also have a walk on, 3 star like Cruz start over me? I dont think I would like the possibility of a Walk on, 3 star starting over me. So I will goto Ohio State."
And that's why you dont make Cruz the starter over JDL, unless he is clearly better and clearly beats JDL.
Also If Cruz is the starter, then JDL probably doesnt start until his 4th year Junior, 5th year Senior years, after, when Cruz would Graduate.
Also if Cooper is the starter, then at least its a 4, FOUR STAR, 3RD YEAR redshirt Sophmore, and not a 3 star redshirt freshman beating out 4 star JDL.
Also if Cooper were the starter, Then JDL would be the starter his redshirt sophmore year, and would get 2,3 years of starting after Cooper graduates, instead of not starting until his 4th year junior, 5th year senior year.
Also JDL probably has a higher upside, potential, ceiling, and probably the better long term option over Cooper, Cruz, even tho Cooper, Cruz, might probably be better short term options, over JDL.
So easier to recruit, etc, if dont start Cruz.
Im at the point where if a school took 2 qbs every year just to increase their chances at getting a kid that can play in every class, do it. You cant afford to have a down year or years at that position. Kids will read the writing on the wall and transfer so it isnt likely you will wind up with 10 guys to play 1 position.
There are moments in time when a coach needs to load up on a particular position. Given the situation we have, this year may be a year where two QB's make sense. Every year? Uh....no. Willfully throwing away a scholarship every year doesn't make sense. We don't even know if we have anything to worry about this year. Get the best QB that you can get every year and live with it. Realistically, you can miss every other year and still be fine. We need bodies on the DL a lot more than we need to worry about having disposable guys at the QB position.
Yes, who hasn’t played yet and will never play under leach.
Cruz
Cooper
Neville
Bender
Bruggman
Apodaca*
my point stands
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All kidding aside, Leach's track record with high school scholarship recruits at WSU has not been good so far. Apodaca, Bruggman, Bender, Hilinski, Neville. Cooper, Cruz and de Laura remain completely unproven. Cooper and Cruz couldn't break the "three deep" last year. Not promising for a QB star in the making. We can only hope that Leach finally got it right with one or more of these last three kids. But if Rolo all of a sudden signs a JC QB this cycle, we can basically stick a fork in Leach's QB recruiting at WSU. I remain optimistic, but based on the principle, if you sign 8 kids the law of averages says at least one has to be half decent, right?
Not even sure what point that you are making in order for it to stand. JDL was a Leach recruit and that is the ONLY reason he is playing now for Rolo who recruited him at Hawaii and whiffed. You have zero way of knowing whether Cruz or Cooper may eventually start at WSU or elsewhere so that is not even a point. Bender started for 2 years at Kansas and actually had some of their better games. Blame Neville and Bruggman on the ratings services, because they did not pan out anywhere relative to their rating.
What is wild is Leach's other QB recruit ( Will Rodgers) besides JDL last season at WSU will probably start the rest of the year at MSU. So if JDL does start , both of Leach's last QB recruits will start as true freshman. Name another coach that has done that I will hang up and listen. Leach has other issues but it is not in identifying talent and potential at QB.
The single most important thing for a R&S QB is to be on the same mental page with his receivers. Period. Everything else comes in second. Mobility, speed, ability to take a hit, even (though this is a close one, because in the R&S it figures into how the WR will adapt) ability to recognize defenses. I don't know which QB is ahead in that specific category, and since that is likely to be the deciding factor, I don't know who will start.
But I am 100% confident of one thing. The guy who takes the first snap against OSU will be the guy that Rolo believes is most in synch with his receivers.
But I am 100% confident of one thing. The guy who takes the first snap against OSU will be the guy that Rolo believes is most in synch with his receivers.
Yeah you said, “Isn’t De Laura a high level Leach recruit” in counter to me stating all his high level recruits have whiffed.
I said yes, and named all the ones that were never developed or transferred because they were not good. JDL will start now because Leach’s highly recruited qbs of the past still have failed to show anything good. Maybe some of Rolos fault? Sure. Basically every touted recruit at the QB spot outside of Hilinski was a whiff though. You argued against my point and I countered. Wasn’t meant as an insult to Leach, but it is interesting how none of them became anything. And starting at Kansas is the same as playing at a CC.
I said yes, and named all the ones that were never developed or transferred because they were not good. JDL will start now because Leach’s highly recruited qbs of the past still have failed to show anything good. Maybe some of Rolos fault? Sure. Basically every touted recruit at the QB spot outside of Hilinski was a whiff though. You argued against my point and I countered. Wasn’t meant as an insult to Leach, but it is interesting how none of them became anything. And starting at Kansas is the same as playing at a CC.
No it doesn't. You tried to take a dig at Leach and failed to recognize JDL was a Leach recruit. Nice try to back-peddle away from your initial post. Just own it and move on.
Uh it’s not a dig, it’s a fact. Basically the last 6 highly recruited guys by Leach did nothing.
Leach also took a bunch of 0 stars and made them into NFL prospect QBs. Leach is also my favorite WSU coach of all time.
That doesn’t change the fact that every QBs he recruited with 3/4 stars did nothing. And JDL may be the next Gesser or next Levenseller, but he’s playing because the older guys both suck.
edit: the point of saying he hasn’t and will never play under Leach is because he will never be developed or coached by Leach so it’s Impossible to determine how much Leach will play into his success.
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I don't agree with this assessment at all. All of Leach's starting QBs at WSU were above average collegiate quarterbacks. As a P12 coach, that is your #1 roster job. Find a top line QB, and Leach deserves high marks on that. Falk was a very good QB with significant conference wins and a brief playing career in the NFL. He beat out the competition because he was better than them. Minshew was exceptional. He was a transfer, but that doesn't matter. He came in and won the job. Same with Gordon. Another very good QB. Then Leach went out and signed de Laura (he beat out Ohio State and Rolo at Hawaii for him).
Your list of kids who didn't make it is just that, the kids who weren't good enough to win the job. Listing Hilinski was a bad take, for obvious reasons. Stick a fork in Leach's QB recruiting at WSU? Sorry, I don't see it that way. We damn near landed Ian Book. Bender went on to start for Kansas. Falk started in the NFL. Minshew started in the NFL. Gordon was a great college QB. The transfer portal has changed things dramatically for QBs, I suspect that Rolo will utilize it as well down the road.
This was the point I was trying to get out without making people pissed off. It’s the enigma that is Leach or just a crazy anomaly that he turned almost unanimously people no one wanted into NFL prospects, but also never made a highly touted guy live up to expectations. Maybe it’s just the mentalities you get from each respective position of being a scrapper or being the popular front runner.
Just gonna say that I wouldn't hang your hat on Bender starting at KU as proof of Leach's recruiting. He was benched in two separate seasons and his stats when he played were underwhelming. There's no positive spin to put on Leach's QB recruiting at WSU. I do think that Hilinski would have been good if things were different for him and Falk was obviously a good recruit, but the misses were glaring and frequent. It's obviously too soon to write off Cruz and Cooper but it certainly isn't looking good right now.
I'm not hanging my hat on Bender. The positive spin I'm putting on Leach's recruiting is that he didn't limit (or burden) himself with traditional QB recruiting because he didn't have to. He recruited well regarded kids, checked them out, and brought in transfers to compete with them. A younger Leach may have invested the necessary time in cultivating younger prospects, but the transfer portal has changed the game. Between his roster of recruits and transfers excited to lead the Nation in passing, Leach always knew he'd have a QB capable of lighting up the scoreboard.
If JDL beats out Cooper and Cruz, that's not a glaring miss. It's one Leach recruit beating out two others. That's how I view Falk as well. Hilinski's tragic situation necessitated that Leach go out and find Minshew, which he did. All told, I give Leach an A+ rating in QB recruitment and development.
This is a goofy discussion in that because a team can only start one QB all the ones that do not start will look like misses. Under this premise you can look at the blue blood programs and make the case that they "whiffed" on 4 and 5 star QB's every year because they got beat out by somebody. Under this premise , Ohio State whiffed on friggin Joe Burrow after he got beat out by Haskins.
When I looked at JDL's tape even when Leach was at WSU, I personally thought the kid had a great chance to see the field early. That was confirmed when USC and even Ohio State went after him late. If Cooper transfers I would bet on him being a walk-in starter for someone. Always thought Cruz was a long shot and would not put him the highly recruited category anyway.
Well stated.
Let's look at it another way. Over the past 8 seasons, list the programs in college football who have had better production from the QB position than WSU.
Given the fact that we had to be fortunate that Minshew was looking for a job and that Gordon worked out, I'm not sure that I buy into the idea that Leach got anything but lucky the last two seasons at WSU. I'd bet that most transfer portal QB's don't end up being stars. There are always a few exceptions to any situation, but in general, if a kid isn't good enough to play where they are at, it's dangerous to gamble on them being better just because of a coach. If it's just about coaching, we wouldn't be worried about Cruz or Cooper. Also, for all of the Heisman awards given to KJ Costello after his first game, it's not looking like Leach is guaranteed to have a QB "lighting up the scoreboard". Mississippi State recently had a 10 quarter stretch where they only scored one offensive TD. That's a Wulffian level of ineptitude on the part of Leach's offense.
All that said, despite the handwringing that we are seeing about the current group of players, we haven't seen any of them play yet, so this could be nothing more than a diversion to get us by until next week.
I get your point and it would be valid if we hadn't had to rely on a grad transfer and a walk-on the last two seasons. As it is? We can't say that Hilinski wouldn't have been good, but him being gone still meant that at least two other guys were not up to the task of being a future starter at WSU (Bender & Neville). You can also throw Bruggman into the mix because he could have been the starter in 2018 if he hadn't washed out at WSU. He did throw six passes at Montana State though......
Gordon wasn't a walk-on. It was easy to confuse Tinsley and Gordon, the former of whom was a walk-on, since they came in around the same time and little distinguished them meaningfully until Gordon's year starting, but Gordon was on scholie from the beginning.
"Leach's track record with high school scholarship recruits at WSU" was my specific statement and it was specifically intended. Because, that is what we now have. I was not addressing holdovers or Leach's "walk ons" and "JC guys," with limited exception, the only QBs to actually start during his tenure. We don't know how good Hilinski may or may not have been were he able to conquer his demons. A question mark doesn't establish Leach's Midas touch with high school QB scholarship recruits. Bender went on to be a poor QB at a step down school, Kansas, with a career PER of only 112, which is bad. Apodaca had a worse career, a PER of 110 at New Mexico, two steps down, and Bruggman, went on to Montana State, three steps down and disappeared. Neville is now at Northern Illinois, two steps down, after a mediocre season at 3-3 EMCC with 132 PER.
Love Leach for what he did for the program, justified. Love Leach's capacity to fill in the recruiting gaps at QB with a walk on and JC kids, justified. But don't suggest that Leach's high school QB scholarship recruits have proven to be anything other than busts so far. It is foolish.
There is two ways to look at it, 5 busts means 3 more, or 5 busts means, base on the law of averages, that we should have at least one keeper out of the last 3. I think the latter. Why do I think that? I don't think Leach was inept. I think in recruiting you win some and lose some on the player evaluation front, particularly at QB. And with a string of losers behind him. Leach is due for a winner or two.
Forgot that Gordon was actually a juco guy. Just knew that he wasn't a high school recruit. Cougsocal's comment above is dead on. We can love Leach for everything that he did for WSU but that doesn't mean that we have to pretend that he was great at everything. I still think it's early to write off any of our current QB's until we actually see what happens. The reports we are hearing aren't sounding great, but we'll see.
Not only that, but if start taking 2 QB's every class, 4 star, top 15 in nation QB's, probably wont ever goto WSU on the grounds that too much competition, and that because of that they would just be transfering anyways, so why not just skip that and goto a different college instead.
Taking 2 QB's in a class is a EMERGENCY measure.
1 QB every year is all thats needed usually.
2 QB's, or no QB's in a recruiting class is, should be considered a extreme emergency measure.
While what your saying is probably Generally true, what your saying about the not breaking the 3 deep thing is not true.
Gubrud, Gordon, Tinsley, Minshew were all ahead of Cooper, and all except Minshew were ahead of Cruz.
Minshew was, is a NFL QB, Gordon either a NFL draft, free agent, and Tinsley was at least serviceable.
Minshew, Gordon, Gubrud, ALL would, or should be able to start on any other Pac 12 college.
That's what Cooper, Cruz were up against. And they didnt get reps, when they could have, should have, because Leach only gives game reps to starting QB's.
Even the best HS QB recruit in the entire nation would struggle to see the game field, etc, if put into a similar situation as what Cooper, Cruz put in.
So because of that, that situation is no reflection on how good or bad, Cooper, Cruz are.
Remember that Anthony Gordon was also similarly BURIED like unto Cooper, Cruz, and he ended up good.
Going by what your saying, Anthony Gordon shouldnt have been the starter because there was a chance he wouldnt be good, because he didnt see the field earlier because was buried, and according to you, if a QB, whether Cooper, Gordon doesnt see the field, then that probably means that they are not good.
While that can be true, one has to or should look at the situation, like being BURIED by a SLEW of NFL QB's
If you are taking 2 QBs every year you 1. Don’t have a lot of confidence in your ability to evaluate/coach the position and 2. Don’t understand the importance of building depth at other critical positions on the field. Doesn’t matter how good your QB is if you have a POS for a left tackle your QB is gonna be in the training room.
might make sense to do it now and again if you have been gutted by the portal or had a guy or two leave early for the NFL. But if you can’t make something out of 5 scholarship QBs you best leave the recruiting and coaching of QBs to someone else.
I dont necessarily disagree that if youve got 5 QBs you need to find one that can play. But I am a believer in fueling the position group with enough kids to make it go. For some schools that could be less than 5. For some others it could be more than 5.
If it takes 2 qbs per year to always have a strong player at the position, fine. The issue now becomes moving those kids on down the road to other opportunities. You can take 10 qbs in 5 recruiting classes, you cannot have 10 qbs on scholarship at the same time. That is roster mismanagement and will hurt you at other positions.
WSU isn't the kind of place that could, or should, take two QBs in anything other than highly unusual circumstances. You will see USC, Texas, UW, etc. do it more frequently because (i) they can (they have an easier time selling a highly rated QB on committing there, especially with multiple QBs in the class) and (ii) they don't have to roster as many players to get starters or depth at a given level. WSU needs more guys on scholarship who are still developing, because that's who they can get, while those schools who can bring in two 4-star QBs per cycle don't have to squeeze as much out of every single spot in the recruiting class. They can get two of them to sign on, and then shove off the one who doesn't pan out, move him to WR, etc., and do it again if they ever need to.
This whole debate is evocative of the national political debate and the participation of media on various sides. Which of these two headlines is accurate?
MIKE LEACH NEVER RECRUITED A SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP QUARTERBACK AT WSU WHO HE DEVELOPED INTO A STARTER, MUCH LESS A HIGH LEVEL PERFORMER
MIKE LEACH IS NATIONALLY KNOWN FOR HIS EYE FOR QB TALENT, AND GOT MORE OUT OF LESS TALENT AT QB THAN ANY OTHER COACH IN THE CONFERENCE, PERHAPS THE COUNTRY, COACHING MULTIPLE ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS, ONE OF WHOM IS A STARTING QB IN THE NFL
Both are accurate. Just depends on whether Fox News or MSNBC is delivering the headline.
Of course, the truth is somewhere between the two extremes and the nuances matter in each case. My summation:
- Leach clearly has an eye for talent at the position and can develop QBs. See, e.g., not just Falk and Minshew (and even Gordon), who he got to perform at a high level as walk-ons and a former JC guy with no offers out of high school, respectively, but also the guys he missed on due to where he was coaching at more than anything else (e.g., Book, Goff, Mayfield, and various others).
- He missed on Bruggman. No doubt on that and no qualification is appropriate. That was his hand-picked guy and he was a flat-out bust.
- TH's passing has obvious implications for all the rest of this, including the sound bite about Leach never having developed a HS QB. Similarly, he had a walk-on who he gave a fair shot to (Falk) playing at a high level for years, which factored into recruiting and opportunity. Bender may or may not have been capable of starting and playing pretty well for a while under Leach, but in any case, his issue was not doing his part in school.
I don't need to go through each year, but when you look at the circumstances, it's more about the particularities of those circumstances (three-year walk-on starter he gave a fair shot to, and TH's death cutting out what likely was two years of a HS player starting), coupled with one high-profile bust in Bruggman and starting the guys he inherited in his first couple years.
It's fair to say he didn't develop a great HS scholarship quarterback, but without anyone needing to agree with me, I think this was more a function of him scraping together talent wherever he could find it, owing to WSU's recruiting limitations more than anything else, rather than some kind of problem with his approach or skillset that means he is incapable of recruiting and developing a good QB out of high school.
MIKE LEACH NEVER RECRUITED A SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP QUARTERBACK AT WSU WHO HE DEVELOPED INTO A STARTER, MUCH LESS A HIGH LEVEL PERFORMER
MIKE LEACH IS NATIONALLY KNOWN FOR HIS EYE FOR QB TALENT, AND GOT MORE OUT OF LESS TALENT AT QB THAN ANY OTHER COACH IN THE CONFERENCE, PERHAPS THE COUNTRY, COACHING MULTIPLE ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS, ONE OF WHOM IS A STARTING QB IN THE NFL
Both are accurate. Just depends on whether Fox News or MSNBC is delivering the headline.
Of course, the truth is somewhere between the two extremes and the nuances matter in each case. My summation:
- Leach clearly has an eye for talent at the position and can develop QBs. See, e.g., not just Falk and Minshew (and even Gordon), who he got to perform at a high level as walk-ons and a former JC guy with no offers out of high school, respectively, but also the guys he missed on due to where he was coaching at more than anything else (e.g., Book, Goff, Mayfield, and various others).
- He missed on Bruggman. No doubt on that and no qualification is appropriate. That was his hand-picked guy and he was a flat-out bust.
- TH's passing has obvious implications for all the rest of this, including the sound bite about Leach never having developed a HS QB. Similarly, he had a walk-on who he gave a fair shot to (Falk) playing at a high level for years, which factored into recruiting and opportunity. Bender may or may not have been capable of starting and playing pretty well for a while under Leach, but in any case, his issue was not doing his part in school.
I don't need to go through each year, but when you look at the circumstances, it's more about the particularities of those circumstances (three-year walk-on starter he gave a fair shot to, and TH's death cutting out what likely was two years of a HS player starting), coupled with one high-profile bust in Bruggman and starting the guys he inherited in his first couple years.
It's fair to say he didn't develop a great HS scholarship quarterback, but without anyone needing to agree with me, I think this was more a function of him scraping together talent wherever he could find it, owing to WSU's recruiting limitations more than anything else, rather than some kind of problem with his approach or skillset that means he is incapable of recruiting and developing a good QB out of high school.
There’s no perfect formula. As I said there may be times where it makes sense to take two. Hell if you have two 5* kids who are dying to be Cougs and don’t care if you are bringing in two you’re gonna take em both! I think if you are bringing two in every year just to find something that sticks, that’s not a sound approach IMO.
Really, has Leach ever really used a HS QB? At Texas Tech, he generally used upperclassmen for a year or two - kids who sat and learned the system until they were RS Jr or RS Sr, and then went out and put up big numbers for a year or two. Falk being a 3-year starter for him was really kind of an outlier - Cooper was much more the norm.
I think Leach's typical approach has been to find guys who work in the Air Raid. Whether they're high school kids or transfers doesn't really matter, if they've got the arm and the head. The big difference is that a few years ago, once a kid signed, he was pretty much stuck until the coach decided he was ready. With the transfer portal, fewer kids are willing to wait 3-4 to play 1-2.
The idea that Leach can't recruit QBs just because most of them haven't panned out is a weak argument. Most QBs don't pan out, period. Hell, most players don't pan out. 85 scholarship players on every roster, every year. Only half on those are on the 2-deep. The other half are special teams players, or are just bodies for the real players to hit. The majority may never hear their name on the PA.
That's even more true for QBs. There's no subbing in for a few plays here and there, the starter usually goes the distance. The backup might get some mop-up duty, or take a few snaps if #1 gets sloppy or gets his bell rung. Most schools won't play more than 2 in a season. Maybe #3 will get 10-15 attempts in a season if there are some big blowouts, or an injury. Leach usually doesn't go past #2.
And, knocking Cooper and Cruz because they couldn't crack the top 3 last season completely overlooks the fact that we had 2 seniors who had been here 3 years each, and a grad transfer who was a Walter Payton award finalist. It should not be a surprise that a freshman and RS freshman were behind those guys. It would be a bad sign if they weren't.
I think Leach's typical approach has been to find guys who work in the Air Raid. Whether they're high school kids or transfers doesn't really matter, if they've got the arm and the head. The big difference is that a few years ago, once a kid signed, he was pretty much stuck until the coach decided he was ready. With the transfer portal, fewer kids are willing to wait 3-4 to play 1-2.
The idea that Leach can't recruit QBs just because most of them haven't panned out is a weak argument. Most QBs don't pan out, period. Hell, most players don't pan out. 85 scholarship players on every roster, every year. Only half on those are on the 2-deep. The other half are special teams players, or are just bodies for the real players to hit. The majority may never hear their name on the PA.
That's even more true for QBs. There's no subbing in for a few plays here and there, the starter usually goes the distance. The backup might get some mop-up duty, or take a few snaps if #1 gets sloppy or gets his bell rung. Most schools won't play more than 2 in a season. Maybe #3 will get 10-15 attempts in a season if there are some big blowouts, or an injury. Leach usually doesn't go past #2.
And, knocking Cooper and Cruz because they couldn't crack the top 3 last season completely overlooks the fact that we had 2 seniors who had been here 3 years each, and a grad transfer who was a Walter Payton award finalist. It should not be a surprise that a freshman and RS freshman were behind those guys. It would be a bad sign if they weren't.
