JDL

[BiggsCoug]

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.

I agree. It isnt sound. But if that is what it takes to make sure you have a baller, well, that is what it is gonna be.

There are 11 P5 starting qb jobs on the West Coast. I say 11 cause Colorado isnt West Coast..

In theory, none of these schools should have a hard time finding a talented QB prospect every year. In execution, something goes awry.

I have written before that I think qb is the most poorly coached, poorly evaluated and poorly recruited position on the West Coast. I have seen nothing that changes my mind.

 

[425cougfan]

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.

Leach's typical formula at Tech was to plug in an upperclassman who had been around a while. Believe the only two deviations from that were Kingsbury and Harrell, both of whom played for him while relatively junior, but Kingsbury was offered a scholie by Spike Dykes, not Leach.

 

[425cougfan]

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.

Yeah, completely fair. I see nuance in almost everything, as people probably rue, but it seems like it's necessary with Leach more than most things due to how unconventional he is and the idiosyncrasies of the schools he has coached at, especially WSU. The guy simultaneously wins a lot of games in a ruthlessly competitive environment and in situations in which almost any other coach likely would fail, yet he does things that seem not to make any sense, including a number of things that any average fan, let alone anyone who has coached junior high football, reasonably can believe are inane and should be capable of being fixed in a single day at practice. There's no way to say he was great at recruiting or developing high school quarterbacks at WSU, though, even if the context is important.

 

[Cougsocal]

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.

Jesus wept, no one knocked Cruz or Cooper for not cracking the top three last year. But the failure to crack the top three is "Not promising for a QB star in the making." Had either made a serious run at PT last year, that would have been something, and a strong suggestion that they could play at this level. So we still just don't know.

 

[CougPatrol]

Like many of you, I follow the practice reports very closely, and I’m fairly well connected to booster gossip. Not once have I heard anyone mention that Cooper or Cruz have “it.”

 

[Cougsocal]

Like many of you, I follow the practice reports very closely, and I’m fairly well connected to booster gossip. Not once have I heard anyone mention that Cooper or Cruz have “it.”

Before I was Cougsocal, I lived near Pullman, and attended practice/scrimmages regularly. Some kids aren't practice players, Ryan Leaf, was hands down the worst. He practiced and scrimmaged like crap. I believe Price benched Davis to teach him a lesson because of his "I'm the only option you have" attitude. I cringed when Price put Leaf in, expecting more of the practice Leaf. The rest is history.

On the other hand, Gesser was a sensation from the instant he hit campus. He could score on the 1st team defense with the scout team. In those days his nickname was Bambi. Invariably he'd be running for his life, evading DLs at every turn, only to bomb it down field for a big play. The SR even wrote an article about how the defense thought the "yellow shirt" system with Gesser was unfairly showing them up.

The point being, just because kids don't show that they have "it" in practice, doesn't mean they don't, but you "sure in the hell" want them to show "it," because Ryan Leaf is the exception not the rule.

 

[longtimecoug]

Before I was Cougsocal, I lived near Pullman, and attended practice/scrimmages regularly. Some kids aren't practice players, Ryan Leaf, was hands down the worst. He practiced and scrimmaged like crap. I believe Price benched Davis to teach him a lesson because of his "I'm the only option you have" attitude. I cringed when Price put Leaf in, expecting more of the practice Leaf. The rest is history.

On the other hand, Gesser was a sensation from the instant he hit campus. He could score on the 1st team defense with the scout team. In those days his nickname was Bambi. Invariably he'd be running for his life, evading DLs at every turn, only to bomb it down field for a big play. The SR even wrote an article about how the defense thought the "yellow shirt" system with Gesser was unfairly showing them up.

The point being, just because kids don't show that they have "it" in practice, doesn't mean they don't, but you "sure in the hell" want them to show "it," because Ryan Leaf is the exception not the rule.

agree, I'll go back as far as birnbaum, he performed much better in practice than in games, i'd rather have it the other way around

 

[CougPatrol]

Before I was Cougsocal, I lived near Pullman, and attended practice/scrimmages regularly. Some kids aren't practice players, Ryan Leaf, was hands down the worst. He practiced and scrimmaged like crap. I believe Price benched Davis to teach him a lesson because of his "I'm the only option you have" attitude. I cringed when Price put Leaf in, expecting more of the practice Leaf. The rest is history.

On the other hand, Gesser was a sensation from the instant he hit campus. He could score on the 1st team defense with the scout team. In those days his nickname was Bambi. Invariably he'd be running for his life, evading DLs at every turn, only to bomb it down field for a big play. The SR even wrote an article about how the defense thought the "yellow shirt" system with Gesser was unfairly showing them up.

The point being, just because kids don't show that they have "it" in practice, doesn't mean they don't, but you "sure in the hell" want them to show "it," because Ryan Leaf is the exception not the rule.

Excellent point, but regarding Leaf, he may not have been a good practice player, but there was a TREMENDOUS buzz about him reverberating throughout the program. Everyone was calling for him to play early in his career, and that was my point about Cooper or Cruz. I haven't so much heard a peep from anyone about their potential.

 

[Cougsocal]

Excellent point, but regarding Leaf, he may not have been a good practice player, but there was a TREMENDOUS buzz about him reverberating throughout the program. Everyone was calling for him to play early in his career, and that was my point about Cooper or Cruz. I haven't so much heard a peep from anyone about their potential.

Fans who didn't watch practice, and/or did not hear what Price had to says on the subject. Price was repeatedly asked about Leaf at the old Cougar Club functions and his response was consistently Leaf needed to decide whether he was committed to playing football. In fact, before the 1995 Cal game, Price quipped, he's more interested in his golf game. Even Leaf subsequently admitted that he was utterly unprepared to go in against Cal. Don't Believe me?

This is a quote from Blanchette, from 11/1/1995.

"Over the years, the subsistence diet of the Cougar fan is a quarterback flap. This one is a banquet, weighing as it does the potential benching of the Alamo Bowl MVP against handing the car keys to a kid who’s completed exactly three college passes.

Ah, but there’s a difference between Cougar fans being ready for Ryan Leaf and Ryan Leaf being ready.

Price has said as much, and the only history we have to go on indicates he believes what he says.

In 1990, he leapfrogged a freshman named Drew Bledsoe over two capable, accomplished quarterbacks and inserted him in the starting lineup. If he could tell us then that starter Brad Gossen wasn’t the problem and still bench him for a gifted but raw teenager, what’s to stop him from sitting Davis with the same cushion and taking a flyer on Leaf?

Well, two things.

One, Leaf apparently has not sufficiently proven himself to Price - or to some of his teammates."

 

[rgordo12]

Such a difficult off season for all 3 quarterbacks trying to learn a new system. No matter what you have to start the guy you think will give you the best chance to win regardless of class/grade and can’t let the thought of someone transferring sway the decision. For the QB’s that don’t get the job they just need to stay positive and keep their heads down and work hard every day. Rolo has a history of playing more than 1 QB and even if one takes complete control of the job the other 2 are only a play away from being the man. With the R&S the quarterbacks will be asked to run and move around more which increases the chance of injury.... I can’t wait for next Saturday night to see the Cougs back in action! Even though my son is no longer there still feel so connected to WSU and his friends still on the team and all the great Coug fans we met the past 4 years!

 

[kougkurt]

Not having a spring, with a new coach and system, really levels the field for the QB position. If they had a spring, my guess would be Cruz or Cooper. Now, JDL.

 

[M-I-Coug]

I betcha it's Jayden. Did you guys see this?

Washington State preseason notes (Oct. 28): Nick Rolovich has named Cougars' starter internally, but three QBs are still taking reps

It slipped out during the first cycle of the virtual "car wash" Nick Rolovich went through on Tuesday with media members from around the state. No, the Washington State coach didn't accidentally name a starting quarterback during a radio hit with KJR host and WSU alum Jason Puckett, but he...

www.spokesman.com

 

[mikalalas]

I betcha it's Jayden. Did you guys see this?

Washington State preseason notes (Oct. 28): Nick Rolovich has named Cougars' starter internally, but three QBs are still taking reps

It slipped out during the first cycle of the virtual "car wash" Nick Rolovich went through on Tuesday with media members from around the state. No, the Washington State coach didn't accidentally name a starting quarterback during a radio hit with KJR host and WSU alum Jason Puckett, but he...

www.spokesman.com

I read that too, and other stories, interviews, vids, etc, on, about how Rolo said that the starter is the result from the FIRST scrimmage, earlier practices, and that the 2nd Scrimmage little to do with it, as the starter was pretty much almost practically almost chosen because of 1st scrimmage, practices, BEFORE the 2nd scrimmage.

Cooper, JDL had the best FIRST scrimmage, and practices.

JDL had the best 2nd scrimmage, but that wasnt factored in as much.

So because Cooper, JDL, TIED for best FIRST scrimmage, its LIKELY that either Cooper, JDL, TIED for being the starter. And because they tied for the starter, Cooper would likely be the starter, even tho BOTH JDL and Cooeper are likely to be the starter based on the FIRST SCRIMMAGE, that Rolo said he went by.

So

1. Cooper most probable.

2. JDL TECHNICALLY TIED with Cooper

3. Cruz LEAST PROBABLE.

I am ok with whoever was chosen to to be the starter.

But I think that Cooper OR JDL would be better, for the reasons I have mentioned already in previous comments.

Cruz is probably not the starter. I hope he isnt, for the reason I explained in previous comments

 

[Coug90]

agree, I'll go back as far as birnbaum, he performed much better in practice than in games, i'd rather have it the other way around

Been trying to tell my wife this for years she’s not buying it.