To redshirt or not to redshirt. That is the question.

[streettopeschel]

Lot of talk here and other boards about whether to play or redshirt J Heard.

If the kid is still here in 2018, it probably will have made sense to sit him this year. but if he leaves early, like a VY, then it did neither he or the team any good to not play this year.

Not to mention i'm really not worried about 2018 right now.

I've been in the redshirt camp, but the more i think about it it might make sense to see what the kid has against live competition. and it's not like if he flounders or has growing pains, it'll cost us a playoff berth.

What say you on the subject? I'm sure Charlie anxiously awaits our decision.

 

[echeese]

Clearly the coaches did not think he was ready to start and needs a year. .  . .

The sad part. . . .Harsin and Mack decided on Swoopes over JT Barnett who would have been all over a TEXAS offer like a fat kid on cake. . . 

Jt Barnett is the #4 ranked passer in the nation right now and has put up better run yards than Swoopes. . .albeit for a much better team.

Simms, Ash, GG, Swoopes. .  .when will we learn it NEVER pays to burn a QB's shirt?

I say this. . . give the rock to Swoopes until you decide he's not going to be better . ..then give it to Heard or the next guy. . .don't burn Heard's shirt then waffle. . . .

But JMHO .. . . 

 

[Lastcall8]

Redshirt. He has way less of a grasp on the offense then Tyrone does. Remember this isn't an offense either ran in high school. It's all completely new to them.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

We'll be lucky to qualify for the Toilet Bowl this year, anyway.

No reason to rush Heard into the fray for a lost season.  I assume that he's getting valuable practice reps against our 1st Team D running the scout team.  That will help him get ready for next year.

 

[streettopeschel]

cheese, for the sake of arguement, how did GG playing in 09 make him a bust in 2010 and gone by 2011? how did Ash playing as a FR negatively impact him? Seems to me the biggest negative is losing your 5-th year on campus. wasn't an issue with either of those guys.

 

[echeese]

cheese, for the sake of arguement, how did GG playing in 09 make him a bust in 2010 and gone by 2011? how did Ash playing as a FR negatively impact him? Seems to me the biggest negative is losing your 5-th year on campus. wasn't an issue with either of those guys.

In both cases, they were young QBs thrust into action too early. . . .It's not just the 5th year.

Pehaps I should use Colt as an example. . .I seriously doubt if Vince goes down in the title game, Colt would have been ready  .. .but he was ready in 2006 because he learned the O, grew and matured to the speed of the game.

Neither Swoopes nor Heard is running the O they ran in HS. . . . 

 

[Davharjac]

I think you redshirt him...and that's hard for me to say because I want to see him out there because looking at Swoopes, its clear he is just very limited. I know he gets the "youth" pass, but when you think about it he enrolled early, so he has been in a college program. I know new coaching staff and all that, but he should be more sharp as a player shouldn't he. I know it takes time to get use to the speed on the game.

My first camp my freshman year it was TOUGH, but by the end of the season into spring the speed on the game was not an issue. Qb is different I know, but even when he runs he isn't decisive, he had a run up the middle and for some reason he tries to break to the sideline rather than going north and south..it kills me. Also on the play before the fumble, he's a big guy, he has to run with power, he has to get in on that run. 

I think he lacks confidence, and I am not sure he has leadership qualities. I get the feeling that he is "happy" to be playing, he wants to do well, but it's not there consistent enough. 

 

[monarch]

don't burn!  period!​

isn't watching swoopes enough...​

 

[streettopeschel]

Redshirt. He has way less of a grasp on the offense then Tyrone does. Remember this isn't an offense either ran in high school. It's all completely new to them.

and if that's the case, then no, there's no need for him to play.

the larger point i was trying to make, and apparently i didn't do it well,  was in a day and age when the best QBs often leave early, what's the advantage to a redshirt year if he won't be here in year 5 anyway ?

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

Great question STP. I'm on the fence with this but why not give Heard a shot. The HS QB position has evolved. 7 on 7 has better prepared HS qbs for the college game. Heard played against the best competition in HS compared to Swoopes.

Deshaun Watson, a true freshman QB for Clemson's playing lights out. Another true freshman, Brad Kaaya, is starting for Miami, and when Florida was having trouble generating yards against Tennessee, in came true freshman Treon Harris, who sparked the Gators with his running ability, and led them to a game winning FG. Perhaps Heard isn't as polished at QB compared to Swoopes right now, but his legs could generate some second guessing for defenses.

 

[Lastcall8]

Great question STP. I'm on the fence with this but why not give Heard a shot. The HS QB position has evolved. 7 on 7 has better prepared HS qbs for the college game. Heard played against the best competition in HS compared to Swoopes.

Deshaun Watson, a true freshman QB for Clemson's playing lights out. Another true freshman, Brad Kaaya, is starting for Miami, and when Florida was having trouble generating yards against Tennessee, in came true freshman Treon Harris, who sparked the Gators with his running ability, and led them to a game winning FG. Perhaps Heard isn't as polished at QB compared to Swoopes right now, but his legs could generate some second guessing for defenses.

We don't run a 7 on 7 offense though sf. If we did then swoopes and heard would both be farther along then they are now.

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

We don't run a 7 on 7 offense though sf. If we did then swoopes and heard would both be farther along then they are now.

Good point but Texas HS football has better prepared QB these days, especially at the 4A-5A level.  I'd give Heard a shot, but then again, I'm not a coach so unsure how developed/prepared Heard is.  

 

[drgilbert]

Take the shirt off and let him play. Then next year you have Heard as the starter Swoopes as the backup and you redshirt Gentry. Everybody seems to think Heard and Gentry will be stars so our QB position will start to take shape. We just have to keep recruiting well.

 

[texasdobbs]

I think it will depend if Swoopes development does not improve. .. if that happens then we may see Heard sooner than later....

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I think you all know my thoughts on this. Heard's only hangup has been learning the system. There were times during fall practice when the game was very fast for him because he was having to think and recall so much. Not as much the case now, I am told.

Coaches don't like contingency plans. That's like planning for failure of plan A. Plan A isn't looking good but I think you give Swopes another game. If he can turn his light on and direct this offense, then it makes more sense to keep him going and keep Heard's shirt.

If not, then I think you do have to go with Heard. You can't sacrifice the whole season to develop one player and that's what this is looking more and more like.

 

[CCausey11]

I agree SHL..Unfortunately Swoopes doesn't seem to be making improvements. While he may be fine over the course of a few years how long to your keep Heard on the bench.  Charlie did go to Bridgewater at about this time his first year.  Maybe it's time to do it with Heard

 

[utisdabomb12]

Redshirt. Heard isn't going to get anything out of a makeshift offense right now that's just trying to develop. Let him learn the playbook, get reps against our D in practice, etc. 

 

[pringlelake]

My being forced to think that the reason we can't use Heard effectively this year is because we employ an offensive scheme that's foreign to him is depressing. 

If that's a true statement, it's going to be a while before we become a national contender. 

That's o.k. if that's the choice. It's simply going to take awhile and require our going out of state and recruiting in a similar fashion (and with similar effectiveness) as Alabama.

IMHO...winning at the college level is accomplished by having superior talent...not superior coaching. Roughly 80% talent and 20% coaching. Talent and "stars" are not the same (although most studies show a correlation). I don't give a f*** if everyone of our recruits is a 2 star so long as they're more talented than their peers.

But all the coaching in the world isn't going to win championships consistently unless those coaches have superior talent. 

This whole idea of player development and coaching them up once they get here is flawed. The most important things coaches do is to develop a scheme that's sufficiently effective to win...then have the ability to recognize really talented players that fit that scheme and then lastly.... have the ability to get those players on campus.

So..in case I'm rambling in a nonsensical fashion...I'll come back to the depression thing. I'm depressed cause I don't think we have the talent on hand to win football games the Charley Strong way and using the Charley Strong schemes. I'm confident that...if we give him enough time to recruit to fit his scheme...we can get there. But it's probably going to be a lot closer to 5 years than 2 years.

 

[texasdobbs]

My being forced to think that the reason we can't use Heard effectively this year is because we employ an offensive scheme that's foreign to him is depressing.

If that's a true statement, it's going to be a while before we become a national contender.

That's o.k. if that's the choice. It's simply going to take awhile and require our going out of state and recruiting in a similar fashion (and with similar effectiveness) as Alabama.

IMHO...winning at the college level is accomplished by having superior talent...not superior coaching. Roughly 80% talent and 20% coaching. Talent and "stars" are not the same (although most studies show a correlation). I don't give a f*** if everyone of our recruits is a 2 star so long as they're more talented than their peers.

But all the coaching in the world isn't going to win championships consistently unless those coaches have superior talent.

This whole idea of player development and coaching them up once they get here is flawed. The most important things coaches do is to develop a scheme that's sufficiently effective to win...then have the ability to recognize really talented players that fit that scheme and then lastly.... have the ability to get those players on campus.

So..in case I'm rambling in a nonsensical fashion...I'll come back to the depression thing. I'm depressed cause I don't think we have the talent on hand to win football games the Charley Strong way and using the Charley Strong schemes. I'm confident that...if we give him enough time to recruit to fit his scheme...we can get there. But it's probably going to be a lot closer to 5 years than 2 years.

Did it take Strong 5 years in a system he changed at Louisville?