I don't know if anyone else saw it, but at some point (before the game I believe) on the big screen/ HokieVision, it mentioned the QB competition. showed the 3 guys in camp, then said Brewer was joining in May, and Durkin was joining in August.
Is August correct, or will he be joining earlier? Andy Bitter seems to think Durkin may have a role in the offense, but I can't see him getting into camp in August and really having time to pick much up.
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I think that's correct, and I also think there's the possibility there may be 1 or 2 plays for Durkin in a set offense. Most likely some sort of read-option plays, so if he only has to learn a few plays it shouldn't be that much to ask for. I doubt Durkin will come in and be a starter in August.
Durkin won't have any more prep time than Brewer with. My understanding is that both Durkin and Brewer will be enrolling for summer classes, meaning that both will be in school on May 27th. This means that both will be on campus and will get to take part in any workouts and summer conditioning. There are strict rules about the players not having contact (ie practicing) with the coaching staff until fall practice starts, so any time either has with the receivers, centers, etc will be voluntary work organized by the players themselves.
The only experience advantage that Brewer has is that he has played the college game at full speed. Both have the exact same amount of experience playing in the Loeffler offense.
This is 100% correct.
you'd have to think that Brewer will be doing some kind of "voluntary work" with the receivers and center if he is serious about starting correct?
Yes, but in August, Brewer will be going into his 4th year of studying D1 playbooks, film, college coaching, etc. and will have already seen 2 different college offensive systems (going on 3). That's a considerable experience advantage.
Now you could argue that having 3 systems in 4 years is a recipe for tying up one's feet and brain. But Brewer is going to graduate in 3 years, so he's no dummy. And being a grad student allows for more flexibility in dedicating time to athletics during the season.
I don't see Durkin coming in and getting any playing time at all. Not sure why people have listed him as "competing" for the job. He is a highly unpolished prospect that probably has a better chance at being switched to LB, FB or TE in the long run. Ford is the much higher and polished QB of the group....and it is obvious that not even he is ready to compete for the job on day one.
Brewer has made the most sense from day one to compete for the job. I don't think there is any way in the world he would have came to VT from as far away as he did (especially since he expressed the most interest to stay close to home in TX, but TT rejected transferring to TX schools) if he did not have some sort of "soft guarantee" that he was going to be the guy. He had tons of offers, and I think he was told he would be put in an honest competition and the job could easily be his.
I think the one person we are over-looking is Leal. I don't care what I've read, what's been said, or what practice looks like----Frank has always had a soft spot for the previous backup and for his oldest, most experienced player. I would not be shocked at all if Leal is lining up under center come kickoff vs. W&M.
Durkin = goalline, short yardage stuff out of the inverted veer this year.
I'm not sure Durkin will be a NFL QB, but he'll be a damn good college veer QB and he is physicaly ready today. Let him take some snaps and go ham.
He's gonna be our Collin Klein type of QB.
I'm not sure about Leal, at least about how you think Beamer might perceive him. There certainly seem to be a lot of comments provided to the media and originating with the media that downplay any thoughts of Leal being behind center. I have found it odd. It seems every time he is mentioned, it is not in a promising manner. I predict someone else gets the nod and Leal spends five years at VT with only the one game to show as significant opportunity.
With regards to Durkin, go watch the lowlights from the Duke game and tell me who you see giving the defense the most trouble. We could use him in the same way, as a goalline/short yardage pseudo-wildcat QB who could also be very dangerous throwing. We've experimented with Bucky in the wildcat, but Durkin runing the option and having the ability to chuck it to Hodges would be absolutely terrifying for a DC.
As for Leal, it doesn't matter what year he is, Frank (and more importantly, Lefty) are in no position to play favorites and they know it. Leal has the double-whammy of not necessarily giving them the clear-cut best option to win now and having his eligibility expire after this year. I'm not writing him off, but he's still solidly at #3 on the depth chart at this point, IMO.
completely agree, Leal is a senior, took the 2nd string snaps all last year and the fact that he can't separate himself from (and in fact has fallen behind) Motley really says something
Leal has never seemed very confident in his video interviews and I personally question his leadership abilities. That's an issue for me, and I'm sure the coaches and players have noticed it, too.
As far as CFB having "a soft spot for the previous backup", I give you Ju Ju Clayton and Cory Holt, both career backup QBs at Tech.
I believe Durkin is a better prospect than Ford. Durkin will be on the field in some capacity.
Important distinction: as a passer, no. As a quarterback, quite possibly.
I think Ford would have to put up around 25lbs for anyone to feel comfortable with him in a game and I think that is the big issue. Durkin already has good weight and I think that gives him a big advantage.
His size really isn't the problem. I've seen skinny QBs succeed before. The bigger issue is just the speed of the game. He can set and deliver the ball to a spot all day long, but there are times when he looks just a little overwhelmed and a bit hesitant. If you hesitate as a college QB, you get drilled, your receiver gets drilled and you get picked off. I think a redshirt year would be good for him, because once the game slows down for him, he's got the smarts and accuracy to be a very successful college QB.
I mean, that's expected of a QB who would normally be going to his senior prom right about now instead of having to stare at guys named Nicolas, Maddy, Marshall, and Ekanem.
But yeah, he should absolutely redshirt. I for one was saying that from the beginning.
Both have significant flaws.
Ok I'll be the one to come out and say.. Leal is done at VT, no way he is competing come fall. Its a 2 man race with Brewer and Motley. Durkin will learn the wildcat packages and a little of the normal QB role.
Leal just doesn't seem to have it, someone made a great point that I legged and he said-- Leal took 2nd team snaps all season and isn't any better than Motley. Also everytime Leal gets a mention it seems like they're trying hard to easily let him down so come fall its not a big surprise.
For his sake, I hope that he has either graduated or can transfer to a FCS school and start there because I think you are right. Given the choice between a potential 3 year starter and a 1 year starter at the same level, you pick the long term guy.
Or... he could just go ahead and finish at VT, only playing occasionally, but getting his degree at Tech and preparing for life after football, which was going to happen in a year anyway. It's not as fantasy friendly, but it is realistic. Not everyone can be good enough to start even a single game. Not everyone can make the team, either.
I mentioned what I did if he wants to actually have the starter experience for a year. As I said, I hope he has already graduated. Everybody should have a degree from Virginia Tech.
If he graduates this year, he could transfer to an FBS school and not burn a year. I think the ship has sailed on grad admissions, though, so there's that.
Leal's biggest contribution will ultimately be that he's allowed us to redshirt younger guys like Motley. And that's not meant to be a negative thing towards Leal at all. If he doesn't win this job, and as of now all signs for that point to him not winning it, he'll allow us to redshirt Durkin and Ford this year by being behind Motley and Brewer. What Ford has in polish, he lacks in size and what Durkin has in size, he lacks in polish. Both will be better quarterbacks in the long run by being able to redshirt this year. While they both clearly have a lot of talent and upside, not every quarterback recruit can be a Tyrod and contribute quickly. It also doesn't make sense to burn a redshirt year on a guy like Durkin so he can run a wildcat type play a handful of times during a season. Ultimate point being, Leal is headed towards being a career back up but he did serve a good purpose for the better of the program going forward. Seems to me he has been pretty humble and a solid team mate. For that, I thank him.
This. He's serving the exact same function that Ju-Ju Clayton did a few years ago, and is by no means whatsoever a waste of a scholarship. Clayton allowed Thomas to redshirt, which benefited him in the long haul. Leal will allow the younger guys to redshirt, which will be good for them. We didn't have a Ju-Ju or a Leal in 2007, and thus Tyrod was thrust into action before he was ready. Can you imagine that 2011 offense with Wilson, Coale, Boykin and a r-senior Tyrod? Yeesh...
Every time I think of 2011 I think of if only Tyrod was there. Two receivers he was with for years and Wilson and a fifth year. Damn. There would have been no rematch in New Orleans....
Sorry, but I can't talk about Durkin without remembering this:
I can't find the original post, credit to whoever made it but it wasn't me. Sorry!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp7qq__k_Mc
His offseason workouts
I saw a receiver drop a pass. Clearly this QB is awful and throws too hard.
Switch him to TE