Recent Comments
Like I wrote earlier, I feel like the bad decisions really amplified an otherwise decent day. I'm a glass half-full guy, but Logan made a ton of bad decisions last year, and right now that's the norm, not exception to the rule. In this offense he cannot be careless with the ball. You don't control the clock with turnovers. I don't want him to be a 30 TD guy, just a < 10 turnover player.
Completely agree. If anyone thinks there will be a QB controversy, they are going to be disappointed. Logan is their man and will be their man until he graduates. In my opinion, Logan actually threw the ball much better today than he did last season, but he fell victim to a few bad decisions that led to a poor day overall.
I'm pretty sure he hit his hand on a helmet or something because he was favoring his left hand after the second pick, which I think is why Leal came in earlier than expected. Anyone else catch that?
A disaster is throwing three interceptions vs Alabama, not three interceptions in a glorified scrimmage.
Logan had a bad game, I'll be the first to admit. Three bad interceptions (Stanford tried to fall on the sword for the second one, I'm not buying it). He has some damning habits that he HAS to clean up before the season starts, or Tech won't even sniff the ACC title game.
But.
This wasn't some threshold moment like many in our fan base are making it out to be. He's going to have all spring and summer to work on his mechanics and work with the young receivers (If those young CB's don't get some 7 v 7 drills going, they don't want the job bad enough). I'm confident he and Loeffler will turn this around.
I agree with you, Logan is the clear starter. The crowd cheering when Leal came on the field made a bad situation worse. But, lets take a minute to look at this closer:
1) the other QB's, who get fewer reps, were going through their progressions when they had time. They did benefit from using the bootlegs more, but they scanned the field. Logan was locking in on one guy, and he was covered out of his break, Logan was staying dead on him as if he would break open late. See the first INT. that has nothing to do with familiarity with a system. He locks on to guys. When he gets tight, that is what happens. Happened when he was great with Coale and Boykin. Happened with Fuller last year. Guys were wide open all over the field, especially against the safeties. Any throw that wasn't his first read was a panic throw or a check down. We can try to shine it up, but it was still poor. Even his best throw of the day (Stanford's catch on the first drive) probably should not have been thrown. He has to get better, because despite the opinion of those cheering when Leal came in, he isn't winning any games for you in the ACC.
I want Logan to be great. I think he can, and have said so here repeatedly. His mechanics (with two exceptions) looked better. But, his vision and decision-making just isn't satisfactory for a guy who now has two years of starting experience and his other tools. We can bicker and argue over semantics but it wasn't the starting defense that was making him look bad. This was a disaster.
I actually am somewhat fine with the running game. The Oline isn't good enough to simply run people over. The running game can still be successful though, by mixing and matching schemes to keep the defensive line off balance. Running the base zone, then creating cut-backs by using Wham-blocks (trapping), running some counters, some toss sweeps, reverses, jet sweeps, etc. Today the only plays the coaches had at their disposal were the handful of plays they've installed.
No surprise to me that the defense was frequently able to beat their man to the spot if they know what play's coming. Especially when the Oline talent is less then in previous years. As the playbook expands though, the coaches will be able to hide some of their deficiencies in terms of pure strength.
Think of it this way. GT's Oline isn't strong enough to just run you over. They have to come at you at weird angles you don't suspect, putting your head on a swivel all game. Sometimes they'll even base-block and catch you off guard. But if you tell any ACC defense what play is coming, and give them weeks to practice against it over and over, don't be surprised when even Paul Johnsons running attack is stymied.
I do think Logan Thomas has a ways to improve if Tech is going to compete for an ACC title. I just wanted to push back against this idea I've read over and over today from the fan base that somehow LT's job was in danger because of three bad passes.
I'm just going to blame it on the orange uniforms and move on.
I whole-heartedly agree with most of what you said. However, I think the most alarming and concerning aspect of the spring game was the lack of any ability to run the football. Both teams were totally one-dimensional today and it lead to a long game where the defense was keyed in on the few pass plays that were being run this spring.
If you have to do coaching during a game face to face with a QB, you've already failed.
Sitting in the booth is the right call.
this made me laugh out loud.
This reads as pretty hysterical (and I don't mean funny). It's a spring game, for God's sake. A spring game where only a handful of plays are available to the offense, and not even all of those were available because the defense was always in base.
Logan Thomas has had a handful of practices with the new coaching staff. Give him some time to get in sync with what they want of him. THIS PLAYBOOK IS JUST AS NEW TO HIM AS IT IS TO LEAL AND TREY GRESH. For all we know, he has completely different reads then he's used to.
And let's be serious. There is no quarterback controversy, nor should their be. Leal completed a grand total of three passes. Three. In order for their to be a QB controversy, the backup either has to have a higher ceiling, or be significantly more efficient. I don't see either being the case here. Has anyone heard anything but good things about Logan this spring?
I was expecting this to be the voice of reason article. Boy was I wrong. Logan Thomas is an NFL player. He's been the starter for two years. He's lead the team to victory in the closing minutes of a game in front of a national audience. He's not losing his job because of one bad regular season game, you can forget about losing it because of one bad Spring game.
Especially not when the back-up completes three passes.
I've been thinking the same thing. Maybe what you've got is a guy who's so focused on getting it right and working on correcting his mistakes then and there after be makes them that he appears disinterested. The mental mistakes are NOT surprising during an overhaul of the QB. Sad that it happened on recruit exposure/get the fanbase on board day.
I think that between now and Aug 31, repetitions get the mind to slow down and Logan works on the habits of reading the defense and going thru his progressions. The running game installs the rest of the package and we go out and hit an unsuspecting Alabama team in the mouth with a crisp, confident offensive showing and a viscous defense.
Maybe in my ideal world, we'll wear #allmarooneverything, too?
Your comment re Thomas sitting there not getting any tutoring is why I don't like that Loefller plans to be in the booth. I would rather him be on the sidelines so he can coach up Logan during the game. JMO
What are you talking about?
White team quarterback AJ McCarron finished the day completing 19 of 30 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. McCarron led the White team to 335 total yards. The Crimson team totaled 285 total yards on the day. The teams combined for nine turnovers, including five by the Crimson team and four by the White team.
Spring Football - its ugly all over. Even in Sabanville
The performance today was a definite net negative, but I wonder if some of these problems arise from the time that Loeffler has obviously had to spend fixing Logan's mechanics? The problems all seem to be mental. Maybe Logan is still thinking too much about intrinsic things that should be natural, like his footwork or delivery? I just wonder if Loeffler is still overhauling Logan and they haven't gotten into enough of the mental aspect of the game.
Until I see the film, I am doom and gloom. I don't care if Josh Stanford ran the damn hook and ladder with a triple axle and half a twist of lime. Both of those throws were into heavy traffic and should not have been thrown. On the first one down by the goal line, Logan's head was transfixed on Stanford. Instead of saying "hey, the primary route is going right into heavy traffic so someone else is open" and move to the second read, he waited until he was pressured and then threw a prayer (BEHIND) Stanford. Even on completions, Logan looks at the primary, elude rush, back. On the short 3rd down completion to Coleman that forced gin to go to the ground to catch the ball, Demetrius Knowles was Danny Coale vs Florida State open down the right sideline, but Logan stayed locked on Stanford and then panic threw to Coleman. On a 2nd quarter crossing route to Stanford, DJ Coles was wide open down the field on a wheel route that should have been the primary read, but Logan stayed on Stanford and completed it to him in traffic. Coles came to the sideline to one of the coaches and screamed "what do I have to do?" Later, Logan overthrew him on a wide open seam route and Shaw got the third pick.
Apparently, O'Cain was on to something. Logan looked good all spring (or appeared to) and then George Whitfield shows up and he goes in the crapper. I don't get it. I want the kid to be great. I believe he can be great. But, you have to find the open guy and get the ball there. And, when things are not going well, be a leader and get with your guys on the sideline. Logan isolated himself way too much when Leal was in for my pleasing (except for running down and congratulating Malleck on the TD.)
Well that's weird
cant say. he will announce Thursday tho.
who is the second?
Very excited about him hopefully he'll continue the long line of great db's. Question though, how come we only got two commits compared to last year? Did not as many recruits attend? Or are we going after more highly recruited guys who would rather let it play out longer?
Now if only the drillfield had that... relay for life last night was a like running through a pond
maybe bama could spot us 13 points
yeesh
but it wasnt all gloom and doom. the d played their nuts off, the punts were all pretty good, the above mentioned beamer swag, and it was a real nice day.
good guy JJ
i'd rather be complaining about how we played in april than in september. defense looked good and im excited about a few of the guys who were out there on the white team, but the offense has a long, long way to go at really every position. logan, the line, the receivers and the backs were all either inconsistent or just bad. everything's new on that side of the ball, but i wish they looked a little further along than they did saturday.
hopefully that was the orange jerseys' farewell party like the bowl helmets were for the gobbler.
ps - rip gobbler