QB's

ssgaufan · « **on:** March 25, 2013, 08:40:32 AM »

I just got that sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach again. For some reason I thought Marshall would be here for spring and really be competing for the starting spot. It looks as though I was wrong, and if so I don't see him coming in at the start of fall camp and winning the job.

copy/paste
By Charles Goldberg
AuburnTigers.com

AUBURN â€“ Coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee weren't around to watch Auburn quarterbacks Kiehl Frazier and Jonathan Wallace last season, but they've hardly needed introductions since returning to the Tigers.

Malzahn was Frazier's offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2011; and Malzahn and Lashlee recruited Wallace as well.

The four of them will be part of a new Auburn spring practice that begins Wednesday morning.

"You've got two guys that both Coach Malzahn and I are familiar with," Lashlee said. "They ran similar systems in high school. Those two guys will get a lot of reps in the spring, which is positive. I hope at end of the spring we'll say, 'Wow, it's a neck-and-neck race because they've both been really good.'

"We do have some guys coming in during the summer and they'll have a chance to compete. We're going to play the best guy, I don't care if he's freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, whatever. But there's no doubt Kiehl and Jonathan will have an advantage because of spring practices."

Frazier and Wallace will be the only two quarterbacks on scholarship this spring before the summer arrivals of signees Jonathan Johnson from Carver High in Montgomery; junior college transfer Nick Marshall from Garden City Community College in Kansas; and Jason Smith from Mobile's McGill-Toolen, who was last seen winning MVP honors as a wide receiver in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.

The race is open.

"When I was here before we didn't have a starter named at the end of spring either time. I don't have a timetable this time, either. I just want those guys to compete," Lashlee said.

"I do feel good that we have good kids, good athletes, that have played in this offense, either in high school or junior college, and this similar-style system. There is some familiarity in what we do."

Frazier, then the Wildcat quarterback, saw limited duty for Malzahn in 2011. Last season, Frazier hit a team-high 62 of 115 passes with two TDs and eight interceptions. Wallace, then a true freshman, started the final four games and hit 46 of 80 passes with four touchdown passes. Wallace set the school record for the highest passing efficiency by a freshman, at 139.6, topping the marks of Jason Campbell and Stan White.

Jumbo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2013, 09:23:35 AM »

Fuck.

AU_Tiger_2000 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2013, 09:27:55 AM »

Not that concerned. Neither of the QB's need to be Cam Newton, if they can just be Chris Toddish we can win if Ellis Johnson is able to do anything at all with the D.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2013, 10:39:53 AM »

I'd like to have at least one of these QB recruits on campus too, to get some good reps in the spring. One stat on Marshall that concerns me is not only did he throw for 18 TD's, he also had 20 interceptions. Our future would be off the charts if Jeremy Johnson was good enough to earn the starting spot as a freshman. I think this year's going to be rough no matter who gets the nod, so I'd like to go into next year with an experienced QB.

AUTiger1 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2013, 10:56:53 AM »

Quote from: AU_Tiger_2000 on March 25, 2013, 09:27:55 AM

Not that concerned. Neither of the QB's need to be Cam Newton, if they can just be Chris Toddish we can win if Ellis Johnson is able to do anything at all with the D.

What this man said.

ssgaufan · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2013, 10:58:51 AM »

Quote from: AUTiger1 on March 25, 2013, 10:56:53 AM

What this man said.

So, you Huntsville guys sticking together now?

I'm glad I'm out of the country for this season, especially if Frazier is our starting QB again.

AUTiger1 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2013, 11:02:02 AM »

Quote from: ssgaufan on March 25, 2013, 10:58:51 AM

So, you Huntsville guys sticking together now?

I'm glad I'm out of the country for this season, especially if Frazier is our starting QB again.

Nah, I would agree with him if he were from Cullman. As long as we have someone as capable as Chris Todd and improvement on D, we should win 6 or 7 and considering last year, I will take that as a step in the right direction.

bottomfeeder · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2013, 11:03:49 AM »

Quote from: AUTiger1 on March 25, 2013, 11:02:02 AM

Nah, I would agree with him if he were from Cullman. As long as we have someone as capable as Chris Todd and improvement on D, we should win 6 or 7 and considering last year, I will take that as a step in the right direction.

T-Bell has the same prediction, 6 wins.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2013, 11:06:02 AM »

I admit, I was big on Frayzha going in to last season. I thought he looked damn good in the spring and had high hopes on him being da' man. I learned a couple of things from that...first, I was WRONG. He sucked. Second, I'm going to stop taking anything away from a spring game. Holy hell, I thought Neil Caudle looked like Joe Montana his last spring game.

Fraazzer may surprise and do well under Malzahn's guidance, but after watching him last season, I hope we've got something better than him on campus or heading to campus in the summer.

AUChizad · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2013, 11:07:03 AM »

Not to sunshine pump, as there's definitely no logical reason to do so as of late, but I've seen too many drastic changes in QB performance under different coordinators and coaches (Campbell, Todd, etc.) to be too be too concerned by this. ESPECIALLY given the fact that Frazier was Mr. All-World-Beater in High School, and our entire team sucked complete shit in every single facet of the game last year enough to absolutely be considered an anomaly year of a colossally bad coaching.

Cautiously optimistic.

bottomfeeder · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2013, 11:14:09 AM »

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2013, 11:41:43 AM »

I was pleasantly surprised by Wallace. He performed as well as could be expected under the circumstances. Plus, he was far more accurate than I thought he was. Saw him throw a lot of balls in a scrimmage and he couldn't hit an 18 wheeler from 10 yards away. But when he got his chance, he was accurate and most importantly, decisive. The fact that he can run well could make him pretty dangerous in Malzahn's offense.

The Six · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2013, 12:19:58 PM »

Quote

Wallace set the school record for the highest passing efficiency by a freshman, at 139.6, topping the marks of Jason Campbell and Stan White.

That's mildly comforting considering by the time he got in there, only he and Tre Mason seemed to give half a damn about trying to play well.

This year...I think just think we all should temper the expectations. It's gonna take a year to unscrew all that was screwed into the ground for these guys since 2010.

Somebody hand me some mead...

JR4AU · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2013, 12:28:36 PM »

Considering what we know now about what was going on with the prior staff, I give all the players a complete pass, and a clean slate. Have no idea who will start at QB, but I'd bet almost anything I own that whoever it is, Frazier or another, they will look like a totally different player. (Not predicting one will become the next Cam, but still will be much improved play) If I had to guess today, the JC kid will probably get the job, but that's little more than a hunch.

dallaswareagle · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2013, 12:47:06 PM »

Quote from: TheSix on March 25, 2013, 12:19:58 PM

That's mildly comforting considering by the time he got in there, only he and Tre Mason seemed to give half a damn about trying to play well.

This year...I think just think we all should temper the expectations. It's gonna take a year to unscrew all that was screwed into the ground for these guys since 2010.

Somebody hand me some mead...

I don't know, these kids all have talent, most were highly recruited, I just think it was a EPIC JUG FUCK OF PISS POOR COACHING, and the staff not giving a fuck.

The Six · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2013, 01:38:40 PM »

Quote from: dallaswareagle on March 25, 2013, 12:47:06 PM

I don't know, these kids all have talent, most were highly recruited, I just think it was a EPIC JUG fudge OF PISS POOR COACHING, and the staff not giving a fudge.

True. Let me rephrase. September is going to tell a lot about this team. They don't really get to rest on anything. Four in a row where they'll all have to show up to not get chumped.

Washington State - not world beaters but Mike Leach is crazy and Auburn hasn't covered a pass since 2010.

Arkansas State - Conventional wisdom leans Tigers but these guys aren't slouches - just ask Gus - and Sun Belt teams made a thing out of being pains in the arse last year.

Mississippi State - I have no idea what Dan Mushmouth has in Starkvegas. On paper, not much, but this was the crown of their season last year and this year it's the same story.

LSU - You know, I'd love to knock of the Hat's madders, but they roll deeper than Adele at most every position.

Possibilities? 3-1 (Really optimistic) 2-2 (Cautious) 1-3 (Things are as bad as we feared) 0-4 (Every Bammer everywhere will try to convince us of this.

I'm leaning for the split and hoping for the 75%er.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2013, 02:20:50 PM »

Wednesday, baby. It gets cranked up. Would love to find a way to get to a practice. Anyone know how Malzahn might be running things as far as fan access to practices?

ssgaufan · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2013, 02:29:21 PM »

Quote from: Snaggletiger on March 25, 2013, 02:20:50 PM

Wednesday, baby. It gets cranked up. Would love to find a way to get to a practice. Anyone know how Malzahn might be running things as far as fan access to practices?

Open practices, closed showers. Better luck next year Snaggs.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2013, 02:36:04 PM »

Quote from: ssgaufan on March 25, 2013, 02:29:21 PM

Open practices, closed showers. Better luck next year Snaggs.

I knew Malzahn would be a total flop.

jmar · « **Reply #19 on:** March 26, 2013, 05:35:51 AM »

Quote from: Snaggletiger on March 25, 2013, 02:36:04 PM

I knew Malzahn would be a total flop.

We got a few Scuds to implement into our gimicky offense. Gus poses a threat to the security of the SEC West, maybe the entire conference even. We scary!