Who will be Auburns starting quarterback this year?

[JR4AU]

Neil Caudle is head and shoulders above Kodi. Neil looked poised in the pocket with a left tackle that was getting blow up on every play, with zip on his passes. I was impressed with the way he ran the offense.  Kodi looked the same as last year, happy feet, under throwing recievers, making one read and running for his life.

Just my take, but that's exactly what I saw.  The numbers indicate Kodi is still Kodi, and what I saw on the field says Caudle is and should be the guy. 

[JR4AU]

I vote Burns.  If he could get his head out of ass he has the talent to be a great QB.   

Or go with  a QB that alread has his head out of his ass...what the hell is the love affair with Kodi and some people?  He's shown NOTHING!

[Townhallsavoy]

Caudle.  Trust me. 

Kodi will play if Tyrik doesn't make it into school or turns out to be a bust. 

Caudle's arm.  Rollison's legs with occasional throws. 

[JR4AU]

For comparison sake I am calling a wash on that one of Kodi's.  Caudle had one that was tipped across the middle that should have been intercepted as well that went for a completion.

I have been going back and forth all evening on the two.  I don't know who will or should gt the nod.

I'm assuming you mean that bullet Caudle zipped over the LBs in the second half?  Exactly the kind  of throw that shows his skill..."wide open" in the SEC is a small window, and you have to make throws just like that.  Major difference in "was picked and taken back by your own man" and "almost picked, but completed". 

[ssgaufan]

I think Caudle will be the starter on opening day.  Burns will still have a role, maybe inside the red zone where he can be a run/pass threat.  I believe the reason that they didn't name a starter is because they want to make the qb's get out and throw with the wr's during the summer, and keep the competition up, so we end up with a better leader on the field this year.  Actually, it can't get much worse than it was last year, and Kodi did have a 300+ passing performance last year.

[War Eagle!!!]

Caudle.  Trust me. 

Kodi will play if Tyrik doesn't make it into school or turns out to be a bust. 

Caudle's arm.  Rollison's legs with occasional throws. 

Have you seen Tyrik's tape? That dude is a hell of a passer! He is a pass first then use his legs to beat you if nothing is open. TO label him as a "Burns" type player would be wrong. I would label him more like a Dameyon Craig type player. A guy that can sling it around but can still beat you with his legs if he has to.

I have just seen this dudes highlight tapes, but this kid is good. He won the state championship here in TX and had people raving!

If Caudle (or Burns I guess...although I hope to god we aren't depending on Burns to play QB) doesn't step up this year, I really wouldn't mind seeing this kid play as a freshman. I think he could be special...

[War Eagle!!!]

A little more for those that don't know or may have forgot...

70% completion percentage...70 fucking percent.........

And who can blame the Sulphur Springs head coach when he talks about his prized pupil, quarterback Tyrik Rollison, who signed with Auburn last Wednesday.

Rollison is coming off a fantastic season in which he led Sulphur Springs to the Texas Class 4A Div. II state championship, throwing for 4,728 yards and 51 touchdowns and rushing for another 1,094 yards and 12 touchdowns.

"He's a tremendous kid and a tremendous talent," Owens said. "I think Auburn has a definite winner in Tyrik. He's led our team the last three years and has done a fantastic job for us. These last two years have been unbelievable."

Owens describes the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Rollison as a complete package at quarterback.

"He's a kid with tremendous poise," Owens said. "He has great pocket presence and feels pressure and know when to get rid of it. He's got an incredibly quick release. His ability to see the field is unbelievable. He really knows where the kids are and knows how to find them.

"He can throw any ball. He can throw the 60-yard bomb in stride, the out-route and a little touch pass out of the backfield. If it's not there and the pocket breaks down, he's got the ability to get you 10, 15, 20 or maybe more. We really didn't start running him until we got in the playoffs. We just tried to keep him healthy."

And it's not just Rollison's physical talents that impress Owens.

"He's a great kid and very humble," Owens said. "Loves to win. Tremendous competitor. At the same time, it's about his teammates. He could care less about how many passes he completes as long as they're being successful.

"He does a great job on the field of leading his teammates with his will to win. He's not a very vocal young man but he does it by his pure will on the field."

Another plus for Rollison as he makes the transition to SEC football at Auburn is his familiarity running an offense similar to the one AU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will install at Auburn this year.

"It's a very similar offense," Owens said. "Coach Malzahn came down when he was recruiting and we talked about his offense a little bit. It's very similar to what we're doing. We're a spread, one-back, no-back, throw it all over the place, wide-open offense.

"Ty is very comfortable in that system. He does a great job of reading defenses. His accuracy is also incredible. Over a three-year period with the varsity, I think he had a 72 percent completion rate."[/quote]

[ssgaufan]

A little more for those that don't know or may have forgot...

70% completion percentage...70 fucking percent.........

And who can blame the Sulphur Springs head coach when he talks about his prized pupil, quarterback Tyrik Rollison, who signed with Auburn last Wednesday.

Rollison is coming off a fantastic season in which he led Sulphur Springs to the Texas Class 4A Div. II state championship, throwing for 4,728 yards and 51 touchdowns and rushing for another 1,094 yards and 12 touchdowns.

"He's a tremendous kid and a tremendous talent," Owens said. "I think Auburn has a definite winner in Tyrik. He's led our team the last three years and has done a fantastic job for us. These last two years have been unbelievable."

Owens describes the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Rollison as a complete package at quarterback.

"He's a kid with tremendous poise," Owens said. "He has great pocket presence and feels pressure and know when to get rid of it. He's got an incredibly quick release. His ability to see the field is unbelievable. He really knows where the kids are and knows how to find them.

"He can throw any ball. He can throw the 60-yard bomb in stride, the out-route and a little touch pass out of the backfield. If it's not there and the pocket breaks down, he's got the ability to get you 10, 15, 20 or maybe more. We really didn't start running him until we got in the playoffs. We just tried to keep him healthy."

And it's not just Rollison's physical talents that impress Owens.

"He's a great kid and very humble," Owens said. "Loves to win. Tremendous competitor. At the same time, it's about his teammates. He could care less about how many passes he completes as long as they're being successful.

"He does a great job on the field of leading his teammates with his will to win. He's not a very vocal young man but he does it by his pure will on the field."

Another plus for Rollison as he makes the transition to SEC football at Auburn is his familiarity running an offense similar to the one AU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will install at Auburn this year.

"It's a very similar offense," Owens said. "Coach Malzahn came down when he was recruiting and we talked about his offense a little bit. It's very similar to what we're doing. We're a spread, one-back, no-back, throw it all over the place, wide-open offense.

"Ty is very comfortable in that system. He does a great job of reading defenses. His accuracy is also incredible. Over a three-year period with the varsity, I think he had a 72 percent completion rate."[/quote]

Yep, it just moved.

[AUChizad]

A little more for those that don't know or may have forgot...

70% completion percentage...70 fucking percent.........

You know what's better than 70%?

72%.

[HuntsvilleTiger]

I agree.  I really like the kid and I want to see him do good, but I still don't think he is ever going to be as good at QB as he is at being an athlete. 

Agree too....Burns is an athlete but he sure as hell ain't a QB.

[boartitz]

Agree too....Burns is an athlete but he sure as hell ain't a QB.

I think Gus will make him yall's QB next season.

[AWK]

I think Gus will make him yall's QB next season.

I hope not, that is similar to Franklin trying to make Todd our QB last year.  I might have a fucking Cesar.

[Saniflush]

that is similar to Franklin trying to make Todd our QB last year. 

Not even close.

[AWK]

Not even close.

Why, because Burns is black?  Why is always about race with you?

[Saniflush]

Why, because Burns is black?  Why is always about race with you?

I'm tired of da man keepin me down.

[Hogwally]

I might have a fucking Cesar.

Calm down, buddy.  There's no need to get all riled up and go to ordering salads.  No need to bust out a health kick over playing the wrong QB.

[Saniflush]

Calm down, buddy.  There's no need to get all riled up and go to ordering salads.  No need to bust out a health kick over playing the wrong QB.

+2

[Snaggletiger]

Calm down, buddy.  There's no need to get all riled up and go to ordering salads.  No need to bust out a health kick over playing the wrong QB.

I'll load that bitch up with croutons.  Don't think I won't.

[AWK]

Calm down, buddy.  There's no need to get all riled up and go to ordering salads.  No need to bust out a health kick over playing the wrong QB.

What I do with a salad is illegal in Alabama, and legal in most parts of Arkansas.

[Snaggletiger]

Back on topic.  I know one spring game doth not a quarterback make.  I was very skeptical going in because in the times I'd seen Caudle play over the past couple of years, he looked erratic at best.  Strong arm but for some reason, he never looked very accurate to me.  Even watching him in warm ups was puzzling because even then, the simplest of passes seemed to a little off target and just not very smooth.

I'll admit I was very impressed with him this past Saturday.  Not that my opinion counts until Chizik calls and asks for it.  Of the two QB's, NC looked much sharper and seemed comfortable in the offense.  His passes for the most part, were quick and accurate.  He got the ball where it needed to go in a hurry.  Kodi, unfortunately, looked much like he did last year...to me anyway.  

I think we have to take into account that last year was a total clusterfuck.  This team had no OC for most of the year and while they did, it was again...a clusterfuck..changing week to week in it's direction.  They finished the season without a true OC, no real QB coach and running a high school offense just to get by.  Could this staff and this offense be just what the doctor ordered for Neil Caudle?  Is he getting the coaching that made that light click on? Does this offense and the reads he has to make fit his abilities better than any system he's been in so far?  

I'm certainly not saying NC is suddenly THE MAN.  Again, that's the first time I've seen him play extensively and also look pretty darn good.  But, if this offense does not challenge the QB to make numerous reads and go through an ass load of progressions...in other words, "Here's the freakin' play..here's the only things you need to do with the ball on this play"...we may have found our QB for 09'.

I'll get back to you right after I go over this with Chiz.