The "open competition" at QB entering spring practices

[Buffnik]

Oh ok, I thought all they could do was lift weights and stuff like that.

Interesting stuff then, Evans at TE is pretty weird. We sure will have a lot of TEs if all 4 of the recruits get in + Evans.

I agree.

We'll have Thornton and Evans as RS-Freshmen. I'd rather not have a 3rd TE in that class and certainly not a 4th.

I guess we'll see. As has been stated, it's hard to have too many good athletes on your football team who can run and are over 6'2" and 220 lbs. I can't imagine everyone stays at TE.

On the QB side, I've consistently heard that the staff and players believe that Lobato is a potential stud quarterback for us. He's got great size, great agility and a cannon for an arm. I wouldn't be surprised to hear about him (and Hildreth) ending up on scholarship from last year's group of walk ons.

 

[SINKRATZ]

The QB competition will be a non-story after the first week of spring ball. Tyler's our QB, he knows it, Cody knows it, and the team knows it.

Cody will begin as the clear #2.

 

[White_Rabbit]

I agree.

We'll have Thornton and Evans as RS-Freshmen. I'd rather not have a 3rd TE in that class and certainly not a 4th.

I guess we'll see. As has been stated, it's hard to have too many good athletes on your football team who can run and are over 6'2" and 220 lbs. I can't imagine everyone stays at TE.

On the QB side, I've consistently heard that the staff and players believe that Lobato is a potential stud quarterback for us. He's got great size, great agility and a cannon for an arm. I wouldn't be surprised to hear about him (and Hildreth) ending up on scholarship from last year's group of walk ons.

They certainly must think pretty highly of Lobato if they're moving Evans and didn't even give Moten much of a shot at QB. That leaves us with Hansen, Hirschman, Lobato and whoever we recruit this year at QB after Cody graduates. I know most teams don't carry more than 4-5 QBs, but since we seem to have such difficulty finding good QBs here, I'd be willing to go heavy on the QB position to ensure we have a good one.

 

[SoCal Bob]

I want to hear what Kiesau has to say. If he isnt in control of the decision making on the qb during the spring, then we have year five as a clone of previoius years.

I don't know if we have anyone short of Cody who can read and react. If you go to a sophisticated throwing/running offense you better have a mobile smart qb like Jeremiah Moselli (sp). If we again fail to establish a running game we might as well phone this one in. The opposing D will kill us again. Face it Hawk does not know offense, has no scheme, and fails to allow coaches make important decisions on personnel (which is a continuing problem with Hawk).

 

[AlferdJasper]

He didn't say what I worte. But I think he would if the NCAA would let him red shirt Tyler again.

Again?

Tyler NEVER got a redshirt year. Two half-seasons on the bench don't count as a redshirt year.

 

[Follow-Rado]

The straw-man argument that Hawkins wants to start his son doesn't hold water for me. First, the policy for several year has been that ALL jobs are open each spring. Second, Hansen was put in as a freshman because they believe in him, then he got injured last spring and it made sense to start Cody (and many many on these boards agreed he'd been the better QB in practices and scrimmages). Third, Hansen was again put in as a sophomore, and stayed in as the start for the rest of the year (except for a KSU moment, when it was clear Hansen couldn't run the 2 min drill). They want this kid to succeed. I think Hansen is THE GUY, but they wont say so to keep competition going and make sure all players work for their spots.

As an addendum, I'll add that Cody's stats are not that different from Hansens. He's limited and Hansen is the better bet, but the biggest killer for any QB last year was that we had a really poor OL, we had crappy receivers, and we had no running game.

 

[White_Rabbit]

Sorry, but it was not clear that Hansen could not run the 2 minute drill since we were not given the chance, and neither was he. Furthermore, Cody's awesome stats include numerous games against terrible competition while Hansen's include nothing but games against the meat of the Big 12. It seemed pretty clear to me that Hansen was obviously a much better QB than Cody was last season.

 

[sackman]

It was obvious to me that Hansen was the better quarterback.

 

[Buffnik]

I also heard through the grapevine that the defensive guys were mostly behind Hansen from early on last season. They thought that he was a lot more difficult to defend in practice because of what he could do with his legs and also having a bigger arm to make them pay over the top. Cody is a bit of a robot and pretty easy to defend if you pick up on the tendencies (as our own defense certainly would have). Obviously, fwiw, since I didn't hear or observe this directly.

 

[navybuff]

Does it really make that much difference who the starter is? Hansen was picked 11th best qb in the Big XII. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

 

[Duff Man]

We sure will have a lot of TEs if all 4 of the recruits get in + Evans.

Which is a very unlikely scenario...

Buffaholic, of course it is speculation. It is the offseason after all.

 

[Follow-Rado]

I agree that Hansen's the better QB. But that was less clear last year. Cody had a better spring last year AND Hansen broke his hand. Its not nepotism, but normal conservative coaching, that says the healthy QB should start if things look like a tie. Turned out to be a mistake, but not some evil plot by Dan hawkins. And hey, Cody had a few good games (Oklahoma, Nebraska '07, even Alabama) too, which has be added to the equation.

With a running game, a good OL and some receivers, I think he would have found some success last year. I'm praying that Hansen, with so much more upside, will benefit from having these supports this year.

 

[White_Rabbit]

I don't think there's any evil work being done here by Hawk, but the guy's kid is his QB. He doesn't see it the way we all do. I can't really blame him for that, but simply leaving it up to a guy that works for you isn't a very good scenario either. There's no reason Tyler should be having to fight for the job this offseason after how well he played with those same deficiencies, save the emergence of Simas. I like Cody and he should be a fine player in a backup role, but if he starts the game against CSU and Tyler is healthy, I'm going to go nuts.

 

[BuffLuke80]

Hansen is our guy. If Hawk brings cody on now, gonna get way more ugly. He is a relief guy, cant start, but can clean up a little.

 

[Hugegroove]

Hanson has to be THE guy under center this year! CH is a good kid and fierce competitor, but I'd rather see Evens, Laboto, or Hirschman start at QB than CH. As there is an upside to all of them. CH hit his pinnacle two years ago.

 

[sackman]

I agree that Hansen's the better QB. But that was less clear last year. Cody had a better spring last year AND Hansen broke his hand. Its not nepotism, but normal conservative coaching, that says the healthy QB should start if things look like a tie. Turned out to be a mistake, but not some evil plot by Dan hawkins. And hey, Cody had a few good games (Oklahoma, Nebraska '07, even Alabama) too, which has be added to the equation.

With a running game, a good OL and some receivers, I think he would have found some success last year. I'm praying that Hansen, with so much more upside, will benefit from having these supports this year.

It was clear to me in 2008 that Hansen was the better QB. It was clear to me in 2009 that Hansen was the better QB. It's clear to me now that Hansen is the better QB.

 

[Razorbuff]

It was clear to me in 2008 that Hansen was the better QB. It was clear to me in 2009 that Hansen was the better QB. It's clear to me now that Hansen is the better QB.

I agree, Hansen has better size, better speed, and a far superior arm. Cody may give it his all, but he isn't a starter in a D-1 BCS Conference. The arm strength is a major issue when he has trouble throwing a 10 yard out... any D-1 BCS conference QB should be able to make that throw, Cody can't. In addition, his size hurts him. He might be listed at 5'10 or 5'11, but I have walked by him and I'm 6'1... he is a good 5-6 inches shorter at least. When your whole OL and the whole DL are all anywhere from 6-12 inches taller or more it makes it difficult to see the field and make reads. In addition, he can't throw over the top of guys like some QBs, he has to throw the football through open lanes, and that can take away over half of the field for him, and thus half of his options on any particular play. I'm not bashing the guy, he works hard and gives it his all, he just wasn't given the physical ability to be a top level D-1 QB

 

[Hank]

I agree that Hansen's the better QB. But that was less clear last year. Cody had a better spring last year AND Hansen broke his hand. Its not nepotism, but normal conservative coaching, that says the healthy QB should start if things look like a tie. Turned out to be a mistake, but not some evil plot by Dan hawkins. And hey, Cody had a few good games (Oklahoma, Nebraska '07, even Alabama) too, which has be added to the equation.

With a running game, a good OL and some receivers, I think he would have found some success last year. I'm praying that Hansen, with so much more upside, will benefit from having these supports this year.

Fine. Was it normal conservative coaching that allowed atrociously pathetic play from his starting QB for 5 games and allowed the team to get blown out in 4 of those games before ever letting the 2nd string guy throw a pass?

 

[leftybuff]

I get so fired up over this because it is obvious CH is not physically capable. I hate that he gets ragged on so bad. I'm guilty of it myself. IMO it was time to try another QB after the KU game in '08. The fact that didn't happen speaks to the incompetency of the staff more than anything else IMO.

All the lack of height, armstrength, mobility comments in the world aren't going to change the spelling of his last name, which fair or unfair, only heightens the criticism.

 

[Follow-Rado]

HawkLove, we did not lose to CSU or Toledo because of Cody Hawk. We lost those games because our defense was atrocious. The sentiment of saving Hansen's eligibility if he wasn't going to be the starter was probably a reasonable choice, but this decision was overtaken by events.

As I've said, I think Hansen is the better QB. But I wasn't so sure after his Frosh campaign. Cody saved us against ISU. Hansen wasn't ready. Then he breaks his hand? Perhaps it didn't turn out to be the correct decision (there we agree) but my only point is that there was no evil plot to start Cody.

 

[Duff Man]

No evil plot to continue to start Cody, just complete incompetence. So I guess the coaching staff has that going for them.

Cody Hawkins is not a Big 12 caliber starting QB (Tyler Hansen may not be either). Anyone who argues differently has not been watching the games and has not looked at his career statistics. Even his "good" 2007 season is below average in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Buffnik]

Cody Hawkins is not a Big 12 caliber starting QB (Tyler Hansen may not be either). Anyone who argues differently has not been watching the games and has not looked at his career statistics. Even his "good" 2007 season is below average in the grand scheme of things.

I won't knock the 2007 season. For a RS-Freshman on a mediocre team that was coming off a 2-win season, Cody played very well that year. My issue is that he hasn't gotten any better and may have actually regressed as the failures, losses, and awful pass blocking mounted to make him hesitant. Plus, I believe that opposing defensive coordinators eventually recognized Cody's limitations and have done things to force him out of his comfort zone.

 

[Hank]

HawkLove, we did not lose to CSU or Toledo because of Cody Hawk. We lost those games because our defense was atrocious. The sentiment of saving Hansen's eligibility if he wasn't going to be the starter was probably a reasonable choice, but this decision was overtaken by events.

As I've said, I think Hansen is the better QB. But I wasn't so sure after his Frosh campaign. Cody saved us against ISU. Hansen wasn't ready. Then he breaks his hand? Perhaps it didn't turn out to be the correct decision (there we agree) but my only point is that there was no evil plot to start Cody.

Dude, we scored a combined 6 points in the first halves against CSU and Toledo. Were the losses primarily the product of Cody's lousy play? Probably not. But it doesn't matter. He was playing terribly and we were getting our asses handed to us. That gives rise to making a change before Kansas.

 

[Buffnik]

Dude, we scored a combined 6 points in the first halves against CSU and Toledo. Were the losses primarily the product of Cody's lousy play? Probably not. But it doesn't matter. He was playing terribly and we were getting our asses handed to us. That gives rise to making a change before Kansas.

Cody certainly didn't do anything to help us win those games. Maybe I'm setting the bar too high, but making a few plays and rallying the team is something I expect from a starting quarterback.

 

[Hank]

One more thing (this whole thing makes me so ****ing mad), was it reasonable for a Big 12 football team not to have a single quarterback on the roster that was physically capable of playing Division 1 football that was not redshirting? I don't want to hear any excuses. There are none. The guy had 4 classes to get a quarterback in here that could play, he didn't, it benefited his son. He has not done a damn thing to rebut the presumption that there is some favoritism going on here.

 

[Denver_sc]

The straw-man argument that Hawkins wants to start his son doesn't hold water for me. First, the policy for several year has been that ALL jobs are open each spring. Second, Hansen was put in as a freshman because they believe in him, then he got injured last spring and it made sense to start Cody (and many many on these boards agreed he'd been the better QB in practices and scrimmages). Third, Hansen was again put in as a sophomore, and stayed in as the start for the rest of the year (except for a KSU moment, when it was clear Hansen couldn't run the 2 min drill). They want this kid to succeed. I think Hansen is THE GUY, but they wont say so to keep competition going and make sure all players work for their spots.

As an addendum, I'll add that Cody's stats are not that different from Hansens. He's limited and Hansen is the better bet, but the biggest killer for any QB last year was that we had a really poor OL, we had crappy receivers, and we had no running game.

I agree that Hansen's the better QB. But that was less clear last year. Cody had a better spring last year AND Hansen broke his hand. Its not nepotism, but normal conservative coaching, that says the healthy QB should start if things look like a tie. Turned out to be a mistake, but not some evil plot by Dan hawkins. And hey, Cody had a few good games (Oklahoma, Nebraska '07, even Alabama) too, which has be added to the equation.

With a running game, a good OL and some receivers, I think he would have found some success last year. I'm praying that Hansen, with so much more upside, will benefit from having these supports this year.

HawkLove, we did not lose to CSU or Toledo because of Cody Hawk. We lost those games because our defense was atrocious. The sentiment of saving Hansen's eligibility if he wasn't going to be the starter was probably a reasonable choice, but this decision was overtaken by events.

As I've said, I think Hansen is the better QB. But I wasn't so sure after his Frosh campaign. Cody saved us against ISU. Hansen wasn't ready. Then he breaks his hand? Perhaps it didn't turn out to be the correct decision (there we agree) but my only point is that there was no evil plot to start Cody.

Dan? Is that you?

 

[sackman]

I believe that opposing defensive coordinators eventually recognized Cody's limitations and have done things to force him out of his comfort zone.

This.

In 2008, it became obvious what Cody's limitations were. CU became very easy to defend.

 

[leftybuff]

Dan? Is that you?

:lol:

 

[buffsyko]

Hansen should be the guy period. With all the youth excuses, having a QB with size, running ability and improved passing decisions is a must. Cody is a warrior but his time has passed. If one of the younger guys move up,great, they can learn and be ready in a couple years. When we quit relying on freshman to take this team over the hump, it will get better.

 

[OKCBuff]

The fact that we're even having discussions about this again is giving me nightmares. Please please please I hope Hansen is the guy and there's no QB-go-round. Ugh!