Until this article mentioned it, I thought I imagined Barnett's initial billing as a top dual-threat QB.
Link: Interesting take on Bama QBs from SDS...
- Thread starter TIDE-HSV
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I do think it was interesting that the coaching staff put Barnett in with the 1's near the end of the scrimmage and that is when he had his most impressive showing...hitting that last pass for a td.
Coker only played with the ones and that may explain why he may have looked better. Of course, you could apply this line of thought to Cornwell who played with the 2's also.
What we learned last year is that CNS gave CLK the leeway to use a qb in a different kind of way. A way which masked his weaknesses and maximized his strengths.
It seems to me that Coker's strength is his ability to throw it down the field, but that also requires getting through his progressions pretty fast (which seems to be his weakness).
On the other hand, Barnett's strength (at this point of his development) is going to be getting out in space and using his legs and/or making shorter/quicker throws. Basically, more the way we used Blake Sims.
Coker only played with the ones and that may explain why he may have looked better. Of course, you could apply this line of thought to Cornwell who played with the 2's also.
What we learned last year is that CNS gave CLK the leeway to use a qb in a different kind of way. A way which masked his weaknesses and maximized his strengths.
It seems to me that Coker's strength is his ability to throw it down the field, but that also requires getting through his progressions pretty fast (which seems to be his weakness).
On the other hand, Barnett's strength (at this point of his development) is going to be getting out in space and using his legs and/or making shorter/quicker throws. Basically, more the way we used Blake Sims.
After Ohio State's season last year and the emergence of Cardale, I will never place much stock in the QB results of spring practice again. Last spring, Cardale was checking out the bench for a seat closest to the heaters and cheerleaders.
You are correct. And since we are mainly talking about Barnett vs. Coker in this thread, it's interesting to consider that Barnett only has 15 practices at Bama to date. He'll get double that during fall camp (roughly around 30) before our first game.
With Coker having many, many more reps in practices, it stands to reason Barnett has much more room to improve as compared to Coker.
Now, not saying I think Barnett will start next fall, but I do think his ceiling is the highest (overall talent) and he has the potential to really make some strides during the fall camp.
It's hard to determine anything from a spring game but, to me, it looked like the job is Coker's to lose. He has some kinks but his arm strength is incredible.
^^^^^^This. If the only flaw he has is progression and pulling the trigger on dump-offs, that can be remedied (actually I thought I saw him move through progressions a couple of times pretty easily - maybe I was mistaken). You can't create arm strength, and accuracy can sometimes be improved with repetition. We'll find out by fall if Coker is smart enough to fix his problems, which seem to me to be mental. If he's not, unless he falters badly, Cornwell still has a way to go but he's been around a while. BB is next year or last resort due to disastrous injuries. If he comes into preseason and beats out everyone else, well...LK is a QB coach so he gets to work his magic. He did wonders last year.
Guys, arm strength is great but it isn't everything. Jamarcus Russell had the strongest arm ever tested at the combine and he was an average college QB and a bust in the NFL. Coker really needs to clean up his accuracy and make quicker decisions. I'll take those two over arm strength any day of the week and the NFL would also..
The only issue with saying this about Coker is that no one who says this has definitive evidence that we are better off with someone else. I mean everyone who went to those closed practices all pumped all this air that Cornwell and Bateman are ahead of Coker, but on a day we saw the opposite. We saw Coker have the better day. You can flip it all you want to about Coker had the first string but it is what it is. I think until proven otherwise Coker is our qb.
I never said Coker wasn't the #1 QB right now. Was just pointing out that arm strength is probably about #5 or #6 on the list of important attributes of a QB..
True. It's just that people all the way up to A day were hyping up Cornwell and Barnett and dismissing Coker based on what they heard or they allegedly saw. Then A day happened and I think most of us can agree that unless Barnett can gain some serious weight and be able to function with that weight then I think we will see him as red shirt. Cornwell is the one that is hardest to read. From all the talk and "insider" opinions you would've thought he would be on the white team or at the very least the primary red team qb. He had a very up and down day.
Coker wasn't great but wasn't bad either. I think he is substantially better than what he was last fall. There are kinks but I think it's not out of the question that he fixes them before we kickoff.
I'll respectfully disagree with that. If your QB can't throw the deep ball or the deep out, or make the accurate quick throw on the quick slant, then he really doesn't have a chance to help your team. All, require a strong arm
The ability to hand off correctly won't win a national title.
That being said, I saw absolutely nothing from the other contenders that made me see any possibility that they could possibly be better than Coker by any means.
That's no insult to them, they're just all very young and need to grow up a bit.
I'm kind of amazed here. Last season, you were probably the biggest Coker supporter on this entire board.
Now, you seem to really doubt him. What did he do to change your opinion?
I honestly thought he looked pretty good at A-Day, and his touchdown drive he led against Florida last year may have saved our season.
Just asking.
sip
Oh....and just for the heck of it...and so we can all gain from your football knowledge...
Please rank one through four
I'll look forward to seeing it.
Thanks.
I agree. As for Jamarcus Russell, who knows what he could have been had it not been for "purple drank". Alabama QBs without quintessential NFL arm strength Ken Stabler, Jay Barker, John Parker Wilson and yes even A J McCarron.
Top Attributes of a QB:
1. Accuracy
2. Decision making (reading a defense)
3. Leadership
4. Footwork
5. Adaptability/Improvisation
6. Arm strength
1. Accuracy
2. Decision making (reading a defense)
3. Leadership
4. Footwork
5. Adaptability/Improvisation
6. Arm strength
I'll agree that accuracy and leadership are very important. Leadership is absolutely number one and I'll give accuracy number two. But if you can't get the ball there on time after you read the defense, because you don't have the arm strength, it's kinda moot if you're a good leader. And, in reality, you can't be accurate if your arm's not strong enough.
I'm still really wondering why you suddenly are against Coker.
And, again, with all due respect, "footwork" isn't more important than arm strength. And "adaptability"??? More important than arm strength?
Verne---"Gary he under threw a wide open receiver by ten yards"
Gary---"I realize that Verne, but my GOD!! Did you see that incredible footwork, and give the young man credit, he has adaptability?!!!!"
Please.
One more time, why suddenly, so down on Coker?
Is that question not answerable or something?
sip
It's a matter of opinion. Peyton manning is hailed as the most accurate qb in the nfl.Ben roethlisberger and Brady have two of the strongest arms in the nfl and have more rings than Peyton. I think accuracy and decision making goes far for qbs, but in this day in age offensive scheme can suffice. Idk who will win the qb job, I would say Coker if you twisted my arm. I'm just tired of people saying Cornwell and Barnett should get a whack at it because: we need returning qbs down the line, Coker can't do this or that, or the ceiling is much higher for bb and dc when you really don't have much to back it up. I think we do have qb concerns but we should stop acting like Coker is the weak link when the others aren't exactly taking the job away from him as of yet
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I think you guys are missing the point on the arm strength discussion. Coker has great arm strength - nobody is denying that. But the difference between having good and great arm strength is pretty negligible, IMO. There isn't a QB on Alabama's roster who doesn't have adequate arm strength. I would rather have a QB that has great accuracy, good decision making and average arm strength than a QB with average accuracy, slow decision making and great arm strength.
No need for anyone to get flustered about this discussion. Last time I checked the calendar it's still April..
No need for anyone to get flustered about this discussion. Last time I checked the calendar it's still April..
Stabler had great touch on short passes my bud, but he could absolutely zip it if he had to.
That's why he was so dang good.
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