Spring Practice Predictions

[Ole Man Dan]

I think Jones runs away with the starting QB role during spring. I think the real battle will be Taulia and Young battling it out for the #2 spot. That battle will all depend on how much development Taulia has made from last season to this Spring. If Taulia has made a significant leap in development then it is going to be hard for BY to beat out Taulia.

Last year I saw Taulia as equal to Mac in passing and most field work.
Mac's advantage then is his advantage today.
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE.

 

[B1GTide]

Last year I saw Taulia as equal to Mac in passing and most field work.
Mac's advantage then is his advantage today.
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE.

I can't argue with what your eyes told you, but I saw something different. But we will know soon enough.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

I can't argue with what your eyes told you, but I saw something different. But we will know soon enough.

What did you see, B1G?

 

[CrimsonRuss]

I just hope we come out of spring with no injuries!

 

[B1GTide]

What did you see, B1G?

Mac played with poise in big games. Lia never took a snap in a big game.
Mac was a 65% passer against the AU and UM defenses. Lia never faced a defense worth a spit.
Mac threw 7 TDs against those 2 defenses. Lia has 1 TD pass, against WCU.
Mac was a field general. Lia did his job, but he was never asked to be a leader.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

I'm not convinced Taulia is here in the fall.

If Young emerges from the spring as Mac’s backup, I agree....Taulia transfers. If Taulia is the backup after A-Day, he stays at least through fall camp.

Unlike a lot of posters, I’m not at all convinced Young will unseat Jones, even in the 2021 season.

I do, however, think he’ll pass Taulia at some point in the relatively near future....maybe spring, maybe fall.

Strangely, and with no logical justification, I have a feeling Tyson will play a role at some point.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Mac played with poise in big games. Lia never took a snap in a big game.
Mac was a 65% passer against the AU and UM defenses. Lia never faced a defense worth a spit.
Mac threw 7 TDs against those 2 defenses. Lia has 1 TD pass, against WCU.
Mac was a field general. Lia did his job, but he was never asked to be a leader.

The best observer is often the dispassionate observer. Well and succinctly put.

 

[B1GTide]

Strangely, and with no logical justification, I have a feeling Tyson will play a role at some point.

That is interesting. I hope that you are right. The stronger the QB room, the better for everyone.

 

[The Ols]

That is interesting. I hope that you are right. The stronger the QB room, the better for everyone.

I mean this in the most respectful way possible...but if PT is playing that's probably not a good thing, no?
Of course I'd like him to play well, but for him to get any meaningful snaps that would mean that three cats in front of him would have had some sort of issue...injury, yips, transfer....anything is possible, but I have him at QB4 right now...

 

[Bamabuzzard]

IIRC He almost threw a pick 6 early on vs Michigan it was just dropped. Played well outside of that though.

Those type passes happen to even the best of quarterbacks. Over the years I've watched quarterbacks a lot better than Mac have "if" interceptions multiple times a game. I'm not saying it's not something that doesn't need to be taken mental note of by Jones and the coaches to discuss in the film room. But I don't think (at this point) it's something that tells us Mac will be a turnover machine.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

I'm not either. One poster said the same but that if BY does overtake him...watch out. What's unrealistic about that?

I think the general feeling is we'll be very good with Mac, but if for some reason BY wins significant playing time it will not be because MJ fails but because BY is so dynamic the staff can't keep him off the field.

Why Bryce Young will not be the starter:

1. 6'0, 190lbs. He need to gain some weight between 210 and 220 to survive the SEC schedule.
2. Mac Has played lot of big games that Young and Tauila haven't experienced and that's an experience Saban truly value.
3. I seriously doubt Saban will replace Jones with Young midway through the season.
4. I think we will see urgency with back up QBs to get some playing experience... If Mac have real good season, he is gone to NFL.

 

[B1GTide]

I mean this in the most respectful way possible...but if PT is playing that's probably not a good thing, no?
Of course I'd like him to play well, but for him to get any meaningful snaps that would mean that three cats in front of him would have had some sort of issue...injury, yips, transfer....anything is possible, but I have him at QB4 right now...

Depends on how you look at it. You are thinking that it means that other have regressed or been injured. What if he simply progresses to the point that he has to be on the field? That was my line of thinking.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

Mac played with poise in big games. Lia never took a snap in a big game.
Mac was a 65% passer against the AU and UM defenses. Lia never faced a defense worth a spit.
Mac threw 7 TDs against those 2 defenses. Lia has 1 TD pass, against WCU.
Mac was a field general. Lia did his job, but he was never asked to be a leader.

On top of that, we've seen Lia taking snap in late quarter only to keep the clock moving by running the ball. If Lia is going to make significant improvement this spring is now the time for him to do that. We may see Lia, Tyson and Young spiltting the time as back up assuming if Lia does stay.

I expect Mac to be lot better this spring.

 

[BamaMoon]

I expect if Brice wins the starting position he will be NCAA dominant. I expect if Taulia wins the race he will be that good also.
I expect Mac to start the season as QB.
I expect if Mac defeats Brice and Talia he will be one of the top QB in the country.
All of these guys may be that good, but for Brice to overcome the starting Freshman at QB thing.. He would have to be that much better than Mac and Taulia. There's not a lot of guys with that kind of ability. Brice might have it, but I'll bet it's gonna take more than Spring Practice to win that job. We will see. OR NOT...
From what I hear our Spring Game may not be broadcast like it has for years. Some kind of jumbled up showing of bits of several different SEC teams. I hope I'm wrong about that.
Maybe I can Stream the game.

Yeah, I'm not happy the game won't be shown live, as usual. I guess we'll be able to watch it afterward on the SECN network.

 

[The Ols]

Depends on how you look at it. You are thinking that it means that other have regressed or been injured. What if he simply progresses to the point that he has to be on the field? That was my line of thinking.

....and I dig that...but that's three really good guys he'd have to pass...one, sure....two, maybe...three we're in trouble.

 

[BamaMoon]

Mac played with poise in big games. Lia never took a snap in a big game.
Mac was a 65% passer against the AU and UM defenses. Lia never faced a defense worth a spit.
Mac threw 7 TDs against those 2 defenses. Lia has 1 TD pass, against WCU.
Mac was a field general. Lia did his job, but he was never asked to be a leader.

Great post B1G...MJ really distanced himself from Taulia last year...that played out on the field last year.

As many believe, MJ is very likely the starter this year. The "unknown" is how good BY can be at the college level. That's what no one (even CNS) knows at this point. Spring will start to answer some of those questions...and it will continue in the fall.

If BY passes Lia this spring or fall, I agree he'll likely transfer.

Again, all of this is dependent on BY's ability to shake things up and that's why so many eyes are going to be on him from day one.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Last year I saw Taulia as equal to Mac in passing and most field work.
Mac's advantage then is his advantage today.
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE.

My dad used to tell me "There's only so much you can learn on the bench before you begin falling further and further behind the guys you're trying to beat out that are on the field playing." That is a very true "thing".

 

[JustNeedMe81]

Great post B1G...MJ really distanced himself from Taulia last year...that played out on the field last year.

As many believe, MJ is very likely the starter this year. The "unknown" is how good BY can be at the college level. That's what no one (even CNS) knows at this point. Spring will start to answer some of those questions...and it will continue in the fall.

If BY passes Lia this spring or fall, I agree he'll likely transfer.

Again, all of this is dependent on BY's ability to shake things up and that's why so many eyes are going to be on him from day one.

To be Fair, Mac Jones distanced himself last spring ….. and has remained consistent throughout summer and fall.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

To be Fair, Mac Jones distanced himself last spring ….. and has remained consistent throughout summer and fall.

This is true. A knowledgeable source you would recognize, but will remain unnamed to preserve it for the future said this. In fact, he told me that the gap between Mac and Taulia was the Grand Canyon compared to the gap between Tua and Mac.

Just guessing here, but given (1) Mac's solid, if imperfect, performances against good teams late in the 2019 season, and (2) the overall experience they provided, I'd bet that the gap has widened. Through the end of the season, I would be very surprised if Taulia has narrowed it at all.

Put another way, I think this is a much bigger spring for Taulia (battling for the QB2 spot) than it is for Mac, who is firmly entrenched at #1.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I'll let Earle elaborate if he feels necessary. But he has subtly mentioned on more than one occasion about Jones' football intelligence and how advanced it is. Not everyone's football IQ is the same. Some players just grasp and process the game at a different level. Especially a player who has been in the program four years competing against players who have only been there half that time or less.

This is true. A knowledgeable source you would recognize, but will remain unnamed to preserve it for the future said this. In fact, he told me that the gap between Mac and Taulia was the Grand Canyon compared to the gap between Tua and Mac.

Just guessing here, but given (1) Mac's solid, if imperfect, performances against good teams late in the 2019 season, and (2) the overall experience they provided, I'd bet that the gap has widened. Through the end of the season, I would be very surprised if Taulia has narrowed it at all.

Put another way, I think this is a much bigger spring for Taulia (battling for the QB2 spot) than it is for Mac, who is firmly entrenched at #1.