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QB discussion - Harbaugh vs. Kirk and Brian

Feb 13, 2005
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Interesting to compare Harbaugh's thoughts on the QB position compared to what we hear from Kirk and Brian.

Harbaugh talking about JJ McCarthy:
  • "If you’re accurate in practice, you’re usually going to be accurate in the game, but not always. Because it’s like a golfer that plays the same golf course every single day and he’s gonna get really good at practice but what’s it like when they get to play a different course under different conditions? So, you don’t know till you know.”
  • “Off he goes, he drops back, and then he runs over to his left, circles back to his right, back to his left, runs it, or throws it, to an open guy. Man, I love it, I just love it.”
  • “I thought he played a really good game. I dance a real fine line of not taking his special talent and overcoaching it. I do not want him to be a victim of overcoaching. So when it’s all said and done, it’s just, ‘do you J.J., play your game’. It’s really good. Just protect the ball.”
Kirk and Brian talking about QB:
  • "What are we looking at? We're looking at metrics. Not just games. Practice. You're talking about decisions, reads, timing, location, all those things. The good news with the quarterback position it's very tangible. There's not a lot of gray area when you are grading those factors."
  • "What would be the upside?....I'm not interested in making a change for change's sake. What I'm looking at is I'm saying what's the upside? I don't know. There's unknown there. I know what Spencer has done. I know what Spencer can do, and I know what he does every day."
  • "The mobility aspect, certainly understand the question; but the reality is the majority of the passing game, it needs to happen on a timeline, and the minute that timeline is compromised, now all bets are off. Now it's backyard football...I don't know that the mobility -- just having a guy running around, I'm not sure that's going to solve any of our issues. You're not going to be any more open just because a guy is running around."
  • "[Alex] is practicing well. It's just that, in our opinion, Spencer is practicing better."
 
Titan, he may not start that QB, but he may let him practice with first team to see how he looks there, rather than just 2nd team.
 
You look at coaches that were former QBs. like Hayden Fry, Harbaugh, Brohm...they know the position, the know offense, and if a guy isn't getting the job done, they will readily replace the QB with a backup. If you look at KF, he puts his son that has zero idea on qB play as the QB coach and KF gives a union card to the guy he annoints. KF doesn't know QB play, offensive play, his reputation as OL guru has been blown up, and he is looking like Joe Paterno, with more nepotisim but not the Sandusky aspect.

Anyway, won't matter much vs OSU.... unless Iowa has Mahomes on the bench ready to start, this is going to be a woodshed beating.
 
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You look at coaches that were former QBs. like Hayden Fry, Harbaugh, Brohm...they know the position, the know offense, and if a guy isn't getting the job done, they will readily replace the QB with a backup. If you look at KF, he puts his son that has zero idea on qB play as the QB coach and KF gives a union card to the guy he annoints. KF doesn't know QB play, offensive play, his reputation as OL guru has been blown up, and he is looking like Joe Paterno, with more nepotisim but not the Sandusky aspect.

Anyway, won't matter much vs OSU.... unless Iowa has Mahomes on the bench ready to start, this is going to be a woodshed beating.
Yep, it's too bad that we don't have a few former QBs available that worked or played for Kirk that have experience being college QB coaches who could have stepped into the QB coach position instead of Brian if asked. One of whom would have probably jumped at the opportunity.

And yes I know that we don't need to hire former Hawkeyes to be coaches. But we also don't need to give the job to a warm body standing around like we did.
 
Kirk would not have handled Michigan’s QB situation like Harbaugh has. He would ride with McNamara until graduation day.

Benching a QB after an undefeated regular season and playoff appearance? God no.
 
Interesting to compare Harbaugh's thoughts on the QB position compared to what we hear from Kirk and Brian.

Harbaugh talking about JJ McCarthy:
  • "If you’re accurate in practice, you’re usually going to be accurate in the game, but not always. Because it’s like a golfer that plays the same golf course every single day and he’s gonna get really good at practice but what’s it like when they get to play a different course under different conditions? So, you don’t know till you know.”
  • “Off he goes, he drops back, and then he runs over to his left, circles back to his right, back to his left, runs it, or throws it, to an open guy. Man, I love it, I just love it.”
  • “I thought he played a really good game. I dance a real fine line of not taking his special talent and overcoaching it. I do not want him to be a victim of overcoaching. So when it’s all said and done, it’s just, ‘do you J.J., play your game’. It’s really good. Just protect the ball.”
Kirk and Brian talking about QB:
  • "What are we looking at? We're looking at metrics. Not just games. Practice. You're talking about decisions, reads, timing, location, all those things. The good news with the quarterback position it's very tangible. There's not a lot of gray area when you are grading those factors."
  • "What would be the upside?....I'm not interested in making a change for change's sake. What I'm looking at is I'm saying what's the upside? I don't know. There's unknown there. I know what Spencer has done. I know what Spencer can do, and I know what he does every day."
  • "The mobility aspect, certainly understand the question; but the reality is the majority of the passing game, it needs to happen on a timeline, and the minute that timeline is compromised, now all bets are off. Now it's backyard football...I don't know that the mobility -- just having a guy running around, I'm not sure that's going to solve any of our issues. You're not going to be any more open just because a guy is running around."
  • "[Alex] is practicing well. It's just that, in our opinion, Spencer is practicing better."
For ****'s sake. Wasn't BF on a team with Brad banks, or maybe it was drew tate.
 
For ****'s sake. Wasn't BF on a team with Brad banks, or maybe it was drew tate.

bb6.jpg
 
For ****'s sake. Wasn't BF on a team with Brad banks, or maybe it was drew tate.
What does that matter??

KF had McCann (no offense to him) ahead of Banks in 1 year. Drew Tate was handcuffed after the magical 04 season because his gunslinger ways didn't fit KF offense. Bottom line KF sucks coaching QB's and so does Brian.
 
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Those comments outline a clear difference in philosophy.

Tight, rigid control vs Flexibility

KF wants an order follower. Even though his best qbs have been playmakers who were more than willing to go off script as necessary.
 
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