This was the second and final preseason scrimmage prior to the 2021 season. JT Daniels obviously took the lion share of reps that day - looked VERY in command of the O. Beck got a good number of reps at #2, and everyone commented on his arm and how well he spins it. BVG even got some reps - raw, but he could certainly run.
At the very end, in what almost seemed like token reps, Stetson comes in. Immediately starts making plays and moving offense down the field. Two straight scoring drives - a TD and FG. This was a guy who shouldn't be a factor, but the side conversations all ceased when he came in and he had everyone's attention.
You could HEAR the offense in an empty Sanford when Stetson was running it. It's like the entire unit started talking more, at a more enthusiastic volume, they moved in and out of the huddle with more pop. They even talked more shit. Again, the stadium is empty, but there was a completely different energy when Stetson was running the show that day.
When it was over, a prominent former letterman turned and posed the question, "Is Stetson our best guy?" It was brushed off, but nobody said no. In hindsight, it's always stuck with me given what transpired. Not just the question, but the memory of the energy and how it "felt" when Stetson was leading the O.
HHolland kind of alludes to this in his post this morning and you're hearing it echoed by a number of others, too. Something is amiss. It's not just Beck - the entire O seems to have regressed, and continues to. Nobody can make sense of it.
There is no dog in our offensive huddle. I know the usual suspects who roll their eyes because they either discount or don't understand intangibles effect on performance, but I'll go to my grave telling you Beck's demeanor is the emotional anchor this offense is dragging behind it. When you have our 2023 personnel, you can hide that demeanor and outman the opponent. When the talent playing field is leveled off, that's when it starts to really become a factor.
We've quickly forgotten this is exact same feeling we had prior to Bowers going off at Auburn last year. Beck was not impressing anyone. A lot of hand wringing that something was "off" with the offense.
There is absolutely zero energy or pop to this unit. Units are a mirror of their leadership. I don't care what your personality is - the QB position is a leadership position by default.
Our guy was hiding in the back of a postgame locker room speech in Jacksonville and Kirby had to call him forward to pump up his psyche. And while he was doing it, Beck sulked and hung his head in front of the entire team.
LT is struggling. A freshman RB fumbles. Your WR drops a pass. Hell, you throw another INT. Mistakes happen. But Beck's response is the same every time - walk off by himself to the bench to stare or sulk.
It's why it feels like this O is getting worse instead of better. There's no energy. There's no pop to anything they do. The body language has become a disease and I can tell you who patient 0 is.
The problem we have is Beck remains without question our best QB weapon. Until he decides to show some mettle and raise up the guys around him, though, it will continue to be this confusing regression and struggle.
When it just "feels" off and you can't identify the root cause, it's a leadership problem.
Lead, GD it.
At the very end, in what almost seemed like token reps, Stetson comes in. Immediately starts making plays and moving offense down the field. Two straight scoring drives - a TD and FG. This was a guy who shouldn't be a factor, but the side conversations all ceased when he came in and he had everyone's attention.
You could HEAR the offense in an empty Sanford when Stetson was running it. It's like the entire unit started talking more, at a more enthusiastic volume, they moved in and out of the huddle with more pop. They even talked more shit. Again, the stadium is empty, but there was a completely different energy when Stetson was running the show that day.
When it was over, a prominent former letterman turned and posed the question, "Is Stetson our best guy?" It was brushed off, but nobody said no. In hindsight, it's always stuck with me given what transpired. Not just the question, but the memory of the energy and how it "felt" when Stetson was leading the O.
HHolland kind of alludes to this in his post this morning and you're hearing it echoed by a number of others, too. Something is amiss. It's not just Beck - the entire O seems to have regressed, and continues to. Nobody can make sense of it.
There is no dog in our offensive huddle. I know the usual suspects who roll their eyes because they either discount or don't understand intangibles effect on performance, but I'll go to my grave telling you Beck's demeanor is the emotional anchor this offense is dragging behind it. When you have our 2023 personnel, you can hide that demeanor and outman the opponent. When the talent playing field is leveled off, that's when it starts to really become a factor.
We've quickly forgotten this is exact same feeling we had prior to Bowers going off at Auburn last year. Beck was not impressing anyone. A lot of hand wringing that something was "off" with the offense.
There is absolutely zero energy or pop to this unit. Units are a mirror of their leadership. I don't care what your personality is - the QB position is a leadership position by default.
Our guy was hiding in the back of a postgame locker room speech in Jacksonville and Kirby had to call him forward to pump up his psyche. And while he was doing it, Beck sulked and hung his head in front of the entire team.
LT is struggling. A freshman RB fumbles. Your WR drops a pass. Hell, you throw another INT. Mistakes happen. But Beck's response is the same every time - walk off by himself to the bench to stare or sulk.
It's why it feels like this O is getting worse instead of better. There's no energy. There's no pop to anything they do. The body language has become a disease and I can tell you who patient 0 is.
The problem we have is Beck remains without question our best QB weapon. Until he decides to show some mettle and raise up the guys around him, though, it will continue to be this confusing regression and struggle.
When it just "feels" off and you can't identify the root cause, it's a leadership problem.
Lead, GD it.
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