The House of Blue

So refreshing about the offense being less complicated! I cannot wait till football season.

I believe Max Smith has a leg up in a traditional spread due to his ability to diagnose and his quick release. However, I'm also very interested to see what Jalen Whitlow could do in a pistol-heavy offense relying on the zone read to run the football.

I believe that if Smith or Towles wins the job, we'll see more of a traditional spread passing offense. Whitlow gives you an opportunity to go pistol and do something similar to what the Redskins have done with RGIII.

I'm already anticipating the spring game, so we can see what our offensive and defensive sets and personnel look like.

If i had to put money on it i would put it on Maxwell. But both Towles and Whitlow offer somthing to the table. It will be interesting to see Towles in a system that his head dosnt swim in.

Towles will win this competition if the overall objective is a spread offense.

Didn't really have a way to work this into the story but Brown was asked what the most important traits are for a QB in his system. Here was his answer:

"Off the field things are the number one thing," Brown said. "He has to been a man of character. He has to be a tremendous leader. He’s got to work tremendously hard. Those are the things. Second thing, he has to be a good decision-maker. These are football aspects now. He has to be a good decision-maker. He has to be accurate with the football. Those are the two top priorities. That’s what we’ll instill in these guys, the three guys that are here. From a recruiting standpoint from here on out, those are the top priorities to look for.”

ummmm no. Towels may not even see the field at UK. The spread works best with a mobile QB who can throw the ball on time and hit his receiver in stride.

Towles may not be mobile enough to do this.

Towles isn't Whitlow as far as mobility goes, but he is for sure as mobile as Max if not more so. Obviously way too early to say, but if I was a bettin man it will come down to Max vs Pat, mobility be damned!

My reasoning was 1) I think he will be a better decision maker 2) His accuracy is superb 3) He will have a better leadership quality, and this is the big one... wait for it...this is info I guarantee you did not have...oh the suspense is killing me...4) that's just my gut feeling! whew I'm glad I could finally let you all in on that insider info!! ROTFLOL!!

I dont doubt that Towles is mobile enough to operate the new system but I do question if he is accurate enough. Some of his passes looked a lot like passes thrown by Newton and Boyd. I accually though that Whitlow was more accurate than Towles. Smith IMO is the QB to run the system if he can just avoid another serious injury. He is accurate, has a quick release and IMO reads the field better than the other two. IMO if you give Smith time to make the reads and the throws he will cut a defense to pieces.

If the OL isnt able to give proper protection to the less mobile Smith one of the more mobile QBs might get the call.

There will also be a true freshman in the mix during spring practice. Don't underestimate his ability or leadership qualities. This young man is a winner and is very competitive.

Here are some quotes on your incoming Freshman QB out of an article on the Times Free Press web site today.

"I told Coach Brown that I wasn't coming to sit and watch," Phillips said. "I know I'll be at the bottom of the [quarterback] ladder and that I'll still be the freshman earning his way, but I think coming in early will allow me to get to know the older players.

"I don't think I'll be at the bottom of the charts as long as I would be if I had waited to go till next summer. I know I have to keep my nose to the grindstone and work extra hard, but I'm not going to Kentucky to hold a clipboard."

His coaches comment.

"He's a high-character kid with a big-time arm," Price said. "He comes from a winning program, and he'll play wherever he goes because he is so competitive."

He will push the three that are there to get better and that's what you want and need.

In terms of who will start...

To me it's pretty obvious that Maxwell is VERY well suited for this offense. He's got the accuracy, decision making ability and the quick release.

The difference between this offense and what we did with joker is that there will be far fewer "down field" throws. We will see a lot of quick crossing routes, screens etc...

Texas Tech didn't have elite o-linemen but their qb's were rarely hit or sacked because of the design of the offense.

Further, Maxwell's issues are not freak muscle pulls. He had a impact shoulder injury and a ankle sprain that all of us would have suffered.

I'd say we see a qb depth chart next fall of

1. Smith
2 Towles
3 Whitlow