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(12-22-2022 12:51 PM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(12-22-2022 11:38 AM)natibeast2.0 Wrote:  

(12-22-2022 11:23 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(12-22-2022 10:57 AM)natibeast2.0 Wrote:  Ben Bryant is a man. I don’t think he’s truly coming back to compete as Emory/Prater will have so many more reps with the new staff by time he’s back from what it sounds like.

UC fans do need to stop booing. It’s embarrassing this isn’t professional sports although it’s getting closer. 9 win season and people were acting like Ben was worst QB ever every game. It was a joke.

Prater had an opportunity in summer camp, against Tulane, and against Louisville (sure not fair but neither was it for Louisville’s backup). He flopped every opportunity and it was quite clear Ben was the better QB.

I’m pretty certain Emory Jones will lock up this job quickly after watching a couple vids. Has all the tools. Competed well against an Alabama team both with his arm and legs. If Prater stays and beats him out cool but from what I saw Emory is a better athlete with a better frame but first and foremost a QB first with a heck of an arm.

Bolded, I agree. We have terrific fans who bring it every game now but that was an embarrassment. I really believe it was more an expression of frustration with the offensive coaching decisions than with the guys on the field but any player would certainly take it personally.

My section there were direct calls all the time when Ben missed a pass specifically by two knucklehead well over my age adults acting like it was the Bengals and Kitna playing over Palmer. I sit with my pop but my group of friends generally wanted Prater playing due to just the 4* label and got that sense from the whole UC fanbase including students. Those that trusted coaches just cheered both on when in.

I do agree the offensive schemes overall were horribly frustrating but it was pretty clear to me the boos were directed at Ben and screams of cheering when Prater came in back that claim up further.

It needs to stop.

Edit: If you follow BCJ is was clear it PO even the insiders (some of which wanted Prater to start), they seemed to assume to coaches weren’t happy by it but to further that point Fick had to answer the questions a few times in pressers in which he always pointed to Ben’s maturity, and most importantly it PO well respected former players that came back for games and were guest on podcasts.

If the students are doing it that’s one thing (young ignorance). To hear it all over the rest of the stadium is another.

Over on BCJ it didn’t help matters that throughout the spring they kept telling the fans how close the competition was. One of the host actually went on to say they hoped Evan would win the job. Then as the season went on there was a lot of Ben is the team MVP talk which didn’t make sense unless you knew how behind Evan was.

What I think happened is that this former staff wanted Arkansas guessing about which QB would start but those close to program knew Evan wasn’t even close. The messaging backfired and created a situation in which fans believed both QB la were relatively equal but in reality Ben was far better.

So when the offense struggled fans wanted to try the equal but younger option. The Des situation in which he came off the bench in the UCLA didn’t help with fan expectations either.

That was Aaron, who was not covering the practices which was mostly Chad and sometimes Dave.

Aaron was swept up into what I think afflicted a lot of people-- they liked the "idea" of what Evan was supposed to be without really knowing what the kid could or could not do. He checks all the boxes:

- 4-star Guy
- Cincinnati Kid
- Dual Threat QB
- Cool Hair
- Physically resembles Ridder, so "hey, he can play just like him- only better."

The much preferred this guy to the (their perception) "boring, drop back passer who transferred back from EMU."

As to why Chad said it was a "close race" I think he has explained it that Bryant was better each day, but Evan played well enough to at times give him a run for the money. If the staff did not give him the clear to do so, he isn't going to say it is obvious that Ben was going to be the starter. He would lose the staff's trust and for a guy in his business that is valuable.

It will be interesting to see how Satterfield manages these types of competitions. After six years of evidence, I think the former staff liked to keep everyone guessing as to who was going to start at QB1-- perhaps even the players themselves.