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Could we be starting a 17 yo 6-4" QB ? Apparently Williams is really showing his skill set.

(08-12-2017 09:46 AM)Mr.BigBlue Wrote:  Could we be starting a 17 yo 6-4" QB ? Apparently Williams is really showing his skill set.

Maybe come October/November. At this point he isn't getting enough reps with the first team.

I would rather slowly bring him along (get him more series each game) before throwing him out there as a starter.

Agree. BW has shown that he doesn't like to throw a young QB into a situation, that could kill their confidence. Hard to rebuild.

But do you lose a year as a starter by not red shirting him, just so he can slowly come along playing mop up in real games?

I think it all depends on how quickly he can adjust and take over. If He's starter worthy by mid season maybe you take a chance. If it looks like he won't be starter ready until late, I'd say red shirt him. Of course making that determination would require him to play, thus burning the red shirt. Tough call.

(08-12-2017 10:26 AM)Old Dominion Wrote:  But do you lose a year as a starter by not red shirting him, just so he can slowly come along playing mop up in real games?

I think it all depends on how quickly he can adjust and take over. If He's starter worthy by mid season maybe you take a chance. If it looks like he won't be starter ready until late, I'd say red shirt him. Of course making that determination would require him to play, thus burning the red shirt. Tough call.

I am all for playing later in the year if he is ready. Then potentially looking to redshirt the following year depending on if the other Qbs develop.

I think I said something like this back in June, but we just cannot count Williams out as the starter this year. If he is the best QB competing and the coaches think he gives us the best chance to win, he will throw the first pass thrown by the Monarchs this season -- and hopefully many, many more after that. I'm not saying he will start -- just saying don't count him out this year just because he is a freshman.

This is why we pay Bobby Wilder the big bucks to make these decisions. I thought we were a little slow moving from Shuler Bentley to David Washington. Otherwise, I have been really happy with the development of the quarterbacks. May the best man win.

I'm excited about the potential of Williams. I do think the best situation would be if one of the other three QBs could show enough skill to lead this team to a bowl this year, while allowing Williams to redshirt and spend a year in the weight room. I'm nervous about putting a light, 17 year old out there against huge 20 year olds. Too much risk in him getting hurt. Sounds like he may very well be a future 4 year starter. Let's protect him if at all possible and still win.

Under normal circumstances, there would be no question as to Williams taking a redshirt.
However, this is not a normal year. We are peaking at a number of positions, and thus are going to field our best team ever; maybe for a few years to come.
We have a phenomenal chance to make a statement in CUSA. It is hugely important for recruiting and indeed our brand.

Don't think for a minute that the coaches weren't aware that TH was our best QB very soon after he walked on campus. Only a confluence of injuries allowed him to play as a true Freshman.
Early on I was of the opinion that Williams would redshirt, and he still may.
However, IF he is the best QB (as I and others have heard from scuttlebutt) I strongly suspect that, unlike Heinicke, he will play, and probably start, at some point in the season.

We can recruit QBs every season; and the better we are this season, the more our potential to get top notch recruits in the coming years.
Thus I don't believe we need to "worry" about whether Williams will be a future four year starter. We need to put our best out there from day one.

IMHO, this season is that important.

(08-12-2017 12:35 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote:  Under normal circumstances, there would be no question as to Williams taking a redshirt.
However, this is not a normal year. We are peaking at a number of positions, and thus are going to field our best team ever; maybe for a few years to come.
We have a phenomenal chance to make a statement in CUSA. It is hugely important for recruiting and indeed our brand.

Don't think for a minute that the coaches weren't aware that TH was our best QB very soon after he walked on campus. Only a confluence of injuries allowed him to play as a true Freshman.
Early on I was of the opinion that Williams would redshirt, and he still may.
However, IF he is the best QB (as I and others have heard from scuttlebutt) I strongly suspect that, unlike Heinicke, he will play, and probably start, at some point in the season.

We can recruit QBs every season; and the better we are this season, the more our potential to get top notch recruits in the coming years.
Thus I don't believe we need to "worry" about whether Williams will be a future four year starter. We need to put our best out there from day one.

IMHO, this season is that important.

I did a cursory glance at the roster and believe we will be even better next year. Lots of juniors. After that we lose a lot of kids and will be much younger, although red shirting in mass will help.

Wilder and staff have done a great job building our program and especially both on offense and at QB. I am more than willing to defer to his decision on all this, not that it would matter a whit if I didn't. All that said it is great that we have so many potential good options including this young Fr. QB this dilemma to deal with. Really looking forward to this season. "Our PRIDE is Growing"

(08-12-2017 11:41 AM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  I think I said something like this back in June, but we just cannot count Williams out as the starter this year. If he is the best QB competing and the coaches think he gives us the best chance to win, he will throw the first pass thrown by the Monarchs this season -- and hopefully many, many more after that. I'm not saying he will start -- just saying don't count him out this year just because he is a freshman.

I agee...best player should win out.

Honest question about Williams. I don't want to be a downer, and I get that rankings only mean so much and a lot can be learned in practice, but why this amount of hype for a guy who was the #117 pro-style passer in his class? There are plenty of QBs ranked higher heading to FCS programs or crappy FBS teams. He didn't have any other offers according to 247.

(08-12-2017 01:58 PM)UVAfirstODUsecond Wrote:  Honest question about Williams. I don't want to be a downer, and I get that rankings only mean so much and a lot can be learned in practice, but why this amount of hype for a guy who was the #117 pro-style passer in his class? There are plenty of QBs ranked higher heading to FCS programs or crappy FBS teams. He didn't have any other offers according to 247.

IDK....but all indications are he is playing really well. I wonder if he has been getting any reps against the !st team D.

(08-12-2017 10:20 AM)DaBigBlue Wrote:  Agree. BW has shown that he doesn't like to throw a young QB into a situation, that could kill their confidence. Hard to rebuild.

He had no problem doing it to Shuler Bentley

(08-12-2017 01:58 PM)UVAfirstODUsecond Wrote:  Honest question about Williams. I don't want to be a downer, and I get that rankings only mean so much and a lot can be learned in practice, but why this amount of hype for a guy who was the #117 pro-style passer in his class? There are plenty of QBs ranked higher heading to FCS programs or crappy FBS teams. He didn't have any other offers according to 247.

I would say the answer to your question is that Our offensive coaches, especially Wilder and Whitcomb are quarterback guys and pretty much knows one when they see one. Check out the Taylor Heinicke pick. It seemed they were the only ones that knew.

(08-12-2017 02:13 PM)Justanodufan Wrote:  

(08-12-2017 10:20 AM)DaBigBlue Wrote:  Agree. BW has shown that he doesn't like to throw a young QB into a situation, that could kill their confidence. Hard to rebuild.

He had no problem doing it to Shuler Bentley

Bentley was in over his head and now he has a much better chance. I don't think his confidence was ruined.

(08-12-2017 02:13 PM)Justanodufan Wrote:  

(08-12-2017 10:20 AM)DaBigBlue Wrote:  Agree. BW has shown that he doesn't like to throw a young QB into a situation, that could kill their confidence. Hard to rebuild.

He had no problem doing it to Shuler Bentley

Maybe he leaned his lesson. And as a side note this schedule was made to include UNC and VT because we knew the team would be peaking and expected Shuler "the chosen one" Bentley to be our third year starting QB who was likely to be in the record books by now if not in the NFL yet. Gotta think BW would be hesitant to throw a true freshman, no matter how good, up against those two teams. I guess we will see. Gotta say, I am intrigued by the reports of how good he is.

For reference, here is Ed's piece on Williams and Hoy:

https://pilotonline.com/sports/college/o...4ac70.html

Didn't want to start a new thread for this, so sticking it here. What happened to last nights scrimmage? Looks like it didn't happen. I know it rained like hell early, but I thought they'd be OK to scrimmage by evening. Guess not, but why the lack of information concerning it? Nothing in paper or online. Wonder if they'll scrimmage today?