Luke Del Rio is gone - Blake Sims / QB discussion

[teamplayer]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

I agree. I'm pulling for Sims, but I'm realistic. I know that Coker will probably beat him out if he transfers. Bateman or Morris could surprise us all, and really take over. I have my opinion, but I'm just a fan yelling at the TV.

Hahaha, aren't we all? Roll Tide!

 

[Golden Isles]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

I'll say this. we don't know enough of Sims to disregard him as potential starter........

This sums it up. I am rooting for Blake, and am eager to see him patiently improvise with his feet and arm. He has the physical part, but want to see the % he can run for 4 or make a pass up to 30 yards. If he can do one or the other 60% of the time without TO's, we are in business with a faster offense.

Considering he is a Senior, I hope everyone is at least rooting for him to come out and have a great A-Day game. Then we can really start debating.

 

[CrimsonForce]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

Don't look for a starting QB to be named this Spring.
Likely not in Fall Camp either.
History sez we will likely see a couple of guys battle it out for the position, in the first couple of games in the Fall.

I hope not. CNS has all Spring, Summer and Fall camp to name a starter. I understand if Coker transfers it may complicate naming a starter, but I hope we have a firm starter going into game 1. I'm not sure we will though.

 

[GreatDanish]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

I hope not. CNS has all Spring, Summer and Fall camp to name a starter. I understand if Coker transfers it may complicate naming a starter, but I hope we have a firm starter going into game 1. I'm not sure we will though.

I think we all want a starter named ASAP, but just recall the last time our QB battle extended into the season, we came out with a national championship.

 

[afadam07]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

This sums it up. I am rooting for Blake, and am eager to see him patiently improvise with his feet and arm. He has the physical part, but want to see the % he can run for 4 or make a pass up to 30 yards. If he can do one or the other 60% of the time without TO's, we are in business with a faster offense.

Considering he is a Senior, I hope everyone is at least rooting for him to come out and have a great A-Day game. Then we can really start debating.

I'm rooting for Henry to win the QB job! Just run the Wild Tide all season LOL!

I am actually rooting for the one who gives us the best chance to win the championship. Whoever the coaches pick. If Sims doesn't win the starting job, I do hope he gets some action though for being loyal to the team.

 

[bama579]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

What seems to be a potential danger with B Sims:

If we go with an offense designed for more QB runs for Sims, what happens if he gets hurt? The other QBs appear to be more classic dropback types, not particularly shifty or speedy. The QB runs in the weeks game plan would be ineffective, leaving a thin selection of plays to be called. Or so it seems.

Offensive schemes built around dropback QBs would seem to be more adaptable to the roster on hand if the first stringer is out.

Misguided? Too simple? Missing the point entirely?

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

If Blake Sims wins the QB position then that tells us he's the best passer we have. We have recruited some sick, sick WR talent and we all know how sensitive that position is. There's noway we're going to all of a sudden pass the ball 12 times a game and run the ball 50+. If we do that we'll start seeing a mass exodus of WR talent. Because one thing about WR's, they want the ball and there are plenty of other programs out there they can go to who'll get it to them.

 

[nx4bama]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

As fans we can rationalize anything to make us feel better and show being positive supporters and that's fine because every fanbase does it. But sometimes you have to look at things objectively. Everybody seems to want to rally behind Blake and support him which again is being a good fan I suppose. But we all KNOW that LDR was really #2 this past season. Insider after insider and a few mods even relayed that info so let's not all stick our heads in the sand and pretend now that that wasn't really the case. 'LDR was just a walk-on who was #3 and this is no big deal' is just false thinking. If AJ had been injured and we were in dire straits this season to win games by passing that redshirt was getting yanked off LDR so fast the collective fanbases heads would have spun.

LDR was an Elite 11 QB finalist and had D1 scholly offers to other programs yet chose to walk-on here. He was ahead of Blake and all the rest so him leaving is not 'no big deal'. He was going to be the Starter unless Coker Transferred and then beat him out which isn't and wasn't a certain thing. I have no idea why the kid left but it has put us in a bind.

On Blake why is everyone saying how we can run option read running stuff like Oregon and the barn to take advantage of his strengths?? Because I'm telling you that's not CLK's offense. It's going to be Pro-Style with tempo and passes to TE's and RB's mixed in. Blake is really athletic with running abilty but he is not a pocket passer. I like the kid but he doesn't in any shape form or fashion fit what we want to do going forward. His delivery is 'unorthodox' to put it mildly and he is inaccurate on anything but really short easy throws.

I don't know if the Qb will be Bateman, Morris, Cornwell, or Coker(IF he transfers) but it's not going to be Blake. He's out of position as a player. If he is the starting QB then strap in for a Looooonnnnng season. Let's just not bury our heads under the guise of fan support because you know if it plays out like that then a year from now everyone will be saying in hindset 'we all saw that disaster coming but didn't want to admit it'. We do that all the time around here. Dislike if you want but truth is truth. I'll support the QB no matter who it is....even Blake...but I'm also ready to just cheer my team to an 7-5 or 8-4 record if that's the case because I will go in with realistic expectations.

So let me see if I understand.... if we are hoping that Blake Sims proves himself to the coaches and wins the job, we are just "being (unrealistic) fans", but if we say "Blake Sims can't play qb at Bama," we are realistic and good and everything is right in the world????

 

[BamaMoon]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

What seems to be a potential danger with B Sims:

If we go with an offense designed for more QB runs for Sims, what happens if he gets hurt? The other QBs appear to be more classic dropback types, not particularly shifty or speedy. The QB runs in the weeks game plan would be ineffective, leaving a thin selection of plays to be called. Or so it seems.

Offensive schemes built around dropback QBs would seem to be more adaptable to the roster on hand if the first stringer is out.

Misguided? Too simple? Missing the point entirely?

IMO, you are right on target with this accessment. Only thing that might change this is the possible changes we are hearing about. Could/would CNS decide to roll the dice and use Blake Sims more like the barn's Marshall (just to compare)??? And then if he does and he gets hurt we are right back to the predicament you've described.

If Blake Sims wins the QB position then that tells us he's the best passer we have. We have recruited some sick, sick WR talent and we all know how sensitive that position is. There's noway we're going to all of a sudden pass the ball 12 times a game and run the ball 50+. If we do that we'll start seeing a mass exodus of WR talent. Because one thing about WR's, they want the ball and there are plenty of other programs out there they can go to who'll get it to them.

Exactly!!! This is what probably concerns us (Sims' doubters).

 

[bama579]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

If Blake Sims wins the QB position then that tells us he's the best passer we have. We have recruited some sick, sick WR talent and we all know how sensitive that position is. There's noway we're going to all of a sudden pass the ball 12 times a game and run the ball 50+. If we do that we'll start seeing a mass exodus of WR talent. Because one thing about WR's, they want the ball and there are plenty of other programs out there they can go to who'll get it to them.

Sims opening the season at QB doesn't necessarily tell us he is the the best passer. It may tell us he trusted to make less mistakes, etc, but not that he is the better passer. This season could see us opening with one QB against WV, then a transition to another as the season plays out.

I'm still mystified by the Del Rio transfer. For someone who walked on , sat for a year, was the supposed next-guy-in if we needed to run our normal offense to leave before spring workouts is puzzling.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

What seems to be a potential danger with B Sims:

If we go with an offense designed for more QB runs for Sims, what happens if he gets hurt? The other QBs appear to be more classic dropback types, not particularly shifty or speedy. The QB runs in the weeks game plan would be ineffective, leaving a thin selection of plays to be called. Or so it seems.

Offensive schemes built around dropback QBs would seem to be more adaptable to the roster on hand if the first stringer is out.

Misguided? Too simple? Missing the point entirely?

Missing the point, methinks - we already run an offense suited to BS's abilities, you've just never seen McCarron keep the ball on the zone-read. I think folks might be surpassed at much our offensive play-calling would remain relatively unchanged with BS under center, while the way each play occurred would like change quite a lot...

 

[RTR91]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

Missing the point, methinks - we already run an offense suited to BS's abilities, you've just never seen McCarron keep the ball on the zone-read. I think folks might be surpassed at much our offensive play-calling would remain relatively unchanged with BS under center, while the way each play occurred would like change quite a lot...

If folks haven't realized this after about 20 posts saying it, they never will.

Peyton Manning kept the ball on a zone-read last week against the Chargers. Again, Peyton Manning, the guy with concrete blocks as feet. AJ never kept it for some reason. With Blake at QB, a few keeps causes the defense to stay wide to prevent him gaining 10 yards on a keeper. That means the middle is open for TJ, Kenyan, Henry, Altee and Jalston. How anyone can act like that would destroy Alabama's offense baffles me.

 

[NoleTide]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

When are y'all expecting Coker to graduate?


Oh I know y'all probably have done your HW on Coker. Here is some old vid of him(HS film).

 

[derek4tide]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

When are y'all expecting Coker to graduate?


Oh I know y'all probably have done your HW on Coker. Here is some old vid of him(HS film).

He will get his degree in May as a redshirt SOPH.

 

[bodiddle]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

The one play I remember by B. Sims was in the A-Day game when he attempted to throw the ball away and he did not have the arm strength to throw the ball out of bounds and as a result he threw an interception.

 

[KrAzY3]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

First, I'd have to say that those that just don't see it from Blake Sims, probably took one of those "meaningless" A-Day games off. Before Blake was moved to running back, he came out at A-Day and demonstrated his ability to pass down the field. If he gets his feet set, he's more than capable of throwing a pass well down the field, the arm strength issues might be there, same as AJ, but it's not a major issue, it's imagined. He was then moved to running back, and was relegated to run oriented packages, but just because you weren't watching, doesn't mean he can't do it. Same goes with some of his numbers in practice, clearly he's got capabilities that some people seem to be missing but the coaches have seen. I simply don't get the overt bias against him, and can't help but feel like it's motivated by something other than logic. The idea that Ely, Morris, and Del Rio just had to surpass him reeks of ill-informed bias, and shows just how terribly wrong people have been in regard to Blake Sims.

Having said that, a lot of us arrived to the conclusion that Blake wasn't going to get meaningful minutes with AJ at QB. Not because he couldn't come in and run some sort of run oriented package, clearly he can, he played running back at Alabama. But, because no one wanted to take the ball out of AJ's hands. As it is, I think Blake will almost certainly get meaningful playing time next season.

However, if Coker transfers in and is healthy, I think he'll become the starter. It might be 1A and 1B, but Coker has experience to, in an Alabama style system, he's big, he's fast, and he has a strong arm. He's walking into a situation he's well suited for, and I think his overall physical abilities will probably win out. But, I think Blake Sims will still be a relevant part of Alabama's offense next year, regardless of who is starting.

 

[CrimsonForce]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

The one play I remember by B. Sims was in the A-Day game when he attempted to throw the ball away and he did not have the arm strength to throw the ball out of bounds and as a result he threw an interception.

But but, he just needs some snaps with the first string to show what he can do. That will greatly improve his arm talent.

 

[KrAzY3]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

But but, he just needs some snaps with the first string to show what he can do. That will greatly improve his arm talent.

Yeah, judge a guy's arm strength on a bad throw while scrambling. Sheer genius, I watched him make a deep throw down the field, I suppose that never happened, huh?

 

[RTR91]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

The one play I remember by B. Sims was in the A-Day game when he attempted to throw the ball away and he did not have the arm strength to throw the ball out of bounds and as a result he threw an interception.

So you remember one play out of about over 100 (A-day snaps and regular season)? How selective.

I remember this one play when Coach Saban was a yelling at this young QB. He even hit the young'un on his rear! I knew those 5 seconds were a sign of how bad of a QB that guy was going to be.

 

[CrimsonForce]

Re: It appears Luke Del Rio is leaving

Yeah, judge a guy's arm strength on a bad throw while scrambling. Sheer genius, I watched him make a deep throw down the field, I suppose that never happened, huh?

Its not just from that throw. Its MY OPINION that he can't make all the throws to make the defense cover the whole field. I'm not saying he is not a good player or can't contribute, I just don't think he is our best option next year.