The question:
Mike Rocco / Phillip Sims / David Watford... How should Coach London approach and attack the decision on how to distribute playing time at the quarterback position in 2012, and what are the specific implications of his decision(s)?
Pierce: Well it wouldn't be a UVA offseason if we didn't have a three-man QB controversy. All three deserve a fair shot. But Watford might be the first to be named "definite backup." So you're looking at the coaches having to provide Rocco (1st) and Sims (2nd) with enough time and practice with the first team personnel to (hopefully) determine a clear starter by kickoff on Sept 1st. That's the best-case scenario, but one that's unlikely to happen.
Kendall: I disagree that all three deserve a fair shot. I think David Watford deserves a redshirt. Frankly, I wouldn't be heartbroken if he transferred out in search for more playing time. I'd dislike the thought that we recruited over him and I'd hate to see that Hampton bridge burned, but (IMHO) the guy does not have the passing skills OR the running ability to be an impact player at this level. That said, he was a true freshman last season, so he could develop. I just didn't see the raw tools last season, or in the spring game.
Sorry so harsh. But if we want to play Big Boy Football, we can't carry so many marginal talents on the 85-scholarship roster. Especially at a quarterback position that now has five players, with two more arriving in 2013.
Anyway, we should be focusing on Rocco and Sims right now. At best, Watford is the 3rd stringer, ideally a redshirt candidate to help set him up for his one season as the potential starter, in 2015.
Mike: Agreed. I think the best move for Watford is to transfer to ODU and usher that program into the FBS. In fact, I would love to see that. The kid deserves a shot, he just got swept up in all this Phillip Sims business. It really comes down to better talent coming in. I don't think pushing Watford to the bench burns the Hampton bridge necessarily, who knew Sims would transfer in here? This is a conversation London needs to have with Watford to determine what's best for him, which quite frankly is the kind of conversation that makes parents trust Coach London with their sons.
However our starting QB is going to be Sims by the end of the season. I like Mike Rocco, but if we want to put on our big boy pants we need a blue chip QB. Sims is a blue chip QB. I think once he gets the playbook down the job becomes his, mostly based on how Rocco played when he was looking over his shoulder at Watford last season. I could be (and really hope) I am wrong on this, but to me it looked like Rocco played amazingly better when he knew the job was just his. Having Sims as his backup will either make Rocco rise to the occasion, or cripple him.
Pierce: The implications of London's decision are potentially massive, both in terms of team chemistry / leadership and the performance on the field. If there's any perceived slighting of Rocco among his teammates, you can bet that'll affect those player's attitudes, performance, and Sims' ability to gain the team's trust. On the other hand, if Rocco starts and falters in any way, fans are going to be calling nonstop for Sims. But all team / fan / coaching drama aside, the biggest implication to come from this decision at the quarterback decision is how many wins the team will gain from it. Win games, it all falls into place.
Kendall: You made a great point, Pierce -- as Rocco emerged as the starting quarterback last season, his teammates bought in to his ability and leadership. Phillip Sims won't be able to stack up his recruiting hype and blue chip status against Rock's sway in the locker room, and at the end of the day, leadership is a core responsibility of the quarterback position.
Sims has to learn the playbook - albeit not a terribly difficult proposition, given the pro-style system he worked within at Alabama - and he also has to out-play Rocco (and I mean clearly out-play him) in training camp. He also has to win over his teammates. And he has just this summer to accomplish those things. No small feat.
That's why the smart money is on Rocco starting the season opener against Richmond. And if you believe - as I do - that Watford is running third in this race, the situation will essentially boil down to how and when Coach London finds playing time for Sims, and how quickly he comes with the hook if/when Rocco struggles.
What do you guys think are reasonable substitution patterns, given this situation?
Sims has to learn the playbook - albeit not a terribly difficult proposition, given the pro-style system he worked within at Alabama - and he also has to out-play Rocco (and I mean clearly out-play him) in training camp. He also has to win over his teammates. And he has just this summer to accomplish those things. No small feat.
That's why the smart money is on Rocco starting the season opener against Richmond. And if you believe - as I do - that Watford is running third in this race, the situation will essentially boil down to how and when Coach London finds playing time for Sims, and how quickly he comes with the hook if/when Rocco struggles.
What do you guys think are reasonable substitution patterns, given this situation?
Mike: They absolutely cannot do a repeat of last year. If Rocco is the guy, he needs to be the guy. They need to use Sims like a typical back-up QB, and have him come in for mop up duty, or if Rocco is playing terrible. We saw the problems last year with Watford playing at random points, and that is a movie I don't need to see again. If I had to guess I would think that we will see Sims first appear in the TCU game, and depending on how he plays, he will take over completely at some point. That four game chunk in the middle third of the season (Louisiana Tech, @ Duke, Maryland, Wake) are games we HAVE to win if we want to get to a bowl, and if Rocco struggles during that stretch, that's when the full-time switch to Sims will occur.
Pierce: Mike is spot on. In no way would it be beneficial to have a repeat of last year's QB shuffling. Whoever's named the starter should play as such and the backup can come in for garbage time or an injury. Yes, there will be times where we'll want to see what Sims can do, if he's the back up, but doing the whole rotation thing is idiotic. Hopefully our coaches think the same way.
Kendall: I don't think our coaches think the same way, and honestly, our starting QB shouldn't be so fragile that he can't cede a scripted possession or two to his backup who possesses a different skill set. I don't think you guys give Rock enough credit. Once he took the reins fully and Watford took his rightful seat on the bench, Mike Rocco was forever changed. He's become confident in himself and his abilities, and to borrow an AI Grohism, he has experienced demonstrated performance. I have confidence in Mike Rocco now, and I think he has confidence in himself. Therefore, I think a scripted set rotation can - and will! - work for us this season.
Mike London knows you can't very well uncork a full-blown quarterback battle if the starter is two years entrenched and the challenger hasn't played in three years. [Barring injury to Rocco] if Phillip Sims is going to be our starting quarterback at any point before the 2014 season, it has to be through beating out Rocco in training camp this summer (not freaking likely) or by taking the job from him during the season. He can't take the job from Rocco in any sort of fairness if Rock gets the hook in a game in which he struggles. To me, that just stinks of pre-ordainment, and that's the kind of thing that would create a rift among the current players and give our enemies traction in their claims that Coach London has a 757 bias.
Pierce: Absolutely, Mike Rocco is a better and more confident quarterback than he was the first half of last year - but I think the fact that he improved so much after the rotation was shelved is a clear indication of how detrimental the rotation was. Was it ever necessary? Probably not. I'm not saying a rotation is going to see Rocco revert back to his early form, or even revert at all, but it's not going to help. It wouldn't help Sims either. The one thing the coaches need to do is determine a QB1 early and stick with it. Unless performance dictates a change, don't make one in the middle of the game.
I think there will be enough practice time to know which guy is the best guy to put out there - and it's entirely possible, even likely, that will start out as Mike Rocco and eventually become Phillip Sims - but let that get hashed out during practice, not during the 2nd quarter of a game.
Kendall: The fans are going to demand Phillip Sims. If the decision is Mike Rocco, will Coach London be able to stick to his guns? What if we start out 1-3 after dropping games to Penn State, Georgia Tech, and TCU? I don't want to see Mike Rocco shelved for losing a battle to defend his job in training camp, but I also don't want to see him booed off the field forever.
Pierce: Absolutely, Mike Rocco is a better and more confident quarterback than he was the first half of last year - but I think the fact that he improved so much after the rotation was shelved is a clear indication of how detrimental the rotation was. Was it ever necessary? Probably not. I'm not saying a rotation is going to see Rocco revert back to his early form, or even revert at all, but it's not going to help. It wouldn't help Sims either. The one thing the coaches need to do is determine a QB1 early and stick with it. Unless performance dictates a change, don't make one in the middle of the game.
I think there will be enough practice time to know which guy is the best guy to put out there - and it's entirely possible, even likely, that will start out as Mike Rocco and eventually become Phillip Sims - but let that get hashed out during practice, not during the 2nd quarter of a game.
Kendall: The fans are going to demand Phillip Sims. If the decision is Mike Rocco, will Coach London be able to stick to his guns? What if we start out 1-3 after dropping games to Penn State, Georgia Tech, and TCU? I don't want to see Mike Rocco shelved for losing a battle to defend his job in training camp, but I also don't want to see him booed off the field forever.
In the end, I really like what David Teel said. "Mike Rocco is empowered by incumbency." I couldn't agree more. Phillip Sims is the better talent, but Mike Rocco might be the better quarterback for the University of Virginia... at least for right now.
My guess is that Rock leads us to a win over Penn State and narrow losses at Georgia Tech and TCU. He hangs on to his job - barely - and then makes hay during that four-game stretch Mike mentioned. Once he takes the team to a 5-3 or 6-2 start, the job will be his through the rest of his career.
My guess is that Rock leads us to a win over Penn State and narrow losses at Georgia Tech and TCU. He hangs on to his job - barely - and then makes hay during that four-game stretch Mike mentioned. Once he takes the team to a 5-3 or 6-2 start, the job will be his through the rest of his career.
The pivotal game is the second game of the season, home against Penn State. If Rocco beats the Nits, my guess is that he's our starter through 2013. If he loses that game, the hook is coming at some point against GT or TCO, and the Sims era begins in earnest.
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