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re: Jake Bentley
Posted on 10/18/16 at 5:51 am to lungbuster06
Posted on 10/18/16 at 5:51 am to lungbuster06
Not sure if I posted this so I apologize for any redundancy. I think the biggest thing on the horizon that can put us back where we were with those 11 win seasons is the 2018 recruiting class. We are in strong position with probably 5-6+ of the top 100 prospects in the nation for that class. The relationship/player development side is going to be there regardless. Our coaches aren't going to stop being themselves. Facilities will be well underway as far as the new Football Operations Building is concerned. What is going to be the tipping point? On field performance.
With everything that we have heard so far, even if Bentley does redshirt, it is very likely he would be the starter next year. The question is, with so much riding on next season, not only recruiting but the leash of the staff getting one more season shorter, would you want your starter having no game experience or have him come in with a half season of SEC football under his belt?
Yes Bentley is a special talent, but if our neighboring teams have taught us anything, i.e. UGA and Clemmy, success on the field helps bring in talent. If Bentley gets in there and gets the experience he needs, who's to say we don't get a guy in the 2018 cycle that is close talent wise? Joyner down at Ft. D just threw for almost 400 yds and 6TDs, not to mention the threat he provides with his legs. If he is the next guy up, he comes in and redshirts Bentley's Junior season and would be a RS So. when he graduates.
With everything that we have heard so far, even if Bentley does redshirt, it is very likely he would be the starter next year. The question is, with so much riding on next season, not only recruiting but the leash of the staff getting one more season shorter, would you want your starter having no game experience or have him come in with a half season of SEC football under his belt?
Yes Bentley is a special talent, but if our neighboring teams have taught us anything, i.e. UGA and Clemmy, success on the field helps bring in talent. If Bentley gets in there and gets the experience he needs, who's to say we don't get a guy in the 2018 cycle that is close talent wise? Joyner down at Ft. D just threw for almost 400 yds and 6TDs, not to mention the threat he provides with his legs. If he is the next guy up, he comes in and redshirts Bentley's Junior season and would be a RS So. when he graduates.
Posted on 10/18/16 at 8:10 am to GameCocky88
quote:
would you want your starter having no game experience or have him come in with a half season of SEC football under his belt?
I want him to have live game experience. 4 of these last 6 games are at home and are a great way for him to get his feet wet before next year. If, and that's a big if, we can beat UMass, WCU, Mizzou, and upset TN, FL, or CU and make a bowl game, that's 15 more practices and 1 more live game to continue his prep to next year. I believe that is what our coaches are looking at.
Posted on 10/18/16 at 2:03 pm to GameCocky88
quote:
With everything that we have heard so far, even if Bentley does redshirt, it is very likely he would be the starter next year.
As far as I'm concerned, Bentley should still be in high school right now, getting another year of playing experience and development in. I understand that he's had issues learning our offense, but if he is the type of QB that can come in and turn our entire season around as a True Fr, he would've already been playing by now. If he is head-and-shoulders above McIlwain talent-wise, our coaching staff would've put him in at some point when we've been nothing but stagnant on offense.
Unless Bentley is Deshaun Watson-esque, I don't see how starting him is better for our season with the OL issues that we have going on right now. Even Lamar Jackson would struggle with our OL. Will Bentley benefit from playing time for next season? Absolutely, but so does McIlwain, who has had to play behind our abortion of an OL all season. If we can fix our OL issues this upcoming offseason, I'll feel better knowing that we'll have a returning starter in McIlwain having to compete against a stud like Bentley.
The only thing that, in my mind, will justify Bentley starting on Saturday is that if McIlwain has undeniably regressed in practice throughout recent weeks. If there is no way he can even beat out Perry Orth for the starting role, then he should sit. I just haven't heard if that's the case.
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