re: Good Looking Spring Game Gamecocks

So 2020 we can start a QB with only a small amount of experience versus him not redshirting and having a year of experience. You would be alot more comfortable coming into 2020 that is for sure.
Ryan came from arguably the toughest high school confrence in the nation, he has already exceeded Joyner's qb ability. Let Hilinski get his bumps now while we have Bentley instead of the next year when he doesnt.
Ryan has the talent to leave after his junior year so why would we waste one of his 3 years sitting him on the bench.
I'm sure clempson fans are glad they didn't take that approach.

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So 2020 we can start a QB with only a small amount of experience versus him not redshirting and having a year of experience. You would be alot more comfortable coming into 2020 that is for sure. Ryan came from arguably the toughest high school confrence in the nation, he has already exceeded Joyner's qb ability. Let Hilinski get his bumps now while we have Bentley instead of the next year when he doesnt. Ryan has the talent to leave after his junior year so why would we waste one of his 3 years sitting him on the bench. I'm sure clempson fans are glad they didn't take that approach.

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So are we just conceding the 2019 season and jumping ahead to 2020? We have seem very little from either potential backup QBs except spring games which tell you little to nothing. Bringing up what a kid has done in high school and extrapolating that to the SEC is comical. You cannot possibly be comparing our situation to clemsun or BAMA? Those teams have loads of talent at RB and WRs that take the load off of a QB. Plus they have some of the top defenses in the country. I hate them as much as anyone but they are top teams for a reason. We did not beat one ranked team last year. Not one. And got blown out by a bad ACC team in the bowl game. I don't even think about teams like clemsun, Georgia or BAMA. We need to get better and beat the Kentuckys and hope we can catch a more talented team by surprise. We aren't going to do that by throwing out true freshmen who might have more skill but just aren't ready.

All things considered, ain't no way that Hilinski starts over a healthy Jake Bentley this year...

To think otherwise is fantasy and setting yourself up for missed expectations.

I'll counter with this.

Our program has turned a corner when we have experienced upperclassmen starting and we don't have to rely on freshmen players, no matter how talented they are.

But you don't wait for those upperclassmen to be gone to throw the rookies into the fire.

IBG gets it. High school programs now have lifting and nutrition like college and the freshman come out better equipped to play out of the gate.

One thing us older fans need to understand is that the kids come out EXPECTING to get playing time as a freshman. Any school that sticks with the redshirt no matter what plan will tank in recruiting.

I'm not setting myself up for expectations but I'd hope that he'd get PT.

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Our program has turned a corner when we have experienced upperclassmen starting and we don't have to rely on freshmen players, no matter how talented they are.

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The best teams rely on both.

Look at Bama and Clemson this year?
Clemson's top 2 players on offense were freshman.
Bama's QB the year before was a Freshman and this year a Sophomore.

Unless we are undefeated and Jake is riding high, I hope that down the line Ryan is good enough to beat him out. I'm not really going to expect him from day one, but if we are say 2-3 or 3-4 at some point of the season, I would think Hilinski should get some snaps.

Now I understand QB is different but I wouldn't like for him to see no time at all. I hope that game 1 or 2 we are blowing out the opponent and Hilinski gets the reps not Dak.

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Plus what message would you be sending to future recruits? Even if you're good enough to be on the 2 deep you will probably still redshirt.
The days of redshirting most of a class are history.

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Alabama has 5 stars sit on the bench for years before they get their shot.

Here's the truth. If TL doesn't take Clemson to the natty last year this isn't a conversation. But the truth is this. Kelly Bryant couldn't throw an effective forward pass. That's why he got benched. That isn't the case with Jake. Sure he has his flake out moments, and they frustrate the heck out of us. But he has a cannon for an arm, 4 years in a D-1 lifting and nutrition program and 3 years of in game experience. Oh, and his dad's a coach.

He's not getting benched for a freshman.

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If RH doesn't beat out Jake because he's not that talented then I get it.
But if he is and Will just holds back because "he's a freshman" that's not a good message.

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See, this is where we set ourselves up for disappointment.

Let's say Ryan doesn't play at all this season. One camp will say "he's not talented enough". Another will say, "Muschamp is holding him back." But unless you are at all of the practices (which are closed to the public) and get to see how they preform everyday you won't really know. So then folks form their own speculation about the situation and start stirring up trouble here and everywhere else online. Nothing good can come from it.

Freshman are not supposed to come in to SEC play and be elite. WR and RB are two positions where it is the most possible though. TL is a spectacle but thats why he was the number 1 recruit in america, and he had 7-8 cupcake games before he got into challenging situations. If you dont agree, then you are wrong. You mentioned hurts, but he is behind all 5 star OLineman, and their main gameplan is ground and pound running. He got beat out for a reason. Everyone else waits their turn.

Its actually wild that yall think Freshman QB's are supposed to come in and save the day. Its not a rational hope. Redshirt him until he learns the system effectively and can give us better than average 2020-2023.

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Drew Lock wasn't elite but he did it his Freshman year.

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Drew lock carried a team to 5-7 and had one third of what he did the next 3 years...You're making my point for me.

Jake Fromm was an elite recruit as well, but on a team with 50% higher blue chip ratio than us. Once again if its a team with 70% or more blue chip players than sure plug and play.

That is not the case with us. Realize our strengths and weakness and whether you like it or not, one of our strengths is senior skill, experience, and knowledge at the quarterback position. Along with leadership.

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Jake Fromm was an elite recruit as well, but on a team with 50% higher blue chip ratio than us. Once again if its a team with 70% or more blue chip players than sure plug and play.

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Quoted for truth.

Of all the teams mentioned that did this, Bama, Clemson, UGA, all of them had TONS of blue chip talent at all positions around the players.

That is not our situation.

Maybe it's because I'm old, but I believe the old adage, "Old age and treachery will always beat youth and enthusiasm."