re: If Eason doesn't get significant playing time at Missouri...

to the OP...and the rest of the folks in this entire thread...

maybe our mentality as a fan base is the issue here...not Fromm...not Eason...not CKS


we are still reeling from the previous admin and the way things were under CMR (whom I still love) but CKS is not like that...and he doesn't coach with that mentality.


I do not think he wants Eason to transfer or that he thinks he sucks as a qb...or that he is "Richts guy" or whatever....I think he is used to having a stable of talent...at every position...cause that is what he had at Alabama...and they systematically and continually have guys riding the pine at every position.....who could start at almost every other SEC school..and that is what he wants here too...cause that is how you dominant the college football landscape...as they have done...and like it or not boys...we are still chasing them and what they are doing...no matter our record this year or what we may be able to do this season.


I like how CKS is handling it and I don't want to see Eason transfer...I think CKS is trying to keep him on and is gonna redshirt Fields...if that is the case...we are fricking stacked at that position for like a half a decade.

I think all should just sit back and let the HC work this thing and enjoy the ride....

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Or... he could keep improving and win back his job as starter

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How is that possible if he only practices with the 2's, is squarely in the back-up role in practice, and plays a few minutes of garbage time at the end of games?

The realistic answer is that Smart is no longer treating it like a competition...even though Eason was out because of injury, not because he was "beat out" in practice or games.

Hence, unless something changes and Smart starts playing Eason more, the message is, he only has a chance to "win back" his job if Fromm gets hurt.

I do think there's something to be said about not losing one's job purely because of being injured...if that's Smart's approach, he better make sure he keeps the recruiting rolling because we will begin to see some of the less glamorous aspects of Saban...lots of "grey shirting"...revoked offers...guys getting processed if they don't live up to their ratings. Basically, managing the program like an NFL team.

But...this is what we all have wanted...and why Richt was fired.

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How is that possible if he only practices with the 2's, is squarely in the back-up role in practice, and plays a few minutes of garbage time at the end of games?

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Every backup QB on every team in college football gets reps with the 1's every single week in practice.

And the coaches/analysts keep score, I assure you.

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And if he's burning up our defense on the scout team, that's probably the best way to win his job back.

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The sad thing is... he probably isn't.


These things work themselves out.

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How is that possible if he only practices with the 2's, is squarely in the back-up role in practice, and plays a few minutes of garbage time at the end of games?

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The same way the rest of the players do it, by taking advantage of the snaps he's given.

If he makes good, quick reads and good decisions and delivers accurate balls to his receivers, it doesn't matter who he's throwing to. The coaches will notice. Also, it's not like he doesn't get snaps with the #1's. Other than holding the ball too long on that fumble, his three passes were pretty good. That's what he needs to continue to do day-in and day-out. That and wear out a hole in a chair in the film room when he's not in class, studying, or practicing.

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The realistic answer is that Smart is no longer treating it like a competition...even though Eason was out because of injury, not because he was "beat out" in practice or games.

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Maybe but maybe not. If Fromm was already on Eason's heels leading up to the App State game, Fromm may have caught him or surpassed him since. Also, it's not clear if Eason is 100% healthy yet. Even if he is, it's only been about a week. I don't see CKS taking chances with someone who isn't fully healthy when we've got a servicable option starting already.

That said, I think you're right that it's Fromm's job to lose because he's earned it so far both on the practice field (by default, since Eason wasn't healthy) and on the field on Saturdays. With that, if Eason's healthy, there is going to be competition. If Fromm shows significant regression and Eason is playing lights-out, that can and will earn more playing time for Eason.

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Hence, unless something changes and Smart starts playing Eason more, the message is, he only has a chance to "win back" his job if Fromm gets hurt.

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Again, maybe but maybe not. We've seen with other positions that CKS gives playing time based on performance and he claims performance during the week is what settles it. With Eason not being 100% healthy and not seeing how he and Fromm have been doing during practices, it's hard to say that CKS is lying about practice being the decider. Maybe he's using coach-speak and there really is no competition, but from everything he's said, there is no "permanent starter".

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I do think there's something to be said about not losing one's job purely because of being injured...

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I've seen this argued a lot the past few weeks and I understand the emotional aspect of it, but it doesn't jive with what competition is really about. CKS has said there are no permanent starters and that playing time is earned through hard work and improvement throughout the week. In that sense, everyone loses their job on Sunday morning and has to earn it back by the following Saturday. That goes for all players, healthy and injured. The injured just have a harder time because they often miss that practice time that helps them improve, but life isn't always fair.

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if that's Smart's approach, he better make sure he keeps the recruiting rolling because we will begin to see some of the less glamorous aspects of Saban...lots of "grey shirting"...revoked offers...guys getting processed if they don't live up to their ratings. Basically, managing the program like an NFL team.

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We might have to do some of that anyway if we become as popular among the elite recruits as Bama has been the last decade. Whether we do that stuff or not, I think CKS has the right mindset in regards to playing time: every minute is earned.

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But...this is what we all have wanted...and why Richt was fired.

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Amen to that. I'm glad that we've got this newfound energy and discipline that is leading to good football.

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I'm just happy that we have probably the best backup QB in the conference right now.

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Spend 30 seconds on the bama board.... some QB named "Tua" is the next hall of famer behind Hurts. So much so, they actually want to bench their 21-1 QB to put this guy in there. It's controversial enough they are banning people over there for it getting out of hand.

We aren't the only ones with 5 star QB controversy, but we are in good company.

The untested backup QB is often times the most popular guy on the team.

I'm doubtful that Eason will ever be an exceptional QB here or elsewhere. Eason lacks agility and he doesn't seem to have a good football mind. I would like to be proven wrong but I don't expect to be.

I hate to admit it but as soon as Eason got his slight injury, and before we saw Fromm take a snap, I told my friends that Kirby was lucky as hell.

I always expected Fromm to take over but only after Eason had lost a game or two.

31 downvotes, is that a DR record?