Mel Kiper says Towles is one of nation's best QB's

[jnewc2]

Well, it looks like we might be able to finally start silencing some of the Towles haters. No longer can Towles' talent and ability be ignored by our fans who have long taken for granted just how good of a player he is and the QB that he's turning into.

It might ruffle a few feathers around here, but Mel Kiper ranked Towles' the 5th-best non-senior QB in the entire nation and the second-best QB in the SEC.

Kiper divided his QB draft rankings into two categories: seniors and non-seniors..and gave a top-five list for each. Towles is ranked the 5th-best non-senior QB, just behind Heisman candidates Cardale Jones and Gunner Kiel. That's big-time. He's ranked ahead of a lot of really, really good QB's that'll be competing for the Heisman trophy & playing on national title-contending teams.

Here's what Kiper had to say about Towles:

"5. Patrick Towles, Kentucky Wildcats: The numbers won't jump out at you, but the size (6-5, 241 pounds) and natural ability will. Don't let that size make you think Towles lacks athleticism, either. The former high school high jumper can really move. With new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson's arrival from West Virginia, there will be high expectations for this offense, and the return of four starters on the O-line will help."


I looked over at the early QB draft rankings at yardbarker.com..and they have Towles ranked even higher than Kiper..according to them, he's the 7th-best QB draft prospect in the entire nation, ahead of star players and Heisman-contenders like Taysom Hill, Everett Golson, Braxton Miller, Maty Mauk, Jacob Coker, Josh Dobbs and about a dozen other high-profile QB's.

Here's what they had to say in their evaluation of Towles:

"Towles didn't have a great supporting cast in 2014, but the first-year starter flashed at times. He has a big arm and pocket presence. Towles completed 57 percent of his passes for 2,718 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has the skill set and upside to develop."

Thanks goodness someone besides me (and a handful of our fans) are finally recognizing just what we have in this guy. It's gotten to a point where we can no longer downplay or ignore just how special a talent he is. He has all of the potential in the world right now. I mean he hasn't even fully developed & started putting up big numbers yet and he's already rated as one of the best. That should tell you all you need to know about how talented he is and what kind of QB he's turning into.

The crazy thing is that I can recall at the end of last season there were fans on here that were asking him to be replaced with Max Smith and Reese Phillips (no, I'm not kidding you).

Maybe now some of you can see why those of us who saw Towles' talent all along were more than a little frustrated when we read some of this silly stuff from our fans wanting to bench the guy who might be the SEC's most talented QB.

There were times last year I just wanted to yell at some of our fans who literally never gave Towles any credit at all throughout the season and never recognized how talented he was and what he could turn into this year.

You'd think with having one of the best NFL prospects in the nation at QB we'd be jumping up and down..but the sad thing is that I can't recall a single positive Towles-related thread, well..ever posted on this board. Not a single one. There's something wrong with that picture.

Maybe it's because he's a "Joker" recruit.. that's the only thing I can attribute it to..who knows. Heck, Drake Jackson and Kash Daniel have gotten more love than Towles this offseason.

I posted a positive thread about Towles last season after he had a successful start to the season and lit up Florida, and I basically got shunned off the board by our experts who said he didn't have enough zip on his ball and thought he chopped his feet too much.

Such is the frustration of being a Kentucky football fan. Sometimes we don't realize what real talent looks like unless it comes up and slaps us in the face.

Maybe Mel Kiper, ESPN analysts and draft experts praising Towles aren't enough. Maybe we won't realize how good he is until Nick Saban comes and knocks on our door and tells us personally...who knows.

 

[vhcat70]

You'd think with having one of the best NFL prospects in the nation at QB we'd be jumping up and down, but the sad thing is that I can't recall a single positive Towles-related thread, well..ever posted on this board. There's something wrong with that.

I think I posted a positive post about last season after he had a successful start to the season, and I basically got shunned off the board by our experts who said he didn't have enough zip on his ball and thought he chopped his feet too much.

Good commentary about many posters on this board. Chop, chop.

 

[How Blue Can You Get?]

but Barker will probably start,

 

[jauk11]

I think I have defended Towles probably as much as anyone on here, and his physical attributes are obvious, some of the things most overlooked are some of his incredible high school stats, and 43 TDs to ONE interception his senior year in high school is truly INCREDIBLE. Five TDs running the ball in a playoff game was also very impressive. He is also very fast for his size, hadn't heard the high school high jumper before, but also very impressive, he was also a very big person then also. I have often mentioned his having the fastest shuttle time of the 22 QBs in the Elite Eleven, which also included a 5' 10" athlete competing as a QB. His WR that walked on at UK set a record for average yards per catch, about 33 YPC IIRC, and a lot of that was due to Towles throwing very long balls accurately.

It has taken him time to grow and mature in his role as QB, but I expect him to have a very good year this year with even normal improvement.

And I think the BIG kicker could be the FACT that every other position on offense is likely to be improved significantly, which is going to make him look even better. Also excited to see what our new OC brings to the table.

Personally I just hope he is here for his senior year, the only thing keeping him here could be his passion for UK, and I think he has a lot. His senior year could be unreal, I hope he takes advantage of it, could be more money in the long run.

 

[2blue4u]

... With new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson's arrival from West Virginia, there will be high expectations for this offense...

Admit it. This part made you cringe. Made you take down your CNB photo(autographed I bet) and run your fingers gingerly around his face, muttering to yourself, " they just don't get it". Then after 30 minutes of this, you carefully place the photo back to it's perch over your bed, put on your CNB visor(just like the one he wore beating the ole ball coach), and made this post.

 

[mwatson61]

Mel Kiper...that guy wears me out. I love watching him squirm when he's so far off on Draft night.

 

[Brock28]

I've been his biggest supporter on here. I get laughed at when I talk about how good he is. He'll be the best NFL QB to ever come from UK.

 

[Deeeefense]

Towles may indeed be undervalued by a lot of people including our own fan base. If this guy has a big breakout year, this team could go a lot further than most are expecting.

 

[DaBossIsBack]

If Towles stays healthy he will throw close to 4,000 yards.

 

[hmt5000]

Mel Kiper...that guy wears me out. I love watching him squirm when he's so far off on Draft night.

at least he calls out todd mcshay on national tv instead of just letting nonsense go unanswered like the rest of the wusses on espn.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

he numbers won't jump out at you

This is how he prefaced his opinion. So that tells you his production doesnt justify the hype. Right now, its all tons of potential. Potential is great. UK just needs him to realize much of that potential this season.

 

[southindycat]

If the O-line is more competitive this season, this offense will shine. I think we have the right philosophy in the OC, and the skill position players are all good to go. Someone just needs to block the plays the way they are drawn up.

 

[BPGhost]

If Towles stays healthy he will throw close to 4,000 yards.

So you are anticipating him throwing for an average of 100 more yards a game this year?

 

[DaBossIsBack]

So you are anticipating him throwing for an average of 100 more yards a game this year?

Close to 300 ypg.

 

[BPGhost]

Close to 300 ypg.

Certainly not saying it can't be done by PT - he has the tools. That said, he averaged 226 ypg last year and he has a new OC - 4000 yards might be a stretch.

 

[jauk11]

So you are anticipating him throwing for an average of 100 more yards a game this year?

With the bowl game that is only about 81 more yards per game, two more long balls a game should do it.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

Well, it looks like we might be able to finally start silencing some of the Towles haters. No longer can Towles' talent and ability be ignored by our fans who have long taken for granted just how good of a player he is and the QB that he's turning into.

It might ruffle a few feathers around here, but Mel Kiper ranked Towles' the 5th-best non-senior QB in the entire nation and the second-best QB in the SEC.

Kiper divided his QB draft rankings into two categories: seniors and non-seniors..and gave a top-five list for each. Towles is ranked the 5th-best non-senior QB, just behind Heisman candidates Cardale Jones and Gunner Kiel. That's big-time. He's ranked ahead of a lot of really, really good QB's that'll be competing for the Heisman trophy & playing on national title-contending teams.

Here's what Kiper had to say about Towles:

"5. Patrick Towles, Kentucky Wildcats: The numbers won't jump out at you, but the size (6-5, 241 pounds) and natural ability will. Don't let that size make you think Towles lacks athleticism, either. The former high school high jumper can really move. With new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson's arrival from West Virginia, there will be high expectations for this offense, and the return of four starters on the O-line will help."


I looked over at the early QB draft rankings at yardbarker.com..and they have Towles ranked even higher than Kiper..according to them, he's the 7th-best QB draft prospect in the entire nation, ahead of star players and Heisman-contenders like Taysom Hill, Everett Golson, Braxton Miller, Maty Mauk, Jacob Coker, Josh Dobbs and about a dozen other high-profile QB's.

Here's what they had to say in their evaluation of Towles:

"Towles didn't have a great supporting cast in 2014, but the first-year starter flashed at times. He has a big arm and pocket presence. Towles completed 57 percent of his passes for 2,718 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has the skill set and upside to develop."

Thanks goodness someone besides me (and a handful of our fans) are finally recognizing just what we have in this guy. It's gotten to a point where we can no longer downplay or ignore just how special a talent he is. He has all of the potential in the world right now. I mean he hasn't even fully developed & started putting up big numbers yet and he's already rated as one of the best. That should tell you all you need to know about how talented he is and what kind of QB he's turning into.

The crazy thing is that I can recall at the end of last season there were fans on here that were asking him to be replaced with Max Smith and Reese Phillips (no, I'm not kidding you).

Maybe now some of you can see why those of us who saw Towles' talent all along were more than a little frustrated when we read some of this silly stuff from our fans wanting to bench the guy who might be the SEC's most talented QB.

There were times last year I just wanted to yell at some of our fans who literally never gave Towles any credit at all throughout the season and never recognized how talented he was and what he could turn into this year.

You'd think with having one of the best NFL prospects in the nation at QB we'd be jumping up and down..but the sad thing is that I can't recall a single positive Towles-related thread, well..ever posted on this board. Not a single one. There's something wrong with that picture.

Maybe it's because he's a "Joker" recruit.. that's the only thing I can attribute it to..who knows. Heck, Drake Jackson and Kash Daniel have gotten more love than Towles this offseason.

I posted a positive thread about Towles last season after he had a successful start to the season and lit up Florida, and I basically got shunned off the board by our experts who said he didn't have enough zip on his ball and thought he chopped his feet too much.

Such is the frustration of being a Kentucky football fan. Sometimes we don't realize what real talent looks like unless it comes up and slaps us in the face.

Maybe Mel Kiper, ESPN analysts and draft experts praising Towles aren't enough. Maybe we won't realize how good he is until Nick Saban comes and knocks on our door and tells us personally...who knows.

Was awesome reading about his national rankings but you petty much ruined your own thread by your moaning, groaning, whining and bitching about people who had concerns about him and wanted others to get a shot may it be reasonable or unreasonable. Doesn't matter anyways as coach decides who takes snaps not any of us.

So now instead of us discussing the lofty expectations and evaluations of his game we are gonna discuss stupid stuff and you said this
"but the sad thing is that I can't recall a single positive Towles-related thread, well..ever posted on this board. Not a single one."

Yep you lived up to what ur griping about. You just turned a positive into a negative and now Towels still doesn't have a positive thread on him.
Oh by the way he is someone whom Stoops redshirted and groomed so he is Stoops player not Jokers.

 

[pickled cat]

I've long loved the game and skill set of Patrick, and don't recall an over abundance of negativity on this board about him. Now that's not saying it never happens, I just didn't see much of it. Definitely don't recall anyone questioning P.T's Arm strength, That's laughable!! PT was young and had growing pains for sure; but his skill set has always been over the top. He appears to have grown into the position, and I fully expect him to flourish this year!! Oh, and just for the record, that young man pushing him for a starting position is pretty darn good too. Who would have ever thought Ky would have 2 great caliber QB's like PT & DB. This is how great teams do it!!! GBB!

 

[CatPowered]

I have no inside knowledge......But it appears to me that Dawson will develop the QB's much better than Brown. I think we have already seen how the QB's have bonded with him. They look much more comfortable in practice and the scrimmages. This is not a knock on Brown....I just feel that Dawson's coaching style has been better received by Towles and Barker. I also agree that much of Towles regression last year had to do with the OL play. If the OL play is improved this year, I look for this offense to look drastically better....And I mean "drastically"!!

 

[vhcat70]

I've long loved the game and skill set of Patrick, and don't recall an over abundance of negativity on this board about him. Now that's not saying it never happens, I just didn't see much of it. Definitely don't recall anyone questioning P.T's Arm strength, That's laughable!!

You honestly don't recall the complaints of choppy feet in the pocket, not going through progressions, not seeing/throwing over the middle, inaccuracy, bad decision-making by running too much, poor leadership, falling off badly the last 1/2 the season (When we played our toughest six opponents.)? Seriously? You must not come around much as you certainly missed those drumbeats.

 

[gsayers]

I'm not shocked by this. This is a microwave society and everyone wants greatness right off the bat. It's taken a little time. This kid seems to have inherited his grandfather's grittiness.

He is a next level player without a doubt. It's just a matter of where and when. He has to stay healthy.

If Towles does go after this year I hope Barker isn't thrown to the wolves.

 

[BlueRaider22]

It was a good post OP. Moreoever, analysts have been saying things like this for the last 8-10 months. >95% of all the people who are quick to throw Towles under the bus are from our own fanbase.

 

[Levibooty]

Towles has a lot of talent to play the game of football and he was a just a sophomore last year so he has a lot of time and room for improvement. I expect him to have a good year this year. That said anybody that has re-watched the games last year knows Towles has some things to work on to live up to this billing. It is just a fact he did not see the field well or as well as a successful SEC QB should last year. He also bailed too soon too many times. Now a lot of that was because of the OL but a lot of it was because Towles has a bad habit of locking onto one receiver and just making a poor decision too quickly. That is a fair point to make about a QB and Kiper's preseason remarks isn't going to change that. If Towles does improve then Kiper may look good because Towles does have the talent to succeed.

Last year a lot of people including two I know of on the SEC network, former SEC players were singing Towles praises the firt half of the season but then readjusted their comments after the second half of the season. Andre Ware also made several pointed comments about Towles nervous feet in the pocket. Ware went on to say Towles must work hard this off-season to get rid of those nervous habits. Ware knows a thing or two about playing QB.

So the criticism of Towles was not just Kentucky fans, it was from people that have played the game at the highest level and know what they are talking about. To think Towles doesn't have things to work on or that his improvement will be because Neal Brown wasn't a good coach is just myopic. Towles should improve a lot this year just like Woodson and Hartline did after their sophomore season, their first real experience in the SEC and if he does it will be due more to maturation and practice than it will be because Neal Brown can't coach. Brown afterall has tasted success at a high level of football and fielded some very good QB's.

Making a fair and useful assessment of a player (Towles in this case) will not be all flowers and candy, nor will it ignore the affects of time and maturation.

 

[OFortuna]

No question it is easier for a quarterback or running back to statistically shine on a "good" team, when there are holes to run through and time to throw to open receivers. Assessing someone's capabilities to perform well at the next level -- college or pro -- requires some consideration be given to the surrounding cast who enhanced or limited their performance.

Then too, the flaws of the starting quarterback are always more conspicuous than those of their backup...

Of course, the projections we're most concerned about pertain to next season. Here's hoping the "returning starters" factor and the unknown effect of a new OC will be enhancements that not only produce better statistics for Patrick and others, but more W's!

 

[kats23]

He's a big kid, runs well, and has a solid arm. However, he has yet to prove it on the field. It isn't completely his fault. From a bad OL, lack of WR talent, to now 3 different Coordinators you can see why he hasn't broken through despite what many perceive as having the tools to do it.

But anybody that's watched Towles for a few games has to realize a lot of this is on Towles too. He's been inconsistent, gets happy feet, and doesn't even try to look at his second or third progressions. Excuses or not, these are the things he has to get better at for not only UK to be successful but if he does have pro aspirations, for him to be successful at the next level. It's not going to get any easier in the NFL.

 

[Parabolicsecan]

He's a big kid, runs well, and has a solid arm. However, he has yet to prove it on the field. It isn't completely his fault. From a bad OL, lack of WR talent, to now 3 different Coordinators you can see why he hasn't broken through despite what many perceive as having the tools to do it.

But anybody that's watched Towles for a few games has to realize a lot of this is on Towles too. He's been inconsistent, gets happy feet, and doesn't even try to look at his second or third progressions. Excuses or not, these are the things he has to get better at for not only UK to be successful but if he does have pro aspirations, for him to be successful at the next level. It's not going to get any easier in the NFL.

A LOT of the inconsistencies you point out are product of not having a decent OL. No quarterback would have time to look at second or third progressions with the protection he received last year. What NFL scouts also consider is his decision making when he does have time. Watching film on him suggest he has the ability to progress through receivers, make every throw expected of a NFL caliber qb and move the ball for positive gains when the pocket collapses. I don't know how much control over the offense he had as a sophomore to check out of and into plays based on defensive schema but you didn't see much of that last year.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

Towles has all the physical tools to be a highly valued NFL prospect...but he has to prove it on the field and not just rely on his measurements.

Hope to see it this season. The focus on the vertical passing game should help showcase a skillset that he has.

 

[shutzhund]

No one has ever doubted his size, arm strength, legs or where he was born. Those are just a good start to becoming a great qb.

Time to ignore the hype and concentrate on performance throughout a season.

Sorry, but I'm just not sold on only what is written.

 

[kats23]

A LOT of the inconsistencies you point out are product of not having a decent OL. No quarterback would have time to look at second or third progressions with the protection he received last year. What NFL scouts also consider is his decision making when he does have time. Watching film on him suggest he has the ability to progress through receivers, make every throw expected of a NFL caliber qb and move the ball for positive gains when the pocket collapses. I don't know how much control over the offense he had as a sophomore to check out of and into plays based on defensive schema but you didn't see much of that last year.

I'll say yes and no. Yes, he had poor OL play that many times caused him to make poor decisions and he runs well and can make positive gains with his feet. I think in today's game it's important to be a mobile QB and not just a statue like Manning. But he very rarely last season looked at his 2nd or 3rd progressions even when he did have time. Often, he tucked the ball and ran instead of just moving around in the pocket waiting for something to develop. Stoops discussed this several times last season and the plan this season is less running for him.

I'm all for Towles as the starter but the one thing I'll say is if Towles was as great as Kiper is making him out to be, there wouldn't be a QB competition in Lexington right now.

 

[BlueRaider22]

I'll say yes and no. Yes, he had poor OL play that many times caused him to make poor decisions and he runs well and can make positive gains with his feet. I think in today's game it's important to be a mobile QB and not just a statue like Manning. But he very rarely last season looked at his 2nd or 3rd progressions even when he did have time. Often, he tucked the ball and ran instead of just moving around in the pocket waiting for something to develop. Stoops discussed this several times last season and the plan this season is less running for him.

I'm all for Towles as the starter but the one thing I'll say is if Towles was as great as Kiper is making him out to be, there wouldn't be a QB competition in Lexington right now.

It's really hard to process just how well or poorly Towles did last yr

-His stats indicate that he did "average-to-above average" as a underclass, first yr starting QB in a major conference.

-You really can't argue arm strength, size, or mobility

-Accuracy? This is really hard to judge. At first glance some would tend to think he has poor accuracy. Yet he didn't have much help at TE. And his WR's were often horribly out of position and off their timing. There were many times when the throw was good, but the WR was so far out of position that the ball bounced at their feet or went sailing over their head. And there were many times when Towles just didn't provide an accurate pass. And there were times when the throw and route were really good and the receiver just dropped it. Still, Towles registered 57.3% completion.....which given the circumstances was decent.

-Decision making? The o-line was poor.....and inconsistent. There were times when he had ample time and times when he didn't. With his level of mobility, you can't blame him for taking off early on many of circumstances.....it's the better play. He was a first time starting underclassman......so his decision making was about on par. And his TD:INT ratio was rather decent. Most underclassmen tend to be about a 1:1 ratio or slightly over that. He was 1.55:1.

-Last yr recap? He was good in the first half and poor in the second. But who wasn't poor in the second half of last yr. Last yr's slide blame belongs to everyone.

Kiper's job is to project. His job is to look at a player and predict his ability to make the transition from college to the NFL. He looks at Towles' physical ability and his development thus far......and has made his prediction. He could be way off or he could be right on. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[BlueRaider22]

if Towles was as great as Kiper is making him out to be, there wouldn't be a QB competition in Lexington right now.

Now as far as this quote. We will never know just how truthful the QB competition is, but I don't think it was ever as open as some believe (or what the staff has lead you to believe). We clearly didn't have a clear couch Tim Couch-esque starting QB, but Towles didn't perform so poorly that the competition really is open.

 

[Dallas-Wild]

No doubt Towles has all the tools to be a great QB....for the ones who know the blocking schemes much better then I do.

Do you see with the change of the O coordinator being more vertical in his passing attack, will that change the blocking scheme any?

Last year we threw horizontal so much it seemed when it wasn't there the blocking broke down quick. And Pat seemed to be rushed and as a Soph made some mistakes in his decisions.

I'm sure things will slow down for Pat with the experience level he has, just curious for those who have that knowledge will the change in O philosophy be a big benefit?

 

[kats23]

Completely agree BlueRaider. It's so hard to judge accurately how good of a job Towles did last season. I think the coaches see the talent, it's just extracting it. Reading between the lines from Stoops last year I get the feeling Towles used a lot of excuses when he played poorly and maybe having a QB competition is something just to keep Towles sharp and maybe make him want to grab this thing by the horns. Become a true leader of this team.

I will say this. I think Brown threw Towles under the bus after the UL game and that was unfair. You'll also never convince me otherwise that Brown started to go ultra conservative with the offense about the time his name started being floated at Troy. That's not a coincidence to me. I think that also helped with Towles regression and the 2nd half slide of the team. I think Towles lost some confidence that was never regained. Hopefully, under a new OC we'll see an aggressive offense all year and a better Towles.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Hopefully, under a new OC we'll see an aggressive offense all year and a better Towles.

I think we'll see a much improved Towles.....and offense......but I don't think it will be mainly due to the OC. We have to remember that Brown was a extremely good/proven OC prior to coming here. But never got to run a good offense b/c the talent was soooo poor. In the minds of many of BBN that means that Brown was overrated.....but in reality he really isn't. If he remains in charge of Troy's offense, I'd be willing to bet that their offense will be very good in about 2-3 yrs.

 

[Rhavicc]

Certainly not saying it can't be done by PT - he has the tools. That said, he averaged 226 ypg last year and he has a new OC - 4000 yards might be a stretch.

He averaged 226 last year behind what the staff will admit was a weaker line, not to mention less perimeter talent. While he did get a new OC, that new OC runs similar offenses, only with more vertical passing plays, and faster tempo, which is a recipe for more yards. Plus, that OC is a very well known, very good QB coach. He's turned average QB's into Heisman candidates, and he's said himself that Towles has the most arm talent of any QB that he's ever had. I imagine Towles is also one of the most physically unique QB's that he's had as well.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Let's assume "close to 4,000 yds" is above 3,800 yds. Over the last 5 yrs, an average of 11 QB's get >3800 yds passing per yr......and they are mostly all at the same schools (ie Baylor, Marshall, Texas Tech) So the odds aren't in Towles favor to achieve this next yr......with a team still in building mode......and against SEC defenses.

With Towles still in development as a 2nd yr starting junior.....and the o-line/WR/TE not cranked up all the way......and RB being a position of strength.....I see us running a fairly balanced offense.

I see Towles more in the "wide vacinity" of 3,300 yds throwing, 200 yds rushing.

 

[kats23]

I think we'll see a much improved Towles.....and offense......but I don't think it will be mainly due to the OC. We have to remember that Brown was a extremely good/proven OC prior to coming here. But never got to run a good offense b/c the talent was soooo poor. In the minds of many of BBN that means that Brown was overrated.....but in reality he really isn't. If he remains in charge of Troy's offense, I'd be willing to bet that their offense will be very good in about 2-3 yrs.

No knock on Brown. That's not what I meant. I thought he was pretty decent until the Miz game. That was about the same time the rumors started with Troy. I think he got conservative and got scared a head coaching position would disappear if he offense sputtered and a ton of mistakes started happening as the competition stiffened up. So he got conservative and I think he was able to use the lack of talent for the excuse, which like you said is a viable excuse. But I don't think that helped Towles or his development. Who knows, maybe UK still ends the season on a 6 game slide but if UK was aggressive the rest of the year like they were early on, esp in the Miss St game, maybe UK gets a "W" I just know the first 6 games and the last 6 games, the play on the field wasn't the only thing different, it was the playcalling as well.

 

[C1180]

Towles definitely has potential. He has the measurable and is very athletic for his size. IMO it is in the mental aspects of the game that he must improve to reach the potential that some are predicting for him. For what ever reason a lot of his passes were inaccurate last year. Whether it was because of him hurrying because of his OL play or the WRs positioning and timing being off or whether it was just poor throws is debatable. Probably some of each thing I listed. I expect him to be much better this year just because he has gone through the SEC wars, knows what to expect, and he should be more used to the speed of the game. IMO UK is going to be better at most positions and that can do nothing but help him have a better season.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

This is how he prefaced his opinion. So that tells you his production doesnt justify the hype. Right now, its all tons of potential. Potential is great. UK just needs him to realize much of that potential this season.

He was not just talking potential. He mentioned that the supporting cast also kept PT's numbers down.

 

[Cattrumpeter]

If the O-line is more competitive this season, this offense will shine. I think we have the right philosophy in the OC, and the skill position players are all good to go. Someone just needs to block the plays the way they are drawn up.

Ditto to this. The o-line is the key.