Patrick may just be suffering from a confidence problem.

[BigBlueFanGA]

I was just curious about his accuracy last year. In the first 6 games he was 120 - 192 for 62.5%. Then the bottom fell out. He is throwing like he's trying to place the ball and we know how well that works out. I suspect this didn't show up so much in practice. Patrick will be fine as soon as he gets out of his head. imo.

 

[BlueRaider22]

The entire team "fell out" the last half of last yr......it wasn't just Towles. With so many variables it's darn near impossible to figure out where things broke last yr.

Towles also doesn't have the benefit of maturing around a matured cast. Last yr, he wasn't an underclassman throwing to upperclass WR's behind an upperclass o-line. Instead, all are trying to go through growing pains at the same time. This is far from the ideal situation. The o-line pass pro is unreliable, the WR routes are unreliable, the WR hands are unreliable, the WB accuracy and touch are unreliable........and everyone is trying to get better at the same time....ouch.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Agreed, but accuracy is set apart from that, other than when he is being pressured. Going from the 60's to the 40's, first half of the year vs second half of the year, then continuing it this year. That's in his head, not his arm.

 

[JasonS.]

Shades of Joel Stave and the most famous case of the yips in college football ...

https://www.campusrush.com/joel-stave-wisconsin-badgers-yips-1328326753.html

 

[BlueRaider22]

Agreed, but accuracy is set apart from that, other than when he is being pressured. Going from the 60's to the 40's, first half of the year vs second half of the year, then continuing it this year. That's in his head, not his arm.

I get what you are saying, but the 2nd half of the yr he was pressured a lot more, the WR's ran worse routes and had a case of the dropsies. I'm sure that mentally he has been affected, but what you have seen is far from being solely placed on Towles.

 

[kats23]

I think a lot of it's in his head I will say that.

 

[UKUGA]

I thought he played like he had a concussion in the 2nd half last week.

If he didn't have confidence after being named the starter going into this season, I'm not sure how he gets it back heading into SEC competition.

 

[JPFisher]

It's not a problem with his confidence, it's a problem with thinking. Dawson and Towles both alluded to this. Toss out two overthrows and then the next one you overcompensate by underthrowing it. Then it zips back-and-forth the rest of the night. Towles knows that the issue was a minor one, knows that in the end we got the W, and knows that he doesn't have to think things through as much. Coaches have told him to just do his thing- he's repped it and just has to go off of instincts and muscle memory- not thinking. Towles has the ability to be an NFL QB, he just needs to rely more on his skills and less on his brain.

Like I said, I think we will see a first-half Towles on Saturday. Could be wrong, but I feel like he's up to the challenge.

 

[BlueRaider22]

^It's hard for a QB to come out chuckin' long from the get go. Most OC's will start with some short, rhythm throws to get the blood pumping before they cut loose. ULL forced Towles to do the opposite. Surely messes with your rhythm.

One thing that Dawson and Stoops just got through saying was that Towles made the right reads. Last yr, being an underclassman and non-veteran, he made poor reads and poor throws on occasion. The staff stated that he made the right reads, just missed on a few throws. Then the reiterated that "this is Towles team."

 

[JPFisher]

Exactly.

I'll be called a homer, but I feel like Dawson took the game as an opportunity to see what we had to work with in a real game scenario. Explains why he played so aggressively and even admitted to playing aggressively.

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

Exactly.

I'll be called a homer, but I feel like Dawson took the game as an opportunity to see what we had to work with in a real game scenario. Explains why he played so aggressively and even admitted to playing aggressively.

I like Patrick and think he should keep the QB job without having to look over his shoulder. On the other hand I worry about his accuracy as I've stated in a few other threads. He's played the game for a long time and he's spent the offseason working with some really smart QB coaches for the past few summers. Dawson even admits that accuracy can't be taught. Hopefully he starts putting the ball on the money but if he continues to struggle I'll be very concerned. We can't win if he can't consistently hit his receivers.

 

[Perrin75]

Last year Towles was inaccurate, had happy feet and locked in on one option. He got away with it in the early part of the season simply because the defenses were worse. I was hoping a year of playing in the system and an off-season to continue to develop would help with some of that but it hasn't. He is essentially our version of Jeff George or Scott Mitchell. Big bodied, big armed QB who can't read defenses, and panics. I've re-watched the ULL game twice and the more I watch it the more apparent it becomes that he is simply not a very good QB. We literally had at least 6 plays were our WR had 5 yards of separation between him and the defender, and he simply couldn't get them the ball.

Hopefully we will see some level of improvement against USC, but at this point I doubt it. Hope the young man surprises me.

 

[MrHotDice]

I think a lot of it's in his head I will say that.

Once the competition got better, his numbers dropped. Dah

 

[jeffygray]

Last year Towles was inaccurate, had happy feet and locked in on one option. He got away with it in the early part of the season simply because the defenses were worse. I was hoping a year of playing in the system and an off-season to continue to develop would help with some of that but it hasn't. He is essentially our version of Jeff George or Scott Mitchell. Big bodied, big armed QB who can't read defenses, and panics. I've re-watched the ULL game twice and the more I watch it the more apparent it becomes that he is simply not a very good QB. We literally had at least 6 plays were our WR had 5 yards of separation between him and the defender, and he simply couldn't get them the ball.

Hopefully we will see some level of improvement against USC, but at this point I doubt it. Hope the young man surprises me.

I say he needs to slow down and run the plays, not so much him slowing down but its like he is rewinding the play over and over as they break huddle and its having a affect on the play. He has to have the confidence that the play is going to work as it has in practice and go with it. To be SMOOTHER then a fresh jar of Skippy, thats what he needs.

 

[Blue Decade]

I was just curious about his accuracy last year. In the first 6 games he was 120 - 192 for 62.5%. Then the bottom fell out. He is throwing like he's trying to place the ball and we know how well that works out. I suspect this didn't show up so much in practice. Patrick will be fine as soon as he gets out of his head. imo.

Patrick got hit and sacked more than any other SEC quarterback in 2014. He took some hits on Saturday. Don't kid yourself. Patrick is still playing behind an offensive line that doesn't pass protect as well as some other SEC lines. Patrick has started 13 games, and he is still learning and developing. He will become more consistent when he learns to stand tough in the pocket with quiet feet, keep his shoulders square, and stay focused on his route options.

 

[BIGBLUEQ]

How many of you QB gurus who are "concerned" about Towles's accuracy have every seen a QB hit every throw? Name a couple, show me the game, show me one college, NFL, any league who didn't miss on a long ball, or short arm one. Patrick will be fine, some of you guys have the "sky is falling" syndrome. Let's see what kind of game he has against the gamechickens before we fall to pieces.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

It's not a problem with his confidence, it's a problem with thinking. Dawson and Towles both alluded to this. Toss out two overthrows and then the next one you overcompensate by underthrowing it. Then it zips back-and-forth the rest of the night. Towles knows that the issue was a minor one, knows that in the end we got the W, and knows that he doesn't have to think things through as much. Coaches have told him to just do his thing- he's repped it and just has to go off of instincts and muscle memory- not thinking. Towles has the ability to be an NFL QB, he just needs to rely more on his skills and less on his brain.

Like I said, I think we will see a first-half Towles on Saturday. Could be wrong, but I feel like he's up to the challenge.

Yes, that's what it boils down to with me as well. It's why I said he is trying to place the ball instead of throwing out of "feel". He has to get out of his own head and stop thinking, just play. Mistakes will happen. Brush them off and line up again. I think he'll be fine.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Once the competition got better, his numbers dropped. Dah

The competition was great against UF. I understand your flippant remark, but it isn't quite accurate.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

How many of you QB gurus who are "concerned" about Towles's accuracy have every seen a QB hit every throw? Name a couple, show me the game, show me one college, NFL, any league who didn't miss on a long ball, or short arm one. Patrick will be fine, some of you guys have the "sky is falling" syndrome. Let's see what kind of game he has against the gamechickens before we fall to pieces.

Relax, I was just making an observation for discussion. That's what this board is for, right?

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

How many of you QB gurus who are "concerned" about Towles's accuracy have every seen a QB hit every throw? Name a couple, show me the game, show me one college, NFL, any league who didn't miss on a long ball, or short arm one. Patrick will be fine, some of you guys have the "sky is falling" syndrome. Let's see what kind of game he has against the gamechickens before we fall to pieces.

I'm with BigBlueFan. Ease up, I just gave my opinion and it was supportive to Patrick. I agree that every QB doesn't complete 100% of their passes but Patrick has struggled hitting his receivers. If you don't see that you may want to tell Stoops and Dawson because they see his 'issue' and haven't hid from it.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

Last year Towles was inaccurate, had happy feet and locked in on one option. He got away with it in the early part of the season simply because the defenses were worse. I was hoping a year of playing in the system and an off-season to continue to develop would help with some of that but it hasn't. He is essentially our version of Jeff George or Scott Mitchell. Big bodied, big armed QB who can't read defenses, and panics. I've re-watched the ULL game twice and the more I watch it the more apparent it becomes that he is simply not a very good QB. We literally had at least 6 plays were our WR had 5 yards of separation between him and the defender, and he simply couldn't get them the ball.

Hopefully we will see some level of improvement against USC, but at this point I doubt it. Hope the young man surprises me.

Great post. All signs point to Towles never being a great QB. Some QBs just don't have it between the ears. This is his problem and always has been. I hope Barker is better.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Great post. All signs point to Towles never being a great QB. Some QBs just don't have it between the ears. This is his problem and always has been. I hope Barker is better.

Oh, shut the hell up!

 

[hmt5000]

1/18/2004 colts vs patriots. peyton manning threw for 23-47, 237 yards, 1 td, 4 ints, and a qbr of 35.5.
and if you say that was against the pats...
12/10/2001 colts vs dolphins. manning threw for 19-32, 173 yards, 0 tds, 3 ints, and a qbr of 35.

it happens. manning had 10 games of under 55 qbr. towles will be fine as long as he gets protection and gets some good drives going.

 

[WildcatofNati]

The competition was great against UF. I understand your flippant remark, but it isn't quite accurate.

He also lit Miss. ST up, number 1 in the country at the time, even If that ranking wasn't accurate and even if they didn't have a great pass defense. He's a guy with "sky is the limit" potential, just hope that it happens.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

The competition was great against UF. I understand your flippant remark, but it isn't quite accurate.

True, but it is accurate overall statistically speaking. You mention FL, which is a clear outlier, but against other good teams his stats were not as effective as earlier on against much easier opponents. To be fair, that is probably true for most QBs, but his stats were night and day different, and he needs to improve on that this year and I think he will do so.

 

[shutzhund]

Great post. All signs point to Towles never being a great QB. Some QBs just don't have it between the ears. This is his problem and always has been. I hope Barker is better.

OK, he's just another player who is being misused by the coaches. That's for sure. His arm cannot carry a team yet they are putting him in that position with the play calling.

For those worrying about him going pro next year quit worrying. NFL for this player means Not Friggin Likely. Forget the potential talk. This is his fourth year at UK.

It's also about time to quit blaming everyone around him. The upgrade in OL, WR and RB, versus last year, has left him on an island. Still I blame the game plans for putting him there.

 

[JPFisher]

At the end of the season, we had several injuries and our line had worn down. No TE option meant that the wide receivers were getting catches (and hit) the most of any position on the team. Timmons was out. Badet and Montgomery were both out. It just wasn't a good position for QB during the home stretch last season.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Once again, Towles does not have the benefit of throwing to 2 yr starting senior WR's behind a veteran o-line of seasoned upperclassmen. He's trying to improve and mature with a supporting cast that's trying to do the same. Much of what you are seeing is not just on Towles.

For instance, on a few of the deep balls last wk.
-A couple of them, Towles had to throw a fraction too soon b/c the o-line didn't hold.
-A couple of them, the WR didn't run a near-perfect route. For instance, it is natural for a WR....especially a younger WR....to slow down a touch or round his run when he looks back for the ball. They may even do this a few times. This results in a perceived overthrown ball or an inaccurate ball.
-A couple of them, Towles just missed.....whether do to poor footwork, mentality, etc.


On other routes
-If the call is a 5 yd out route. The timing and the throw are meant for a 5 yd pattern. If the WR runs a 3 yd route, he will be ahead of the timing and short......thus the pass will appear behind him and high. If the WR runs a 7 yd pattern, the pass will appear too far in front and low. What if the WR runs the proper 5 yd out distance, but then either doesn't square the route......either he fades or cuts short? To the unknowledgeable fan, even a perfect pass will appear off-target and the QB will get blamed.
-And, of course, Towles can (and has) just miss the throw.

 

[C1180]

At the end of the season, we had several injuries and our line had worn down. No TE option meant that the wide receivers were getting catches (and hit) the most of any position on the team. Timmons was out. Badet and Montgomery were both out. It just wasn't a good position for QB during the home stretch last season.

Did UK play a tight end in the ULL game? I have watched the game three times and can not remember a TE getting a call the entire game.


I am hoping that Towles is an improved QB but IMO he did not look so in this game. He is still struggling with the short and medium passes which should be the bread and butter of an Air Raid attack. If he had hit his open receivers the game would have been a rout. I do not think that pass protection can be used as an excuse for this game. He had plenty of time on most pass plays.

Enough about the QB and the offense. 40 point should be enough to win a lot of games. MY real worry is the defense. Same old sieve against the running game.

Lets give credit where credit is due. IMO Swindle had a great game at LOT. He wiped out most of his side of the ULL defense on that 75 yard Boom run to start the game. There was a hole that a semi tractor could have driven through.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Enough about the QB and the offense. 40 point should be enough to win a lot of games. MY real worry is the defense. Same old sieve against the running game.

Lets give credit where credit is due. IMO Swindle had a great game at LOT. He wiped out most of his side of the ULL defense on that 75 yard Boom run to start the game. There was a hole that a semi tractor could have driven through.

Thank you for saying this.

And I agree about Swindle, he had a great game. And a shout out to Toth's seal on Boom's run.....perfection.

 

[optimus-blue]

Towles will be fine and if not Barker a good QB is chomping at bit to get going . For the Towles it simple it's never gonna change at this level or the next he has a very high ceiling with high expectations he will have to compete and succeed or next guy up. He doesn't have time to have confidence problem he got to play and play well and he will.

 

[LouievileKat]

Its been one game. Might need a bigger sample size than that before diagnosing it a problem.

 

[BlueRaider22]

^Lol. If not for your message count, I would guess you're new around here, Kat. UK fans don't even need a single snap to pose judgement.



By the way, I totally agree with you.

 

[C1180]

^Lol. If not for your message count, I would guess you're new around here, Kat. UK fans don't even need a single snap to pose judgement.



By the way, I totally agree with you.

Than again we have all of Towles last years performances to add to the one game this season. I have been hearing that he is much improved but IMO he looked a whole lot like the QB I remember from last year in the ULL game. IMO he is still struggling with his accuracy, still is not great with the short and intermediate throws, and has some trouble with the mental aspects of the QB game. The worst thing however is he is still showing a tendency to be inconsistent. He one minute looks like a All SEC QB and then he reverts back to mediocracy. The guy is a redshirted Junior. IMO it is time to put it together if he is ever going to do so.

If Towles does have confidence problems which I do think is a possibility. That would definitely not be good for the Karma of the team. A QB is basically the leader of the offense and it is hard to follow a leader with a lack of confidence.

I was also disappointed that Towles and truthfully the rest of the team seemed to take their foot off the throttle and play with a lot less energy after getting a sizable lead. This team might be improved but it will not win many games just going through the motions. They must keep the emotions up and not run hot and cold.

 

[AJ Blue]

I was just curious about his accuracy last year. In the first 6 games he was 120 - 192 for 62.5%. Then the bottom fell out. He is throwing like he's trying to place the ball and we know how well that works out. I suspect this didn't show up so much in practice. Patrick will be fine as soon as he gets out of his head. imo.

Completely agree. Like I said earlier he's the Dustin Johnson of college QBs. A guy with all the talent in the world that constantly fights confidence and a case of the yips. Starts holding on to the ball and shortarming and aiming when he misses a couple or has a close call. Just needs to say I don't care and turn that talent loose. Can't let an overthrow or even a pick get in the way of slinging it around in rhythm like he should. He can do it and when he does he's going to be tough to handle.

 

[TheBigBluePrint]

Seems pretty confident in his rehearsed TD celebration and coiffure. Looking for him to be on point this week with some crossing routes and out routes. That's his strength, not the deep ball.

 

[uofkFTW18]

Did UK play a tight end in the ULL game? I have watched the game three times and can not remember a TE getting a call the entire game.

Conrad played a lot against ULL and actually played well for his first game. IIRC he had a great block on the first play of the game that helped spring Boom for a TD.

He definitely wasn't targeted, though. But I'm not worried about that. He's a freshman and it was his first game. He'll eventually become a weapon in this offense.

 

[UKat1]

One reason Pat and the team struggled in the second half of the season is because the competition level rose dramatically. Let's be honest here....UF wasn't the typical UF last season as in seasons past, USCe wasn't the team they'd been the past 3 or so years, but once we go into the meat of the conference schedule, the going got tough. UK faced much better defenses and offenses, Pat had people in his face all the time, the OL struggled as did the DL. I also believe as the competition level rose, the team began to tire.....the defense spent way too much time on the field and couldn't get third down stops and the offense couldn't sustain drives to give the D any rest.

Anytime your QB and receivers are facing much better corners and DE's, your numbers are going to go down. I think Pat panicked in many of those games due to the heavy defensive pressure...causing him to either run before he truly needed to or lock on to one receiver and hurry his pass, instead of going through progressions and scanning the entire field for the open man (and he did have open receivers in some games). As a result I think his confidence tanked and he really never gained it back, I'm not sure is fully back yet. Saturday night will tell us much more about where Pat's head is this season.

 

[AJ Blue]

Seems pretty confident in his rehearsed TD celebration and coiffure. Looking for him to be on point this week with some crossing routes and out routes. That's his strength, not the deep ball.

Agree completely on the routes BBP. Love to see some quick outs and timing routes just to get him loose. Will help spread the field for the run game too.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

Did UK play a tight end in the ULL game? I have watched the game three times and can not remember a TE getting a call the entire game.


I am hoping that Towles is an improved QB but IMO he did not look so in this game. He is still struggling with the short and medium passes which should be the bread and butter of an Air Raid attack. If he had hit his open receivers the game would have been a rout. I do not think that pass protection can be used as an excuse for this game. He had plenty of time on most pass plays.

Enough about the QB and the offense. 40 point should be enough to win a lot of games. MY real worry is the defense. Same old sieve against the running game.

Lets give credit where credit is due. IMO Swindle had a great game at LOT. He wiped out most of his side of the ULL defense on that 75 yard Boom run to start the game. There was a hole that a semi tractor could have driven through.

Yes, we know our defense looked bad as usual, but most of us didn't expect a really good UK defense this season. Most of us know we still have to recruit a lot more depth on the defense. Our talent is very young on that side of the ball(mostly redshirt Freshmen).

On the other hand, we have some of the better offensive skill players in the SEC.

That's why your statement about this game "could have been a route" is correct. That is the problem that concerns me the most. Towles CONSISTENTLY misses WIDE OPEN receivers and it almost cost us a loss against ULL. How can you expect to win in the SEC when your QB cannot even make wide open passes on short and medium throws? I am so sick of seeing this happen. I am fully ready to see Barker come in and be given a chance. I've seen everything I need to see from Towles.