Kentucky football quarterback preview: Terry Wilson early favorite for starting job
- Thread starter wildcatman26
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Don’t get why Terry is such a shoo in. Both Hoak and Clark were big time prospects who have time in Gran’s system. I get that the guy signed with OU out of HS but I think some folks may be overhyping the kid.
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If Clark or Hoak just transferred in they would be the flavor of the month too.
If the shoo fits, wear it.
Not sure about Hoak but isn’t Clark mobile? I think Ohio St recruited him at one time and they feature mobile QBs.
Clark was committed to OH ST until they nudged him out the door. We need a Snell type of surprise at QB or at least a 4 star that truly pans out.
Hoak is mobile enough to scramble for a first down as the need arises but he's not one that you'd design runs for per se. He's probably as mobile in the pocket as SJ was but not the runner SJ was. But he's likely the best passer out of the 3.....not the most arm strength but very quick release and accurate. His skill set likely lends to the most balanced offense.
Wilson is the runner of the 3. He might even be a better passer than SJ....we'll see. But he's a better pure runner than SJ. The offense under Wilson should be heavy run with RPO.
Clark described himself as being between SJ and Barker in terms of style. He's more mobile than Barker but better arm than SJ. Clark has an absolute cannon in terms of arm strength but may be the least accurate of the 3. And he's the rawest in terms of skill. Other programs like OSU thought that he'd be a good H-back or FB. So, if he is to be a QB who plays it's likely gonna take a number of yrs. Supposedly his leadership and personality is awesome. He's drawn comparisons to Tebow due to his high intangibles but rawness/size/awkwardness playing QB. Since he isn't the most talented runner nor best passer of the 3....and he's raw....he's the least apt to be the starter next yr. However, some have called him a dark horse candidate so he's doing something right in practice so you never know.
The article mention's playing in Gran's system multiple times.
I'm hoping what we have seen the last 2 years is NOT Gran's system but more of a playing to the QB strengths/weaknesses out of necessity.
Surely Gran's system resembles the 1st half of the Southern Miss game a year ago...
I'm hoping what we have seen the last 2 years is NOT Gran's system but more of a playing to the QB strengths/weaknesses out of necessity.
Surely Gran's system resembles the 1st half of the Southern Miss game a year ago...
You mean the game we lost?
Gram has prove he plays the style that meets his players strength.
Really?
Did I not say playing to the replacement QB's strengths/weaknesses?
We were smoking Southern Miss until Barker's injury. This offense has been anemic and without a Superman-like effort from Snell would have been more embarassing than it's current rating at the bottom of the barrel.
If you like this junk of 1 TD pass every 7 games with a 100 yard average and the overused Wildcat then rock on.
Dumb, dumb, dumb... We scored 35 points in the 1st half. It was our garbage D that lost that game. We made Shannon Dawson look like Art Briles in the 2nd half.
The point was about style of play.
Gram's system. Indeed the first half of the S Miss was played with the players with the style of offense that fit best. Even had Barker not been injured UK may very well still lost this game.
You are correct it was a defense embarrassment.
Gram just plays the cards he's been dealt.
Hoak could not beat out Barker for the 2nd string...I am not sold on him. SJ and Drew were not that good and he still could not show separation at all...he finished 3rd.
That’s what I don’t get. Stoops has been recruiting to a wide open uptempo offense. That’s what he said he was running when hired and the OCs he’s chose backs that up.
The SJ excuse is up. We “should” have a QB who can throw the ball now, as that what we were supposedly recruiting, and Gran should be able to run the offense he ran at Cinci - which is very similar to the 1st half of the USM game.
Offense needs balance. We obviously have the running game, so the passing game needs to greatly improve. That improvement comes not just from the QB who needs to be accurate, but a better OL/pass protection, and WRs who need to step up and make plays as well. Also, the game planning and play calling from the staff needs to improve.
Going to be interesting QB competition, one that could go into the season and see both QBs get some run the first couple weeks.
I'm not sure who the favorite is. One would think GH has a leg up on the offense and chemistry with the team. However, as I and others have said many times, TW would not have come here if he wasn't assured of some playing time.
If TW blows it out of the water and the staff doesn't see it necessary to give GH a look then I think we can expect a transfer. If he hasn't won the gig by next season or a few weeks into it, then I don't think he is going to.
Going to be interesting QB competition, one that could go into the season and see both QBs get some run the first couple weeks.
I'm not sure who the favorite is. One would think GH has a leg up on the offense and chemistry with the team. However, as I and others have said many times, TW would not have come here if he wasn't assured of some playing time.
If TW blows it out of the water and the staff doesn't see it necessary to give GH a look then I think we can expect a transfer. If he hasn't won the gig by next season or a few weeks into it, then I don't think he is going to.
Have to have a more accurate passer than SJ but one thing I’d like to see more of to combat our offense line pass blocking issues is to go to more of a quick passing game. Similar to what Brohm does at Purdue. This will slow that pass rush down a bit and then we can occasional take deep shots.
I'm not sure where you think we disagree?
Gran has always utilized a high powered offense but here he has had to conform to personnel, primarily the QB.
My point is that if Hoak and Clark have been practicing this run, run, wildcat for the last year or so then they are not too much ahead of TW if we are going to revert and open this offense back up because each QB will be learning that spread balanced attack.
The only thing in football more unpredictable than recruiting is JUCO recruiting. And it reaches its' unpredictable peak with JUCO QB recruiting. Maybe not a home run but the Cats hit a solid stand up double with former JUCO Johnson. Possibly better with Wilson?
FWIW, Wilson is ranked #5 on this JUCO list but, unless totally empty at the position, QB is the hardest position for a JUCO to come in and make an immediate positive impact.
I would imagine it is easier for a JUCO QB to make a transition to a run first offense than a balanced or pass first offense. Furthermore, the basic spread option play has become pretty common just about everywhere; minimal amount of learning there. AU has had good success with JUCO QBs the past 4-5 years.
Peace
FWIW, Wilson is ranked #5 on this JUCO list but, unless totally empty at the position, QB is the hardest position for a JUCO to come in and make an immediate positive impact.
I would imagine it is easier for a JUCO QB to make a transition to a run first offense than a balanced or pass first offense. Furthermore, the basic spread option play has become pretty common just about everywhere; minimal amount of learning there. AU has had good success with JUCO QBs the past 4-5 years.
Peace
I think he was a 5.7, which is next door to a four star, and with all the hits and misses in ratings that little difference may not be any difference at all.
If he has a D1 skill set, he can be whatever he wants to become.
Played at Oregon briefly...Hoak nothing Clark got recruited by Ohio St...do your research
Wilson was a four star coming out, signed with Oregon but fell behind what was supposed to be a Heisman candidate that ended up getting injured so he went JV, Hoak was a four star by ESPN, looked very impressive the TWO times we got to see him, two spring games. Clark a 5.7, near four star, wasn't just recruited by OSU, they offered and he accepted the offer before decommitting, so it was a legit offer.
I think we have a good QB coach AND we are in much better shape than when Barker got injured in the first game two years ago, when we "only" won seven games two years in a row, very close to winning more.
We again have a JC transfer, same as then, but one rated a four star out of high school instead of a two star AND that has three years to play, with excellent offers, with the same Hoak backing him up but with another year in the system, and the same Clark with his learning redshirt year behind him.
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Played briefly at OU? Are you sure about that as I see he was beat out as FR, redshirted then transferred? Guy is about as proven at the P5 level as Hoak and Clark.
Maybe you should do your research?
As I wrote in another thread, how much confidence can we have at this point in Hoak if he couldn't beat out Barker and couldn't get any snaps when SJ was obviously injured for much of the second half of the season? If the coaches didn't think either Barker or Hoak were a better option than SJ playing with two bad shoulders and a bad knee, should we really be optimistic that Hoak is the answer?
FWIW, I hope whoever wins the job, is much, much better at getting the ball out quickly and accurately so that the OL doesn't have to hold their blocks for too many seconds while long patterns develop. I'd like to see us use the RBs as receivers more, more slants, quick seams, 5-yard outs and hitches that are pure timing patterns. Getting behind the chains and then running 15+ yard route trees is what got SJ hurt in the first place. Need to keep the pass rush off the QB next year.
FWIW, I hope whoever wins the job, is much, much better at getting the ball out quickly and accurately so that the OL doesn't have to hold their blocks for too many seconds while long patterns develop. I'd like to see us use the RBs as receivers more, more slants, quick seams, 5-yard outs and hitches that are pure timing patterns. Getting behind the chains and then running 15+ yard route trees is what got SJ hurt in the first place. Need to keep the pass rush off the QB next year.
I would think that a very good QB coach would be anxious to see what he can do with the THREE talented candidates UK has. And that redshirt is a huge plus gives him THREE years to play at UK.
It could be a huge setback for your agenda to get Stoops fired, a dumb one at that at this point in time.
Whether staff thought Hoak was better than Barker, that he couldn't get snaps late in games out of hand over a hurting SJ says to me they don't think he's good enough to lead us going forward.
I hope we have 3 very talented QBs. Not sure and I’m definitely not betting the farm on an unproven JUCO whose claim to fame was being signed by Helfrich and then transferring to a JUCO.
"an unproven JUCO whose claim to fame was being signed by Helfrich and then transferring to a JUCO"
His claim to fame, your agenda is showing again.
I think the coaches can evaluate his talent better than you can, and they seemed to be very excited about him, he has better size and looks to be more durable than Stephen, good passing AND running ability, decent stats in his first year of playing. His claim to fame is not what you list, it is being a four star coming out of high school, being signed by Oregon, and the story I read said he didn't want to sit behind what was supposed to be a Heisman candidate before that player got injured. The other more recent and easily verified FACT is that he was in demand by programs like Nebraska, Florida, etc, UK is very lucky to have him IMO.
I think our QB coach is looking forward to working with him, and if he isn't ready we have two other candidates.
Jauk if you are going to go by his high school rating then you must also take into account why his 2 home state schools did not offer.
In fact which Big 12 schools did offer this 4 star at the time? None.
So who missevaluated the kid then? ALL those coaches or the ratings services?
I am not trying to dismiss his Oregon. Arizona State or Nebraska interest, but it is interesting.
Demand from UF and Nebraska is a bit misleading as both schools coveted Adrian Martinez and at best TW was a back up plan.
Martinez signed with Nebraska.
Keep in mind TW supposedly went to Oregon because of Frost and when he left TW left, and once Frost became HC at Nebraska he chose a different QB even though he knew TW as well as anyone.
Was TW’s FL offer really commit-able? Or was it simply for depth? We know Mullen was trying to sway the #1 player in the nation Fields from his UGA commit and another super QB Emory Jones from Ohio State. Jones did flip and signed with Florida.
The fact TW had solid interest from big time programs bodes well for UK. But It is apparent that most believe he is, at best, a tier below elite status.
Hopefully he reaches the full potential so many here expect and luckily for us he doesn’t have to be Cam Newton to help us be successful.
What has he done to warrant this hype train? He passed the look test? So did Towles and see where that got him. Towles and Barker were 4 star QBs also. What happened there?
Yes - there's reason to be optimistic. I hope he's Mariotta Jr. But to discount the other two guys and pin your hopes on an unproven JUCO is not only bad for your expectations, but it's bad for Terry. Dude shouldn't come in here with expectations of being superman.
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