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probama

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Posts posted by probama

  1. On 1/17/2019 at 12:54 PM, sushihorn said:

    Seeing the news that Jalen Hurts transferred to OU for a single year struck me as really odd.  For starters, the Air Raid is a system that depends on extremely high numbers of reps so reads and throws are almost muscle memory rather than conscious decisions.  Hurts is a one and done situation and will have little time to learn the system and a fraction of the reps that even a RS freshman would get.

     

    That would probably be OK if Hurts was coming from another team that ran Air Raid or passing spread but that obviously is not the case here.  Hurts is coming from a very run-heavy offense where the QB is mostly asked to make simple reads.  I don’t see any real background in spread passing concepts like the multiple quick reads required to run OU’s offense.  Many of Riley’s plays also require timing to hit a window which is another reason why reps are so important.

     

    Hurts is a good runner and Riley seems to feel he needs that at the QB position but he seems like quite the project and a real risk in the passing department.  Watch some tape.  He locks in on his first read and rarely comes off and throws to a secondary except under 2 conditions: 1) checkdowns or 2) when resurveying the field after flushing from the pocket.  I don’t see the quick 1-2-3 read progressions from the pocket needed to take advantage of matchups in the spread.  That’s not entirely his fault since he’s had 3 different OCs in his time in Tuscaloosa – 4 if you count Sarkisian but he’s not a developed passer.  If Hurts is successful at OU it will be the first time I’m aware of that has happened with a 1st year QB coming from outside the Air Raid system.

     

    If you look at the history of Mike Leach at Texas Tech, he NEVER started a first year player at QB.  Every one of his starting QBs redshirted and most did not play until their 3rd or 4th year in the program.  After Kliff Kingsbury, Leach had 5th year seniors as first time starters for 3 years in a row: Symons, Cumbie and Hodge.  In the case of transfers to OU, Mayfield got a good foundation at Lake Travis.  He polished that under Kingsbury at Tech.  He redshirted a year in Norman before starting.  Murray played under Sumlin and Jake Spavital.  He transferred, redshirted and then played backup for a year.  He had 3 ½ years of exposure to the Air Raid before his first start.  Hurts will get 7 months of practice from a much lower starting point.

     

    This is all quite a contrast to the mature period of the Air Raid offense in Lubbock under Leach.  The Pirate was able to take 3-star whodats, run them through the program and those guys would break records once they got to start.  Lincoln Riley has had multiple QBs recruited under his supervision as first OC, then HC.  Are they not developing into starters?  It seems odd that even a gifted passer could come in and displace a 3rd year player in a system that requires so much repetition, much less someone as raw as Hurts.

     

    I suspect Jalen Hurts may do well at OU.  He will definitely do damage with his feet.  He has a strong and accurate arm so he will make a lot of plays where the first read is there.  He will also miss a lot of reads and make mistakes If he continues to lock in and stare down his primary receiver.  He definitely looks sub-optimal for the OU passing attack.  But Lincoln Riley has made the judgement that Hurts is clearly better than anything he has on campus right now.  Maybe Riley can perform a total makeover in a small window.

     

    Is this just the logical end result of the free agency / transfer portal era?    It makes me wonder what exactly is going on.

     

    Jalen Hurts made great progress under Dan Enos last year and when was called on last year he didn't resemble his previous two years.  He was much improved as a passer, made his reads, and was a  tremendous field general.  He doesn't have the arm talent of Tua, but he will surprise with his passing prowess and still has the footwork to be successful.  I think he will have a great year and we, the Alabama fan base wish him great success.

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