jrry32 Posted December 21, 2022 Share Posted December 21, 2022 32 minutes ago, Scalamania said: Our in state rivals killing us in the portal and on the trail. Pratt staying at Tulane and Platt commits to TAMU. Tomorrow is going to be a rough day. It is what it is. At this point, I expect nothing good beyond the guys already committed signing (except Nixon). Napier better be ready to hit the portal. Go get Grayson McCall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalamania Posted December 21, 2022 Author Share Posted December 21, 2022 2 hours ago, jrry32 said: It is what it is. At this point, I expect nothing good beyond the guys already committed signing (except Nixon). Napier better be ready to hit the portal. Go get Grayson McCall. Mertz it is. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrry32 Posted December 21, 2022 Share Posted December 21, 2022 25 minutes ago, Scalamania said: Mertz it is. LOL I don't even know what to say anymore. I have only three explanations: 1. He thinks he can fix Mertz; 2. He wants to start Rashada and is bringing in an experienced transfer as an emergency option; or 3. He wants to get fired and collect that sweet buyout money. Does Mertz have talent? Yes. But the guy was inconsistent and a turnover waiting to happen at Wisconsin. Napier is playing with fire. And if this backfires, the fanbase isn't going to be forgiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrry32 Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 Some other transfer portal rumors (aside from Graham Mertz committing): Arik Gilbert TE UGA, Teradja Mitchell LB Ohio State, and Cam'Ron Jackson NT Memphis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalamania Posted December 22, 2022 Author Share Posted December 22, 2022 1 hour ago, jrry32 said: Some other transfer portal rumors (aside from Graham Mertz committing): Arik Gilbert TE UGA, Teradja Mitchell LB Ohio State, and Cam'Ron Jackson NT Memphis. I think Mitchell is already in. Gilbert is super intriguing and would be a massive upgrade to a very poor TE room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrry32 Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 9 minutes ago, Scalamania said: I think Mitchell is already in. Gilbert is super intriguing and would be a massive upgrade to a very poor TE room. Yeah, we'll see if there is anything to it. I remember him as a true freshman at LSU. Looked like a future first round pick. Hasn't been able to get his stuff together since then. If he comes and is ready to work, he could be a special player in this system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggybucsfan31 Posted December 22, 2022 Share Posted December 22, 2022 WTF is Napier doing? Mertz is basically AR without any of the athletic ability. Like, he doesn't fit anything he wants out of his QB's. The guy can't run.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrry32 Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 4 hours ago, eggybucsfan31 said: WTF is Napier doing? Mertz is basically AR without any of the athletic ability. Like, he doesn't fit anything he wants out of his QB's. The guy can't run.... Not really true. Very different player from AR. But it's a massive risk that could blow up in Napier's face, and the fans won't be forgiving if it does. Mertz's big problem is boneheaded plays. He's actually polished mechanically, has a quick release, throws with touch and anticipation, and generally throws an accurate, catchable ball. The guy is just prone to catastrophic lapses on a weekly basis. Will getting him out of that 1990s offense help him out? Maybe. But man, it is risky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggybucsfan31 Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, jrry32 said: Not really true. Very different player from AR. But it's a massive risk that could blow up in Napier's face, and the fans won't be forgiving if it does. Mertz's big problem is boneheaded plays. He's actually polished mechanically, has a quick release, throws with touch and anticipation, and generally throws an accurate, catchable ball. The guy is just prone to catastrophic lapses on a weekly basis. Will getting him out of that 1990s offense help him out? Maybe. But man, it is risky. I don't really see an accurate, catchable ball on his film, but that's not really here nor there, he does have (much) better touch than AR though, I'll give him that. I compared him to AR because he's got a big arm but is stupidly inconsistent. When we're being told about Sam Hartman, Devin Leary, Michael Pratt or Grayson McCall possibly being the guy and end up with Graham Mertz, yeah, this is a massive gamble that has serious "coach losing the fanbase" potential if/when it backfires. Of course, despite me saying that, this is obviously not *all* a Napier problem and that a LOT of the incompetence is coming from above him (i.e. Stricklin and the Gator Collective). Getting Mertz out of all the better QB's in the portal (also lack of action in the portal in general) and us literally whiffing on every target we had left on the board heading into ESD just leaves a huge cloud over the program. No coaching staff is incompetent enough to whiff on EVERYONE, this is clearly an NIL issue and one that needs to be addressed fairly quickly before we go full boar into the 2024 class. Edited December 23, 2022 by eggybucsfan31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrry32 Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 19 minutes ago, eggybucsfan31 said: I don't really see an accurate, catchable ball on his film, but that's not really here nor there, he does have (much) better touch than AR though, I'll give him that. I compared him to AR because he's got a big arm but is stupidly inconsistent. When we're being told about Sam Hartman, Devin Leary, Michael Pratt or Grayson McCall possibly being the guy and end up with Graham Mertz, yeah, this is a massive gamble that has serious "coach losing the fanbase" potential if/when it backfires. Of course, despite me saying that, this is obviously not *all* a Napier problem and that a LOT of the incompetence is coming from above him (i.e. Stricklin and the Gator Collective). Getting Mertz out of all the better QB's in the portal (also lack of action in the portal in general) and us literally whiffing on every target we had left on the board heading into ESD just leaves a huge cloud over the program. No coaching staff is incompetent enough to whiff on EVERYONE, this is clearly an NIL issue and one that needs to be addressed fairly quickly before we go full boar into the 2024 class. He is inconsistent. No doubt about it. I do think that offense plays a role. Three things that struck me watching some of his games after he committed were (1) that offense was really antiquated and uncreative in a way that didn't leave the QB much margin for error, (2) they tended not to pass the ball unless they were in difficult situations (third and medium/long, second and very long, etc.), and (3) the WRs and TEs were very underwhelming. That all said, none of that excuses the mental errors and lapses I saw pop up too often. I do think there's potential. But it is definitely disappointing that we didn't go after a more proven portal QB. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalamania Posted December 24, 2022 Author Share Posted December 24, 2022 Ethan White and Tarquin both enter the portal. Looke like PWO Parker Leise is our 5th QB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrry32 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 We're starting to pick things up in the portal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beekay414 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 11 minutes ago, jrry32 said: We're starting to pick things up in the portal. Y'all got another QB coming in to compete with Mertz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrry32 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 5 minutes ago, beekay414 said: Y'all got another QB coming in to compete with Mertz? I don't know, but I'd guess not. I'm expecting Mertz and Rashada will compete. Right now, we're filling out other spots (DT, OL, LB, special teams, etc.). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beekay414 Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 6 minutes ago, jrry32 said: I don't know, but I'd guess not. I'm expecting Mertz and Rashada will compete. Right now, we're filling out other spots (DT, OL, LB, special teams, etc.). Damn. I like Graham and will root for him for obvious reasons but, in your shoes, you gotta hope Rashada beats him out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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