CDAGRIZ said:
I missed this post, but I agree with all of it. A few college coaches in other sports have mentioned that there is a certain type of player who is used to being “the guy” and when he’s suddenly not, he starts questioning everything. He starts thinking instead of working. The bench is an unfamiliar place for him even if the coach tried to prepare him for it, and the player says it’s cool, because the player hasn’t really seen it.
I would imagine how the player will react to not being “the guy” (working versus questioning) is probably the toughest thing to predetermine in recruiting. I’m not saying Britt did either; it’s more of a general thing I found interesting.
It’s always why I have a lot of respect for Brown. He doesn’t have the talent to be a starter at this level, and he probably knows that more than anyone. But it sounds like he’s worked his ass off to become the best QB2/3 he can possibly be. I think coaches notice things like that, and it reflects on the depth chart if the competition is at all close.
Not trying to start a lovefest here, but I agree with those points and it reminded me of an article I read about Britt when he was coming in. He talked about his terrible facial injury, and how it left him missing sports and thinking about life where he wasn't the QB on the football team, and how depressed that made him. He was probably very used to being the stud that people looked to, and rightfully so. Going from that to third string, well, that was probably really hard. That really plays in to the point you made. It also didn't help that his Girlfriend was down there. I saw a video where it was mentioned that she was down there, and I'd heard he wanted to get closer to her. I'm sure all of that was hard for a kid at 18. If I'm honest, I don't know how I would have handled that at his age, either. Probably worse.
I never trash Kris Brown, either, and have a lot of respect for what he has done. He is a better athlete than I ever was, and he has put a lot more effort into this program than I have ever put into it, so its hard for me to criticize him on a message board. He is also providing REAL value to the new guys by being a brain that knows the system and knows the program. I know at one practice in the spring Pease definitely told him to "get in there and show them how to run this play." The game hasn't clicked and slowed down for him. There is no shame in that and it isn't his fault, by all accounts he is a hard working kid. He probably wasn't ready for prime time when he has been thrown in, but he also didn't tuck his tail and run. He has so far decided to stick it out and give it his all. I respect that.
