Hello, denial, my old friend.
As you probably recall, Kirk Bohls of the Austin-American Statesman stated Sunday night that an anonymous source told him that Mack Brown had tabbed junior-to-be Garrett Gilbert as the starting quarterback for the upcoming season.
Turns out, that’s not true at all — at least not according to Brown.
“As we’ve said throughout the spring and many times since, we have not talked with the kids about a depth chart and that includes our quarterback position,” Brown told ESPN (the statement was seen on “College Football Live” yesterday evening). “All of our guys are well aware of that and are working hard to get better. We’re really excited about the potential we have at quarterback and are impressed with how the guys have embraced the competition. We’re looking forward to seeing the progress all four of our quarterbacks make when we report for camp in August.”
I don’t know what Brown has told — or, hasn’t told — Gilbert, but I hope for his sake, Brown was honest with him.
Some situations merit naming a starting quarterback before summer break (i.e. Washington and Keith Price) because there is some separation in the group and it gives the starter some confidence before fall camp.
But judging by Gilbert’s performance during the Horns’ spring game, tabbing him the starter would have been premature; there just wasn’t any significant visible separation by Gilbert over Case McCoy or Conner Wood.
And after a 5-7 season that saw so much coaching turnover and promises of positive change for next year, it would be wrong for the Longhorns to settle on Gilbert simply because he’s the incumbent.
Not if he doesn’t give them the best chance to win.
Just not impressed with any of the options at QB this year. I have to admit that this is gonna be the Sooners Conference to win this year
Even if the coaches have told Gilbert he will start in the fall, it is in the best interest of all concerned for Mack to “deny” that any such conversations have taken place. It lets his players know all spots are still up for grabs and keeps his backup QB’s working hard and trying to stay on top of things. He (Mack) then comes out in the fall and says Gilbert has earned the starting job. Pretty simple, really. He keeps all his QB’s and Gilbert doesn’t decide to transfer.
I don’t know why the CFT guys keep relaying anything Kirk Bohls reports. There is not a less informed, less connected or more clueless reporter in the entire state of Texas. The idea that Bohls has sources or any kind of connection within the program is laughable. Texas could shut it’s football program completely down and Bohls would be the last person to know about it.
The only reporter on the Austin American Statesman staff that has any connection to the program, and thus any true inside knowledge, is Suzanne Halliburton and she is Mack Brown’s puppet at the Statesman so she isn’t going to leak anything Mack doesn’t want her to leak.
Yaaaaaawwwwwnnn.
Who cares?
Don’t know about the guys behind him, but wasn’t impressed with Gilbert in the games I saw him in last year. I thought he’d be solid after seeing him in the NCG, but he disappointed last year.
All the Horn QBs will be better this year with Greg Davis gone. Mack immediately denied Bohls report which is understandable. Bohls would be better off reporting on his home town team (the Taylor Ducks).
thefiesty1 says:
May 10, 2011 5:26 PM
All the Horn QBs will be better this year with Greg Davis gone
=================================
Right, because Davis proved himself completely incapable of coaching up quarterbacks with Applewhite, Young, and McCoy.
@burntorange….so right. It’s ALWAYS the offensive play caller’s fault. Kevin Wilson dealt with much the same at OU. Wilson was good enough to get them to a couple of NC games, but other than that, he sucked for most OU fans. In my next life I want to be the back-up QB and the assistant play caller. Everyone always thinks you’re better than the guy actually doing the job.