Hot Take on Lamar

[Knucklehank1]

The o line is atrocious and it's amazing Lamar put up the numbers he did. HOWEVER, if he doesn't make big gains in 3 areas he will not be a first round draft pick after next season and might need a 4th year:

1) Defensive recognition - he doesn't do a good job recognizing blitzes and coverages. He can make up for this with his athleticism but that won't fly in the pros

2) ball control - the number one QB killer in the NFL is turnovers. No team will invest in him if they don't think he can protect the ball

3) Accuracy - he has got to improve his touch. He can sling the ball but too often he zips the ball when it should be floated some

 

[beantowncard]

I agree with this, along with decision-making and getting ball out quick.

 

[Mayoman]

UofL should get him together with Teddy B. and spend some time on how TB became the QB he is today. Wasn't it by watching a lot of film and playing a FB video game?

In any case.....he really needs to spend some time learning how to read the 'D' and how to get rid of the ball quicker. Like in 3-4 sec's and not 5-6. Not many, if any, O lines can hold the block for that long.

 

[Kratz]

2 and 3 are spot on. #1 can come simply with experience. He's only a true soph.

 

[Sec221]

If you go back and re watch some plays, you'll see a lot of missed opportunities by Lamar.

He appears to be more focused on running through progression reads instead of taking what the Defense gives him up front at times. This is were recognizing the Defense would be the difference in a sack vs. a 1st down.

There were some wide open receivers. Also there were some wide open running lanes too. If he would have handed the ball off a couple of times there would have been some long runs and even a touchdown according to the guys on the radio.

Also the O'line does not do a very good job of recognizing the Defense either. A lot of the missed assignments were from failures to locate the D Lineman's point of attack. Just getting in front of their man would have made a difference.

 

[Knucklehank1]

"He appears to be more focused on running through progression reads instead of taking what the Defense gives him up front at times. This is were recognizing the Defense would be the difference in a sack vs. a 1st down."

Agree 100%. There are times were there is only one read based on what the defense is doing. When that is the case, there is no time to go through progressions and quite frankly there is no need to. In that regard, the difference between him and Teddy is striking.

 

[Knucklehank1]

Apparently my hot take wasn't such an original thought. Don't be surprised if Lamar is a 4 year guy. This is from an article on Deshaun Watson's NFL projections:

"The coach did add that he considers Watson an exponentially better quarterback prospect than Louisville QB Lamar Jackson, who won the Heisman Trophy. “Watson has a chance to be at least as good as Winston,” he said. “We played he and Lamar Jackson, and Jackson has no shot at playing quarterback in the NFL. None. He can’t make the throws and can’t read coverages. He’s not going to have a chance."

 

[Cardinal Cash]

LJ's only chance at the NFL is if he can learn a lot more about presnap reads and call an audible without petrino. I disagree that he can't make all the throws (dude has a cannon), but he needs to work on footwork and learning the QB position or he will be drafted as an athlete like Denard Robinson or Terell Pryor.

 

[wilkie01]

The o line is atrocious and it's amazing Lamar put up the numbers he did. HOWEVER, if he doesn't make big gains in 3 areas he will not be a first round draft pick after next season and might need a 4th year:

1) Defensive recognition - he doesn't do a good job recognizing blitzes and coverages. He can make up for this with his athleticism but that won't fly in the pros

2) ball control - the number one QB killer in the NFL is turnovers. No team will invest in him if they don't think he can protect the ball

3) Accuracy - he has got to improve his touch. He can sling the ball but too often he zips the ball when it should be floated some

Well said. I have been saying the same myself. I agree with you 100%.

 

[Kratz]

LJ's only chance at the NFL is if he can learn a lot more about presnap reads and call an audible without petrino. I disagree that he can't make all the throws (dude has a cannon), but he needs to work on footwork and learning the QB position or he will be drafted as an athlete like Denard Robinson or Terell Pryor.

Somewhat disagree on that. Yes, he has a cannon, but his accuracy is mediocre at best. He misses way too many throws. Only time will tell how accurate he can become. It's not simply a matter of hard work, reps and practice. If that's all it took Tim Tebow would be a starter in the NFL. He worked and trained as hard as anyone. No one ever knocked his work ethic. He simply didn't have that ability. Time will tell how accurate Jackson can become.

 

[Cardinal Cash]

Somewhat disagree on that. Yes, he has a cannon, but his accuracy is mediocre at best. He misses way too many throws. Only time will tell how accurate he can become. It's not simply a matter of hard work, reps and practice. If that's all it took Tim Tebow would be a starter in the NFL. He worked and trained as hard as anyone. No one ever knocked his work ethic. He simply didn't have that ability. Time will tell how accurate Jackson can become.

Tebow did not have the arm. Footwork helps with accuracy. Lamar has bad footwork on short throws and that leads to his inaccuracy. I agree on the inaccuracy.

 

[beasleythecard]

Articles like this scream jimmy the greek and rush limbaugh.
Hope america loses these "experts"

Kid is 19 and has made 19 starts playing behind a line ranked 126 out of 128 teams. He needs a line to be judged.

32 nfl scouts have said he can make all the throws. Whoever the clown is on the article needs to meet the grim reaper.

 

[Rollem Cards]

Articles like this scream jimmy the greek and rush limbaugh.

Give me a FVKIN break.

Is there anything you like or are you just a beotch all the damned time?

 

[beasleythecard]

Give me a FVKIN break.

Is there anything you like or are you just a beotch all the damned time?

Im sure you love hearing people dog lamar. I dont.
Nfl gms and scouts said he can make all the throws and that he is a qb on the next level.
So why are you defending the writer of the article?

 

[Knucklehank1]

Im sure you love hearing people dog lamar. I dont.
Nfl gms and scouts said he can make all the throws and that he is a qb on the next level.
So why are you defending the writer of the article?

I can't find any scouts or GMs that made those comments from November onward. The only site I've found that is really bullish right now is walterfootball.com. Otherwise I've seen articles saying that they are still uncertain about us accuracy but that he certainly has more time to develop. I think the hope/concern is that he is more Marcus Marriota and less Johnie Manziel. When you get a chance provide some links.

 

[Louisvillian]

Another take is, imagine if Lamar makes the same leap from his Sophomore to Junior year as he did from his Freshman to Sophomore season.

Imagine BP is going to work overtime to see it happen. I'm more excited for next year than I have been in awhile.

Now about that offensive line...

 

[zipp]

I don't doubt the sentiment being expressed in that article. But as always, it will come down to money... If a team is willing to draft Lamar high next year, it's 99% sure he will go even if there's no guarantee on the position he's being drafted for. And Lamar would be foolish to turn down serious money so he can fight an uphill battle.

As a fan, I'd support that as well. You get a lotta positive press with kids like Lamar making big money while jumping a year early. And you've got good young kids like Jawon Pass waiting behind them...

 

[beantowncard]

Articles like this scream jimmy the greek and rush limbaugh.
Hope america loses these "experts"

Kid is 19 and has made 19 starts playing behind a line ranked 126 out of 128 teams. He needs a line to be judged.

32 nfl scouts have said he can make all the throws. Whoever the clown is on the article needs to meet the grim reaper.

I suppose this is a reference to race, though I don't know how Limbaugh got in there, except that he's conservative. The comparison is between LJ and Watson, who I consider a dubious NFL prospect because he's an interception machine at the college level. Watson is black also. No one is comparing LJ to any other QB of any race. Where does the Jimmy the Greek reference come from?
It's perfectly legitimate to say that LJ is only a sophomore. It's also perfectly legitimate to say that he has a long way to go to become an NFL QB. If he's the kind of player I think he is, he is already hard at work preparing for next year. Those last three games had to be humbling.

 

[Morgantown Card]

I don't doubt the sentiment being expressed in that article. But as always, it will come down to money... If a team is willing to draft Lamar high next year, it's 99% sure he will go even if there's no guarantee on the position he's being drafted for. And Lamar would be foolish to turn down serious money so he can fight an uphill battle.

As a fan, I'd support that as well. You get a lotta positive press with kids like Lamar making big money while jumping a year early. And you've got good young kids like Jawon Pass waiting behind them...

I'm all for LJ leaving early after next season. That means he's a 1st rounder and we just had one hell of a season. Also, that means that we had more runaway-type games so that Jawon Pass gets some 2nd half experience next season, readying us for that big game against 'Bama to open 2018.

 

[beasleythecard]

I suppose this is a reference to race, though I don't know how Limbaugh got in there, except that he's conservative. The comparison is between LJ and Watson, who I consider a dubious NFL prospect because he's an interception machine at the college level. Watson is black also. No one is comparing LJ to any other QB of any race. Where does the Jimmy the Greek reference come from?
It's perfectly legitimate to say that LJ is only a sophomore. It's also perfectly legitimate to say that he has a long way to go to become an NFL QB. If he's the kind of player I think he is, he is already hard at work preparing for next year. Those last three games had to be humbling.

Those last three games were putrid.
Ive been lamenting since the clemson game that we need a running game with the running back.... An offensive line and a defense that can pressure the ball without a sellout blitz.

We have work to do at every position on the field.

If you look at watsons interception numbers and can say watson is an nfl qb and not lamar something is missing.

He has great arm strength, needs help on his technique.

Wonder if it is a violation to have mike vick help him out.

This is the most important offseason in the history of louisville football.

This offseason will make or break a lot of dreams.

If our players work hard, they will realalize some serious nfl dreams.

We need to identify 2 centers asap and find some big uglies on both sides of the ball.

Fix things everybody has a great year, mask things and the year will not be anything close to a good year.

 

[marshall_dillon]

The o line is atrocious and it's amazing Lamar put up the numbers he did. HOWEVER, if he doesn't make big gains in 3 areas he will not be a first round draft pick after next season and might need a 4th year:

1) Defensive recognition - he doesn't do a good job recognizing blitzes and coverages. He can make up for this with his athleticism but that won't fly in the pros

2) ball control - the number one QB killer in the NFL is turnovers. No team will invest in him if they don't think he can protect the ball

3) Accuracy - he has got to improve his touch. He can sling the ball but too often he zips the ball when it should be floated some

Wow, you'd think that Lamar Jackson is - you know - a dual threat high school QB in his second year in a college spread offense or something like that!

Simply amazing! Who would have figured it!!! High school option QBs aren't as polished and proficient in the passing game during their underclassmen years in college as were Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, the sons of longtime NFL pro-style dropback passer QBs! You'd think that different backgrounds and different abilities/skill sets result in players with different strengths and weaknesses or something!

Yeesh. Someone go get some film of Russell Wilson during his redshirt freshman season (2nd year in college) at North Carolina State. Compare that to his redshirt junior season at N.C. State and his senior year at Wisconsin. While it was obvious that Wilson had ability and talent early in his N.C. State career, he looked NOTHING like the guy who would set the NCAA career passing efficiency record as a senior (that Booker Mayfield would later break) or win a Super Bowl and break a bunch of records in the NFL at that point in his career. So yes, Lamar Jackson may need a 4th year. Spending 5 years in college worked wonders for Wilson as well as Dak Prescott, who was also really raw as a passer his first 2 years at Mississippi State.

The important thing is whether Lamar Jackson actually gets better. Tim Tebow was the same fundamentally unsound guy who couldn't read defenses when he left Florida as he was when he arrived. Florida actually scored fewer - way fewer - points in Tebow's last season as a starter than they did in his first. That is what dual threat QBs - or any QBs for that matter - need to avoid.

 

[Morgantown Card]

Tim Tebow was the same fundamentally unsound guy who couldn't read defenses when he left Florida as he was when he arrived. Florida actually scored fewer - way fewer - points in Tebow's last season as a starter than they did in his first. That is what dual threat QBs - or any QBs for that matter - need to avoid.

 

[Knucklehank1]

Wow, you'd think that Lamar Jackson is - you know - a dual threat high school QB in his second year in a college spread offense or something like that!

Simply amazing! Who would have figured it!!! High school option QBs aren't as polished and proficient in the passing game during their underclassmen years in college as were Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, the sons of longtime NFL pro-style dropback passer QBs! You'd think that different backgrounds and different abilities/skill sets result in players with different strengths and weaknesses or something!

Yeesh. Someone go get some film of Russell Wilson during his redshirt freshman season (2nd year in college) at North Carolina State. Compare that to his redshirt junior season at N.C. State and his senior year at Wisconsin. While it was obvious that Wilson had ability and talent early in his N.C. State career, he looked NOTHING like the guy who would set the NCAA career passing efficiency record as a senior (that Booker Mayfield would later break) or win a Super Bowl and break a bunch of records in the NFL at that point in his career. So yes, Lamar Jackson may need a 4th year. Spending 5 years in college worked wonders for Wilson as well as Dak Prescott, who was also really raw as a passer his first 2 years at Mississippi State.

The important thing is whether Lamar Jackson actually gets better. Tim Tebow was the same fundamentally unsound guy who couldn't read defenses when he left Florida as he was when he arrived. Florida actually scored fewer - way fewer - points in Tebow's last season as a starter than they did in his first. That is what dual threat QBs - or any QBs for that matter - need to avoid.

Sounds like you and I are on the same page. He has things to work on but the raw skills are unparalleled. Thanks for the input.