I may be the only one (besides the Captain) that agrees with you about Nick. I believe his reads are improving, his timing is much better and had he not been out for two games he would be on track.
Your readers need to take a deep breath and get over the fact that Graham and Crab are not here, nor or they coming back. Lets move on.
I have more of a problem with the OL play (and I realize that injuries are a big part of this) and most of all, I have to wonder if we will ever get corners that can man up and not give a 10 yard cushion.
As a whole, we got a lot of young guys that got a lot of good experience this year AND we are going to a decent bowl once again. Leach has proven that he knows what he is doing time and time again. Lets trust him on improving this bunch and come out swinging next year.

I still think we’re getting close to the best of what Potts will be. I just don’t see any major flashes that get me real excited. I don’t hate the kid and I don’t think he’s the worst ever. But I would rather someone else be given the keys.

are absolutely terrible and will continue to account for at least one int and a few >_< moments every single game if they don’t change, but you are correct in the respect that his decision-making and pocket presence are improving. We’ll see how the QB derby shakes out this spring, but I’d say he’s got a solid shot at being named the starter going forward.

I won’t say that Potts is the worst QB ever at Tech. But to compare him to GH’s sophomore year isn’t accurate either in my opinion. GH had almost 2x the TD to INT ratio. I know the number of ints is the same, but I have always been a fan of the TD to INT ratio and they aren’t even in the same ballpark. If TP had another 2 years I’d be more inclined to wait through the growing pains, but he only has one left. As an upper classman his performance should be compared to the string of senior QBs Leach brought through or Kliff’s junior year. Honestly, I don’t really have time to go look up their stats since I’m at work or I would.

I agree that there should be some concern about Sheffield getting broken even worse over a 12 game season… he had to get a pin in his foot after 2 games.

I’d love to see Doege or Karam get some time in with the young WRs this summer and make Leach consider another 3 or 4 year run like we had with GH. The reason we had so much success with GH is he had 3 years of true game time experience. I hate to list these names, but just think of Tebow, Mccoy, and Bradford… none of those guys are senior starters or even 2 year starters for that matter. I know Leach thinks a year on his practice field out behind the Jones is equal to a season as starter, but he is wrong.

My personal assessment of where Potts is at in his technique is roughly what we could expect from an excellent sophomore or great RS freshman… hopefully Doege or Karam will fit that mold and be able to give us the season we are poised for next year and then continue to improve for the next few years to come beyond that even.

I still find myself wondering what would have happened if Sticks never would have been injured.

I think we all here really agree at this point and that is that we don’t care a lot about who is the QB but that he can win! GH is the winnist QB in TTech history and not just because he played for 3 yrs.(even though that helped). Also I think we have great potential with the other QB’s down the roster. TTech O is very young and I look forward to next year’s version. Lastly to Sticks, he is rather slight but if he broke his foot when the Neb. Dlineman kick him then alot of players would have a broken foot. It just seemed to be a fluky kind of injury. Anyway, Cowboy Stadium is unbelievable and TTech does have a great football future. I’m glad I’m a Red Raider not a osu(copycat) because at the end of the day TTech is sitting much better than them! Wreck’Em!

It is that simple. The head coach has remarked, on a number of occasions, that no one has really stepped up at qb. It is not an issue between qb ‘a’ vs ‘b’. There is no one who is consistent. That is the problem.

It showed on Mike Leach’s face during the post game interview. He showed a clearly worried look over the challenge of getting to a higher level of consistency…actually he was talking more in terms of team play…before or for the bowl game. He is clearly puzzled.

Potts did have a squence of plays in which he was pretty effective. He also looked out of sync part of the time. I saw drops from players who I thought could have caught the ball.

I cannot understand a guy like Detron Lewis being passed by anyone in the reciever corps, that does not compute, it is opened ended in my thinking an perhaps an indicater of something that I do not understand.

One more game to enjoy ! I am happy for that !!

We won because Baylor let us start our 2 TD drives at their 32 and 36, not because Potts or the offense had a much improved second half, IMO. Two things trouble me going into the bowl game and next year. (1) I see Potts making the same mistakes he made early in the year, and (2) there seems to be a void in leadership (you say where) that results in a team that may or may not show up at every game.

The University of North Dakota won its game Saturday to finish the year 6-5, second place in their conference. The game was eerily similar to ours. They played the Bears (of Western Arkansas) and won a close came in which they had to hold off a rally at the end. Two rallies actually. UND blocked two field goal attempts in the 4th quarter to win 17-16.

I guess we may never know, so why dwell on the things we can’t change. We can what if this season all day long. What if Potts never got a concussion, what if our recievers never dropped a pass that hit them in the hands, and the list can go on and on. Personally, I don’t think it’s fair to compair any player or team to the one that came before them. Why? Because that is not who they are. Each person brings different things to the table. You do not have the same qualities as your brother or sister. If or when you played, was it fair to compair you to the person who you replaced. No, because you were not them. For those that have played the game, just remember what it was like to be in their shoes. The games you should have won but lost, the ones you should have lost but won, and all the ones in between. It’s why we played.

Let’s not forget that this is football, heck it’s sports as a whole, on any given day anything can happen. This has been a year of unexplainable events and why did this or that happen. So here is what i think. God has a plan for each of those men on the team and just as He gave them the ability to do what they do, He can give them a heck of a time getting it done. I have had the opportunity to talk to some players and their parents through the year and have told them this very thing. I don’t know why they are going through such a rough time, but I can’t help but think that God has great things planned for their them. You know, God tells us that He WILL give us trials and tribulation but will not give any more than what we can handle. And that when those have past, we will be lifted up above where we started so long as we trust in him and keep the faith.

So keep the faith. Something tells me there is a whole lot of good stuff coming… Be Blessed

He’s gotten better. Pocket presence and making quick decisions, mostly. It’s either his accuracy or the receiver’s hands not being able to catch his 100 MPH footballs, but there’s still something missing there. Maybe its our semi-newbie receiving corps who can’t catch his hard thrown passes or run fast enough to get there when they’re overthrown on deep routes.

I think the disappointment comes from a lot of people who were not expecting a huge drop-off in the level of quarterback play and leadership over the last few years, given that they had 3 years to find and prep the next guy. I think Leach is setting us up to win big next year, and I’m excited about that, no matter who is throwing the ball.

I have to agree with you on this, Seth.

What I dont get is the hate heaped on this kid. Especially the unsubstantiatable, (is that a word?), and unquantifiable mularkey that passes for analysis about him.

Stuff like:

He throws off his back foot. So what? Harrell threw off his tip toes.
 
Team mates wont play for him?Bull$hit!!! Tell that to Torres last week and Leong this week. They made spectacular plays for their QB. Potts is making throws that he completes that have to be made. Especially when A) the db isnt looking or B) the ball is places where only his WR can make a play on the ball and the WR is actually making it. I call your attention to the fade to Leong in the endzone that drew a flag.

Sheffield just wants to win more than Potts WTF?!?!?!

Cant compare GH Soph year because TP is a Junior? Really? one whole year difference? C’mon! I havent looked at the stats for that year but I will bet that we didnt have half the rushing TDs we have this year.

Injuries Sheffield gets the starry-eyed speculation of what if he was never hurt….what if Potts doesnt get a concussion? What if Potts had a gelled OLine the whole season?

Win “X” started by Sheffield could not have been won by Potts etc…Again based on what? Sure its your gut instinct but unless you have a Time Machine with FWD and RWD button you cannot compare the two possibilities. The statement earlier that EVEN Doege could have won such and such a game is just going out of your way to $hit on a guy.

However we as a fan base feels about our QB situation, I think one positive came from all this mess: Leach has a better handle on how to handle this in the future. I’ve always been a bit hard on Leach, and often times I think I’m right on the money. But I must give him credit for admitting that he has handled this in a less than stellar manner this year. To his credit, again, he has never had to do this sort of thing with a QB so it was new for him. I seriously doubt we’ll ever have the QB yo-yo effect again as long as Leach is the HC.

I do think that the job will be up for grabs in the spring when Potts, Sheffield, Doege and whomever else will have had this season to learn and hopefully grow. Plus, I am guessing they will all be fully healthy when they compete for this gig. I’m looking forward to how that all shakes itself out.

The great Captain will play those that are ready to make all the plays 9given the choice) (and did you not see Sheff still limping on the sidelines?) the receivers need to make more catches, the line needs to provide quality time in the pocket, the corners need to come up, perhaps we need helmets like Missouri’s (those were fantastic this weekend), Detron needs to get open more, Carter should have kept his mouth shut and mohawk on. and here we are at the beginning of December with a better record than OU and Texas still sucks.

Clint Longley had a good game once also.

1) I think that Potts might benefit greatly from a spring with an actual QB as a QB coach. You mentioned mechanics and that might be fixable. I think we saw in the game what kind of effect Cumbie had on Potts as, after the first pick, he started to do things like slide up and out of the pocket instead of back-peddling madly and throwing off his back foot. That was pretty great to see.

2) I think, after the season we had, that the QB competition will be fully, 100% open. 4 guys will be competing for that spot, 2 seniors, a sophomore and a RS Freshman. The true freshman is the only player that won’t get a shot and that’s because he won’t be here for the spring. I’m fairly certain that it’s going to come down to Potts and Sheffield, though. The bowl game may give us our first glance at how Leach will handle the two QB’s this spring.

3) Speaking of 2 QB’s… how do you manage that for the bowl? Potts has been more comfortable than before, Sheff’s got the fans clamoring for him to get back on the field. Personally, I’d leave it up to them, either on the field or by mutual decision. Wouldn’t that be odd.

isn’t the worst ever by far but we have to find a leader for this offense. Tech is known for it’s passing game and this year has proved the “system” can’t be ran by just anybody. Nothing personal against Potts by this Red Raider but I just can’t see him being the QB we all expect him to be. Yes, the bar is set higher now that Tech has better athletes and is being viewed on national television more. If we want to succeed we need to hold players and coaches to a higher standard or we remain an average team meeting bowl eligibility. I think Leach knows this and will make the correct choices for this team. I want a QB that full of fire and executes when a game is close. Harrell was perfect for Tech and met that criteria. There are at least 2 players and one on the way that can compete for the starting position. I just hope all these guys get a chance to compete without it being a default to somewhat experienced senior at QB next season.

that Mike Leach is the Coach and the no one on this site (including me) has any say in decisions on player personnel or play calling for Texas Tech Football.
Ya’ll are GREAT fans, with a passion for your team, but when it comes to running a team…

 I believe you need to be standing on the sideline, amongst the players with their expectations, futures and the weight of the program on your shoulders to truly be able to evaluate the potential of any team member. Stats and figures make interesting history but become meaningless once the coin is tossed. Leach has proved time and again that he can find and develop the gritty drive in his players to over come the athletic superiority of rival programs. I see no reason to doubt his judgment in future campaigns.

If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future.
Winston Churchill

Is responsible for a win or a loss, regardless of who is the QB. Since Leach sees who does what during the practice sessions and selects the starter from what he observes, then I must believe he is starting the person who is showing him the most. All I hope for is this team gets a win in the bowl game. After that, everything goes back to square one. Tech should be a bit better next year. But so will A&M, Baylor, OU, UT and OSU in the South. ISU, K-State & UM should be better next year, too, in the North, with KU NU & CU all probably having a down year. Regardless of who starts at QB for Tech next year, the Raiders will need to work hard for each and every win, with none being a guarantee. And, may the best man, in Leach’s eyes, win the QB trophy.

Leach’s offensive system can make a lot of compromises on QBs. They don’t need the strongest arm; they don’t have to be 6’4" to see receivers downfield; they don’t need to be able to memorize an NFL-sized playbook. What they do need is the ability to be coached; to be molded into what the offense needs them to be: efficient distributors of the rock who make solid pre-snap reads and throw catchable balls.

Rewind, if you will, to the post-game following the win over the Fighting Sioux. Potts acknowledged in the post-game presser that he wasn’t stepping into throws and generally displayed poor passing mechanics. 11 friggin’ games later, not only is he still not stepping into half of his throws, but he has incorporated a new, barn door-like delivery in which he stands flatfooted and swings passes sidearmed.

Potts obviously has the natural talent, but I’m beginning to wonder if there aren’t parts of his game that will never be coached out of him. I don’t accept the notion that the issue of his mechanics have simply gone unnoticed by the coaches- Potts himself knew about them after just one start. His talent might actually be his worst enemy, as he’s able to succeed fairly often even while displaying some really bad habits… but Brett Favre Mk II he is not.