OK. let's review our discussion of AJ

J

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Damn Good Rat
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Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

A.J. we're bee-hind you man! Great job improving. Keep learning and growing and playing smart and we could have some VERY big wins THIS season!

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Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

I have never doubted AJ's physical tools. The thing that has bothered me concerning this kid is his decision making. I would think that the things that have happened to AJ has probably adversely affected his confidence. His losing his job with the Vols along with so many false starts
with us I think have contributed to his overthrows and underthrows and rushing the plays when he had plenty of time to make the plays on so many occasions. I think that AJ played his best
game by far for Tech but on some occasions he would relapse into his old ways when he would have open men and either rush it or hold the ball too long. His receivers dropping a few perfectly thrown balls didn't help his confidence either.
I am encouraged somewhat by the win but I think we will have to kick it into another gear to have a winning season. I can't see us beating anyone but Duke among our remaining schedule. Lord I hope i'm wrong.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

I feel like as long as the guys play smart, play hard, and play together they can do ANYTHING. The senior leadership on this team is outstanding, and sooner or later big breaks are gonna start going our way. A little faith goes a LONG way and I've got faith in our Jackets!!

 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

Big Buck, maybe here's the difference between us. I don't make predictions about games or seasons. (other than for the predictions contest). What I mean by that is I'm not worried about our last 4 games. I know we can beat NCSU. I also know we can lose. The odds are probably higher for the later but we clearly have the talent and ability to win in Raleigh.

In my view we are progressing as a team. We have overcome a great deal of adversity and have suffered through some poor play. Our O-Line is getting better, our D is top 20 in points allowed, AJ is looking better, our running game is still producing. Are we a great team? NO. Are we getting the most out of our talent? Probably not. But the potential for a great game is still there.

I don't believe one game has anything to do with another. Just because we lost to Clemson and State beat them doesn't mean we will lost to State. The matchups are different, the emotions will be and the ball takes some funny bounces.

What truly baffles me about many who post here is a seeming need to look at the worst side of everything. Maybe it's not being near Atlanta and having a different perspective. I can tell you that most area fans I talk with think we are still a very dangerous team which has suffered an unbelieveable number of key injuries. Very few think we are down for the count. Why do we?
 
OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

Young Mr Suggs has played as well as any 1st yr GT QB up to this point, with the possible exception of Godsey, maybe. His only hangup was driving us into winning position late & then making a bonehead play so that we don't actually pull it out. I still think AJ's played very well & if U want to review your posts of 1 week ago, here it is: 'AJ's very good, just snakebit'
It appears that Suggs is still getting better & improving. GT will only go as far as AJ takes us so we all better get behind him if we're gonna make the finishing run we all want. With a little more confidence, AJ could have a sensational Sr season, & may yet finish with a VERY GOOD Jr season.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

He played a helluva game yesterday... hopefully his confidence will improve.... I think that is his biggest challenge right now... confidence in himself and the system....
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

Good point re. the OL. They played very well. AJ had the time and was able to go through the progressions. After a few dropped passes I began wondering how he'd respond. I was expecting the worst, more inconsistency, etc. However, He just kept hitting the receivers in their hands and more often times than not, the passes were completions. This was a quality win against a hot team, and AJ played his part perfectly. He even recovered the bad snap from Reily, which again I thought would have shaken his nerves.

Now it's on to the dogpack with a great win and some confidence under our belts. Let's leave them licking their wounds and running with their tails between their legs home for mamma!

THWG!!
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

Ace, I don't think you can say's he's best first year quarterback Tech has had outside of Godsey. I think you could make the case that Shawn Jones, John Dewberry, and possibly Mike Kelley were all better. He had a very good game against UVA but UVA has s shaky defense. Even during their win streak, they were giving up over 400 yards per game. Of the 8 games Tech has played, six have been against below average to poor defenses (Vandy, UConn, BYU, UNC, Wake, and UVA). Only 1 team, Clemson, had a good defense. Maryland's defense is average. We will face 3 good defenses in the next 4 games. Suggs will need to start throwing the mid to deep ball better. NC State will play tighter coverages. UGA and FSU have been vulnerable to the deep ball. If he can play well against those 3 teams, I will start to believe he can get the job done.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

AJ did play much better,but compared to what?-his past performances.The OFF line did a wonderful blocking job esp on passes.IT is what I would expect from a Jr QB at this level.
What did you think of the UVa QB? (and he was going against the Tech Def.) He is JR by the way.
If AJ wins 2 of next 4, THEN I will jump on his bandwagon and get off his case.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

AJ is a smart kid who works hard. He will tend to make few mistakes and few fantastic plays. He fits with Gailey like a glove. You typically look for this type in college for the backup roll. Bilbo on the other hand will make some really bad mistakes but also make some plays that we would talk about for years. Think young Joe Hamilton. I remember people talking about benching Hamilton as well his sophomore year but O'leary stuck with him because he was the most talented athlete. We are missing a chance to develop a qb who could be an all american for the sake of minimizing mistakes.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

gtmg I think you got part of that wrong. Joe Ham started because he was the best QB we had. To say our backups at that time would give you few mistakes but few big plays is dead wrong. Our backups were all as inexperience as Joe and could not be counted on to make any fewer mistakes. O'Leary threatened Joe with benching if he didn't stop making mistakes. He didn't stay with him because of his athletic ability, he stuck with him because he did, in fact, stop making the dumb mistakes. As O'Leary and Fridge said, the light finally went on.

Don't take this as a vote for AJ or Bilbo, just setting the record straight. I don't think there is any parallel to be drawn between then and now.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

I would like to see AJ develop a better touch on his corner endzone passes, read the defenses quicker, look off the primary receiver, and run the option more effectively.

These are areas where signifiant improvement can come through teaching and practice.

Good coaching will see that it happens.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

When Joe Hamilton first started for TECH he was not really the best QB we had at that time....Brandon Shaw was. But Coach O'leary saw the unlimited potential that Joe had and went with him over Shaw for the long run....a move that paid dividends for four years....and should have resulted in a Heisman for Joe.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

Good call Beeware... and I agree that Joe should have won the Heisman that year.... I think we also have to consider that O'Leary had the luxury of time as well... expectations were not as high in 1997 as they are today... he could afford to take the time to develop a QB like Joe... and he had RF to lean on to get that done...
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

I know Brandon was the other QB but to be honest don't remember anything about him that would have led anyone to think he was the best choice at the time. I do remember him playing in Joe's first game at NCSU, but he didn't do anything to make me think he should have been playing. I don't have the luxury of seeing practice or anything, but don't remember any groundswell of support for making a QB change.
 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

I have reservations as to who is the best quarterback to play for Tech, but there is no doubt Joe put up the best records and should have won the Heisman Trophy.

 
Re: OK. let\'s review our discussion of AJ

What alot of people seem to forget is that Suggs hasn't played in a real 'game situation' in roughly 2 years. That's a long time for any player, let alone a QB at a D1 school with high expectations. In addition, the last 2 starting QBs at GT have done some pretty remarkable things on the football field. With that said, our expectations for the next starting QB were probably way too high. It's unfair to both Suggs and Bilbo that we expected one or both of them to continue where the others left off. Alot of factors to take into effect, but looking at the numbers, things aren't going so badly at the QB position.
 
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