Donald Duck Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Whatever, Meathead. The discussion is a bit semantics and a bit pointless distinctions. Any guy who played QB in college (both Young and Smith) who played in a spread option offense can probably effectively run the Wildcat. Guys like Cam Newton, Colin Kapernick, etc. It's football. If you're worried about Young getting injured you don't make him your primary backup… you keep Thiggy or get someone else who will be the "conventional" backup quarterback. You use Young as a "third-down quarterback" who comes in as a change of pace… someone who can run or throw on a 3rd and 3. Call him your number 3 quarterback if it makes you happy. One of my points is that Brad Smith has proven zero in terms of his "versatility." That makes his skill set redundant to Young's. How many teams have a player like Brad Smith who is supposedly versatile and who supposedly saves roster spots? What value does he really add? IMO, keep the better player not both of them. You're gonna have to dumb down the offense for Young anyways based on the fact that he's just learning it and the offensive system is entering its 3rd year. You can keep Thiggy on the roster then… call him your "backup"… or call him your "disaster QB"… call him whatever pleases you. Just because people don't agree with the "distinctions" between a 2nd and a 3rd quarterback doesn't make them wrong. And as I said in an earlier conversation on this topic a few weeks ago… I'd be pleased as punch if Brad Smith suddenly started playing well enough to justify his roster spot. But in my opinion, he hasn't done that yet. I also have not been very impressed with Brad Smiths contributions to the football team, just the opposite actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I always ask myself why we are keeping Brad Smith on the roster at all? Whether VY makes the team or not, Smith isn't worth the money or roster spot, based on what I saw of him last year. He has a long history in the league. Have you looked into it at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 (edited) I still think that having Josh Nesbitt on the roster as a safety makes this whole "3rd QB" position a wasted roster spot anyway. In an emergency, Nesbitt can step in as 'disaster QB' just like he did last season - or, for that matter, run the "wildcat" or "spread option" (whatever we want to call it these days), just like he did at Georgia Tech (and the reason Gailey recruited him there) - which makes keeping Smith even harder to justify. GO BILLSSS!!!! 19 and 0 baby!!!!! . Edited August 12, 2012 by The Senator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 He has a long history in the league. Have you looked into it at all? I know his history. I saw him play with the Jets. I liked the signing when we got him. But he was disappointing in every respect last year. He was horrendous--tentative and slow--as a KR. Rogers proved to be instant upgrade. He was terrible as a WR--bad route-running and bad hands. He was mediocre as a wildcat QB--converting a few 3rd and shorts and that's it. Based on what we paid him, he was supposed to be a game-changing part of the offense and ST. He was not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Whatever, Meathead. The discussion is a bit semantics and a bit pointless distinctions. Any guy who played QB in college (both Young and Smith) who played in a spread option offense can probably effectively run the Wildcat. Guys like Cam Newton, Colin Kapernick, etc. It's football. If you're worried about Young getting injured you don't make him your primary backup… you keep Thiggy or get someone else who will be the "conventional" backup quarterback. You use Young as a "third-down quarterback" who comes in as a change of pace… someone who can run or throw on a 3rd and 3. Call him your number 3 quarterback if it makes you happy. One of my points is that Brad Smith has proven zero in terms of his "versatility." That makes his skill set redundant to Young's. How many teams have a player like Brad Smith who is supposedly versatile and who supposedly saves roster spots? What value does he really add? IMO, keep the better player not both of them. You're gonna have to dumb down the offense for Young anyways based on the fact that he's just learning it and the offensive system is entering its 3rd year. You can keep Thiggy on the roster then… call him your "backup"… or call him your "disaster QB"… call him whatever pleases you. Just because people don't agree with the "distinctions" between a 2nd and a 3rd quarterback doesn't make them wrong. And as I said in an earlier conversation on this topic a few weeks ago… I'd be pleased as punch if Brad Smith suddenly started playing well enough to justify his roster spot. But in my opinion, he hasn't done that yet. Another way of putting it might be to say Brad Smith is an "offensive tweener". A good athlete that's not truly set at a particular position. The connotations of calling him a "tweener" seem more apt than faint praise of his versatility, as he really hasn't produced consistently at a high level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caracara Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 IMHO Vince will get better at the passing-game during the preseason and you'll come to see him more as a QB who can improvise/run, instead of a running QB. If Fitz got hurt and you put VY at QB and gave him 8 designed running plays a game, from the wildcat or not, he's going to get hurt before you know it, then you're down to #3. Same with Brad Smith. Neither of those guys are built for that kind of beating in the NFL. In fact the 2nd team 'running" QB would get extra attention from the defense once he crossed the LOS, and Smith and Young are not compactly built like Tebow. At the same time, if Fitz was healthy you could put in either of those two guys for a change of pace or to stick it in the endzone from inside the 7 yrd line. I know Vince is very good at that. So...if Fitz goes down, the 2nd string QB needs to be able to distribute, which means he must be at least a decent hunker of that thing we call a pigskin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghilley Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Yeah, he can do a lot of things for this team. Question is....can he do those things better than other players who will sucure back-up positions? I would argue that Brooks, Bradham, and Carder more than fill his shoes on special teams. Third QB? Really? I'd almost rather have Michael Jasper under center. We all saw how consistently mediocre he was on kickoff returns last season. Also, I don't think he is a top 7 WR on this team right now. All these things considered....I don't think Brad Smith makes the 53 man roster. Of course he makes the team! Brad Smith is a football legend where he's from, coming out of college with a skillset similar to Tebow's except he's faster and more athletic. Brad Smith will be a major contributor this year I still think that having Josh Nesbitt on the roster as a safety makes this whole "3rd QB" position a wasted roster spot anyway. In an emergency, Nesbitt can step in as 'disaster QB' just like he did last season - or, for that matter, run the "wildcat" or "spread option" (whatever we want to call it these days), just like he did at Georgia Tech - which makes keeping Smith even harder to justify. I reminded a friend of mine a few days ago about Josh Nesbitt, and what he did at GT when Gailey was the coach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 maybe i missed it. probably. The way it has been explained to me is that if the second string qb comes in the first string Fitz has to sit the rest of the game. so a wildcat almost has to be, by the rules, the 3rd stringer. My opinion is we need a better back up to Fitz than either Young or Thignacious Pen, as they have played so far and Young has more upside but still. Brad will be succesful if Gailey can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I reminded a friend of mine a few days ago about Josh Nesbitt, and what he did at GT when Gailey was the coach What did you tell him? Nesbitt came in a few games as a 3rd down rushing specialist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I reminded a friend of mine a few days ago about Josh Nesbitt, and what he did at GT when Gailey was the coach He didn't do much - Gailey recruited him out of H.S. as a rusher, then got fired as GT's head coach after Nesbitt's freshman season. But Nesbitt had a great career at GT under Paul Johnson (after Gailey) until he broke his arm in Nov. of his senior year... Joshua Nesbitt: The Runner Still, I'm sure Gailey is aware of Josh Nesbitt's talent at the QB position and remembers why he recruited Nesbitt to Georgia Tech, as evidenced by these two back-to-back plays as a freshman QB (while Gailey was still head coach)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 He didn't do much - Gailey recruited him out of H.S. as a rusher, then got fired as GT's head coach after Nesbitt's freshman season. But Nesbitt had a great career at GT under Paul Johnson (after Gailey) until he broke his arm in Nov. of his senior year... Still, I'm sure Gailey is aware of Josh Nesbitt's talent at the QB position and remembers why he recruited Nesbitt to Georgia Tech, as evidenced by these two back-to-back plays as a freshman QB (while Gailey was still head coach)... Exactly. Nesbitt came in on special packages under Gailey as a freshman. It wasn't until after Gailey was fired and Paul Johnson was hired and brought in a completely different offense that Nesbitt really became a factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playman Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 fiedler´s in the house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanCity Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Anybody know what happened to Levi Brown (the QB, not the LT)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Exactly. Nesbitt came in on special packages under Gailey as a freshman. It wasn't until after Gailey was fired and Paul Johnson was hired and brought in a completely different offense that Nesbitt really became a factor. To be completely fair, I'm pretty sure Chan had plans for Nesbitt, and Nesbitt likely would likely have had a decent college career under Gailey. (Gailey certainly gets the credit for recruiting the kid to Georgia Tech.) Unfortunately Chan was already running out of time at GT, as there was already a "Fire Gailey Now" campaign underway (one that should seem very familiar to Bills fans of late)... Link - Fire Chan Gailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 To be completely fair, I'm pretty sure Chan had plans for Nesbitt, and Nesbitt likely would likely have had a decent college career under Gailey. (Gailey certainly gets the credit for recruiting the kid to Georgia Tech.) Unfortunately Chan was already running out of time at GT, as there was already a "Fire Gailey Now" campaign underway (one that should seem very familiar to Bills fans of late)... Link - Fire Chan Gailey Chan did alright in the recruiting department. But, getting back to the original point, crediting Chan for Nesbitt's career is sort of like giving Pete McCulley all the credit for the golden era of 49ers football. BTW, Nesbitt fit in well in Paul Johnson's flexbone offense. He was never what I would consider a consistent passer however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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