While I don't expect Akili Smith, Jr. to come in and raise our offense to another level, I hope that he gets some playing time the rest of the season so that the coaches can evaluate whether he could be the answer long-term at Oregon. If not, they may need to replace our entire QB room sooner rather than later.

IMHO, Dylan Raiola or Brock Thomas should be the starter and you play the hotter hand that week (don't wait until the 4th quarter to make the change, if one is struggling). If Akili Smith, Jr. lights it up then perhaps he gets the start next week.

What are your thoughts on how the coaches should handle the QB room the rest of the season?

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by OregonDucks

If they use KJ in read option, it would open up run game IMO, he might just make the zone run game go. They can also ditch the wildcat and go with an empty RPO for a quick pass or keeper run. They could even use a RB as his lead and get another blocker at the point of attack. I think we would be better on second down and on time with the sticks and for sure third and short. I would also see what factor he brings pulling the ball and running when Pass Pro breaks down.

I'd have already run some scripted series for him.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by dazednconfused

I say send QB coach Bro packing and bring in anybody that knows what their doing ASAP. Harington? Helfrich? Akili Sr? I don't care. Lanning should pay them out of pocket if he needs to. Whatever it takes to get a dang adult in the QB room because that has been the heart of the problem this season.

Moore needed to read the field better. Raiola needs to improve his mechanics. Smith Jr needs to understand the position at the college level. Tight End guy/ QB coach knows non of that and it has shown game after game. Any QB coach that knew what they were doing could have done something with a 5 star another 5 star and a 4 star to work with.

Until they have a coach that knows what they're doing, it won't matter which under coached kid you put out there so it might as well be Akili.

26 minutes ago, The Kamikaze Kid said:

Until they have a coach that knows what they're doing, it won't matter which under coached kid you put out there so it might as well be Akili.

I disagree about throwing a kid that isn't ready out there to the wolves. It could ruin any chance they have of making a real impact with a real OC and a real QB coach.

Is he just going to go out there and get wrecked and lose all confidence? Are these coaches going to realistically put him in position to actually be successful or is he an attempted bandaid for an offense that is bleeding out?

Would any game expirence, even if bad, outweigh these possible detriments to his development?

I get the merit of wanting to try out a young guy in in trying out a guy who is not ready are we doing them a disservice?

My feeling is that after a year of practice if a player isnt ready for game time they should move along. Maybe transfer to a Portland State level team. I come from the school of hard knocks so my feelings may be different than some.

49 minutes ago, David Marsh said:

I disagree about throwing a kid that isn't ready out there to the wolves. It could ruin any chance they have of making a real impact with a real OC and a real QB coach.

Is he just going to go out there and get wrecked and lose all confidence? Are these coaches going to realistically put him in position to actually be successful or is he an attempted bandaid for an offense that is bleeding out?

Would any game expirence, even if bad, outweigh these possible detriments to his development?

I get the merit of wanting to try out a young guy in in trying out a guy who is not ready are we doing them a disservice?

Lanning said they've had some packages for him, I don't think KJ would be getting fed to the wolves if he sees the field. The kid is built like Cam Newton with the big arm as well, and I'd use him in ways like they did Cam.

Gus Malzhan would go empty and spread the WR's out, then run power and counter for Cam. He had Jet Motion Sweep zone/read with RB Dyer they ran. I'd run that with Dak as the jet in full sprint and teams would be caught off guard.

Edited 27 minutes ago27 min by dazednconfused

31 minutes ago, 1Ducker1 said:

My feeling is that after a year of practice if a player isnt ready for game time they should move along. Maybe transfer to a Portland State level team. I come from the school of hard knocks so my feelings may be different than some.

Agreed. If your freaken 4/5 star QBs are no where near field ready by year two in the system then fire the guy who wasted the team's time and resources on that player. The Ducks have brought in a galaxy of stars QB recruits and yet can't seem to find one in the last ten years that's field ready.

Meanwhile just up the road the Beavers are becoming a playoff dark horse behind an FCS quarterback, a no star receiver and a first year coach.

I highly doubt Akili sees the field. Lanning is fighting for his coaching life right now. He is fighting to keep his kids in Eugene schools.

DL is not going to put a kid out there that has no idea what he is doing. If DM and DR can't play the position with a combined 12,000 career passing yard, what makes anyone think this coaching staff has Akili, who is somewhere around zero career passing yards, can get the job done.

Not sure how this is even a consideration at this point.

Edited 14 minutes ago14 min by Log Haulin

I'm sure that the coaching staff can get Akili Smith, Jr. in the game with a limited playbook based on what he is capable of executing. Again, I'm not calling for him to be the starter but I really hope the coaches give him an opportunity to show what he can do sometime this season. They need some game tape to evaluate.

9 minutes ago, Log Haulin said:

I highly doubt Akili sees the field. Lanning is fighting for his coaching life right now. He is fighting to keep his kids in Eugene schools.

DL is not going to put a kid out there that has no idea what he is doing. If DM and DR can't play the position with a combined 12,000 career passing yard, what makes anyone think this coaching staff has Akili, who is somewhere around zero career passing yards, can get the job done.

Not sure how this is even a consideration at this point.

In other words we're getting our rear ends kicked today.

7 minutes ago, Log Haulin said:

I highly doubt Akili sees the field. Lanning is fighting for his coaching life right now. He is fighting to keep his kids in Eugene schools.

DL is not going to put a kid out there that has no idea what he is doing. If DM and DR can't play the position with a combined 12,000 career passing yard, what makes anyone think this coaching staff has Akili, who is somewhere around zero career passing yards, can get the job done.

Not sure how this is even a consideration at this point.

DM or DR aren't doing zone/read, and they for sure aren't running QB draw/power/counter RPO out of an empty set.

Cam Newton ran for over 1400 yards. If you put KJ in you might just get your zone running game going again and for sure the defense didn't game plan to defend him.