Phillips should start the rest of the year

[stebo]

Now that we have officially burned Philiip's Red Shirt - I think he should get the rest of the year's starts. Meager had ample opportunity to show us his leadership skills and they are non-existent. Everyone atributes the turn-around to Dickey in 2001 - but the real reason we turned this baby around was because of Scott Hall. He led on and off the field. He was the teams' biggest cheerleader and pumped them up when they needed it. He also had the confidence to believe that we could come back from any deficit. I don't see that fire in Meager. I have been waiting for it all year and it just isn't in him. I see that confidence... that extra step... in Phillips. Even a casual observer from Florida remarked that Meager just hung his head on the sidelines and sulked in the corner while Phillips was energizing the whole team into coming back at the FAU game. Phillips is our future - he is a lot like Scott in his demeanor. He was recruited last minute and has something to prove like Scott did (Scott was recruited as a DE with the promise to be given a "shot" at playing QB if he outshined the rest of the QB's in practice)...

I say that we start Phillips the rest of the way this season so that we have an adequate foundation of knowledge to draw from come spring ball. Right now we know that he can bring us back from a deficit - we just don't know if he can do that consistently. Who knows, Meager might turn out to be the better of the two when it comes to game-day QB's but we have to play Phillips the rest of the year to find out. This isn't about hurting someone's feelings or punishing a guy for having a bad season-it is about finding the best man for the job next year... and that starts with giving Phillips a shot at a full week of practice with the starters, a full start with no questions marks or asterisks by it, and a full game o see if he can establish the pass to set up the run. I know that Meager is fast as hell and would be a SPECTACULAR option type of QB - but I honestly do not believe that Dickey will ever change his game play calling - so we need the best fit for his system out on the field.

Next year we will not have to worry about making two RB's happy with PT and our OL should be able to get in a better groove - it has got to be a hinderance blocking for two drastically different runners. JaMo in a dasher and Pat is a power runner - they both require different types of blocking assignments. If we can pull through the 05 season with a new QB to look towards the future then i think next year will be a very special year. But we can't wait until Spring ball to let the QB's battle it out, Meager has shown what he can do, now it is time to give Matt a chance to show his stuff.

[kj86]

Agreed. Unless and until he shows good reason not to stick with him, I say we go with Matt.

[Danish42]

Agreed.  Unless and until he shows good reason not to stick with him,  I say we go with Matt.

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I second and third that.

[meangreendork]

I concur. Danny, with more composure would do great with a Spread-Option offense, but he's still shaky in the pocket and DD won't play that style ball anytime soon. But for the rest of the year, let's see what Matt can do. He did wonders on the fly, let's see how he does when he's got the whole week and the whole game to do his thing.

BTW-

Could any of you imagine Hall at DE?

[stebo]

Hall at DE would have been a waste.... kind of like Phillips sitting on the bench. Time to start Matt.

[FirefightnRick]

I'm not counting Danny out of it just yet. He's still not completely healthy. But he showed me a lot of confidence, composure and leadership against LSU. I stated that we would see a different offense the next week against ULL, and we did. Given a full season for his shoulder to heal DM would be tough for Phillips to beat out. If Phillips gets the nod next season we had better have our O line situation sealed up tight to prevent Phillips from having to avoid the rush too much. Either that or hide his cement shoes from him he was wearing that night against Tulsa.

By the way, I had remembered that Hall was recruited as a DB?

Rick

[Guest JohnDenver]

By the way, I had remembered that Hall was recruited as a DB?

He was. He was a safety. UNT was the only school to say he could compete for the QB job.

[catman12]

He should definitely be given an opportunity to show what he has. From what I've heard about the FAU game, he did a nice job. Let's see if he could be our QB for the future.

[Got5onIt]

any word on who starts?

[TIgreen01]

Meager's sideline presense definitely raises question marks with me. Every time I looked down to the bench this season to look for him, he'd be sitting all by himself...talking to no one.

[stebo]

Meager's sideline presense definitely raises question marks with me.  Every time I looked down to the bench this season to look for him, he'd be sitting all by himself...talking to no one.

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Yep, he is definitely the silent type - we need a vocal leader like Scott and Booger... that is what we are missing this year the most.

[FirefightnRick]

we need a vocal leader like Scott and Booger... that is what we are missing this year the most.

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That and the ability to block, tackle, catch.......

Rick

[meangreendork]

Well, even with the 2003 squad (as good as that D was, and as insanely killer as the DB's were) the team still had problems tackling. Arm tackles don't count and shoulder hits don't work if you don't have enough force. When I did play football, they taught me to wrap up, and as the smallest guy on the team as as a CB, that was the only way I'd be useful.

I'm telling you though-

I really miss Craig Jones. Seeing #22 creeping around back there gave me a certain sense of security that hasnt been there all season, especially with Jonas Buckles gone.

Speaking of Buckles- Anyone remember the hit he delivered during one of the home games last season? I think it was a NMSU WR that went up for the pass- Buckles nailed the guy midair at fullspeed. The ball popped out, the WR dropped to the turf and didn't move for at least 5 seconds after that. That was a MONSTER hit.

[nuggets]

That and the ability to block, tackle, catch.......

Rick

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Give it up Rick. Danny is not the one we need at QB!

[UNTBill]

Give it up Rick. Danny is not the one we need at QB!

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I agree Danny hasn't been very effective at QB.

I'm still not convinced that Matt is the future.

Only one way to find out--Let him start and play

the entire 2 games we have left.

[Bassulike]

Hello from S. Florida. I was the casual observer regarding the Phillips - Meager situation. As some of you may know, we were on the 50 yard line - 1st row at Dolphins stadium and was able to observe everything.

I was one of the person's singing Matt Phillips' praises and kind of bashing Meager. Again, I'm starting to really like the Mean Green football team and so I feel comfortable about making honest comments on your board.

Meager did leave with a concussion and that might be the reason he didn't come up to Phillips and really "be" into the game. However, I've only seen one of your games and might not be qualified to make a good judgement.

The reason why I say this, is because when Chris Leak came to the Univ. of Florida (as you might know, I'm a gator fan and alumnus) he didn't talk too much for the first 2 years until our new coach made him become a vocal leader. Meager, being a freshman, I believe, might be shy too. Maybe he tries to lead by example, I'm not sure.

As a leader, Matt Phillips, another freshman, just seemed to really do his best to gel with his teammates better (again, I don't know their personal relationships with each other). If I was a coach, I would want a vocal leader. When I watched the game against FAU, Matt Phillips was hugging teammates and was getting in the game. I would like to see Meager do the same.

When Phillips came into the game, he seemed to have no fear and nothing to lose and just started slinging the ball around. His passes were sharp and pretty darn accurate. I do think the future looks bright for N. Texas. Best of luck.

Andy