If All Things Are Even

[GreenN'walinsVet]

From what I can tell in the articles concerning practice it looks like the QB battle is down to a two horse race.

If neither one seperates themsleves over the next 4 days and by the end of Saturday's scrimmage it is basically a tie.

Who gets the starters nod????????

Daniel Meager

Giovanni Vizza

[Got5onIt]

With Wilson apparently out of the race, at this point. I'd say Dodge should just throw the young pup in there. Vizza gets my vote.

[Eagle1855]

Vizza- he's younger, fresher meat.

[jperg2]

Vizza... gets my vote. Came from a passing system should continue.

Meager... inherited from a run oriented system, though when he did throw it wasn't always pretty.

[EagleMBA]

If it is REALLY a dead heat, go with Meager. Vizza confidence could be set back considerably if he can't handle the Oklahoma blitz, and you know they will...early and often...if we are not able to torch them for a couple of big plays early.

Ties go to the incumbent.

[MeanGreengdub]

Vizza. I've never been too impressed with Meager.

[untStein]

Ties go to the incumbent.

Agreed. Meager has experienced his share of hits and rough games. At this point (if things are even of course) he should be by far the mentally tougher QB. Meager gets my vote.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Go with Vizza - he is the youngster, and at this point in time, the future. If he has risen to this point so far, in just a couple of weeks, give him a couple more weeks and he will separate himself from Meager. Just a matter of time.

[Dodge2007]

Go with Vizza - he is the youngster, and at this point in time, the future. If he has risen to this point so far, in just a couple of weeks, give him a couple more weeks and he will separate himself from Meager. Just a matter of time.

That is a valid point. The kid has done wonders in such a short time. As he adjusts to the college game, their really could be more seperation than I thought of. Regardless, Dodge picked a winner in Vizza, whether he starts of not. Starting is not as important as finishing the season. But this kid might do both. O-LINE better step up big time. O-line is our achilles heal right now and that is not good for any QB, more less a freshman.

[greenminer]

Personally I think two-positives cancel each other out, thus WW gets the nod.

But that's just the physicist in me.

[Mean Green 93-98]

If it is REALLY a dead heat, go with Meager. Vizza confidence could be set back considerably if he can't handle the Oklahoma blitz, and you know they will...early and often...if we are not able to torch them for a couple of big plays early.

Ties go to the incumbent.

Exactly right.

[EagleMBA]

So, are some of you saying that you are writing off this season now, as a rebuilding year, and devoting it to developing the young talent we are so blessed with? Do you want to win now or do you want to develop? Seems like two different strategies to me. The original poster's hypothesis was, ceteris paribus, who starts at Zero U. Doesn't matter to me, if the objective is to win...go with the best or most experienced (if it is truly a tie).

[emmitt01]

So, are some of you saying that you are writing off this season now, as a rebuilding year, and devoting it to developing the young talent we are so blessed with? Do you want to win now or do you want to develop? Seems like two different strategies to me. The original poster's hypothesis was, ceteris paribus, who starts at Zero U. Doesn't matter to me, if the objective is to win...go with the best or most experienced (if it is truly a tie).

I don't think you have to choose one or the other. My stance is I'm not writing off this season and I want Vizza to start and take us where I know we can go. Young does not equal rebuilding...if it did our season would have been toast just a short 4 years ago when Patrick Cobbs went down and a youngster named Jamario was handed the job of carrying the load.

Edited August 15, 2007 by emmitt01

[gangrene]

If it is REALLY a dead heat, go with Meager. Vizza confidence could be set back considerably if he can't handle the Oklahoma blitz, and you know they will...early and often...if we are not able to torch them for a couple of big plays early.

It's a good thing Jimmy Johnson and Jim Mora didn't have that same philosophy with Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning. Neither finished their rookie seasons with anything close to a winning record, but the experience they gained helped them become Super Bowl MVPs.

[ntmeangreen11]

Johnathan Ieans.

[Green92]

It's a good thing Jimmy Johnson and Jim Mora didn't have that same philosophy with Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning. Neither finished their rookie seasons with anything close to a winning record, but the experience they gained helped them become Super Bowl MVPs.

That is true but for every Troy Aikman there is a Jeff George.

That said, I have no idea who to start. Glad I'm not a coach. I'll cheer for whomever is out there.

[StrapJr]

As a SBC team, you don't travel to Norman to come home with a win. I believe that the speed Vizza would see against OU would better prepare him for college-level play. Sure, he might come home with 2,3, or even 4 INT's, but trying to learn by watching film is so much more fruitful when you were out on the field under center.

I believe starting Vizza against OU and Arkansas gives us the best chance to accomplish our goals, to win the SBC and a bowl game, even if it is tough to watch at first.

[EagleMBA]

I too am glad I don't have to make the call. There seems to be logical arguments on both sides of this issue. Coach Dodge is the one who works closely with both young men and knows their psyches. If Vizza lines up behind center at OU it will mean two things to me: he clearly won the competion; and, Coach thinks he can handle the mental pressures that will entail. I do believe he will take the long view and wouldn't put him in that situation if he thought it would harm his career.

[GrandGreen]

As a SBC team, you don't travel to Norman to come home with a win. I believe that the speed Vizza would see against OU would better prepare him for college-level play. Sure, he might come home with 2,3, or even 4 INT's, but trying to learn by watching film is so much more fruitful when you were out on the field under center.

I believe starting Vizza against OU and Arkansas gives us the best chance to accomplish our goals, to win the SBC and a bowl game, even if it is tough to watch at first.

I guess you are a fan of the DD philosophy related to playing the "big" boys, collect the pay check and try to keep the score down. In an athletic contest above the pee-wee level, you always go in for the win no matter what the odds are. Frankly, I had rather have a team that played to win and loses by 70 then a team that entered the game with a "no chance" attitude.

I am playing you a little, I really don't think you are advocating less than full effort to win by the team. I just abhorred DD's game plan for this type of games. IMO Dickey did not want to waste any emotional capital on NT at OU type of games and thus gave up the only advantage a big underdog has. DD did not want to stress a game that he though NT did not have a chance at winning and did nothing to obtain the emotional high that most teams have when playing a top tier team.

[Censored by Laurie]

I guess you are a fan of the DD philosophy related to playing the "big" boys, collect the pay check and try to keep the score down. In an athletic contest above the pee-wee level, you always go in for the win no matter what the odds are. Frankly, I had rather have a team that played to win and loses by 70 then a team that entered the game with a "no chance" attitude.

I am playing you a little, I really don't think you are advocating less than full effort to win by the team. I just abhorred DD's game plan for this type of games. IMO Dickey did not want to waste any emotional capital on NT at OU type of games and thus gave up the only advantage a big underdog has. DD did not want to stress a game that he though NT did not have a chance at winning and did nothing to obtain the emotional high that most teams have when playing a top tier team.

Papa Todd is a competitive coach and will play every game for a W...that having been said, Dodge is also a realist who knows his team is overmatched in terms of expirience, speed and talent in Norman and Fayetteville and that to come away with said W ALOT of things are going to have to bounce their way. I don't think that Papa Todd will go in with the "glad to be on the same field" mentality that DD had.

I think its prudent for the futrue of the program...and for the last 8 games of the season...to start Vizza if he proves to be on par or better than the next returnee. Nothing will acclimate Vizza to the speed of the college game like seeing the OU and UA defenses in his first four games of his career.

[Green to the Bone]

Dodge2007 mentioned the importance of the O-line. How, if at all, might the O-line's performance in practice affect the choice of QB? Maybe the more reliable the line, the more likely it is that a rookie would be comfortable. If the line is less than impervious, you might want a veteran who's accustomed to getting flattened with some regularity.

On the other hand, a leaky line might favor the quick and nimble.

[JayDub]

All things being equal, go with the one you haven't tried before.

[KingDL1]

All things being equal, go with the one you haven't tried before.

Some how I doubt all things will be equal, it sound like Vizza is exceeding all expectations.

[meangreendork]

Johnathan Ieans.

Is he still here? I always wanted to see him go up, but I also figured there was a reason he was behind Hall/Smith, then Hall/Byerly/Meager, etc...

[chrisfisher]

If Vizza, a freshman QB, is already on par with the experienced Junior QB, Daniel Meager, than Vizza plays. If Vizza learns this quickly, no telling how good he will be down the road.

Edited August 16, 2007 by chrisfisher