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Comments
When Fromm played so well after Jacob Eason got injured, he was given the opportunity to see how far he could carry the the team. Shouldn't Stetson Bennett be given the same opportunity to see how far he can carry the team?
I think Mike is right that Burton messed up, Mathis was also very late there. But no, if it's on time and the WR is on the same page the DB was behind. I still think Mathis was a little off target and fired it in there because he knew he was late and it was 3rd down. That also contributed to the into.
Totally different situation. Eason was injured and couldn't return for multiple games. By the time he was healthy Jake was QB on a winning streak. I do think fans overrate how good Fromm was. He was very poised but he was carried by our stellar run game. Not a knock on him, but he had some stinkers that didn't matter because we had a great running game.
This situation is different because you're not debating 2 5stars. You're debating between a 4star who may have great talent just needed game reps and a former walk on that once led the nation in interceptions when he played at a much lower level.
I would roll with Stetson again, but what if Kirby feels like Stetson will eventually be figured out and Mathis gives this team a higher ceiling once he shakes off the rust of not playing in 2 years and ever at the college level? Totally different decision this time.
Fans tend to be overly harsh and overly dramatic, but the reality is that everyone WANTS Mathis to to be the guy and take us to a NC, but I'm not sure it's going to happen.
It's not said enough, but football is truly a TEAM sport. Every spot CLAIMS to be a team sport, but if you have a superstar basketball player, that can often be enough to turn an average team into an amazing team. Football requires a lot from the QB and it may be that Mathis just doesn't have "it". That "it" factor isn't just raw skill, but awareness and anticipation but also how the QB leads the team. "It" happens prior to the game even starting, "it" gets the players excited before the game and focused during the game and "it" lets them know exactly what needs to be done.
My bet is that Bennett came in and the other players began to feel more comfortable, pumped, focused and ready.
I'm about to re-watch Mathis' performance, but what I saw was something I'd expect from a true freshman, not a guy that has been on campus for 20 months now. It wasn't just the pick, it wasn't just the run where we could've gotten a first down, it wasn't the throws hitting the backs of linemen or the ill-conceived passes that wound up going for no or even negative yards. It was everything combined. It was a mess and I doubt it'll get much better in the upcoming month or two.
We are all rooting for you D'Wan and I hope to see you kicking butt and leading us into the playoffs, but I don't see it happening. I'm not sure you will start again this season. It sucks, it really does, but that's the truth.
I too was hoping to see Beck, but honestly, we never got to the point to where he could come in and play. We got our lead so late in the game and Mathis clearly needed as many more plays as we could give him. Beck is a true freshman, so someone like that you'd expect to make awesome plays but also bonehead-inexperienced plays that can cost you big time. I suspect we'll see him more as the season progresses. This is also where the G Day game would've been good to see him play.
After watching Mathis again and well, it's tough to tell. He had some close passes that could've been decent plays (like one that could've easily been a TD), but also a mix of bad decisions (his first pass should've been intercepted, he should've gotten an intentional grounding on one of the plays, etc).
We'll see. I still not sure he's "the guy".
Just thinking out loud but the game was too close to bring in Beck. We didn't take the lead til 6:00 in the 3rd quarter. Once Bennet established a victory, CKS brought back Mathis to let him save face and reestablish a modicum of hope for him.
" but the reality is that everyone WANTS Mathis to to be the guy and take us to a NC, but I'm not sure it's going to happen."
Let me say unequivocally, that Mathis won't be leading this team to a NC, for sure not this year and probably not ever. He needs to put on 20 pounds of muscle, he's incredibly thin and he will need to toughen up mentally. You don't run out of bounds when it's 3rd down and you have a very good chance of getting the 1st down if you are willing to get hit and get 1 more yard.
I don't think much of the Bulldog nation is really giving Mathis a hard time about his performance. We are more disappointed for him that his first start worked out like that. And thankful that Stetson could come in and right the ship. No one has written off Mathis. Come coach, we are smarter than the average fan base ;)