I don't know about Mariota, but the concerns about learning a new style O for a rookie Qb could be said about pretty much anybody, right? Look at if they have the fundamentals (as in Smith, Geno, who does not), and more important let them sit and learn behind a solid vet, like Mike Vick for example. There are risks to be sure, and going high pick for a Qb puts off a contending season, probably, unless the FO can fill some of the other gaping holes like Cb and shoring up the OL. But like I said without knowing Mariota, the general plan is a sound one.
If that is definitely the case, I don't really watch the Ducks play. Then he's a don't touch IMO. It's to big of a risk.
It's not a HUGE red flag, I wouldn't have an issue taking Mariota, but I think the kid has to sit down for a yr and prep himself more for the NFL style of football. This read option bullshit offense, it won't last forever in the NFL - nor do I want our QB's main skill-set be derived from that type of offense. Mariota with some seasoning is going to be good in a quick pass offense - short and intermediate throws. Not entirely too sure on his deep passing accuracy. I don't see Mariota standing in the pocket and making reads finding the open receiver - Oregon's offense doesn't do that. His pocket presence is in question. The kid has amazing talent though, that I cannot deny.
Geno had the 2nd highest rating over a 4 week span last year. Fact is we were +4 in t.o. diff and still only managed 20 points. So far color me unimpressed
The read option bothers me as well. I just don't like seeing my QB get hit more times then he has to. He's already going to get hit a bunch of times when he drops back to begin with. Like I said, I haven't watch him play nearly enough to have a good read on him so i'll take your advice on him. I think it's probably all the more imperative though that we have an offensive staff in place that can develop him the right way if we did end up drafting him.
I really hope that the WCO flies away next year. Anything that requires such precision and such timing seems to invite turnovers. I always liked Erhardt's offense. The three downs every first down kills me.
Couple things. You are aware that Kelly is running "Mariota's offense" in the NFL with great success right? And doing so with the likes of Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez, who according to the real smart posters on this great site one of the worst QB that ever lived. So I would say it's translatable. Secondly, any scouts worth his salt knows to evaluate the player not the offense they are currently running. From there you can determine what NFL offenses will be translatable. I really think Geno has a lot of you spooked about spread QBs. The spread is not going away. With each passing season it's becoming more and more the offense of choice for high school and college coaches. Teams better have the talen evaulators that can look beyond scheme or else they will be picking players from the shallow end of the talent pool. Hey look that guy takes snaps from center; he has to be better than that shotgun kid over there.
It's more important to take an inferior player that's played a few games from under center against college competition (Read: Not NFL) than it is to take a superior player with superior skills, footwork, football IQ and work ethic. Makes sense, he could NEVER learn how to take snaps from center. As a 22 year old. _
Lets stay away from players who don't fit this well oiled machine of an offense we have going on here. Great franchises find ways to utilize talented players.
The bold is the key. I hate to bring up your boy Sanchez but he is a good example in comparison to Geno. Say what you will about Sanchez's decision making , accuracy, you name it, he has solid fundamentals when he chooses to exercise them. He has excellent feet, clean mechanics and quick enough release. A good QB coach can work with that foundation. Geno lacks those basics when you combine that with the regular struggles of transitioning to the pros it's just WAY too much to deal with. Mariota's feet and mechanics are excellent and he has a very quick efficient release. Add in the intangibles of character, leadership and intelligence, then you as clean of a prospect you are going get short of a Luck, Manning or Elway type who comes along every 10-20 years. Don't know about any of you guys but I'm not waiting 10-20 years with the hope that our record at the time lines-up just perfectly with the one of those sure fire can't miss types.
Let's stay away from an incredibly smart kid with a great arm, accurate, fast, athletic, dedicated that looks like he was built in the QB factory because he didn't get that incredible tutoring as a 19 year old that a less talented kid at 19 got--because talent doesn't trump experience against Big 10 or Big 12 defenses (or those early season matchups with Eastern Michigan State or Northern Idaho Community College). LOL. _
Chip Kelly's offense is not an exact replica of the Oregon offense . I already mentioned this about 100 times, but I am not a huge fan of the spread offense to begin with and it has nothing to do with Geno Smith. I am more in favor of the pro-style offense. The only similarities between the Oregon offense and the Eagles offense is how the match-ups are created prior to the snap as well as the tempo. Kelly thrives on creating mismatches. QBs are required to go through progressions (though they are more QB friendly then your normal Jets offense). Let's not be a smart-ass Legler. Eagles are not running the "Mariota" offense, though Mariota would obviously be a better fit for the Eagles (Chip is obviously a mastermind - if he knows a QB he's going to take his skill-sets and make it work). A primarily dominate shotgun QB, in an offense that still has the QB take snaps under center. Same offense? http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/...ferent_with_eagles_than_it_was_at_oregon.html http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303640604579295110196851746 The exact offense from Oregon offense is not translatable - if Chip brought the same EXACT offense to the Eagles - it wouldn't be as good - Chip needed to added a pro-aspect to his offense.
Which he is and I explained why about 100 times, but let's continue to act like a smart-ass and act like you know everything there is to know w/out explaining why I am incorrect. Real mature Stokes.
The craziest thing is that he fits just perfectly in our current scheme; people are obsessed with this taking snaps from center thing. He is now what Idzik and company probably hoped Geno would develop into.
Your mantra about "raw" is not mature, it's one of the most amorphous, undefined and unmeasurable criteria you can put on a player. And I've explained 100 times why you're wrong but you refuse to listen or understand. That would show some maturity. _
Raw is a pretty easy thing to decipher. Mariota lacks a lot of the fundamentals you want right now - it's simple as that. You haven't explained anything to me at all as far as I am concerned - each time we get into this argument, instead of telling me why Mariota isn't raw, you just say I'm wrong, or make an attempt to insult me.
Of course it's not going to be exact because he has to cater to his personnel like good coach should. However, a lot of what he ran in Oregon, he is running now with success. Not to mention, Oregon's offense has a lot of pro concepts to begin with.
I can't believe any QB would fit into this "scheme". Hahaha. But that's a different discussion. Let's just say I would feel more comfortable with a different coaching staff developing Mariotta then the one we have now.