How can Franklin guarantee the starting job to Stevens? Even if Stevens is currently ahead of the other quarterbacks, no one knows what the competition will look like in 2019. It would be unfair to Stevens and the other quarterbacks to make a guarantee like that. I also don’t think that’s how Franklin handles things. My sense of Franklin is he expects every player to give it his all each day, every day on and off the field and then a player earns the starting role or doesn’t when the time comes. Nothing is guaranteed.
Hypothetically, in 2019, if Clifford (who is likely the next man up) is performing in practice the same way that McSorley plays in practice right now (which means he is performing as good as a Heisman Trophy candidate) and Stevens continues to play the same way he does right now in practice, IMO Stevens wins the job because of experience even without the guarantee. He will be one of the leaders of the 2019 team if he stays.
The likelihood that Clifford improves that significantly by 2019 is much less likely than Stevens playing the same way he is right now. That is why I believe it is a safe guarantee and a guarantee that rewards hard work and loyalty.
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