Tommy Stevens "spins it" at camp

[Raffycorn]

First, I think game time, regardless of Lion or QB, is valuable. Second, TS has much more time in the program. And, finally, he is older and (presumably) wiser. So, all other things being equal, TS has more experience. Looks to me like he has 24 passes, 14 pass receptions, and ~ 80 rushes.

Clifford, on the other hand, is 5 of 7 passing with zero receptions and five rushes.

so, while one can argue that TS doesn't have a ton of experience, he still has a ton more than Sean Clifford.

I respect that line of thinking. Just my opinion, but I don’t really see game reps at tight end or running back as being too helpful in terms of developing as a quarterback. Honestly, I think practice reps at QB are more relevant than game reps at the Lion, and Clifford is the only one between them who has ever actually had any practice reps as the starting QB. And out of those 24 total passes (which, over three years, is essentially nothing), I don’t think that any came outside of garbage time outside of maybe Michigan in 2018. That’s pretty much the same amount as Clifford’s handful of snaps at QB during the Kentucky game.

Stevens has more time in the program, sure, but in terms of actual, in-game, non-garbage quarterback experience? I think both guys are pretty much equal, and they’re equally unknown.

 

[marshall23]

Of course it will be. That's why Franklin gets paid the big bucks.

Makes all the sense in the world.

 

[marshall23]

I respect that line of thinking. Just my opinion, but I don’t really see game reps at tight end or running back as being too helpful in terms of developing as a quarterback. Honestly, I think practice reps at QB are more relevant than game reps at the Lion, and Clifford is the only one between them who has ever actually had any practice reps as the starting QB. And out of those 24 total passes (which, over three years, is essentially nothing), I don’t think that any came outside of garbage time outside of maybe Michigan in 2018. That’s pretty much the same amount as Clifford’s handful of snaps at QB during the Kentucky game.

Stevens has more time in the program, sure, but in terms of actual, in-game, non-garbage quarterback experience? I think both guys are pretty much equal, and they’re equally unknown.

In order to be the most popular player in fandom all one needs to do is not play. Everyone rejoiced when Tommy decided to stay a year ago. After garbage success, Clifford was anointed as the heir to the throne. Watch out once he actually plays. We can twist and turn any way we wish......this team was much better with Stevens on the roster.

 

[Obliviax]

I respect that line of thinking. Just my opinion, but I don’t really see game reps at tight end or running back as being too helpful in terms of developing as a quarterback. Honestly, I think practice reps at QB are more relevant than game reps at the Lion, and Clifford is the only one between them who has ever actually had any practice reps as the starting QB. And out of those 24 total passes (which, over three years, is essentially nothing), I don’t think that any came outside of garbage time outside of maybe Michigan in 2018. That’s pretty much the same amount as Clifford’s handful of snaps at QB during the Kentucky game.

Stevens has more time in the program, sure, but in terms of actual, in-game, non-garbage quarterback experience? I think both guys are pretty much equal, and they’re equally unknown.

fair enough. I suspect both are important: one to handle the pressure of playing at this level in front of 107k and the second to set the skills for the QB position. Either way, TS has far more experience than SC. (not that I am predicting he will be better or worse)

 

[djr4rebs]

We can twist and turn any way we wish......this team was much better with Stevens on the roster.

Probably the most accurate statement made thus far. Whether he won or lost a summer/fall QB battle is irrelevant.

We are just under 2 months til kickoff. In 3, we'll have some valuable data to compare.

 

[KnightSlayer]

I meant at the skill positions, including QB

Okay, got it. I thought your were referring to RBs.

 

[SR108]

In order to be the most popular player in fandom all one needs to do is not play. Everyone rejoiced when Tommy decided to stay a year ago. After garbage success, Clifford was anointed as the heir to the throne. Watch out once he actually plays. We can twist and turn any way we wish......this team was much better with Stevens on the roster.

Yep, only an injury away from possible problems.

 

[IANit]

My unscientific poll when Tommy left seemed to indicate that the majority here thought Clifford should be the starter anyway.......based on cleanup duty. One thing is certain, according to empirical evidence....If Stevens has a great year and PSU does not.....it will be all Franklin's fault for "losing" Stevens.

I wanted Stevens to stay, but I won't blame Franklin if the new QB struggles. You can't let a player or his parents dictate terms through the media.

 

[Raffycorn]

In order to be the most popular player in fandom all one needs to do is not play. Everyone rejoiced when Tommy decided to stay a year ago. After garbage success, Clifford was anointed as the heir to the throne. Watch out once he actually plays. We can twist and turn any way we wish......this team was much better with Stevens on the roster.

I can’t speak for anyone else. I know I have been hoping for Clifford to take the throne after Trace and win the 2019 starting job for a year now, and my thoughts when Stevens decided to come back last year were that we were unfortunately going to see another season of the “Lion” package. I do agree that we would be better off for QB depth purposes if Stevens was still on the roster.

 

[Obliviax]

I wanted Stevens to stay, but I won't blame Franklin if the new QB struggles. You can't let a player or his parents dictate terms through the media.

do we know if that was the case? could it have been a conflict as to PSU healthcare staff and/or process? I guess it could have been one of many different situations.

in the end, in college ball today, kids have options and this will be a big learning curve for college coaches. There was clearly a disconnect somewhere and that caused Tommy to pull the rip cord on this 'shute out of PSU. Was it justified (CJF told him no guarantees) or was it not (Tommy was led to believe he had guarantees, or at least, the inside track...or something else)? We'll probably never really know.

 

[IANit]

I respect that line of thinking. Just my opinion, but I don’t really see game reps at tight end or running back as being too helpful in terms of developing as a quarterback. Honestly, I think practice reps at QB are more relevant than game reps at the Lion, and Clifford is the only one between them who has ever actually had any practice reps as the starting QB. And out of those 24 total passes (which, over three years, is essentially nothing), I don’t think that any came outside of garbage time outside of maybe Michigan in 2018. That’s pretty much the same amount as Clifford’s handful of snaps at QB during the Kentucky game.

Stevens has more time in the program, sure, but in terms of actual, in-game, non-garbage quarterback experience? I think both guys are pretty much equal, and they’re equally unknown.

He helped us beat Iowa last year, entering in the second quarter after Trace went down with a leg injury. He was 2-4 for 27 yards passing and had 5 carries for 18 yards. More importantly he led the team to 10 points to tie the game up at the half.

 

[DingerzForDaze]

Let's all remember that a couple of years back he was, allegedly, in a near dead heat with Trace for the starting gig, and then he didn't get the nod. So, if he put in all this work, and was allegedly neck and neck with "the legend," only to not be given something bordering on confirmation that he was the starter this year, after being brought "back" into the fold last year, if I were him, I wouldn't be trusting the process, either.

He'll have a huge year. So will Juwan.

They should be here. We would be a better team with them here.

 

[Obliviax]

Of course it was.

But that's not really the question.
The question is: "Is the team better with TS starting, or with SC starting?".... 'cause, obviously , ain't no way TS was going to be on the roster unless he was the starter.


That question - the relevant one - ain't so easily answered.

..and will probably never be answered. TS is now in a totally different paradigm. so if he wins the heisman or gets benched, even if he gets injured, there is no telling if that situation is transferable to what might have happened at PSU. At this point, as a fan, root for CS to be "all that" and wish TS well in his new role.

 

[KnightSlayer]

Let's all remember that a couple of years back he was, allegedly, in a near dead heat with Trace for the starting gig, and then he didn't get the nod. So, if he put in all this work, and was allegedly neck and neck with "the legend," only to not be given something bordering on confirmation that he was the starter this year, after being brought "back" into the fold last year, if I were him, I wouldn't be trusting the process, either.

He'll have a huge year. So will Juwan.

They should be here. We would be a better team with them here.

Maybe. He was supposed to have a huge year last year but, he regressed and his production was basically cut in half from 2017 to 2018. I really like what we have with our WRs and, by the 3rd game, no one will be talking about missing Juwan.

 

[blion72]

My unscientific poll when Tommy left seemed to indicate that the majority here thought Clifford should be the starter anyway.......based on cleanup duty. One thing is certain, according to empirical evidence....If Stevens has a great year and PSU does not.....it will be all Franklin's fault for "losing" Stevens.

that is probably true if one thinks that JF didn't do everything he could do to keep Tommy. since nobody really knows the story now, do you think the real story of how JF-TS parted would come out if TS has a big season?

 

[blion72]

I respect that line of thinking. Just my opinion, but I don’t really see game reps at tight end or running back as being too helpful in terms of developing as a quarterback. Honestly, I think practice reps at QB are more relevant than game reps at the Lion, and Clifford is the only one between them who has ever actually had any practice reps as the starting QB. And out of those 24 total passes (which, over three years, is essentially nothing), I don’t think that any came outside of garbage time outside of maybe Michigan in 2018. That’s pretty much the same amount as Clifford’s handful of snaps at QB during the Kentucky game.

Stevens has more time in the program, sure, but in terms of actual, in-game, non-garbage quarterback experience? I think both guys are pretty much equal, and they’re equally unknown.

you may be correct, although the Iowa game where Trace got hurt, Tommy played an important role. in fact Tommy was starting to look pretty decent and Trace came back in hurt.

 

[BobPSU92]

Aren’t we spinning it about Stevens?

 

[BBrown]

If anyone at PSU promised him the job in Spring 2018, and reneged a year later, then that would be wrong. I don't know that anything like that happened, and you don't know that it didn't happen, but something convinced Tommy to stay. And if that's what did happen, then the Stevens family absolutely has a right to be pissed, regardless of the injury.

Gun to my head. Nobody was interested in him as a transfer with an injured foot. 2019 comes along and the portal opens and the rest is, as they say, history. but all that is JMO.

 

[KnightWhoSaysNit]

If anyone at PSU promised him the job in Spring 2018, and reneged a year later, then that would be wrong. I don't know that anything like that happened, and you don't know that it didn't happen, but something convinced Tommy to stay. And if that's what did happen, then the Stevens family absolutely has a right to be pissed, regardless of the injury.

Maybe it was his girlfriend.

 

[PearlSUJam]

Aren’t we spinning it about Stevens?

@The Spin Meister ?

 

[marshall23]

I wanted Stevens to stay, but I won't blame Franklin if the new QB struggles. You can't let a player or his parents dictate terms through the media.

Please note, I don't think Franklin did anything wrong. My comments have 2 assertions. 1 We were better with Steven's on the roster. 2 If Clifford flops, fans will blame CJF.

 

[marshall23]

that is probably true if one thinks that JF didn't do everything he could do to keep Tommy. since nobody really knows the story now, do you think the real story of how JF-TS parted would come out if TS has a big season?

Do you really think people here will take the common sense approach if Clifford flops? It would be the first time.

 

[BobPSU92]

Please note, I don't think Franklin did anything wrong. My comments have 2 assertions. 1 We were better with Steven's on the roster. 2 If Clifford flops, fans will blame CJF.

Who gets the credit if Clifford does well? Certainly not Franklin or Rahne.

 

[marshall23]

Who gets the credit if Clifford does well? Certainly not Franklin or Rahne.

Our coaches are the worst.

 

[BobPSU92]

Our coaches are the worst.

I hate them.

 

[marshall23]

I hate them.

I hate us more.

 

[Art]

Sandy and barren get paid pretty big bucks. Why is that?

Some whores are more expensive than others.

 

[BobPSU92]

I hate us more.

Atta boy.

 

[BobPSU92]

Some whores are more expensive than others.

I want to be an expensive whore. Hmm...