I’d like to acknowledge the handful of people who have such a dark and pessimistic view of life that they could possibly think that a fan could hope for the injury of one of their team’s players.
So here is what I did say, and then I’ll break it down for you: “If this is what it takes to settle on ONE QB, then I have to say that while it is a shame for DV, so be it.”
• “If this is what it takes to settle on ONE QB, so be it.”
o This is an indictment on the coaching staff who has refused to commit to Derrius as our quarterback, and unfortunately it took an injury to one of the two for them to commit to Sprague. (see my additional post, cited again below)
• “then I have to say that while it is a shame for DV”
o This is me saying it is a shame to Derrius.
And subsequently in a post: “It's clearly not an indictment on DV, but a statement on the lack of commitment by the coaches. I feel sorry for Derrius.”
Those posts came within 30 minutes of one another. I will grant you that the “so be it” could be interpreted in various ways, however my usage related to this seemingly being the only way the coaches could actually make the decision: by it having been made for them and taking it out of their hands.
However, I’m certain L.C. understood my comment,, as he followed up my original statement with his own statement pointing out a flaw in my logic, that Derrius getting injured actually may not mean we have settled on one quarterback: “I want to see more of Windham, now. ;)”
So to dispel all the rumors:
• I do not drown kittens in a bag.
• I don’t kick dogs.
• I don’t beat my kids. (principally because I don’t have kids)
• And at no point did I EVER hope for his injury, pre or postgame, either within myself, or in a post.
What I do have a beef with is the fact that this coaching staff continues to play into the cliché/stereotype that has been debated here: If you have two quarterbacks, then you don’t have a quarterback. And we all know that clichés/stereotypes are applicable because they are largely true. We have three INEXPERIENCED guys, all of whom have seen playing time this season. Instead of allowing one of the three inexperienced guys get as much experience as possible to prepare him for MAC play, it has seemingly taken the removal of one of those three to get us to the point where we have one primary QB. We had an opportunity to get Derrius as much experience as possible against the two best defenses we will face all season, yet the staff decided to give JD nearly as much PT as Derrius. Common wisdom says that you will improve most against the stiffest competition, and yet we chose to take that opportunity away from Derrius against Kentucky and Marshall, and now he is stuck rehabbing. One might say: “But this is precisely why you split the playing time.” And I can counter: “Had Derrius been permitted to play the snaps that JD had against Kentucky and Marshall, perhaps the experience gained would have allowed him to have the presence of mind to avoid the low blow.” If’s and but’s.
So let me break it down for you further:
• I like Derrius Vick…A LOT. I think he is a phenomenal young man and a proud benchmark for OHIO student athletes and a great ambassador for the University.
• I think Derrius should have been our QB from day one, is our best chance of succeeding in 2014, and if/when he struggles, he should be permitted to continue to learn through those struggles.
• I think it is a failure of the coaching staff that Derrius was not permitted to play out the games V Kentucky/Marshall.
• I think what happened to him is a shame. (see above)
• We have played four teams this season, and the third toughest defense our offense has faced in 2014 to date, if not for the remainder of the season, is OHIO’s defense. Every day of practice since two a days started, our second and third string QB’s have been facing our D, and if they are not getting enough experience to prepare them for game action in that practice, then to me that says we have another coaching issue.
• I also like JD…A LOT. I think he is a phenomenal young man and a proud benchmark for OHIO student athletes and a great ambassador for the University.
• I hope he makes the most of this opportunity, and wins a lot of ballgames for us.
• I complemented him with a thread in game citing his toughness, comparing him to an early TT.
• And when Derrius is healthy, I hope we don’t go back to being half pregnant, and flip flopping on the position. Derrius and JD have handled the situation very professionally by supporting each other, and it is a shame our coaches can’t choose their choice, and instead allow the indecision to fester.
And it’s also a shame that I couldn’t be given the benefit of the doubt regarding this non-matter. But I am built of thicker skin than most, so I don’t really spend much time caring what any of you think of me. And if you don’t like my posts, then ignore them.
Last Edited: 9/21/2014 6:07:29 PM by D.A.