Threet Rumor Logic

I'm hoping Brian explains things a bit more about where he heard this. I agree though that, if true, Rich Rod comes off looking like an incredible douche bag and, not a very smart one, either.

First, I think I was pretty accurate in recounting what Brian said on WTKA today. If I got things garbled, my apologies to MGoBLoggers. Assuming it's true, I agree that it's easy to make RR out as the bad guy; it seems just crazy to pencil in a pure freshman as a starter, and looks a bit like he's telling Threet to buzz off after ST busted his ass all season. What we don't know is really what RR told Threet. Was it "Threet, you really suck, and suck so badly that I'm going to start a freshman regardless of his lack of experience, so get your ass out of here," or was it "Steve, nobody has a higher regard than I for what you did for the team last year. The problem is that my offense and your skills are just a poor match. I think you know that better than anyone, and I know it's not what you signed up for when you transferred here. And it's clear to me already that Tate is far better suited to what we need to do, and for that reason he's going to get the lion's share of the snaps in spring drills. We'd love for you to stay and help the team out, but I'd be dishonest if I told you that the chances of your starting look good right now. If you'd rather transfer to another school, we will give you your release, and will help you out in any way we can." I hope to god it was closer to the second version.

Given that nobody truly knows what happened at this point (barring some statement from either Threet or RR), I think we should give RR the benefit of the doubt and trust that he acted in the program's best interests as he perceived them. If he told Threet that Forcier would take most of the snaps in the spring, then RR must have had a reason for saying that. Maybe RR wanted to get Tate the first team snaps to guage his effectiveness at running the offense; after all, Threet is a known quantity. But, in truth, we have no idea what was said or why, so I'm going to back RR until I'm proven wrong.

would have no problem with RR telling Threet he's "not in the plans" in '09. Assuming it was said the right way (i.e., not "We don't need you anymore; you should transfer"), that kind of honesty ought to be respected. I never understood why people were angry at RR for refusing to adapt to his players (other than the fact that he hinted that he would). If this team is going to be successful, RR has to run his system. There's no use in practicing three yards and a cloud of dust football, because that's what most of the current players are good at, if that's not what the current freshmen will be doing two years from now. While adapting to the current squad by calling plays they were adept at executing would have likely produced a few more wins last year, it would have cost the younger players valuable game experience in the spread offense. From the moment he arrived, RR has been committed to running the program his way. This is good. This is why he was hired. So if RR told Threet that he's unlikely to see the field now that Tate's on campus and Denard's coming, who cares? It's the truth; there's no use in leading him on. Hell, if I was in Threet's shoes, I'd want the truth and not some sugar-coated statement about how everyone will have the chance to prove themselves in practice.

"I never understood why people were angry at RR for refusing to adapt to his players (other than the fact that he hinted that he would). If this team is going to be successful, RR has to run his system." Agreed - I don't understand why people would accept that a quarterback (Mallett is who I have in mind) should definitely transfer because he's not a fit for the system, but turn around and say the coach (who's been coaching this system for 20 years) should suddenly switch gears and run an offense he's got no experience in. As disasteriffic as the offense was last season, I can't see how it'd be improved with a coach calling plays he has zero familiarity with - and worse, setting back the other 10 players on the field in their development in the new offense just for the sake of the one player who "fits a system." As for Threet, I agree it sounds awful if RR "ran him off", i.e., informed him he wouldn't be needed any more. Far worse, of course, would be RR feeding Threet a line about everyone having an equal chance at competing, you're our guy, blah blah blah, and then turning around and that clearly not being the case at spring camp. This is the sort of thing OSU fans love to criticize RR for, but the emperor has no clothes here because they had a very similar QB situation last year.

I really don't think RR spent last year working with this kid just to run him off. In spite of all of the things that the media has tried to use against RR, (ie; family values) he has actually done the right things. I really think that RR was thinking of the best interests of both the team and ST. If ST was pulled into the office and bashed don't you think that he would have said something about it. If he were bashed so badly that he was willing to leave the school that he grew up watching and rooting for don't you think that there would have been some kind of ill feelings displayed to the media.

As long as everyone is speculating, IF Coach R told Threet the truth - i.e., that Forcier has a very good chance of getting lots of opportunities to play, and that it would likely come at Threet's expense - then Coach is being straight up. If you start putting some things together, like Beaver, Threet, and some of the other decommitments, the picture I can't help but get is of a coach who is actually honest with people - even when it means they go somewhere else. And if people ask what their chances are for playing time, etc., and Coach is honest, then you might lose some folks. You can't have it both ways. If you want integrity, then that means some will not like the honest answers they get and they will leave (or won't come to begin with). If you want recruiting or retention at any cost, then don't chide a coach for lying. I prefer integrity and I hope that is what this is about. Living in St. Louis with Tony LaRussa, I have learned to respect his coaching ethic. He has lost lots of good players over the years (Ozzie Smith, Scott Rolen, etc.) But he is brutally honest, even if they don't like it. That is good coaching.

...with RR being honest with Threet. I am guessing that is how it happened. If Threet was your kid, would you rather have a coach lie to him to keep him around as a third-string emergency QB or would you rather have him tell the truth? If RR really did tell the Threets to wait until after signing day, he did them a favor. His plans for Threet would be a lot different if Robinson hadn't signed. RR seems to be a no bullshit kind of coach. If the truth hurts sometimes, too bad. Life is full of truths that hurt. It's how we learn and grow. As for Threet, I still don't see him being able to run an offense at a major college. I hope he proves me wrong, but I just don't see that in him at this point. He thinks too slow and his mechanics are too fucked up. His delivery reminds me of Dan Quisenberry. That does not translate to being a very good QB at the elite level.