Harbaugh should name the 2020 starting QB by the end of spring

Submitted by Larry Appleton on January 10th, 2020 at 8:01 PM

Very few people on this board are holding out hope that whoever loses the McCaffrey-Milton battle will stick around.  I can’t say I blame him.  Sign of the times.

That being a real possibility, the starting QB should be named in the spring, so we have more time to hunt for a replacement grad transfer should the backup indeed bolt.

Amirite?

AZBlue

January 10th, 2020 at 9:56 PM ^

Fickleness of young adults aside......There is no good reason Milton should go if he were to lose to McCaffrey.  He can spend another year as an understudy with a decent chance to get a start (or more) given D-Caf’s injury history.  If he does lose AND McCaffrey stays for 2021, he should be able to grad transfer with 2 years to play (since he was an EE at M)

Now if McCaffrey were to lose in the Spring and could graduate (Don’t think he was an EE though) it would make more sense in a purely “business” perspective.  If he cannot graduate, he would be in the same boat with the best option to wait for a grad transfer opportunity.

IMO it doesn’t make much sense to transfer as a QB unless it is for immediate eligibility.  I think the NCAA has realized that they had to close the floodgates on transfers and will enforce things much tighter until/if the rules are amended.  Shea and the other Old Miss kids were legit (as was the TE who went to Illinois that was denied) whereas Tathan, Fields, Aubrey Solomon, James Hudson, and now this OT from UGA are examples of less justified waivers/requests.

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ERdocLSA2004

January 11th, 2020 at 10:23 AM ^

if you think/want Harbaugh to announce the starter before spring, there’s a wall over there you can start banging your head into.  Expecting a change in behavior from one the most stubborn coaches in D1 is only going to upset you.  I expect the starter announced a week before the first game, not a day sooner.

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ijohnb

January 10th, 2020 at 8:07 PM ^

I was just going to post something but I realized this is going to be a bunch of posters yelling insults at each so I am going to opt out.

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outsidethebox

January 10th, 2020 at 8:09 PM ^

Naaa. I don't know if I am serious or not. Harbaugh needs to quit second-guessing himself. He needs to play the kids he recruited out of HS. It may take an injury for him to discover that he has "Brady" on his roster...but so be it. 

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Denard In Space

January 10th, 2020 at 8:12 PM ^

seems like it would be really limiting, and might even create more pressure for someone to transfer than would otherwise be present. competitive position battles are a normal thing on football teams, and i would rather we let the kids push each other's performances rather than declare a starter so early. 

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HailHail47

January 10th, 2020 at 8:12 PM ^

This is batshit crazy. The loser in the Spring could end up much better by the Fall. College players can get a lot better in a few months, especially if they put in the work. 

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Hail Harbo

January 10th, 2020 at 10:02 PM ^

Then you make a change, but there is something to be said for making a decision for the team to coalesce around.  The same could be said for picking captains before spring practice, to provide student/athlete leadership throughout the grind before the next kickoff.  Carr named Brian Griese the starter for the 1997 season at the conclusion of spring practice.  That seemed to have paid off well.

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MichAtl85

January 10th, 2020 at 8:17 PM ^

I’m sure we’ll have lots of info during spring. Harbaugh is well known to have elaborate press conferences and give all the juicy details!

As critical as I’ve been of Harbaugh and the past few years of results I have no issue with how he plays things close the the vest. Onward to 2020 I’m sure we’ll know the starting QB at kickoff at Washington. 

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Don

January 10th, 2020 at 8:22 PM ^

I think this is a fantastic idea—Harbaugh can name the starter at the end of spring practice, and then the QB has the summer to relax and work on his putting game.

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1blueeye

January 10th, 2020 at 8:22 PM ^

Can coaches really be trusted to make the best decision? Belichek never would have started Brady over Bledsoe without an injury. Kurt Warner never sees the field if Trent green isn’t injured. Joe Burrow was not feeling the love compared to Tate. Tressel let Bellissari suck for 10 games until he’d seen enough. Dantonio started Maxwell until he realized he was the wrong guy. I think QBs show their true colors in live fire. That’s one reason I was hoping they were serious about playing both QBs in 2019 but they never did. In 2020 I think they need to let them both play in the early games and then make a decision based on game performance. Let the best man win on the field and not in practice.

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S.G. Rice

January 10th, 2020 at 8:27 PM ^

Not only should the coaches do this, they should name the entire starting lineup so that everyone who isn't guaranteed time can hit the portal.  

/s

C'mon OP, you didn't really think this through, did you?

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