EJ Manuel

[rpc1978]

EJ Manuel......I can't resist adding my 2 cents.  Long time Nole fan and FSU alum here(c/o 2000).  To say he sucks or was a bust at FSU isnt fair nor it accurate.  He has a strong win/loss record, conf record for completion percentage, won 4 bowl games and generally put up good numbers.  Its not like he was a bust like Xavier Lee.  Unfortunately, those stats/achievments dont tell the whole story though.  If you watch him often enough, his flaws are plain to see and have been mentioned above.  he was a decent QB but I always felt like he should have been so much better given his athleticism.  He always left me feeling like he left too much yardage on the field.  Like there were plays to be made and he came up short.  Too many mistakes for a 5th year senior.

I really thought he was going to be a upgrade from Ponder when he took over as the starter 2 years ago.  He looked so good as a freshman and soph when he had to occasionally fill in for an injured Ponder.  He never really got much better.  In fact, I'd argue the more they put on his plate the more he struggled.  He was indecisive, held the ball too long and took too many drive killing sacks as he tried to go thru his progressions.  His passes naturally float and sail high and although he improved his mechanics and his zip during his 5 years in Tally he still misses too many guys high, especially on deep outs.  In his early years he ran more, both designed runs and improvised scrambles.  I dont know if he made the  conscious decision to become more of a pocket guy when got the starting job or if the staff drummed that into his head but he certainly ran less his junior and senior years. We called less designed runs for him too.   IMO, you are really handcuffing him and the offense when you keep him in the pocket and only allow him to run as a last resort after he has gone through 4-5 reads.  If he is good enough, let the NFL develop his pocket passing skills. But while he is in college turn him loose.  I dont know if Jimbo was trying to make him a better pro prospect by calling less designed runs or was afraid to get him hurt but I've always felt like Manuel's legs should've played a bigger role in the offense.  I've lobbied hard for him to get more designed runs and even on normal passing plays to encourage him to take off if he reads man and the back 7 has their backs to him. Too late now though.

To sum up, he was a decent college QB.  not a bust but more of an underachiever, though I dont think the staff helped him much with how we designed the offense and called plays for him.  As a pro prospect though, I'm not sure he'll ever be able to read defense's quickly enough to be a starter. 

[McCoy93]

He would be good for a couple of gimmick plays off the bench; I'd rather take a look at that QB from syracuse

[Tampafan8251]

the problem is, everyone here is trying to replace Freeman, deal with it, this year he is going to be the starting QB. There is no qb in FA who is going to outplay Freeman or in the draft. All of the qb's who are going to be decent will be taken way before we want to take a QB, EJ Manuel? god he is everything I don't want in a QB. All of the draft posts on here should be focusing on our real need and that is DB. The team is doing what they should be doing, don't give Free his deal until he proves he can be consistent and that is exactly what the Ravens are doing with Flacco. If he stinks next year than move on but no way this year are you getting someone to outplay Free, I am still confident that this guy will be the future beyond next year

[Pepsi]

Highlight vids don't proove anything about a QB anyway, Even bad really bad QBs can have a 3-4 minute highlight. RBs highlights are way more telling because a nice run can possibly show nice moves, speed, balance, and or power, which can immediately separate the player from another player. A nice throw from QB "A" can be duplicated by player "B" through "Z." A nice run by, lets say Barry Sanders, can not be duplicated by any other RB.

You would have to post the youtube vids of them showing every pass play in a particular game. Unless its an RB I never watch highlights anymore.

[RoddyBama1]

I like most of your posts JDub but you've got to be an FSU homer w some of your draft predictions for this year. Saying Rhodes is better than Milliner and EJ is worth a 2nd round pick is pure homerism.

[RoddyBama1]

If we are taking an ACC QB wait until next year and draft Boyd out of Clemson

[Pepsi]

the problem is, everyone here is trying to replace Freeman, deal with it, this year he is going to be the starting QB. There is no qb in FA who is going to outplay Freeman or in the draft. All of the qb's who are going to be decent will be taken way before we want to take a QB, EJ Manuel? god he is everything I don't want in a QB. All of the draft posts on here should be focusing on our real need and that is DB. The team is doing what they should be doing, don't give Free his deal until he proves he can be consistent and that is exactly what the Ravens are doing with Flacco. If he stinks next year than move on but no way this year are you getting someone to outplay Free, I am still confident that this guy will be the future beyond next year

I havent liked Freeman for a very long time and I understand he is the QB next year and Im dealing with it. I disagree on there being no QB in FA or draft that can outplay Freeman. Freeman is not good and he has a good supporting cast, I think there are QBs that can outplay him. The problem is none of them are guys I'd like to see be the future of the Bucs.

[Pepsi]

If we are taking an ACC QB wait until next year and draft Boyd out of Clemson

I like Boyd as well

[Tampafan8251]

i disagree with you, name me a guy in FA who can outplay Freeman? there is a reason he couldnt outplay a raw rookie in Tannehill, who I like but still if he was good enough he should of held him off for atleast half a season, all the free agent names are old washed up guys or guys who never started before..in the draft this team isn't going to draft a qb in the top 3 rounds and after that your likely getting a guy that you hope to develop

[dexmonkey]

If we are taking an ACC QB wait until next year and draft Boyd out of Clemson

no thanks. doesnt read defenses in the clemson spread. relies alot on YACs from good receivers. he doesnt make presnap reads or play under center. boyd would be a good backup but he doesnt exactly fit an NFL system

[JDouble]

I like most of your posts JDub but you've got to be an FSU homer w some of your draft predictions for this year. Saying Rhodes is better than Milliner and EJ is worth a 2nd round pick is pure homerism.

I don't have a college team. I only watch players, don't ever care who wins or loses.

[JDouble]

[docbravo]

EJ would need to sit for at least 2 years, behind an established veteran like Brees or Brady to learn the game.  I don't think he will be ready to play as soon as most would want him to here in Tampa. And that's the problem with bringing EJ to Tampa. He wouldn't have a veteran to learn from, and he's not the type of player that's good enough to put pressure on Freeman. It'd be a lose/lose situation IMO.

[RoddyBama1]

If we are taking an ACC QB wait until next year and draft Boyd out of Clemson

no thanks. doesnt read defenses in the clemson spread. relies alot on YACs from good receivers. he doesnt make presnap reads or play under center. boyd would be a good backup but he doesnt exactly fit an NFL system

We have seen now that spread QBs can make the jump to the NFL and I was very impressed with his performance against the LSU defense. He was hammered repeatedly, yet kept getting back up and delivering extremely accurate throws down the field.

[dexmonkey]

If we are taking an ACC QB wait until next year and draft Boyd out of Clemson

no thanks. doesnt read defenses in the clemson spread. relies alot on YACs from good receivers. he doesnt make presnap reads or play under center. boyd would be a good backup but he doesnt exactly fit an NFL system

We have seen now that spread QBs can make the jump to the NFL and I was very impressed with his performance against the LSU defense. He was hammered repeatedly, yet kept getting back up and delivering extremely accurate throws down the field.

thats all fine and dandy but it doesnt negate the fact that he doesnt read a defense worth a damn. look at the tape of the FSU clemson game. he got pressured and made bad decisions and panicked. he got surprised multiple times in the 2nd half and made rash throws and missed wide open guys. since we dont possess a head coach or OC with spread experience it stands to reason that hes not going to work in our system.  Chad morris (clemson's OC ) is an outstanding coach and has that offense tailored to Boyd's skillset. its a snap the ball and throw offense. most of the reads are predetermined and theres not a lot of changing the play depending on the defense. would much rather have someone else