<LINK_TEXT text=“http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2017 … en-return/”>http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2017/oct/30/no-set-timetable-austin-allen-return/</LINK_TEXT>
Cole is the man. He’ll still be the man when Austin heals. This is his team now.
You could very well be right, but I don’t think that will be the case. The good thing will be that no matter who starts we will have a experienced man ready on the sideline if needed. WPS
I wouldn’t play AA this week period. Get CK some more playing experience. Next week, we will see.
Cole Kelly gaining experience now is huge for the team for next year! I do think that aginst LSU if AA is healthy we may see both QB’s play.
Austin will be the guy when he is healthy. Cole may get some time, but it would be in the Steamboat role he had before.
Tha would be the height of foolishness if that is what they do. As we have seen, AA has no chance behind this line. After a big come from behind win the team is probably feeling a lot of confidence in Cole. He’s got the fire, he can take the punishment as well as dish some out, and he leads. He is exactly what this dysfunctional Offense needs.
As eaglehog5 said, AA does not have the physicality to operate behind this inadequate OL. At least CK can stand the hits, deliver the ball or run when have to, or for short yards. CK has given this offense a boost when it was backfiring. Defense still can’t defend, but has learned to scramble for turnovers. We got something going, don’t mess with it.
I think it comes down to the theory of playing the hot hand, in this case, Cole. I equate his circumstances to those of Tom Brady.
I look for Cole to come in at Steamboat situations and Enos dials up some play action deep passing now that Kelley is getting more comfortable throwing the ball.
This 5 on the oline is better than we think against the pass rush. Wallace, Jackson and Rogers were playing better than expected at OM. Wallace and Jackson had some fire in the tail so I pray that returns this week as well. AA can survive behind this line now that the WR’s and O’Grady are doing better.
It’s not just the O-Line causing QB hits. The receivers must get open quicker and the QB must release quicker. AA & CK both hold onto the ball too long. I don’t know whether the receivers are the problem or whether the QBs just don’t have the quick twitch release needed to deliver.
I have thought all season that we need more quick passes–slants and outs. That will eventually open up the deep ball. We also haven’t been hitting our running backs coming out of the backfield on wheel routes, which used to be a mainstay in Arkansas football before CBB. But, the wheel route requires the QB to roll out and hold onto the ball a little longer too. When you have good tight ends, the linebackers are challenged to cover both the TE and the RBs. Eventually, one gets open.
Moving on to the main subject, I am not convinced that CK is the QB for 2018-19. He will have to win that battle in the spring. There is competition behind him that hasn’t had a chance to show on the field.
Just more proof that the best QB (according to many fans) is the one who is not playing. 
The only QB on campus who can beat out Cole is Austin Allen. Barring an injury, Cole is going to be the No. 1 guy by the end of the spring.
Going into 2018, I think that CK is the guy until proven otherwise. He has shown a lot of ability in the sample size to date, has talent, and also appears to have an “it” factor. he also will have an experience edge over the others.
I am sure the job will be declared “open” in the spring, but assuming CK does not digress in the next few weeks that is likely to be just a formality.
Storey has not shown anything in 2 1/2 years to suggest that he would be a better choice.
Hyatt is redshirting this year, so he should get a shot to prove what he can do in the spring. Hopefully Hyatt has put on some weight and strength while redshirting. I think realistically he is trying to beat out Storey for the back up job unless he comes out blazing.
I’m not sure whether the kid from Greenwood is coming in at semester, but I kind of doubt it because of baseball/waiting on the draft. Even if he is on campus, expecting him to learn an offense and beat out the returning QBs for the starting job seems a bit much. Same thing for Bohannon if he ends up signing with the Hogs. While both could push to be the back up, they would have their work cut out to get that far up the depth chart.
Regarding next year, I don’t understand why people discount a Freshman or Redshirt Freshman’s chances of winning the starting job. Look at the top teams in the country and then think about which ones are starting a QB that either was the starter as a Freshman, is a Freshman, or is a Redshirt Freshman. Saying a kid can’t win the top job at Arkansas is either saying that the younger kid isn’t very good, the coaching isn’t very good, or the more experienced QBs on the roster are really good. I don’t believe that applies with the Hogs. We have a great QB coach. Our “experienced” QBs were deemed average and “way behind” Allen before the season began. What we don’t know is whether the young guys are good. I think they are. And, if Bohanan commits to the Hogs, he will expect to win the job.
I think you have to look at the coaching staff tendency, for one. No quarterback has played for Bret Bielema at Arkansas as a true freshman. All of them - Allen, Peavey, Storey, Kelley and Hyatt - redshirted their first year. I do not think Bielema ever started a true freshman at Wisconsin, either, but I’m not sure of that. So it’s hard to believe that Noland or Bohanon would play as true freshmen.
Of course he’ll expect to win the job. Doesn’t mean he has a snowball’s chance of doing so. We’re starting a redshirt freshman now, by the way, in case you haven’t noticed, who beat out a redshirt sophomore for the #2 job and then moved up when AA got hurt.
So, assuming we sign Bohanon and Storey doesn’t leave, here’s what we are likely to have next August:
- Kelley, redshirt soph, at least four starts under his belt including three in SEC play.
And some order of these:
Storey, redshirt junior, minimal game action (three mopup appearances so far).
Hyatt, redshirt freshman
Proctor/Lindsey, walkons
Noland, true freshman
Bohanon, true freshman.
Now Storey could well leave if he thinks he has no chance to play for the next two seasons. That would essentially leave Hyatt, Noland (assuming no baseball) and Bohanon battling with CK and with each other. If Bohanon can earn some playing time, great for him. But he’s fourth to fifth on the experience list. Also, IMO, part of Storey’s problem is that he didn’t face very good high school competition while at Charleston, where CK did in Louisiana and AA did in 7A-West, and Noland has in 6A. Which is an issue that Bohanon shares after playing in 2A.
I agree with you.
However I do believe there’s a bit of a double edged sword there. Although he plays a very weak 2A class, he also has basically zero talent around him. What can he do with the type of talent he would have at 7A or 6A? I think competition is always a factor, and he will not start anywhere he goes as a freshman, but it’s hard to say how he would handle actually have talented weapons around him.
Bohannon is an extremely intriguing athlete. Is he more Cam Newton or more Kiehl Frazier or maybe even A.J. Derby? Very difficult to know until he gets into a program, starts reacting with other big(and bigger), fast(and faster) athletes, and has to start learning and executing a more sophisticated offense.
The nice thing if he signs with the Hogs is he won’t have to play as a true freshman, or even be counted on as a redshirt freshman. The kid may not believe it, but he really needs that time to mature and to develop into a college quarterback.