AJ is indeed improving

[PhinBeck]

Well, let me clarify that by saying losses directly related to his poor play. AJ couldnt win games by himself, and he also was at times the among our worst problems.
That doesnt mean AJ can be a star with an improved team around him. I hope he becomes the best player we've ever had. But I dont think its something to bank on that he'll be a star in the NFL. He just hasnt shown that yet.

Point was and is, I nor anyone else says AJ has shown he will be a star. What I am saying is that stats and stats from last year are unrealistic to base teh future on. It you are using statistical formulas of which I am out of practice, your deviation threshold and your mean and median are scewed by teh ineptitude of the whole facet of the offense. Aj couldnt win games by himself because he lacked teh help from teh o-line, the routes and the coaches inability to have a single focus. AJ wont be handed teh job, he will have to win it, and after early skepticism, I now think it is a good thing, he will earn what he gets, it wont be handed to him. If he wins it it will be fair and provide him confidence and will ease teh "looking over his shoulder" attitude since he has shown that he was the better qb. If he loses the comp., then he can sit and learn and wont have his confidence shattered by being benched. Plus we will be playing teh qb that gives us teh best chance to win by Saban's mind, which I happen to trust. I just dont like the notion because AJ struggled last year, that has defined his ability going forward. The criteria being used to base that on is assuming everything else in teh offense was the norm and it wasnt.

 

[TeeMoney]

... I just dont like the notion because AJ struggled last year, that has defined his ability going forward.....

It is amusing to read the touchy feeley's desire to not use Feeley's only NFL experience as a bonified starter as a foundation to assess his potential. The touchy feeley's would rather use his average play as a back-up on a very good team, or his college years on the injury list or his time on the bench holding a clipboard. Some teams will spend a draft pick on someone to be a back-up and Feeley did a good enough job his senior year to be picked in the 5th round. If he is able to put it together and EARN the starting position then we will all support him, after all, he isn't Fiedler. But there should not be any pointing fingers or I-told-you-so's for either side because there isn't much to support the notion that he will miraculously "get it", and there is the possibility that there just isn't anyone else that is better at this time.

Late round picks and free agents were laughed at before- Warner, Brady- and become stars. Early picks were praised- Mirer, Leaf- and found themselves jobless.

 

[adamprez2003]

Frerrotte was brought in only as a backup. His job is to teach feeley the system. If for some reason Feeley cant pick up the offense Frerotte will start but that is not the plan. Frerotte's job is to teach the offense to Feeley and run the offense in camp so the first string can get used to the new system

 

[TARHEEL38]

I put this response in the AJ improvement threat, but thought I should let everyone know the latest on the Qb's

Here's the latest I've read on the subject:

Feeley must show that he is better than average after showing glimpses of greatness in 2004. He finished the year with a below-average 61.7 passer rating, completing 53.7 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 11 games.
Could Gus Frerotte start for the Dolphins?


Saban was also pleased with his three quarterbacks -- A.J. Feeley, Gus Frerotte and Sage Rosenfels -- though Frerotte has a little edge at this stage based on his knowledge of offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's system.

"All three quarterbacks have progressed nicely," Saban said. "Which one's going to start, and how are we going to make that decision . . . we're going to play the best player. Whoever plays the best. Isn't that what everybody would do? We'll do that every position, and most certainly we'll do that at this position."
On the learning curve

Right now, Gus knows the O the best, as expected, but the other 2 are progressing nicely too. AJ does have a chance to start.

As does Sage for that matter:shakeno:

 

[TARHEEL38]

Frerrotte was brought in only as a backup. His job is to teach feeley the system. If for some reason Feeley cant pick up the offense Frerotte will start but that is not the plan. Frerotte's job is to teach the offense to Feeley and run the offense in camp so the first string can get used to the new system

I really don't know where you are getting your info, but that is not what Saban is saying. Gus is gonna get a fair shot at the starting QB position. He is NOT the backup until proven otherwise. It is an open competition!!!!

 

[Dudeman]

Frerrotte was brought in only as a backup. His job is to teach feeley the system. If for some reason Feeley cant pick up the offense Frerotte will start but that is not the plan. Frerotte's job is to teach the offense to Feeley and run the offense in camp so the first string can get used to the new system

you couldn't be more wrong. apparently your support for AJ has blinded you to the reality. Gus came here because of the legitimate chance to start. He is NOT here to just teach AJ the system. He wouldn't have come here if that was the case.

Feeley must learn the O on his own. Gus is not here to spoonfeed him like a baby. He even said that his job was to give AJ a few pointers here and there while he was competing himself, but to actually believe that he was brought in to teach him the system is crazy. He wants to start, and he's not going to spend his time teaching Feeley the system when he has to produce to start here.

Its amazing that some (not all) of the Feeley supporters believe that there is no chance that Gus will start.

Saban said that learning the offense will be all on AJ, its up to him if he learns it or not.

When you're competing with someone for a starting job at one of the most important positions in football, do you really think that you'd spend most of your time teaching a player that has no knowledge of the system about the offense? Of course not, because instead of getting better, you'd be wasting time teaching somebody else that you're competing with.

 

[PHINATIC13]

That's good because he's proved he can be a back up everywhere else he's been.

I really don't know where you are getting your info, but that is not what Saban is saying. Gus is gonna get a fair shot at the starting QB position. He is NOT the backup until proven otherwise. It is an open competition!!!!

 

[TeeMoney]

That's good because he's proved he can be a back up everywhere else he's been.

Not unlike Feeley.

 

[occ paul sr.]

you have to understand, Miami's o-line last year was the worst we have ever seen! this is proof in watching the sunday night game last year in cincinatti. give feeley an oppurtunity to throw the ball for god's sake!

 

[TARHEEL38]

Hmm....I wonder how many Philadelphia fans had the viewpoint that Feeley was going to be good. Two of them were good friends of mine...and both stated how we should give the boy time as we are gonna have one heck of a QB.

Yeah, and I had two Philly fans calling me up the day after, rolling around laughing at how bad we got screwed. Whats your point? Fans disagree with other fans, even here there were the fools that thought AJ should start over Jay, just b/c he supposely could throw a better deep ball. They got their chance and all he did was throw picks for TDs. :shakeno:

 

[adamprez2003]

Bottom line regarding Feeley's worth is that when we made the trade for him noone in football operations (ie scouts, gms, personnel people) thought we got ripped off. The people who make their living evaluating football players all thought it was a good pickup for us. Secondly, Saban had plenty of time to review Feeley's performance last year and when all was said and done he decided that all he needed to add to the qb position is a backup. Guarantweed if Saban felt Frerotte was going to be the starter we wouldve drafted a qb in the draft. Since he didnt it means that he liked enough of what he saw from feeley to give him another year to prove himself.

Bottom line is that the people who get paid to evaluate talent believe Feeley has the chance to become a quality starter

 

[TeeMoney]

you have to understand, Miami's o-line last year was the worst we have ever seen!

Some would say the exact same thing for Miami's QB position. Feeley will either earn it or he won't. What is so hard for some to accept that?

 

[TARHEEL38]

you have to understand, Miami's o-line last year was the worst we have ever seen! this is proof in watching the sunday night game last year in cincinatti. give feeley an oppurtunity to throw the ball for god's sake!

Our line was not as bad as the Texans, and Carr didn't look that bad. He played behind the worst O-line in the NFL, and put up good numbers.....and he could even tell what reciever was wearing his jersey and who was wearing the other teams......something AJ never could master. :shakeno:

 

[TeeMoney]

Bottom line regarding Feeley's worth is that when we made the trade for him noone in football operations (ie scouts, gms, personnel people) thought we got ripped off.

Do you have any information at all that would show that these people that you mention didn't think Miami got ripped off? Why do you need proof from these "football operators" that Miami got a bad deal?

 

[TeeMoney]

. Secondly, Saban had plenty of time to review Feeley's performance last year and when all was said and done he decided that all he needed to add to the qb position is a backup.

The problem you are having is you are ignoring certain facts to support your opinion. Saban has mentioned repeatedly that the QB position is open, and that Frerotte is leading the group of QB's at this time. Feeley is coming along fine, but he still has to EARN the job. I hope that whomever starts at QB EARNS the job.