🏈 Clemson's 5* QB, Hunter Johnson, decides to transfer

[RTB X Bot]

 

[TerryP]

There was another back-up that transferred in January. I got a laugh at of the last sentence on this quote from Dabo:

"Zerrick has done a phenomenal job for us. We see them every day. Every day. Every meeting. But at the end of the day, though, you’ve also got to take that to the field and I think last week Hunter played better," Swinney said at the time. "Nobody has lifetime contracts around here." ​

 

[TUSKtimes]

That's a shocker. I would have guessed Kelly Bryant who I believe could be a grad transfer. But hey, Dabo wasn't keeping them all happy down there. Now he had better hope they don't give Bryant the impression that Lawrence is the guy too soon.

 

[BamaFan334]

I figured this would happen. With Bryant starting last year and Dabo knowing exactly what he had there and that he wasn't forced into breaking in a new guy, I felt Johnson was left in the wind. They have handed the keys to Trevor Lawrence and will give him every opportunity to unseat Bryant as his ability is well known and through the roof. You could say my first statement kind of undoes itself with the statement after that, but with Lawrence enrolling early, they know how stable he will be as his measurables are just better than Johnson's. They will bring him along slowly and know his future is brighter than Johnson's. Bryant is limited with his eligibility, but Johnson still has plenty of time to move on and salvage a career. That's another reason I expected Johnson to be the odd man out and the one to transfer.

Everyone is kissing Dabo's tail after a few good years and assembling all this talent, so let's see if he can control transfers and losses like Coach Saban has during his run. Kirby will endure the same issues if he continues, so we'll see how great these guys really are once their talent and depth decides to move on elsewhere.

 

[rammerjammer]

I think this is just the nature of the beast. CNS is pretty good at managing expectations, but we still have a pretty fair amount of talented kids that aren't good enough to crack the starting rotation, that transfer out and play at other schools. Dee Hart and Alvin Kamara are 2 that come to mind quickly that have been successful since leaving here. Karmara, not so much at UT, but has done very well in the NFL, and then Hart did great at CSU, but didn't make it in the NFL.

Either way, TP, I think you are spot on. In another year or two we will see the same thing at UGA.

It is simply a numbers game. Only 11 guys can play at one time and eventually the back ups want to play.

 

[PurlJam]

He could tranfer to South Florida....:devil:

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Wonder AU is in the hunt forhim

 

[TUSKtimes]

Sometimes, it just looks like pulling in too many 5 stars at QB is not the recipe for success. You are never keeping them all. It then leaves you short in the rotation when, not if, they leave. Georgia has already felt the exodus with Eason to Washington and I predict that next season will be another episode with Fromm and Fields. Something is always going to give. But you know what, you just need one great QB to stay and you don't know who that is till they get there.

 

[alagator]

What are you smoking this morning?

Sometimes, it just looks like pulling in too many 5 stars at QB is not the recipe for success

Only signing five stars isn't a recipe for success when we've seen the NC winners doing so by signing a lot of five stars. Too much talent on hand isn't a recipe for success.

Er, what?

But then it's -----

. You are never keeping them all. It then leaves you short in the rotation when, not if, they leave.

If you're signing too many, and they leave, but since you're signing too many aren't their replacements also five stars?

I'm left SMH at this.

 

[TUSKtimes]

What are you smoking this morning?
Only signing five stars isn't a recipe for success when we've seen the NC winners doing so by signing a lot of five stars. Too much talent on hand isn't a recipe for success.

Er, what?

But then it's -----

If you're signing too many, and they leave, but since you're signing too many aren't their replacements also five stars?

I'm left SMH at this.

You obviously missed my dynamic conclusion of the matter.

But you know what, you just need one great QB to stay and you don't know who that is till they get there.

In conclusion, it is never pretty as players transfer, but if it gives you the best player, meaning if you chose wisely, then it was still worth it.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

Well... It's become pretty simple for me to see that when the alleged 5 Star QB transfers out, we are usually better off. See Blake Barnett as exhibit A.

I want a dedicated, competitor at QB (heck at all positions for that matter). PERIOD.

 

[BamaFan334]

It's hard recruiting major talent at the quarterback position because only one can play at a time. Running back, receiver, linemen, and any position on defense can either be substituted or a guy can learn multiple position (offensive line and secondary). I think this is exactly why you don't see us sign the top five star at that position every year, we sign three and four star guys because we can maintain that ego and keep them working, rather than a five star guy that comes in promised the world, and when another five star comes in and he doesn't play he wants to run off. lower ranked players are usually more humble and fight. Look at Hurts from the start, Tua, even Mac Jones, McCarron, McElroy, John Parker, all of those guys came in bided their time, and finished with playing time. The big time guys like Barnett, Cornwell, and even Bateman could never get over that hump and just left to pursue other opportunities. I think recruiting elite talent at the quarterback position each year is the wrong way to go about it as you're causing yourself problems.

 

[TUSKtimes]

It's hard recruiting major talent at the quarterback position because only one can play at a time. Running back, receiver, linemen, and any position on defense can either be substituted or a guy can learn multiple position (offensive line and secondary). I think this is exactly why you don't see us sign the top five star at that position every year, we sign three and four star guys because we can maintain that ego and keep them working, rather than a five star guy that comes in promised the world, and when another five star comes in and he doesn't play he wants to run off. lower ranked players are usually more humble and fight. Look at Hurts from the start, Tua, even Mac Jones, McCarron, McElroy, John Parker, all of those guys came in bided their time, and finished with playing time. The big time guys like Barnett, Cornwell, and even Bateman could never get over that hump and just left to pursue other opportunities. I think recruiting elite talent at the quarterback position each year is the wrong way to go about it as you're causing yourself problems.

It can be a mess either way. But the biggest problem is that many of these 5*s are bust. We've had our share with Phil Sims, Bateman, Cornwell. But I really wasn't in favor of grabbing Emory Jones this cycle when both Tua and Jalen are proven commodities. Being only one year behind Tua seems too close for comfort and promised more discontent. Also what kind of effect does that have on the likes of Taulia and Paul Tyson who are 2 years back from Tua and not as concerned with future playing time? Suppose instead they now see Mr. Emory Jones? There is no great logic to how to do it, but if you already have a proven 5* I think it's that next year behind them it might be better to try for someone who is just a good fit in the system.

 

[UAgrad93]

Purdue and Northwestern are considered possible landing spots for him. I agree with @BamaFan334 about the position being the sticking point. You can rotate all of the other positions except QB. Only 1 can be tha man!

 

[rammerjammer]

In Bobby Bowden's book "Called to Coach", he discussed the decade of dominance they experienced in the 1990's. He stated the key component was experienced QB's at the helm. He named them off in the book, but explained that all of the guys came in and waited their turn. Throughout that decade, you essentially had a QB that would start his Jr and Sr year. They would RS, play mop-up duty and then would be the starter the last 2 years. When they started to slide was when this cycle was broken. I think that it is much harder to do that this day and age, with so many factors, social media hype surrounding a player in HS, along with recruiting services, couple that with the mentality or conditioning of needing/wanting everything yesterday........makes what CNS has done all the more amazing.

 

[JoshB]

Sometimes, it just looks like pulling in too many 5 stars at QB is not the recipe for success. You are never keeping them all. It then leaves you short in the rotation when, not if, they leave. Georgia has already felt the exodus with Eason to Washington and I predict that next season will be another episode with Fromm and Fields. Something is always going to give. But you know what, you just need one great QB to stay and you don't know who that is till they get there.

The Fromm-Eason deal was kind of weird to me. You rarely see a guy lose a job like that due to injury and almost never to a guy that wasn't just flat out tearing it up. I mean I look at the Drew Bledsoe-Tom Brady deal as the ultimate thing there. Bledsoe is a pro bowler and had just taken the Pats to the Super Bowl a cpl years prior. He gets knocked out and then Tom Brady comes in and absolutely lights the world on fire and Bledsoe never gets another chance. That's understandable but Fromm came in and was a solid, serviceable quarterback. The same as Eason was but it seems like Georgia had completely moved forward by the end of the season.

 

[JoshB]

In Bobby Bowden's book "Called to Coach", he discussed the decade of dominance they experienced in the 1990's. He stated the key component was experienced QB's at the helm. He named them off in the book, but explained that all of the guys came in and waited their turn. Throughout that decade, you essentially had a QB that would start his Jr and Sr year. They would RS, play mop-up duty and then would be the starter the last 2 years. When they started to slide was when this cycle was broken. I think that it is much harder to do that this day and age, with so many factors, social media hype surrounding a player in HS, along with recruiting services, couple that with the mentality or conditioning of needing/wanting everything yesterday........makes what CNS has done all the more amazing.

Yeah its the social media/24/7 media era we're living in of immediate self gratification. Julio Jones made some pretty poignant remarks on all of that in his episode of Bama Cuts, about everyone wanting that immediate success. Right now. If I dont get it right now, I'll go somewhere else and get it.

I'm afraid the days of guys like AJ McCarron sitting for two years and then taking the reigns is over.

 

[TUSKtimes]

The Fromm-Eason deal was kind of weird to me. You rarely see a guy lose a job like that due to injury and almost never to a guy that wasn't just flat out tearing it up. I mean I look at the Drew Bledsoe-Tom Brady deal as the ultimate thing there. Bledsoe is a pro bowler and had just taken the Pats to the Super Bowl a cpl years prior. He gets knocked out and then Tom Brady comes in and absolutely lights the world on fire and Bledsoe never gets another chance. That's understandable but Fromm came in and was a solid, serviceable quarterback. The same as Eason was but it seems like Georgia had completely moved forward by the end of the season.

I happen to see the first game he got hurt in against App St. He really wasn't doing much to move the team. So 2 things happened, they got their starter hurt and Fromm came in and immediately started to move the team. I think some of it is the different offensive approach Cheney/Smart take through the air. Easy to see that Eason has a crazy big arm, kinda like Stafford in that respect. If Jake Browning ever graduates he is going to light up the competition in the Pac 12. I think for him it was really unfortunate to lose Richt. He's exactly what Mark is looking for in his pass-first, get the ball downfield approach. Kirby wants lots of ball control. I didn't see the same fit.

 

[JoshB]

The Fromm-Eason deal was kind of weird to me. You rarely see a guy lose a job like that due to injury and almost never to a guy that wasn't just flat out tearing it up. I mean I look at the Drew Bledsoe-Tom Brady deal as the ultimate thing there. Bledsoe is a pro bowler and had just taken the Pats to the Super Bowl a cpl years prior. He gets knocked out and then Tom Brady comes in and absolutely lights the world on fire and Bledsoe never gets another chance. That's understandable but Fromm came in and was a solid, serviceable quarterback. The same as Eason was but it seems like Georgia had completely moved forward by the end of the season.

I happen to see the first game he got hurt in against App St. He really wasn't doing much to move the team. So 2 things happened, they got their starter hurt and Fromm came in and immediately started to move the team. I think some of it is the different offensive approach Cheney/Smart take through the air. Easy to see that Eason has a crazy big arm, kinda like Stafford in that respect. If Jake Browning ever graduates he is going to light up the competition in the Pac 12. I think for him it was really unfortunate to lose Richt. He's exactly what Mark is looking for in his pass-first, get the ball downfield approach. Kirby wants lots of ball control. I didn't see the same fit.

He got hurt on like the second drive of the first game of the season... deciding those two drives (let alone in the first game of the season) was enough to say he couldn't move the offense would be very shortsighted of Kirby. I mean we're talking about a guy that threw for 2,500 yards, 16 TD his freshman year. To me it feels like there has to be more to the story than we'll ever hear. I want to say Kirby made it an open competition in fall camp, too and Eason won it.

 

[planomateo]

Damn. Almost 63% (10 of 16) of them have transferred.