Article: “It’s already second nature at this point”: Graham Mertz Poised To Lead Team In 2024

But urban did pull Leake who is our all-time passing leader for Tebow, but it was a thing that made sense

 

Okay.

He said it somewhere or told you that directly? Said it at a Gator Club meeting? I would say that as well if I were a coach.

 

We did it with Tim & and all I heard were cheers.

 

18 years ago. With a perfect storm of a team.
This team is not that team

Also if it always worked it would have happened several more times in those 18 years.

 

If we have a bit of a lead by the end of the first half, and find a weak point that BN thinks DJ can exploit, we might well see him. I frankly would love to see some deep stuff on the roll-out against that secondary, with some RPO plays thrown in just to stress them as much as possible. I'd also like a sense of what DJ can do about inflicting some pain on would-be tacklers at full speed. I really hope he gets a hand-full of shots at making them look stupid. That would instantly escalate the difficulty/concern factor for every team on the schedule. Talk about slapping some icing on the old cake.

 

Yes, he has said it like 10 times in interviews. Every player gets evaluated on every snap, even in practice.

It is clearly Mertz's team, but there is a big deference between Mertz's skill set and DJ's and DJ's skill set is much more dangerous in a short yarded situation. Any coach would be considered incompetent, if he did not use his best tools in a situation that made the most sense.

I'm sure Billy would not put DJ in a game in a critical situation without practicing and drilling said play many times in practice and evaluating it first. It's just common sense.

 

It has nothing to do with the other players. Tim brought something to the table that Leak didn’t have . It was purely situational. Tim was a better option in short yardage situations.

 

Disagree that he was a better option. He was a different option. QBs hand off to RBs in short yardage plays all the time and get the yards needed. It's the preferred play in most offenses.
Also a running QB needs a good offensive line and the Oline in 2006 was far superior than what we have now.

 

Tim was one of the best shortage runners ever. Damn sure better than the running back so that we’re behind him.

 

Yeah, but he didn't get that one against Ole Miss... then again, that turned into "the promise", then eventually a Natty... so I guess there's that!

 

I respectfully disagree about TT not being the better option for battering an OL in search of a few crucial yards with the game on the line. I actually consider him a better option in that role than any other QB I've ever seen - at any level. In the present, DJ almost certainly won't be doing any power dives into the line against UM. But he does bring skills to the table as a true FR that Tim did not. He also has some physical characteristics that our very fine starter and undisputed team leader does not possess. FTR, my impression at this point is that DJ is without a doubt better with ball placement and general accuracy than Tim was as a true FR, while still bringing a serious run threat. More importantly, he also appears to me to have a champion's heart and the character to do great things. I personally can't wait to see him grow into what I believe he can become, and I trust Billy to do the right thing in the here and now. The OL will remain a concern until they prove they can toe the mark, no matter who's taking snaps.

 

Agree completely

 

FIFY

 

Hell put big Dez in the wildcat

 

He at fullback blocking for Sapp in the wildcat.

 

Don't know if you remember the fumble recovery where he was tackled by Rattler, but he can barely get his hands close enough together to secure the football. I would never give him the ball on purpose.

 

He made more than he got stopped for sure. He definitely didn’t safe himself for later either.

 

Well, 18 years ago we agree on. I
don’t think it could have been done the way Tim did it…well…he’s Tebow…a generational talent. I happen to think DJ could be.

Situationally, there’s an even bigger need for someone with size and wheels than when Tim did it as a freshman. All we were missing then, was a dependable short yardage specialist. We had everything else.

This team lacks, to date, a proven offensive line, its most experienced back is injured, and the WR group is unproven. We need someone, who just thru individual talent, could maybe help us, in short yardage & red zone packages, those aren’t Graham’s specialties.

Just thinking out loud, but I don’t see it as the detriment to Graham you do, especially if it helps the team move the chains & get the W.

I’m not as concerned about his draft stock either. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to showcase those.