The Fitz vs. Key debate

[Go Budaw]

I want to address some things that are getting lost in this discussion. The whole argument against going to Key at this point are two things: seniority / experience factor and the fact that Key might be just as inaccurate as Fitz.

Here’s the deal. Regarding the seniority factor, both Fitz and Key are essentially true freshmen in this system. This offense is so otherworldly different from Mullen’s passing scheme that it really has no bearing on how many years experience Fitz has. Forget about passing accuracy for a second. The biggest problem with Fitz is sooo much bigger than that....and the accuracy / INT’s are just a byproduct of that larger issue.

That bigger issue is that Fitz is simply failing to execute the offense. He isn’t going through his progressions. He is throwing to guys who aren’t open. He is running for 3-4 yards if the first read isn’t there, often when a secondary guy is wide open. He is also taking way too long to go through the reads. There were times last night where he sat back at least 3-4 seconds in the pocket before finally deciding to take off. By that time, guys have already closed in om the middle and get to him after a modest gain. Everything in Fitz’s head is moving slow, and is wrong 75% of the time.

The offensive scheme is what it is. This is the system Moorhead knows how to run, and he’s gonna run it. There is no magic button for Moorhead to learn Mullen’s system and run it until he gets his players in. That being said, it’s time for Key to get a shot. I want to see if he can simply run the system. Can he throw the ball at the correct time to the correct guy? Can he make the right decision quickly on when to run vs. when to pass? Maybe he is just as inaccurate as Fitz, or even moreso. But honestly, I don’t really care. If he can at least make the correct decisions and do what he’s supposed to do between the ears, that is a massive upgrade. Fitz isn’t ever gonna be the guy for this system. If he can’t get it in 7 games, it simply isn’t going to happen.

 

[Chris Mannix]

Niether of them can execute by throwing in this offense, any other point is mute. Replacing a quarterback that can’t throw with another quarterback that can’t throw.

 

[57stratdawg]

I would love to know what the two look like in practice. It seems more like Moorhead doesn’t feel like Key deserves playing time more than anything.

Youd think we’d have some packages for him, or at least be willing to give him a drive occasionally. Moorhead was asked if he considered going to KT last night post game and he said “no”.

 

[Dawgzilla]

Yeah, it is actually frightening to me that KT doesn't see the field. It could mean that he is an even worse choice. I would have let him run more than 1 play when Fitz was forced to leave the field, just to see if it shook things up. OTOH, when the defense is keeping you in the game, it is difficult to make a QB change when you know what Fitz is capable of....or at least what he SHOULD be capable of.

 

[Seinfeld]

Don’t disagree with anything in your post, and KT may be just as ineffective as Nick in this offense. That said, realistically, we’re not going to have a guy truly ready to run Moorhead’s offense for another couple years, and Nick is graduating. So it just seems logical to start playing KT with this season already flushed down the toilet, but I guess I should come to grips with the fact that this staff and logic don’t often mix

 

[KeyserSoze1999]

Last year Hurts started for Alabama and Tua barely saw the field...until Saban made the change after halftime of the National Championship game.

Tyson Lee started and Chris Relf barely saw the field...until Mullen made the change in the 2009 Egg Bowl and we went on to beat Ole Miss and the following year beat Michigan in the Gator Bowl.

Tyler Russell started and Dak Prescott barely saw the field...until Russell graduated and Dak guided us to a #1 ranking in 2014.

Drew Bledsoe started and some backup Michigan QB named Tom Brady barely saw the field...until Bledsoe got injured and Brady led the Patriots to the Superbowl.

Sometimes Head Coaches just blindly go with the veteran QB and start them over and over and over again while a more talented QB remains a backup on the depth chart. Yes I know conventional wisdom says, "if dat backup wuz sooo damn good he would be a starting insteads of da starter huh!" but unfortunately that is not always the case.

 

[Go Budaw]

I would love to know what the two look like in practice. It seems more like Moorhead doesn’t feel like Key deserves playing time more than anything.

Youd think we’d have some packages for him, or at least be willing to give him a drive occasionally. Moorhead was asked if he considered going to KT last night post game and he said “no”.

See, to me, practice is almost irrelevant at this point. We know Fitz can’t execute in the actual games. That isn’t changing. Wayne Madkin was a notoriously terrible practice QB, which is why it took Sherrill a few games to fully hand him the reigns in ‘98. But once he did, he found a way to make plays even though it wasn’t always pretty. We are at the “definition of insanity” point with Moorhead in regards to Fitz. We either need to start Fitz on a really short leash against A&M, or go ahead and start Key to see what happens. What is the worst case scenario? A “QB controversy” in the last 4 games of what is now a meaningless season?

 

[KingCharlesSpaniel]

After the Florida game and before the Auburn game I wall all-in on the bench Fitz, play KT for the future. My problem now is I think Fitz can win 7, maybe 8 games and I do not know if KT can. Neither can beat Bama and maybe neither can beat TAMU. I think Fitz beats La Tech and probably OM and maybe TAMU. I would have trouble making this decision.

 

[idog]

the WR's were open last night.

Niether of them can execute by throwing in this offense, any other point is mute. Replacing a quarterback that can’t throw with another quarterback that can’t throw.

Fitz cannot get it to them. it's not the offense. it's the QB. i sat right behind the bench and watched WR's walking off shaking their heads after being overthrown by Fitz. his 4th INT was to the correct WR, who had 3-5 yards separation but Fitz threw it 2 seconds late and low/behind the WR(which was the only place the corner could get to it) for the interception. i have more confidence in Key making that throw than Fitz.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Fred Ross would have caught Fitz 1st pass and run for a 1st down... 87 ducked and it was intercepted

 

[Chris Mannix]

We do not have a quarterback on this roster that can execute this pass offense. Beyond that we do not have the wideouts, and an o line that is designed to run block.

Will we have those players in two years? I do not know anymore than anyone else on this board. Is the kid from Texas the answer? Do not know that either, hope that he will be.

Fact is right now we do not have the players to execute this offense.

 

[Beerbully]

See, to me, practice is almost irrelevant at this point. We know Fitz can’t execute in the actual games. That isn’t changing. Wayne Madkin was a notoriously terrible practice QB, which is why it took Sherrill a few games to fully hand him the reigns in ‘98. But once he did, he found a way to make plays even though it wasn’t always pretty. We are at the “definition of insanity” point with Moorhead in regards to Fitz. We either need to start Fitz on a really short leash against A&M, or go ahead and start Key to see what happens. What is the worst case scenario? A “QB controversy” in the last 4 games of what is now a meaningless season?

We should go ahead and make our QB controversy official. Play #10

 

[PorkRoast]

Yeah, it is actually frightening to me that KT doesn't see the field. It could mean that he is an even worse choice. I would have let him run more than 1 play when Fitz was forced to leave the field, just to see if it shook things up. OTOH, when the defense is keeping you in the game, it is difficult to make a QB change when you know what Fitz is capable of....or at least what he SHOULD be capable of.

I doubt KT will be worse than a 2 QBR.

 

[DudyDog]

All I know is Key is going to be here next year and Fitz isn't. I would rather see Key getting his reps in live action now instead of seeing his first true reps in game 1 next year. Let him take his lumps now if he's going to and find out where he needs to improve during the off season.

 

[Dawgzilla]

Yeah, but all of those backups -- with the exception of Brady, perhaps -- had shown some serious skill when they did get to play. KT has not looked any better than Fitz when he has gotten in.

 

[WutheringDawg]

I know that Thompson hasn’t been Dan Marino but I don’t think this argument holds much water anymore. Short of a zero completion percentage with six picks, it could t get worse than Fitz last night and that is his fourth game outing up those kinds of stats. KT has had his moments but to say he hasn’t looked better is just not true.

 

[pmack65]

Its time to play KT, we've got nothing lose. Obviously Nick isn't getting any better whether its all him, coaching or other issues it's time to make a change. Key has played 2 full games, percentage wasn't great and he does struggle in certain situations but it's time to see if he's the QB of the future or not and the only way to find out is to give him a shot. It could give the offense and all the players a boost, it could be a total failure but at this point something has to be done can't continue with no offense, if so the entire team could be lost and year could be lost.

 

[yjnkdawg]

We do not have a quarterback on this roster that can execute this pass offense. Beyond that we do not have the wideouts, and an o line that is designed to run block.

Will we have those players in two years? I do not know anymore than anyone else on this board. Is the kid from Texas the answer? Do not know that either, hope that he will be.

Fact is right now we do not have the players to execute this offense.

I think Mayden is more suited and adapted to run this offensive system, when he learns it, than running the DM offense. I think KT is more adapted to the DM offense, but should be able to run this offense. Hopefully we see Saturday how KT does in it.

 

[Chris Mannix]

I am sorry, I just do not see the point in replacing one qb who can not throw with another qb that can not throw. KT is not the answer, he is fitz 2.0. Is there some credit to the argument well he’s younger and will be here next year? Sure I guess there is. I am just saying KT is not the answer, there is just not a qb on this roster that can execute this offense. It is also sad that am “offensive guru” would not recognize this and blend his offense with things that these guys can do well.

 

[Dawgzilla]

I'm not opposed to playing KT, I'm just not very optimistic about the potential results. It's easy to say "well, he can't be any worse" but honestly none of us know what's going on Tuesday-Friday.

 

[drt7891]

Fitz is a terrible downfield passer. Without a screen/perimeter game, we will be seeing more of the same. I think Mullen used a lot of screen/swing passes to hide the fact Fitz can’t throw from the pocket.