Podcast GSS: Jay Walker (10-18-22)

[KajunKrazy]

There is no way Ben is potentially a big time P5 talent and Chandler is much more than a Baldwin recruit. I hate for facts to get in the way, but people who know more about recruiting than you and me would disagree with you. Coming out of HS, BW was a 2 Star .77 rated recruit that only had interest from Fresno State and really as more of a Preferred Walk on while Chandler Fields was a 3 star .8444 recruit with offers from UL and Memphis and interest from Arizona State and Oklahoma State. Out of HS their was more of a thought that CF was going to be more successful as a college D-1 FBS QB than BW and that is 100% fact. That is not saying that BW didn't have talent and might not succeed, but very few of the scouting services saw it the way you do and I will trust them more than you or me. Not saying they are perfect, but they are more right than wrong when it comes to these things.

Ben has improved tremendously and had a chance to start at Fresno but lost the job and had a chance to start at UL and lost the job, so not only did recruiting services disagree with you but so did the following Head Football Coaches....Billy Napier, CMD, Jeff Tetford. Oh by the way, one of those guys is considered one of the best QB coaches in football and the other two played the position at a very high level. So basing BW on one and a half games is not what any of us should do, it should be on his body of work. Right now he performed admirably in the last couple of opportunities but the reality is he has not proven it over a long period of time and I am not saying he won't, I am just saying he hasn't.

I trust Billy Napier naming CF the backup last year, I trust Jeff Tetford choosing Jake Haener over Ben and I trust CMD in seeing what he saw between the two. It is possible that Ben does not perform well in practice and could be spectacular in games, I remember a number of coaches saying the same thing about a guy named Jake Delhomme. In fact coaches here and in the NFL said the guy just does it when the lights come on, but he is not a very good practice QB.

That could very well be the case with BW and I hope it is. We have to give the guy more than 1-1/2 quarters of football vs USA and Marshall before we state that BW should be starting on a P5 roster. I hope you are correct, but I will tell you from what I have seen all season I don't think their is a clear wide difference at this point between the two. I could look at parts of the SLU, EMU and ULM games and tell you that CF is clearly the better QB or I could look at the last game vs Marshall and tell you that BW is clearly the better QB. Based on what we have seen so far we have two good, capable QB's, but until we see it for an extended period of time, I am not ready to say that BW is heads and shoulders better than CF. I hope that Ben comes out Saturday and throws for 300+ yards and 4+ TD's and no INT's. If he does that then I can admit I might have been wrong and I think the Cajuns win running away. But lets not crown the fellow the greatest of all time after one very good solid game.

Again, I have pointed out in multiple threads the mistakes that BW made in that game that would have turned a very good game into a great game.

I hate to hit you with facts and not just spouting of nonsense, but unfortunately that is the way I work.

I will also say this, as for you calling me Ragin' Jay. I would consider Jay and myself friends, but I would also say this. Jay and I disagree on a number of things and we have discussed those plenty of times. I would say we disagree more than we agree. I would say that about a number of people I consider friends on this board. That is what makes being a fan so special. We can agree and we can disagree about things we are passionate about, but at the end of the day we all want the same thing. A "W" on the scoreboard no matter how it happens.

Sorry for the long post, RPers, but I felt I needed to say a few things.

Great post. Another point. We have never seen Chandler when he has had the opportunity to have 10 days in practice getting all the reps and going into a game relaxed knowing that he is the guy all the way and will get all the snaps and not getting pulled, as BW had in the Marshall game. That makes a huge difference in getting into the rhythm of the game. When CF gets that opportunity and fails to out preform BW I may start to waiver. Right now I have to trust what CMD and OC Leger saw over the long haul through spring and fall when they named a healthy CF the starter. Either way I do think it is best for the team to go with a true starter and traditional back up.

[CajunVic]

History will repeat itself and Chandler will be back behind center . . . way too much history on the books for that not to happen . . .

[Bandwagon King]

Not saying you are right or wrong but just keep in mind what you saw in Chandler against So Al was with a sprained larum muscle in his throwing shoulder. It was said after the fact he should not have played. That game is not a good assessment of his capabilities.

Good point, then why practice him at all. Why play him at all. The reason I got my nickname was from Kevin Foote after I divorced myself from the Saints the season they had beaten Tampa Bay twice & had the inside track on the number two seed in the conference. Then Brooks got the same injury & Haslett continued to play Brooks with a bad throwing shoulder when he had Jake to go to & Jake had actually led the Saints to a win in Baltimore in relief of Brooks. We ended up losing three games in a row to the bottom dwellers of the league & Tampa went on to win their first Superbowl.

That season should have been the Saints first super bowl but for hard headed arrogance by the head guy. I have put up with so much incompetence & arrogance & stupidity following this game, that I have just gotten to the point either I'm going to call it like I see it. Or the people I'm following can just go to hell. And hell is where the Saints went before I ever took them back. And I don't regret following Carolina one bit while Jake was there until the Saints signed Drew Brees. And I remember Jay & the gang calling it over paying for damaged goods. That was a hoot.

[Bandwagon King]

Great post. Another point. We have never seen Chandler when he has had the opportunity to have 10 day in practice getting all the reps and going into a game relaxed knowing that he is the guy all the way and will get all the snaps and not getting pulled, as BW had in the Marshall game. That makes a huge difference in getting into the rhythm of the game. When CF gets that opportunity and fails to out preform BW I may start to waiver. Right now I have to trust what CMD and OC Leger saw over the long haul through spring and fall when they named a healthy CF the starter. Either way I do think it is best for the team to go with a true starter and traditional back up.

What does that tell you about what the coaches thinking was at that time? It tells me something. It tells me they didn't trust chandler to be that guy to lead the team. Otherwise, he would have been that guy. I'm sorry, I just don't see how anyone can get any other realistic interpretation out of what occurred.

[CajunVic]

yes, let's put out the guy we don't trust first . . .

[Turbine]

I thought the Washington Football Team was a great name, and they should have left it at that.

I heard you say that on the podcast and thought ..."he's right."

[CajunNation]

I heard you say that on the podcast and thought ..."he's right."

I agree.

We have a fixation in this country with nicknames. You don't see The Manchester United Tigers or The Chelsea Eagles. Washington Football Team had a very classy, Premier League feel to it.

[LouisianaB]

I agree.

We have a fixation in this country with nicknames. You don't see The Manchester United Tigers or The Chelsea Eagles. Washington Football Team had a very classy, Premier League feel to it.

Yea but we won the war, so what they do is irrelevant

[CharlieK]

I didn't say Balwin era. I said coming out of the Baldwin era. Hint Jerry Babb. Nothing wrong with the guy. he was a great leader. But his upside was limited. This program is supposed to have progressed to where we have a higher spot on the food chain. That's because we do. And you're trying to make it sound like I hate Chandler. I don't hate young man at all. I think he has paid his dues & is doing the best he possibly can. And you're out of your mind if you don't see the talent difference.

No you just can’t leave it at “Ben should start”. You have to ramp it up to Ben is a P5 QB and somehow put the stink of Baldwin on Chandler. You knew what you were doing…you were insulting the kid to bring attention to yourself.

[Bandwagon King]

No you just can’t leave it at “Ben should start”. You have to ramp it up to Ben is a P5 QB and somehow put the stink of Baldwin on Chandler. You knew what you were doing…you were insulting the kid to bring attention to yourself.

How's about this? Chandler would have been a great QB to start the Bustle era. Does this help it feel better?

[RedTails]

BWK you can be pro-Wooldrige, but please don't disparage CF. He's done all that has been asked of him.

[CharlieK]

How's about this? Chandler would have been a great QB to start the Bustle era. Does this help it feel better?

Beep beep beep…BWK backing up.

Man you make it hard to agree with you. I think Ben should start. I think he gives the current lineup the best chance to win now (even when Chandler is healthy). I’m just not gonna throw any shade at at Chandler. At all. He’s a good QB, and if our line was better he’d likely be our best bet.