Zeon Chriss

[RaginDave]

Coach Dez addressed the possibility of Zeon Chriss playing another position at last week's QB Club. Answer was it is not even a consideration. Reason is he was being groomed to be starter next season. Believe it or not, his skill set does not necessarily translate to another position. He has not played another position at any point in his football career. Time spent training him for another position is time lost in preparing him to be the quarterback here. Usually I don't share QB Club info but I thought it was OK in this situation. Note, these comments were made prior to Ben getting hurt.

In a completely separate post, that is exactly what I told Kyle when he first proposed it. You don't ever want to take a kid that has the opportunity to be your full-time starting QB at some point in his career and move him to another position. LL2, was a different situation, he was never going to really have the opportunity to start here, with Ben, Chandler, Lunch and Zeon on the roster. The move was mutually beneficial for all parties. But moving a guy who is your projected 2023 starter and your #2 guys this season to another position only means that he is not getting reps at QB, so if you need him at some point this season and/or expect him to start next season, the only thing that does for you is regress any progress he was making at QB and cause him to be so much further behind when he does become your QB.

There are only ever 2 reasons to move any player from 1 position to another. #1 and the most important reason is because that player has a special skill set as an athlete and you need to get him on the field, but he is buried so far down on the depth chart because of the talent you currently have that he is probably never going to see the field at the position he came to you as. That was never the case with ZC, like it was with LL2. ZC was battling for the #2 position since he walked into the Cajun athletic facility. The #2 reason is because you are so depleted at another position, and you don't have any other options. Again, this was not the case with the Cajuns, as we are learning the WR position even without LL2, is a position we don't need to worry about. Robert Williams and Harvey Broussard and Charles Robertson to some extent are going to be what we expected from Kyren Lacy, Errol Rogers and Donta Fleming, but never happened. I think these three that are currently on the team are going to be special not in years to come, but this year. The fact that we have veterans that they can learn from like Leblanc, Bernard and Cambre only make it better for these young men.

Kyle was wrong on both reasons to move ZC. ZC is a QB and was expected to at some point, either earlier or later be the QB for the Cajuns, obviously this happened sooner than we wanted or expected it to occur and secondly, Kyle said our WR group was weak, and he would immediately be an impact player at that position. I kept saying, he was wrong, that group is going to be special. It has proven so far to be that way and that was with Robert Williams missing last week and a new QB playing.

I might have been wrong about who the guy was that was going to be the next Michael Jefferson, I still believe Robert is going to have a great year if he can stay healthy, but Harvey Broussard is going to be redunculous!!!!

[JamesTheJeweler]

Here is my take on ZC and let me preface this with I think this kid could be special. But here is what I see so far.

There were a couple of passes that he should have put less zip on the ball and there were a few he needed to put more zip. Early when he came in, he threw a couple he just threw way to hard, I don't think the receivers were expecting it to come like that. A couple of others he could have put a little more air under them, but those will come in time as he gets more comfortable. The ball definitely comes out different from his hands then both Ben and Chandler. His athleticism is something special, he is a difference maker with his feet. He reminds me in that way of LL1, but more decisive. One of the biggest issues I had with LL1 was when he would run, he would spend more time trying to juke and jive, rather than putting his foot in the ground and going. I don't think that is an issue for ZC, I think when he decides to go, he is a north and south guy who can make moves, but his goal is to get down the field in a hurry. The other thing I love is he appears bigger than his 6'1 listing. I know he is not as tall as Ben, but he runs and appears bigger than he is.

I am also starting to love this WR/TE core group. I think Harvey Broussard, Robert Williams (when healthy), Charles Robertson, Peter Leblanc, Jacob Bernard, Neal Johnson and Terrance Carter can be special, specifically the young guys like Broussard and Williams. I love the running backs group as well. I said that I thought Dre'lyn Washington was the best of the group and I still believe that, but Perry is explosive (he needs to work on ball security), "Bill" Davis is a special player and I love how Kibodi runs, I want this young man to have a special senior year. But this group is deep, I don't love the fumbles we have had, but I think that can get corrected. The OL is looking better and better each week. The D while awful against ODU, has looked really good vs UAB and Northwestern State. And finally, I think our specialist, Almendares, who I posted about on another thread is a real weapon and Thomas Leo has impressed me replacing one of the best punters we have ever had.

Man, yes!! I really liking our WR/RB room! And I still think we haven't hit our stride yet. The future looks bright!

[Cajun Bullet]

Zeon Chriss can play at a high level there is no doubt about that. Exciting times ahead for the Cajun's Offense.

[CajunT]

Context. You missed the context of what I said and oversimplified it. I didn't say you just start someone because they are your future. I said if they are even close, you start the guy who is your future. I said, you start the guy who is your future, UNLESS,the other guy is just leaps and bounds better. But he isnt.

That's a fan perspective. You play the guy that isn't always the most talented, but is the most prepared to play at that time. Zeon Chriss is the most physically gifted period in that position room. With Ben Woolridge, you had a guy that has the ability because of experience to adjust protections and change plays at the line. He also is the most accurate arm on deep throws which gave this offense the ability to stretch the field vertically. He still had enough mobility to run some RPO.

With Zeon, the offense will become more RPO because that is what fits his skill set right now. That doesn't mean they have to change the offense completely, but they will need to put him in position to succeed and hope his legs will help him as he adjust to starting for the first time.

It will be a process and I look forward to seeing his progress as he grows in this offense.

[ManAboutTown]

We play a dog excrement schedule this season. It is completely insane for people not to understand that if Zeon is even remotely close to ready to lead an offense, he needs to be learning on the job RIGHT NOW. We've played 3 horrible defenses. He can make as many mistakes as he needs to make and still get away with wins against these teams. That is how you build confidence and coach em up at the same time. I don't care how young he is. I'd rather take the bumps and bruises now and watch him develop into a great player during the season in 2023, than give the job to a guy who shows "leadership" and will be gone next year. Zeon is a once a decade type talent for us. He needs to be on the football field.

[CharlieK]

We play a dog excrement schedule this season. It is completely insane for people not to understand that if Zeon is even remotely close to ready to lead an offense, he needs to be learning on the job RIGHT NOW. We've played 3 horrible defenses. He can make as many mistakes as he needs to make and still get away with wins against these teams. That is how you build confidence and coach em up at the same time. I don't care how young he is. I'd rather take the bumps and bruises now and watch him develop into a great player during the season in 2023, than give the job to a guy who shows "leadership" and will be gone next year. Zeon is a once a decade type talent for us. He needs to be on the football field.

Bingo. He is just different…it jumps out of the screen at you. He has to play.

Also, can we talk about Harvey Broussard’s apparent 60” vertical…that dude needs a cape.

[ManAboutTown]

Bingo. He is just different…it jumps out of the screen at you. He has to play.

Also, can we talk about Harvey Broussard’s apparent 60” vertical…that dude needs a cape.

Give ZC the reps and by the final third of the season, this could be the most explosive offense in the SBC. We are extremely talented and extremely young in all the skill groups. If the OLine can just be slightly above average (and they've been pretty good outside of week 1), we won't be stopped. Harvey is another elite talent that can change games.

[RaginDave]

Give ZC the reps and by the final third of the season, this could be the most explosive offense in the SBC. We are extremely talented and extremely young in all the skill groups. If the OLine can just be slightly above average (and they've been pretty good outside of week 1), we won't be stopped. Harvey is another elite talent that can change games.

With a healthy Robert Williams, we have two of the best young WR's in this league, by far.

[Big Poppa]

I’ll trade the rare deep ball for the improved running. Deep balls rarely work no matter who throws them. Fools gold. I’m sure I’m in the minority in that opinion here :-)

Always good to take a shot or 2 deep to keep the defense honest and not creeping up. During Billy’s years we had some success going deep. Iowa st, first championship game at App st, Ohio, are just a few games that come to mind. Mike don’t seem to use some of the same receivers the way that billy did.

[Big Poppa]

One thing I noticed as I rewatched the game yesterday that ZC needs to work on, was on several of his pass plays watching his head, it was obvious that he looked at only one receiver the whole time from snap to delivery. Good defenses will catch on to that. Once he forced it into Harvey to the left and Jacob and Peter were wide open on the right. Never looked their way.

[Cajunsmike]

In a completely separate post, that is exactly what I told Kyle when he first proposed it. You don't ever want to take a kid that has the opportunity to be your full-time starting QB at some point in his career and move him to another position. LL2, was a different situation, he was never going to really have the opportunity to start here, with Ben, Chandler, Lunch and Zeon on the roster. The move was mutually beneficial for all parties. But moving a guy who is your projected 2023 starter and your #2 guys this season to another position only means that he is not getting reps at QB, so if you need him at some point this season and/or expect him to start next season, the only thing that does for you is regress any progress he was making at QB and cause him to be so much further behind when he does become your QB.

There are only ever 2 reasons to move any player from 1 position to another. #1 and the most important reason is because that player has a special skill set as an athlete and you need to get him on the field, but he is buried so far down on the depth chart because of the talent you currently have that he is probably never going to see the field at the position he came to you as. That was never the case with ZC, like it was with LL2. ZC was battling for the #2 position since he walked into the Cajun athletic facility. The #2 reason is because you are so depleted at another position, and you don't have any other options. Again, this was not the case with the Cajuns, as we are learning the WR position even without LL2, is a position we don't need to worry about. Robert Williams and Harvey Broussard and Charles Robertson to some extent are going to be what we expected from Kyren Lacy, Errol Rogers and Donta Fleming, but never happened. I think these three that are currently on the team are going to be special not in years to come, but this year. The fact that we have veterans that they can learn from like Leblanc, Bernard and Cambre only make it better for these young men.

Kyle was wrong on both reasons to move ZC. ZC is a QB and was expected to at some point, either earlier or later be the QB for the Cajuns, obviously this happened sooner than we wanted or expected it to occur and secondly, Kyle said our WR group was weak, and he would immediately be an impact player at that position. I kept saying, he was wrong, that group is going to be special. It has proven so far to be that way and that was with Robert Williams missing last week and a new QB playing.

I might have been wrong about who the guy was that was going to be the next Michael Jefferson, I still believe Robert is going to have a great year if he can stay healthy, but Harvey Broussard is going to be redunculous!!!!

When Kyle said our WR room was weak, I wondered how he knew that as many had that seen extensive playing time as of yet. I wondered if he had seen spring and summer workouts. A more accurate statement would have been they are inexperienced. On the other hand, someone like Cajun4life who knows as much on our recruiting as any fan, said our receivers would be better eventually than the group that just left. After reading that, I was somewhat confident our receivers would be fine. When I went to the open practice, I was also confident we would be OK in that area. Harvey Broussard looked good that late afternoon. Kyle is not the only one who has been wrong in the past. I have missed on some of my projections on Cajun basketball players, both good and bad. It appears Kyle may have missed on another projection when he said Bryan Breese would not work out as the Saints 1st round pick. So far he is playing about 50 percent of the snaps at DT and has been effective. Hopefully that continues.

[JamesTheJeweler]

We play a dog excrement schedule this season. It is completely insane for people not to understand that if Zeon is even remotely close to ready to lead an offense, he needs to be learning on the job RIGHT NOW. We've played 3 horrible defenses. He can make as many mistakes as he needs to make and still get away with wins against these teams. That is how you build confidence and coach em up at the same time. I don't care how young he is. I'd rather take the bumps and bruises now and watch him develop into a great player during the season in 2023, than give the job to a guy who shows "leadership" and will be gone next year. Zeon is a once a decade type talent for us. He needs to be on the football field.

Yes. Yes. Andmore yes! I keep saying this ad nauseum. I love Ben, but some people here are acting like Zeon is having to replace Tom Brady. Let's pump the brakes a bit. This gulf of separation just doesn't exist, unless we're discussing the one that exists between reality and some of yalls pride.