Take aways from this one:
We are essentially in good shape at QB, at least for the rest of THIS season--long as Trask remains healthy. Now, Emory Jones is further behind in HIS development than many of us no doubt thought and hoped; Mullens and his coaching staff are going to be "tip towing through a mine field" trying to win THIS season (which more and more appears to require relying on Trask rather than developing a "2-Headed Monster" approach I think Coach Dan was HOPING would ENHANCE our overall threat as an offense, while keeping Emory happy while further developing his ongoing growth towards what they HOPE he will eventually BE...)
As things are, it now looks as if at least for now, Jones isn't yet far enough along to do much of all that and not weaken our chances for wins; at the very least, right now bringing him in appears to consistently destroy the rhythm, efficiency and overall effectiveness of the gameplan and flow of play...
If they still truly insist they mean to establish a consistent multi-pronged attack with the two different contrasting quarterbacks freely exchanged in creative fashion, Jones will have to be brought along FAST from here. I fear a frustrating failure that ultimately in fact "accomplishes" just the opposite--a bad loss or two, the offense having regressed and Jones eventually back sitting on the bench, quietly planning his "transfer" come the off-season.
So Mullens must tread carefully: This is a touchy, tricky process he is contemplating. I'm not saying he cannot manage it with the people he has around him here now...
If anyone can, I trust Mullens to pull it off--win now with Trask the starter/leader, while bringing Jones up to speed in the old "Tebow-in-the-Red-Zone" wrinkle that makes Emory an essential (if specialized) component of a hard-charging, finish-STRONG offense (even as he developes further as a more and more COMPLETE QB), and eventually at least fairly COMPETES for the job as QB-1/starter.
Meanwhile, Mullens will HAVE to continue going after a 4- or (even MORE so) 5-Star QB prospect out on the recruiting trail, regardless (This was gonna be in the cards ANYWAY, just as a matter of course, for the sake of "insurance" and "the Future")--which could of course (these days--Kyle Trask and all the nice things folks are saying about him notwithstanding) throw a monkey wrench into the whole affair (they will have to make sure Jones understands all this, has no reason to be automatically threatened by it !). But no use getting ahead of ourselves, "borrowing trouble" from some mythical "future scenario". I can see all KINDS of pitfalls in trying to map "alternative futures"--which is EXACTLY what Head Coaches are expected to do now and what "LUCK", fortune "good" or "bad" has FAR too much bearing on.
Mullens has clearly TRIED to inject a rational approach in imposing HIS WILL and personal insights into the process; he is making a conscious effort to bring HIS philosophy and experience to bear in PLANNING that future, hoping IT SEEMS for such work to pay off in control over what the eventual "raw materials" (ie. actual TALENT among his eventual recruiting "haul") will turn out to BE... The thing is, after seeing how the results of his LAST such effort, what had LOOKED like his best class yet by far, through subsequent circumstances, realities, revelations and rules changes eroded, then eventually busted APART the bulk of that "highly-ranked-by-experts" group, well, I'm sure he is at BEST now "treading cautiously", to say the least. NO ONE really knows where all of these changes will lead--or even STOP, for that matter, let alone how far their actual effects will reach, in practical terms.
So it is pretty well back to doing your best to get the guys who your research, eye balls and intuitive ("gut-level") FEELINGS tell you will fill your needs--all the while hoping that they will then actually live up to their promises and/or committments, make GOOD on their word in a world where the main message is now "Show me the MONEY!!!"
We are essentially in good shape at QB, at least for the rest of THIS season--long as Trask remains healthy. Now, Emory Jones is further behind in HIS development than many of us no doubt thought and hoped; Mullens and his coaching staff are going to be "tip towing through a mine field" trying to win THIS season (which more and more appears to require relying on Trask rather than developing a "2-Headed Monster" approach I think Coach Dan was HOPING would ENHANCE our overall threat as an offense, while keeping Emory happy while further developing his ongoing growth towards what they HOPE he will eventually BE...)
As things are, it now looks as if at least for now, Jones isn't yet far enough along to do much of all that and not weaken our chances for wins; at the very least, right now bringing him in appears to consistently destroy the rhythm, efficiency and overall effectiveness of the gameplan and flow of play...
If they still truly insist they mean to establish a consistent multi-pronged attack with the two different contrasting quarterbacks freely exchanged in creative fashion, Jones will have to be brought along FAST from here. I fear a frustrating failure that ultimately in fact "accomplishes" just the opposite--a bad loss or two, the offense having regressed and Jones eventually back sitting on the bench, quietly planning his "transfer" come the off-season.
So Mullens must tread carefully: This is a touchy, tricky process he is contemplating. I'm not saying he cannot manage it with the people he has around him here now...
If anyone can, I trust Mullens to pull it off--win now with Trask the starter/leader, while bringing Jones up to speed in the old "Tebow-in-the-Red-Zone" wrinkle that makes Emory an essential (if specialized) component of a hard-charging, finish-STRONG offense (even as he developes further as a more and more COMPLETE QB), and eventually at least fairly COMPETES for the job as QB-1/starter.
Meanwhile, Mullens will HAVE to continue going after a 4- or (even MORE so) 5-Star QB prospect out on the recruiting trail, regardless (This was gonna be in the cards ANYWAY, just as a matter of course, for the sake of "insurance" and "the Future")--which could of course (these days--Kyle Trask and all the nice things folks are saying about him notwithstanding) throw a monkey wrench into the whole affair (they will have to make sure Jones understands all this, has no reason to be automatically threatened by it !). But no use getting ahead of ourselves, "borrowing trouble" from some mythical "future scenario". I can see all KINDS of pitfalls in trying to map "alternative futures"--which is EXACTLY what Head Coaches are expected to do now and what "LUCK", fortune "good" or "bad" has FAR too much bearing on.
Mullens has clearly TRIED to inject a rational approach in imposing HIS WILL and personal insights into the process; he is making a conscious effort to bring HIS philosophy and experience to bear in PLANNING that future, hoping IT SEEMS for such work to pay off in control over what the eventual "raw materials" (ie. actual TALENT among his eventual recruiting "haul") will turn out to BE... The thing is, after seeing how the results of his LAST such effort, what had LOOKED like his best class yet by far, through subsequent circumstances, realities, revelations and rules changes eroded, then eventually busted APART the bulk of that "highly-ranked-by-experts" group, well, I'm sure he is at BEST now "treading cautiously", to say the least. NO ONE really knows where all of these changes will lead--or even STOP, for that matter, let alone how far their actual effects will reach, in practical terms.
So it is pretty well back to doing your best to get the guys who your research, eye balls and intuitive ("gut-level") FEELINGS tell you will fill your needs--all the while hoping that they will then actually live up to their promises and/or committments, make GOOD on their word in a world where the main message is now "Show me the MONEY!!!"