With fall camp rapidly approaching, the fact remains that we’ve still no indication of an emerging “Leader” in the race for “QB-1”.
Truth is, while most of us have an opinion, as relative “outsiders” (at least in terms of personal observation) those opinions are more “impression/emotional”, rather than “factual/observational”-based one’s.
I’m as guilty as anyone:
Based on the scant evidence I HAVE been able to gather, I have more and more come to regard Tramell’s UPside “ceiling” to be the eventual difference-maker as to who and what we will want and NEED as the 2026 season progresses.
Yes, yes—I recognize the advantages of familiarity that Philo had with our new OC’s offense coming in here (Hell—That’s why he was BROUGHT here, practically “along WITH him”!)—but I also see and value the way young Jones LOOKS ON THE FIELD—the way the ball looks coming out of his hand, the SNAP, the accuracy and general steady development over time.
And don’t undervalue the simple rapport he appears to have with his teammates: He has looked like a “Team Leader” practically since he got here—even last year when DJ Lagway was SUPPOSED to be finally “leading us back to the Promised Land” (another stubborn inflexibility courtesy of our former “stick-in-the-mud” Head Coach Napier).
I don’t KNOW exactly how this will all play out, obviously, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Philo emerged the first couple of games and entered SEC play (on the road at Auburn) by-a-HAIR as the starter, only to eventually give way to Tramell as the season goes on—NOT so much by any glaring failings on Philo’s part but as a growing clear impression of Tramell’s undeniably emerging “upside”.
We now appear to finally have flexible, imaginatively creative Coaches, top-to-bottom, who will recognize and not fail to take advantage of unique talent and changing circumstances:
A huge change from the glaring, willful ignoring of what in fact was taking place ON the field under center for us under Coach “Eventually” last season.
There are those who insist that Philo is a “diamond in the rough” who is here to step in and step UP. Perhaps that is true. But count me among those who in the meantime have our own impressions of JONES being the one with the “dazzling upside”.
I trust the Coaches on this staff, though—a WHOLE lot more than I came to feel about most of the “committee of self-excusers” who comprised “The Napier Yes-Men”.
So I, along with everyone else, will just have to wait and SEE.
Truth is, while most of us have an opinion, as relative “outsiders” (at least in terms of personal observation) those opinions are more “impression/emotional”, rather than “factual/observational”-based one’s.
I’m as guilty as anyone:
Based on the scant evidence I HAVE been able to gather, I have more and more come to regard Tramell’s UPside “ceiling” to be the eventual difference-maker as to who and what we will want and NEED as the 2026 season progresses.
Yes, yes—I recognize the advantages of familiarity that Philo had with our new OC’s offense coming in here (Hell—That’s why he was BROUGHT here, practically “along WITH him”!)—but I also see and value the way young Jones LOOKS ON THE FIELD—the way the ball looks coming out of his hand, the SNAP, the accuracy and general steady development over time.
And don’t undervalue the simple rapport he appears to have with his teammates: He has looked like a “Team Leader” practically since he got here—even last year when DJ Lagway was SUPPOSED to be finally “leading us back to the Promised Land” (another stubborn inflexibility courtesy of our former “stick-in-the-mud” Head Coach Napier).
I don’t KNOW exactly how this will all play out, obviously, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Philo emerged the first couple of games and entered SEC play (on the road at Auburn) by-a-HAIR as the starter, only to eventually give way to Tramell as the season goes on—NOT so much by any glaring failings on Philo’s part but as a growing clear impression of Tramell’s undeniably emerging “upside”.
We now appear to finally have flexible, imaginatively creative Coaches, top-to-bottom, who will recognize and not fail to take advantage of unique talent and changing circumstances:
A huge change from the glaring, willful ignoring of what in fact was taking place ON the field under center for us under Coach “Eventually” last season.
There are those who insist that Philo is a “diamond in the rough” who is here to step in and step UP. Perhaps that is true. But count me among those who in the meantime have our own impressions of JONES being the one with the “dazzling upside”.
I trust the Coaches on this staff, though—a WHOLE lot more than I came to feel about most of the “committee of self-excusers” who comprised “The Napier Yes-Men”.
So I, along with everyone else, will just have to wait and SEE.
