Sorry for the long delay on posts everyone. I have been absolutely swamped at work putting together the football tab and producing a daily newspaper for all to read.
Obviously the news of Jeff Fleming transferring was surprising. Or was it?
Fleming was essentially demoted to No. 4 on the quarterback depth chart. The team named Matt Christian the starter and said that Rust and Manley were battling for the No. 2 spot. Fleming would have special packages in the offense according to head coach DeWayne Walker. Would he play QB? Maybe some, maybe some wide receiver too. Obviously that's not the same as being the starting signal caller in the offense.
News that Christian was named starting QB shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone. The offense was abysmal last year. Was it all Fleming's fault? Of course not. The entire unit has a hand in it because that's what the game's all about.
But the bottom line is that Seth Smith did run for over 1,000 yards and the offensive line played as well as it could have. The blocking up front wasn't terrible, it was actually serviceable and better than in some recent years past.
The passing game was unbearable to watch and of course a lot of the blame will fall at the quarterback's feet. It's the most recognizable position on the field and carries the most responsibility. The Aggies couldn't, and often times didn't try to, throw the ball downfield in 2009. Playcalling was a factor, certainly quarterback play was as well.
Christian has come in and seems like a leader, which the team badly needs.
“He comes in, he's very vocal, he's confident,” wide receiver Todd Lee said. “Everybody wants to play for him.
“We all rally around him when he starts talking. When he starts talking, that's when you shut up.”
I have concern about Christian's health. He has had collarbone issues in the past, including sitting out some of spring ball because of the injury. He sat out recently at fall camp with a sore elbow.
“I'm feeling all right,” Christian said. “I banged up my elbow....Just treatment every day....Getting extra work off the field and watching it on the field. I got this little (protective) sleeve (on his right throwing elbow)....It's all right. It hurts every once in a while, it aches every once in a while but, again, it's a part of football. You just gotta work through it.”
Some injuries a player can work through, some force a player to the sideline. The Aggies need competent quarterback play for all 12 games this season.
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4 comments:
Teddy,
Sad to lose a valuable player, but the transfers happen when they are looking for what's best for them.
Also found some missing info (not posted on team's roster) concern-ing FB LaFelton Traxler. He is 6'0 240 lb player that had also been looked at by UCLA. Looks like a late good addition. Mark
Fleming's a quitter.
Based on his 4 td, 12 int performance last year. Did he really think he deserved to be a starter?
He should learn a thing or two from Trevor Walls. Trevor knew he wasn't going to get a shot at being our QB and instead of quitting, he stayed and changed positions!!
Now thats a team player!
Teddy,
You blog has been a major dissapointment the past few weeks. A lot of things have happened in the WAC and you wrote nothing.
I hope it gets better when the season starts!
Jefe
A quitter? No. He transferred, as would anyone put in his situation. Blindsiding him with a decision like that a 2 weeks before the first game was the wrong part. It should have been his position to lose during spring, which was obviously not the case. But yes, kudos to Trevor for sticking it out, I hear he's doing well, but people could call him a quitter too for giving up on his position. I think neither are quitters and did what was best for themselves.
fleming scores on Stanford! After 5 days at the school!
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