There’s been some debate on The Veer this week about what Dana decides to do at QB in case of a blowout tonight. Everyone agrees you want to get D’Eriq King out of the game as soon as the game feels in hand. But what then?
Should Clayton Tune Play Today?
Ryan Monceaux – Because of atrocious decision-making by Major Applewhite and Kendal Briles last year, Clayton Tune was not able to take advantage of the four-game redshirt rule last year. 11 snaps at ECU in 2018 prevent him from being a redshirt-freshman this year. So did playing him in a meaningless bowl.
It’s a true testament to the last head coach’s recruiting and roster management abilities that he had just two scholarship QBs on the roster heading to 2019. Levi Williams is the QB you signed last December – he had no other offers. A 6’4″ QB from a 6A high school with no other offers! That was your game plan.
Dana released Williams from his scholarship in January and he signed with Wyoming.
But as far as it goes today, I think Tune needs to play. Get him game-reps, get him some film, and get Blackwell and Dana something to work with. I think his development is key: if the worst-case happens and King goes down late in the season then frankly, the season probably goes down with him.
Brad Towns – Hell no. Save him as long as you can. You get nothing out of playing him against a team like this.
If your goal is to redshirt him unless King is hurt, then you save him to play late in the year. Play against real teams and get real experience. Play the 3rd stringer today and let them get their feet wet.
Monceaux – Wrong. Tune needs that experience before he’s ready to be counted on late in the year (if that were to happen). He took 16 sacks in 2.5 games and was just 50% passing, which is why you should never put a true freshman in that position.
There’s no justification for decisions made late last year. He should have redshirted: Dormady could have come in vs. Tulane or Bryson Smith could have played the bowl.
Brad Towns – Major screwed that up. The only QB to redshirt last year was Quentin Dormady – the guy now starting at Central Michigan. Dormady played in the first two games (“played” … he took one snap at Rice) before bailing on the team early and quietly entering the portal (he announced his transfer location on December 11th). UH is eating his scholarship this year as he plays for CMU.
Monceaux The CMU student newspaper suggests Dormady was ‘finally healthy’ late in the year:
Toward the end of the season, Dormady began to make every throw he wanted in practice. His shoulder finally allowed him to do so. It impressed Briles and others on the staff.
If Dormady was healthy, he should have been the guy in the Tulane game. The staff should have had a plan for the possibility that King could be injured and the need to keep Tune’s redshirt. Major didn’t have a plan for it and he put the 2019 program in this position.
But now that we’re here, Tune needs the work early in the season.
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