Why Play Tommy?

[Prodigal Cat]

Also we have a couple of our RB's out this week as well. Give Tommy 8 knee braces and let him free!

Who is out besides Lane and Humphrey? AKA it's the same lineup we've been using for most of the season - Davis, White, Elliot.

I would play Tommy this week in a limited number of plays to get him up to game speed. I would start Chambers and go for the juggler early and get Tommy some QB action. Maybe give him the second half action depending on how we’re playing. But, this is a great game to see how he’s healed up.

What the heck did the juggler do to you?!

This is actually a good survivor technique. If your ever attacked by a group of clowns you now know what to do. Go for the juggler.

[coloradocat]

Ok BN, you have 5.5 weeks to photoshop Bobbi's face on that picture. Get to work!

[TomCat88]

I think its most easily summed up by; Vigen and this team don't overlook anyone. They respect all their opponents. Cal Poly may not look good on paper but this team 100% respects the Division 1 opponent showing up to Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.

True. And Mellott came back vs. UNC last year. The Bears got out to a 14-3 lead, which is a perfect example of what you just said about respecting the opponent.

[kwcat]

I’m hoping to see Sean start play. And Jordan Reed spell him for the rest of the game.
Hopefully Tommy is good to go by Sacramento State.

[catatac]

I think its most easily summed up by; Vigen and this team don't overlook anyone. They respect all their opponents. Cal Poly may not look good on paper but this team 100% respects the Division 1 opponent showing up to Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.

I totally agree with this 100%. However, I often wonder if coaches, behind closed doors, watch the film and just know that it's not going to be much of a contest. When you look across position groups and see our players are faster, stronger, and better at literally every position group, I'm guessing there are games where coaches think, or maybe even game plan around the fact that they are going to be able to do whatever they want. Of course you would never want this type of thinking to creep into the players' heads, but from a coaching standpoint, they have already have these guys trained to compete their guts out every play and do not take any team for granted.

[catsrback76]

Also we have a couple of our RB's out this week as well. Give Tommy 8 knee braces and let him free!

Who is out besides Lane and Humphrey? AKA it's the same lineup we've been using for most of the season - Davis, White, Elliot.

I would play Tommy this week in a limited number of plays to get him up to game speed. I would start Chambers and go for the juggler early and get Tommy some QB action. Maybe give him the second half action depending on how we’re playing. But, this is a great game to see how he’s healed up.

What the heck did the juggler do to you?!

If Cal Poly has jugglers on their team, that would explain why their defense is so bad.

I'll trust the coaches and training staff who have been keeping close track of Tommy's health for the last month to decide how much he should play on Saturday.

You guys have obviously NEVER played a juggler…they are scary! No sense in letting them hang around!!!

[catgrad05]

I don’t think there’s any question we will be running a two QB system when both are healthy. The offense needs the reps with them going in and out of the game prior to being on the road against tougher competition. Playing Tommy makes sense to me

[coloradocat]

I don’t think there’s any question we will be running a two QB system when both are healthy. The offense needs the reps with them going in and out of the game prior to being on the road against tougher competition. Playing Tommy makes sense to me

I almost think Chambers needs more reps with Tommy in the game than Tommy needs for himself. That might be the biggest reason to play Tommy this week. Get Chambers some more practice interrupting his game flow.

[rfischer94]

Also we have a couple of our RB's out this week as well. Give Tommy 8 knee braces and let him free!

Who is out besides Lane and Humphrey? AKA it's the same lineup we've been using for most of the season - Davis, White, Elliot.

I would play Tommy this week in a limited number of plays to get him up to game speed. I would start Chambers and go for the juggler early and get Tommy some QB action. Maybe give him the second half action depending on how we’re playing. But, this is a great game to see how he’s healed up.

What the heck did the juggler do to you?!

If Cal Poly has jugglers on their team, that would explain why their defense is so bad.

I'll trust the coaches and training staff who have been keeping close track of Tommy's health for the last month to decide how much he should play on Saturday.

They looked life they were trying to juggle the football during their games this season... and they dropped it a lot!

[Joe Bobcat]

If Tommy does play, I'd like to see his plays be scripted approximately 5+- passes, 8+- handoffs, and toss in a jet sweep to Marqui. I'd like for those plays to be the type that in general put him in the least amount of exposure. Maybe that's too few and that's why the plus, the minus is there because if he takes off and runs on many of those plays (2 or 3) then he gets fewer total snaps. I don't tell him that part because I want him playing freely and not worrying about getting pulled for the decisions he makes. Just a fan's opinion and I in no way profess to be a coach or OC.

[GoCats18]

We should be playing Tommy as well as Elliot.

[Augustus]

As much as I love watching that kid play, and run, I promise him that when he's in his 50s he's going to regret getting the s*** beat out of him for three hours every Saturday and being injured over and over again. If sitting out a few more games prevents life-long orthopedic problems for him then so be it. We aren't lacking in quality at QB.

[Bear Spray II]

If he's healthy & wants to play, he plays. Practice like you play, Chambers actually said that in an interview this spring. No way to say this without sounding disrespectful; this game's more like a scrimmage. It just is. So play him, play Chambers, and when the game's out of hand play everyone (qb's) else. Or run a bunch of crap that you'll likely never run again, and see if Sac buys it...

[RobertSebastianCat-81]

If we have a huge lead at halftime, I would like to see Jordan Reed take the helm for the third quarter. Then in the fourth, run the two-quarterback offense using freshmen Chance Wilson and Luke Abshire or Patrick Duchien. This 2QB offense is so unique and I think it's why we've been so successful, so teach it to our up-and-comers in a game situation.

[BFcatfan]

I'm gonna go ahead and play devil's advocate and give a few reasons why he shouldn't play, even if he's ready or close to ready:

-- Injury: There is no denying that our offense is more dynamic when Tommy is on the field. But let's be honest - Tommy has a propensity of being injured. I think another poster mentioned that he's missed over 30% of the playing time he's been eligible for due to injury. Tommy will be really needed when we play Sac State, Idaho, and others. Do we really need to risk something else happening to him in a game like Poly?
-- Rust: Yeah, maybe there might be some, but come on - it's not like he's a forty year old dude playing in his first rec league softball game for the first time in 5 years. Tommy is a 20-year-old, highly tuned collegiate athlete who last played in game one month ago. One month; not a year or entire fall camp or an off-season. One month. If there's any rust, it probably would be knocked off in one series of plays.
-- Game planning: why let Tommy run out there for the Poly game and basically announce to Sac State that he's back? Why not continue to keep Sac State in the dark and force them to gameplan just for Sean? And then run Tommy out there as starter and completely throw SSU for a loop? Just thinking out loud...
-- QB Development: As much fun as it would be to see Tommy out there for Poly, I really see this game as an opportunity to continue developing Jordan Reed. If we have a big lead at half like we're all thinking, it's time to give a lot of PT to Reed. Have Sean build the lead, and then let's watch what Jordan can do when given the reins.

I'm not trying to say Tommy should or shouldn't play. I'm not the coach; it ain't my call. Just a few reasons to consider giving Tommy an extra week.

I’ll take the dark side and say Tommy needs to see his second and third reads. He takes his first read and if it’s not there he tucks and runs. Worked very well in Butte America but gets
a lot more physical in D1. Chambers in my opinion had the same problem but seems to be learning. I’m guessing watching film and listening to coaching is paying off for him. Don’t get me wrong I think Tommy and Chambers are great QB’s and athletes and any FCS school would be happy to have them. I just feel and see in my football brain that Tommy could minimize his injuries from doing so.

[BFcatfan]

If he's healthy & wants to play, he plays. Practice like you play, Chambers actually said that in an interview this spring. No way to say this without sounding disrespectful; this game's more like a scrimmage. It just is. So play him, play Chambers, and when the game's out of hand play everyone (qb's) else. Or run a bunch of crap that you'll likely never run again, and see if Sac buys it...

I’m more concerned about Idaho than Sac..I’ll leave it there…

[St George]

That first play from scrimmage is why you play Tommy in the Cow Poly game. Now we can move forward and kick some ass.