The Bobcat Nation

I know Vigen said Tommy is "available" vs Cal Poly but he's "not sure what that will look like"...but if we think this is going to be an easy win...and it seems like nearly every Cat fan does...why not let Tommy rest one more week and heal?

Perhaps Vigen wants to get him reps before we head into the brutal stretch to close out the season so he's not too rusty? It just seems bizarre to me to play him in a game where it seems like we won't need him. Thoughts?

CatsNoMatterWhat wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 09, 2023 7:46 pm

I know Vigen said Tommy is "available" vs Cal Poly but he's "not sure what that will look like"...but if we think this is going to be an easy win...and it seems like nearly every Cat fan does...why not let Tommy rest one more week and heal?

Perhaps Vigen wants to get him reps before we head into the brutal stretch to close out the season so he's not too rusty? It just seems bizarre to me to play him in a game where it seems like we won't need him. Thoughts?

I think your 2nd paragraph is likely correct. He's missed over a month of football and Vigen probably wants to get him back up to game speed and shake the rust off. If he wasn't 100% healed then I'm sure he wouldn't play, given it's Cal Poly and also Chambers has been playing well.

CatsNoMatterWhat wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 09, 2023 7:46 pm

I know Vigen said Tommy is "available" vs Cal Poly but he's "not sure what that will look like"...but if we think this is going to be an easy win...and it seems like nearly every Cat fan does...why not let Tommy rest one more week and heal?

Perhaps Vigen wants to get him reps before we head into the brutal stretch to close out the season so he's not too rusty? It just seems bizarre to me to play him in a game where it seems like we won't need him. Thoughts?

Because Tommy hasn’t played since South Dakota State. Practice is great but it isn’t the same as playing in a game.

Tommy needs to knock the dust off, best to do it against Cal Poly.

We also want to keep Sean healthy. Strategically inserting Tommy so not only does he get needed reps but also Sean gets a rest after all those 80+ yard touchdown runs.

Why not play tommy if he's ready? Is my take

Uh because he is the most dynamic player on the team. Because we are a better team when he plays. He gives us more options. He is the starting quarterback. If he’s healthy why shouldn’t he play…..

Every injury is different too. Some injuries need as much rest as possible to get back to 100%. If Tommy is at 75% and another week would get him to 90%, I think they'd rest him. If he's at 100% (or as close as he'll get in the next month), might as well play him and let him knock some rust off. There's no reason to force it, and that's exactly why they're going to play him...because they're not forcing it.

Few reps wouldn’t hurt. Just no running vs a team we will beat by 40+

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

CatfaninGA wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 7:21 am

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.

CelticCat wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:22 am

CatfaninGA wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 7:21 am

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.

CelticCat wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:22 am

CatfaninGA wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 7:21 am

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.

Davis has been limited. Not sure what's going on there or it's still a problem.

CatBot wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 10:16 am

CelticCat wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:22 am

CatfaninGA wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 7:21 am

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.

Davis has been limited. Not sure what's going on there or it's still a problem.

Davis is an absolute weapon and down hill runner, being riddled with injuries since his senior year in high school im sure they are doing all they can to keep him healthy, if he has a little ding during a game they will sit him.

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.

catsrback76 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:49 am

CelticCat wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:22 am

CatfaninGA wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 7:21 am

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?!

LTown Cat wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 11:29 am

catsrback76 wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:49 am

CelticCat wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:22 am

CatfaninGA wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 10, 2023 7:21 am

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 can’t not play because you’re worried about getting hurt. Some people aren’t put together in a way that makes them durable. Injuries really suck but are what weeds out some players. It is scary but you can’t function that way. Kinda depressing but it’s just the reality of it.

Yeah, take probably the most dynamic offensive weapon we have and tell him to sit on the bench. The kid is here to play, there are not that many opportunities. Things like that are why kids enter the transfer portal.

I'm not saying ride him like a rented mule, but if he is cleared by medical I don't see how you don't get him on the field.

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.