Palmetto Proving Grounds

geez.........this is true for every QB in the NCAA regarding missing open receivers, etc. How in the heck can you blast a player of our football team who has led us to a 9-5 season, win the East, etc. Kid is giving his all and trying and is pretty damn good in my opinion. You want to gripe, then start with coaches who go for a fourth down with a minute plus left down 6-0 after stepping on our pecker for an entire half. Biggest mistake of the game.

Special teams.....................frigin couldn't agree more. What happened to having a true special teams coach. Not a recruiting coordinator who does one hell of a job at one thing.........recruiting.

damn shame you told your son that about Garcia........after that I quit reading your post.

I was wondering how long it would take the "Garcia Groupies" to come to his defense. He is a tough hombre and has good (not great) physical tools but some of our fans still think he is Achilles.

I watch lawyers do their thing in a courtroom. The real good ones stand out because they can think on their feet. They adjust to the curves thrown and do it so smoothly that it might go unnoticed. I have said for years, SG lacks that mental ability to play the game. He would not be a great trial lawyer and he is not a great qb because his computer doesn't have a fast enough processor.

My son has been saying all year the exact thing you said about the special teams problem. If you can see it, my son can see it and I am sure others can see it......... why the heck can't our coaches either see it or make an adjustment ?

Personally I think you are "right on" with both points. Unfortunately, I am not sure the answer to our qb problem is on the team.

Shaw is not a running quarterback. Spurrier would not be enamored with the kid if the was a running quarterback. He is a student of the game, can make the throws in Spurrier's offense, intelligent, son of a coach, wants to play and learn from Spurrier and can also run.

I really think most here are throwing Garcia under the bus. Could he do everything Hinton pointed out? Sure but there are only a handful of guys out there that can. He is slightly above average and agree that he still doesn't put in enough time to take it to the next level. I really don't think Shaw will have that problem and think its better than 50/50 he is starting vs ECU next year. That being said Garcia is better than most QBs out there. Problem is we all know he could be a lot better if he was 100 percent commited.

Earlier in the year (after the first Auburn loss) I posted what I thought was holding back Garcia. I still believe he has the physical tools and the mental acuity to be an all-star QB in the SEC - what's holding him back is his own view of himself.

Just like in the first Auburn loss, he tried to do too much... He tried to be the 'Achilles' that he sees himself as; seemingly invincible, achieving the impossible, and carrying the team on his back. After those fumbles at Auburn, we saw Garcia humbled and realizing that he was not 'the' star on this team, but more of a general whose role was to distribute the ball to his playmakers. Throughout the season, as he gained more confidence, you saw the Achilles persona come back, and it peaked in the SEC Championship game/CFA Bowl. He tried to do too much. He tried to make the 'big' play instead of the 'smart' play because that's what an invincible hero would do.

I think Garcia has proven in the past that he has both the physical tools AND the mental acuity to make the correct decisions, but until he can get over his own view of himself as the big-game-winning, invincible hero, he will continue to try to make the big play, and will continue to pay the price for trying to do too much.

I think his problem is MUCH more psychological than it is mental acuity...

Just my two cents...

Its apparent some can't handle the truth about Garcia. He just does not have the mental game to win the big games on a consistent basis. He will tease you and then rip your heart out. I am a firm believer Shaw has the makeup and the drive to take us to the next level. Garcia just does not have that " it " factor. I have been a huge Garcia supporter of his time here but he just hasn't taken that next step. His tunnel vision with Alshon is eerily similar to that of Blake Mitchell and Sydney Rice. Regardless if open or not Mitchell was throwing to Rice and the same could be said of Garcia to Alshon.

Exactly

I thoroughly enjoyed the original post and agree with it. I would point out that almost all college quarterbacks, except maybe the elite of the elite, would grade out similar to Garcia in the bowl game under the same scrutiny and pressure from the opponent's pass rush.

I also think the world of Connor Shaw and think he is advanced for a true freshman and believe he has the tools to do well. At this point, judging from prior game performance, I doubt he even gets many balls out against the Florida State rush. He would have pulled the ball down and taken off most of the time.

My main concern about Garcia is his inconsistent accuracy, which does cost the team many missed opportunities for big pays. If he throws the ball long and to the outside to Ace Sanders, we had a chance for a touchdown instead of a pick. If he throws high and outside to Alshon we have a chance for a big first down or an incompletion -- not a pick. If he throws slightly in in front of Moore instead of behind, we pick up the first down instead of turning the ball over. He overthrew two other potential big plays, I guess overcompensating for the short ball that were picked.

Garcia obviously needs to spend the offseason working on those mechanics and throwing uncounted fade patterns because Connor Shaw will be coming fast. He won't be a true freshman next year.

The way we were running it that may have been a good thing. I also will say that those that think Shaw is just a runner evidently never watched him play in HS. The kid has great touch and can make the throws. I will venture to say when he takes Garcia's job next year he will prove to you why Spurrier loves the kid.

SHaw is NOT ready to be the Qb! Maybe after next year but right now he looks to run TOO much and has gotten hurt in 2 games because of it, He also had open players in the first Auburn game where he decided to throw 2 picks to their defense. In that game didn't Garcia throw 3 td's with no interceptions? Shaw is not the answer.

I'm not even close to being an expert, but even I have noticed problems in Garcia as a QB. While I like him, quite often I find myself jumping up and down throwing a temper tantrum because of how he misses stuff, and how he only focuses on Alshon. While Alshon is one great receiver, we have many other really good receivers on this team that are open and Garcia will still throw to Alshon in double coverage.

Get the other players involved please Garcia. I suspect Gurley is leaving for just this reason. What I really don't understand though is why Spurrier hasn't corrected this. Does he know that Garcia just can't work through progressions, and thus lets him throw mostly to Alshon?

As I said, I am not even close to an expert...most wouldn't even rate me at a novice level, but the obvious is just that...obvious.

Good post, it's just that ...

what exactly are you recommending?

Starting Connor next season?

Really?