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Baylor OC Jeff Grimes: Starting QB job still a battle

k lonnquist

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Mar 10, 2009
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By Kevin Lonnquist
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Baylor OC Jeff Grimes met with the media earlier in the week to give an update on the QB race. Head coach Dave Aranda said at the beginning of spring football that they planned on naming a starter at the end of camp. Aranda said on April 2 that was still the case.

The Bears have their annual spring game at noon Saturday at McLane Stadium. The following is the transcript of Aranda's presser.

(Opening Statement)
We’re making progress. I think that group is similar to a lot of groups on our offense in the sense that you have guys coming back with experience. So, you would hope that, second year in the system, a year older, after another year in the weight room, that they’re really progressing and playing at a higher rate than we were at any time last year. And I think that’s the case. And then the infusion of a couple of new guys has helped and brought some more competition. So yeah, I’m really looking forward to seeing what these guys can do this year.

(Why is the tight end so important in this offense) I think I’ve just always had an affinity for tight ends and what they can do for you. I think it’s one of the things that sets us apart, hopefully. I think it gives you a lot of different types of options in terms of how you can run the ball if you can provide an extra gap the defense has to defend. I think it gives you some different options in the throw game, especially when it comes to the play-action stuff that we like to do quite a bit. And then hopefully, if you’ve got the right kind of tight ends, then you can look for matchups. If you get a guy matched up on a smaller guy, then you would hope to use his height, his length, his catch radius. And then, if you get him matched up on a bigger guy, then hopefully you can use his athleticism and speed to be a mismatch in the passing game. But, I just think it kind of fits what I’ve always believed in and how I’ve always envisioned offenses working. And I think it’s more of an advantage now because not many people like to play with more than one of them on the field at a time.

(Next step for older guys like Ben Sims and Drake Dabney) I think Ben’s next step would be to be a more dominant blocker. I thought last year, he made improvement and was a solid blocker. His goal this year is to become a dominant blocker and continue to evolve as a receiver. He’s always had really natural hands, but his ability to create separation and run more definitive routes and all the things that he can do in the pass game can be accentuated as well. But, to become a more dominant blocker, and he’s certainly shown that this spring, I would say that’s been one of the highlights for us. And then Drake, I would say to become a more consistent receiver. He’s been a guy that’s been a good blocker for us. And for him, it’s becoming better at running routes and catching balls. So, the two of them are kind of a ying-and-yang kind of thing going on with them. But, I’m pleased with what I’m seeing from both of them so far.

(Has there been one guy in the QB battle that’s stepped up) No, not yet. And you could say fortunately or unfortunately. When you have two or three good guys competing, on one hand, you want them all to do well and you want them to continue progressing and showing that they should be the guy. On the other hand, it just makes our jobs more difficult. But, I would certainly have that than the other. I’ve been in the position a number of years as a coach where we didn’t have any quarterbacks on the team that could win the conference for us. And I think those guys, both Gerry and Blake are doing a great job. And I’ve got to say, Kyron Drones has really, really improved. He’s been one of the highlights of the spring for me, too – his improvement and maturity.

(Do you have to manage things differently with the transfer portal) I think you have to be aware of it, certainly. I think if you just pretend it doesn’t exist, then you’re going to wind up feeling like you’re behind the 8-ball a little bit. So, I think you certainly have to be aware of it, but that’s something we’ll deal with after the spring.

(What’s the one thing you want to see that would differentiate them in the QB battle) I think they both of them lead with their own personalities. And I think that’s something that every quarterback has to do. So, I guess just to see one of those guys just really be himself and be comfortable being his truest self on the field, and that his personality really shines through the way that he plays and that confidence is something that bleeds over to the rest of our unit.

(Does it stunt the offense’s growth when you don’t know for sure who’s going to be leading it) Yeah, I think you do lose a little there. Maybe a better way to say it is I think you can gain a lot once you name a starter. It gives you a little more clear direction as a coach and as a team. But, I think ultimately, competition is a good thing and it makes everybody better. So, it’s worth it.

(Possible to name a starter by the end of spring) Certainly possible (grinning).

(What receivers have stepped up, and do you think the tight ends will HAVE to play a bigger role) Well, I would like to say that the tight ends get to play a larger role rather than they’ll have to. Sometimes, Shawn and I kid around about it, Coach Bell, and he says, ‘Well, we had to throw the ball to the tight end there.’ And I say, ‘No, you got to throw to the tight end right there. That’s a reward for you doing your job.’ I would like to see the tight ends’ role increase, but ultimately, you have to get the ball in the hands of your playmakers. At receiver, we’re playing with a lot of guys who haven’t played many snaps. And that is a concern. We definitely have to have some guys mature and develop in that room. And I would say that that’s coming along, but probably not any one I would name above the others right now.

(Would you like to have one guy step up and replace Abram Smith as the alpha at RB) I think you could, but I’m not sure that that guy’s there yet. Much like the quarterback competition and the receiver competition, at running back position, we’ve had a number of guys really start to show what they can do. Obviously, Taye (McWilliams) is a guy we’re really high on, and he’s had a good spring. Craig Williams, “Sqwirl,” has had a really good spring, and it’s really the first time I’ve seen him be able to show up and compete and show what he can do every day. And I’ve really been impressed with him, as well as the other guys that are young and still developing. To answer your question more directly, I don’t know yet. It could be one of those guys, and I like to have a guy that’s sort of your bell cow and you’re going to hand it to him a bunch of times a game. And then you have somebody else who’s either going to spell him or a change-of-pace back. But, I’ve also done it where you split carries amongst two or three guys.

(How big is that to have an experienced O-line back) Yeah, having an experienced and quality offensive line – I’ve had an experienced offensive line back that wasn’t very good before. Sometimes, that’s not as good as it seems. But, having experience back and having a group that’s now coming in with confidence allows us to do anything we want to do. When you don’t have that, it makes the run game hard. It makes it challenging in the pass game. It makes it challenging to figure out who your quarterback is going to be just because the protection is so shoddy. So, having those guys back gives us an opportunity to develop all areas of our game. And hopefully, those guys will lead for us.

(Making one of the other backs into an Abram Smith, even if they aren’t in that mold) No, I don’t think you try to make anyone into him. I think you just try to make each guy the best version of himself that he can be. Some guys might be a little smaller, some a little bigger, some a little quicker, more elusive. I think our offense is one that can work with different sizes and styles of backs.
 
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