08-20-2015, 04:38 AM
Putting aside the attitude issues that are no longer a secret with Rosen...
The UCLA QB situation is a little like what Oregon faces with Adams. If the "anointed one" starts out of the gate and fails, the head coach is boned. You don't play the #2 option after the longer term answer fails. You play the less upside guy you hope can buy you some time, as the more talented higher potential player gets acclimated to practices during game weeks, and has some in-game reps off the bench. This way if #2 is good, you don't have to play the guy who may not be ready. If #2 fails, then you know your best option is to play the one with more upside. If you start the most talented, but least game-ready guy, and he fails because he couldn't handle everything out of the gate, then you've screwed your season.
Shaw did it correctly. He played Nunes, knowing he was more immediately ready, then as he sputtered, he got Hogan more reps until Hogan took over. Shaw had to know all along that Hogan was the higher upside guy, but what would have happened if he forced Hogan to start over Nunes when he wasn't ready? Hogan would have failed and then he would have been left with a Nunes who was no better and wasn't going to get any better. No way Stanford goes to the Rose Bowl that year if Hogan started the season when not ready.
The UCLA QB situation is a little like what Oregon faces with Adams. If the "anointed one" starts out of the gate and fails, the head coach is boned. You don't play the #2 option after the longer term answer fails. You play the less upside guy you hope can buy you some time, as the more talented higher potential player gets acclimated to practices during game weeks, and has some in-game reps off the bench. This way if #2 is good, you don't have to play the guy who may not be ready. If #2 fails, then you know your best option is to play the one with more upside. If you start the most talented, but least game-ready guy, and he fails because he couldn't handle everything out of the gate, then you've screwed your season.
Shaw did it correctly. He played Nunes, knowing he was more immediately ready, then as he sputtered, he got Hogan more reps until Hogan took over. Shaw had to know all along that Hogan was the higher upside guy, but what would have happened if he forced Hogan to start over Nunes when he wasn't ready? Hogan would have failed and then he would have been left with a Nunes who was no better and wasn't going to get any better. No way Stanford goes to the Rose Bowl that year if Hogan started the season when not ready.