Well Jarious or Buck

[B.C.FAN]

Somehow he just wasn't making the right reads and his footwork was more Khrushchev than Nureyev.

Well put. His odd footwork and self-professed lack of running ability is the first thing I noticed last year.

[No Ka Oi]

Wally aluded to the fact that there were some players in camp who were not taking it that seriously and not studying their playbooks. He said camp would weed out those committed to getting better, over those just wanting a good time.

I guess Gino getting confused and calling those two timeouts in the second half of the Rider game (then Wally embarassingly throwing the challenge flag when his team had already used their timeout). And Gino's inability to drive the ball forward on those short-yardage gambles, may have sealed his fate when compared to Z. Champion, who showed more potential with his athletic ability and mental makeup.

I gave the nod to Buck as the starter as he seems to make his decisions and gets the ball away a little quicker than Jarius sometimes. Jarius has better raw athletic talent, but a QB's main asset is between their ears.

[Blitz]

Jackson will be the starter for the Leos opener this season!

There really isn't much difference between them...albeit they have slightly different styles. It was good during the last exhibition game to see both developing in areas they need to...Jarious getting better at the underneath game and Buck getting better with the deep ball.

I think the poll should be closer to 50/50, based upon their training camp and past history. Perhaps Jarious should be slightly leading it, based upon last season.

However, Buck has always been a very popular player on Lionbackers. He's young, California cool in a small town way, and has a great personality. I like him too...he has lot's of skill, plays the game with passion, and is a real team guy!! I see him as the long term future of our Leos and believe he will play a lot this season.

However, Jarious will start the season as our starting qb!!

[notahomer]

However, Buck has always been a very popular player on Lionbackers. He's young, California cool in a small town way, and has a great personality. I like him too...he has lot's of skill, plays the game with passion, and is a real team guy!! I see him as the long term future of our Leos and believe he will play a lot this season.

However, Jarious will start the season as our starting qb!!

BP sat quietly in the background through the DD/CP thing (hmmm, neither one is a Lion now...). I know this doesn't matter AT ALL, but from my perspective Buck seems a little more composed during TV interviews. Both these guys (JJ/BP) looked good in the Stamps game. I was pleasantly surprised at how well Jackson threw the ball.

[Shi Zi Mi]

Well, I voted for Buck because of JJ's slow start factor........but then I considered all 3 QB's and have changed my mind.

IMHO, the key component for the decision will be the absolute rawness of Zac Champion......and the durability of the starter will go a long way into allowing Champion time to learn the Canadian game before he gets thrown into a game.

In other words, the risk is too great starting BP with his injury history......an early season injury to the starting QB, means ZC is the backup QB well before he's ready. JJ's durability gives him a better chance.

For that reason, I believe JJ will start at least the 1st half of the season.

[Lions4ever]

However, Buck has always been a very popular player on Lionbackers. He's young, California cool in a small town way, and has a great personality.

Blitz, I am deeply disappointed with your analysis of Buck. It fails to take into account one of the most fundamental and profound reasons why he is particularily popular with Lionbackers (and others I expect) in addition to his QB skills and toughness.

He has a really cool name.

[Blitz]

However, Buck has always been a very popular player on Lionbackers. He's young, California cool in a small town way, and has a great personality.

Blitz, I am deeply disappointed with your analysis of Buck. It fails to take into account one of the most fundamental and profound reasons why he is particularily popular with Lionbackers (and others I expect) in addition to his QB skills and toughness.

He has a really cool name.

Well, I voted for Buck because of JJ's slow start factor........but then I considered all 3 QB's and have changed my mind.

IMHO, the key component for the decision will be the absolute rawness of Zac Champion......and the durability of the starter will go a long way into allowing Champion time to learn the Canadian game before he gets thrown into a game.

In other words, the risk is too great starting BP with his injury history......an early season injury to the starting QB, means ZC is the backup QB well before he's ready. JJ's durability gives him a better chance.

For that reason, I believe JJ will start at least the 1st half of the season.

Personally I often hate the whole quarterback 'Who Should Be The Starter" quarterback debate on Loinbackers because it forces one to make choices and the discussion can also become divisive.

It was divisive when we had the Dickenson/Printers situation (for both the team and Lionbackers) and I hope it doesn't become divisive with either the team or Lionbackers with regard to the Jarious/Buck starter situation because they are both really good guys as well as really good football players.

I was a huge Printers fan, in terms of his abilities of the field. I also believed that we should never have signed Dickenson to an extension last year. However, when Dickenson was signed to his extension I said I hoped that Buck would get a lot of reps last year. He did get a few games in but injuries resulted in what could only be described as a missed opportunity to get a lot more experience.

Who couldn't like Buck. Who couldn't even love his name. His name is a purrfect name for a quarterback. The young man has all the character attributes one looks for in a quarterback. He's mobile, reads defenses well for a quarterback who only really has a year of playing experience, is an accurate thrower, especially in the intermediate and short game, and his deep ball is getting much better. He is cool off the playing field, intense on it, he's got guts, and he's a guy players will rally behind. His favorite target is Jason Clermont and he is the best quarterback we've had in years at hitting the back out of the backfield.

At the same time I won't disparage Jariious Jackson because I like Buck. I admire Jackson as well. Hit with a tough break when he injured his hand early in his career with the Leos and fell down to fourth on the depth chart he hung in there as a fourth string quarterback, running scout team. He loves the game of football or he woudn't have stuck around on a meagre salary. This was a guy who set records at Notre Dame, made it to the NFL, and swallowed a lot of pride to stay here when his chances looked dismal. He's always been an ultimate team guy and is well liked by his teammates.

Jackson brings a lot of attributes to the quarterbac position as well. He's tough as nails at 232 pounds, he's mobile, he has a great arm, he's smart, and he won some huge games with incredible plays in the fourth quarter for us last season. He also got better each game during the regular season and his passing percentage continued to improve. Jarious is one of the best deep ball throwers I've seen in the CFL. He's also getting much better at the intermediate passing game. His problem was his confidence and the fact that he had a lot of rust on him. He was a slow starter last year and a great finisher but that can change.

Personally I would have loved to have Buck play the first half of games and Jarious the second half this season, like Dunnigan and Allan, and Moon and Wilkinson... but Wally says that only lasts for a couple of years before one wants to be the starter or leaves. Buck is the better first half player and Jarious is the better second half player, based upon past performance. That can change and probab ly will in the future, for both. However, that timing would be purrfect in this situation because Jarious would be getting to the age where it would make sense.

However Wally wants a starter and so he has to choose one and we're left making our choices too, as arm chair quarterbacks. I could toss a coin, to be frank and will be happy with either choice. However, if I was hypothetically placed in Wally's shoes I would take my head over my heart and choose Jackson to be the starter to begin the season (as a Leos fan rather than a quarterback fan) and here are my reason why....

1. Buck has more rust on him than Jackson, based upon last season and it would be better confidence wise, to ease him back in than place the pressure on him right away.

2. As Shi Zi Mi, wisely noted, Champion needs to learn the CFL game and needs time. It's safer to start Jackson and have Buck come in, in terms of injury, than taking the bigger risk (based upon his injury record) of starting Pierce and having Champion only one injury away from being the backup.

3. If Jackson doesn't play up to expectation Buck can become our starter as the season progresses
and the time will allow Buck to get in more practice and game reps, to fully heal and strengthen his shoulder even more, and gain even more confidence. If Jackson becomes the starter Buck still needs game reps from the start of the season on.

4. Jackson has great chemistry with Geroy Simon and getting Simon off to a good and happy start is important.

However, if Wally ends up starting the season with Buck, our Leos need to ensure that Buck is given blocking schemes that provide more protection than usual to begin with. Buck took a wicked shot last exhibition game and while he came out of it perfectly fine...if we do start Buck we need to keep him safe until Champion gets more practice reps and hopefully even a few game reps in mop up time. In fact, if Buck is the starter right away, I would give Champion the mop up reps to begin with.

However, I believe Wally will choose Jackson as the starting quarterback for the first game of the season. It provides continuity, a safer choice to begin with, and probably the one most players on the team are expecting

[lion24]

I would be comfortable with either as the starter and I am sure both will play enough this season. I will admit I have had concerns with Jackson's consistency and efficiency as a starter as highlighted by his tough game in the West Final last season. At the same time it was his first season as a starter and I would hope he would be more comfortable this season. If anything, I would like to see him run more instead of taking a chance of throwing into traffic. It seemed at times he would "telegraph" his passes and not look off coverages and that is probably due to lack of experience.

I have always favoured Buck a little more as the starter as I feel he is a more athletic version of Dickenson. If he is able to regain his form of 2006 the Lions would probably be able to dominate time of possession and would decrease the chances of an opponents time of possession and scoring. With Jackson in I think he always has the big play potential but has a lot more "2 and outs" than Pierce would.


Either way I will support whoever is in there and I think for the Lions to regain the Cup both would have to play a key role and let's hope they can see that and work together rather than worry about who will start

[footballguy]

Since this is all about Opinion's and none of us have a say whatsoever about who plays, after further review. Buck Pierce will start the 2008 season. Congrats to Buck! It's well earned.

[mightybuck]

Since this is all about Opinion's and none of us have a say whatsoever about who plays, after further review. Buck Pierce will start the 2008 season. Congrats to Buck! It's well earned.

Now we have a voice of sanity, common sense and a true understanding of what is really going to happen

[CatsEyes]

Since this is all about Opinion's and none of us have a say whatsoever about who plays, after further review. Buck Pierce will start the 2008 season. Congrats to Buck! It's well earned.

Glad to hear you're so confident, football guy! Hope you're right! None of us will know for certain until at least tomorrow though.

[lion24]

I have voted for Buck. However, if Jackson is announced as the starter I hope as fans we don't "roll our eyes" but support Jackson just as much as we would Buck. I think both have some good qualities and I think both are going to have to make an impact if the Lions are going to regain the Cup

[Leothelion]

I don't think Jackson had that great of a season and the western final was typical. Buck is the qb of the future with his young age and potential to improve. To not start Buck you are leaving him on the shelf too long. I think Buck can develope into a first class cfl qb while Jarious will always just be adequate.

leo

[lion24]

I don't think Jackson had that great of a season and the western final was typical. Buck is the qb of the future with his young age and potential to improve. To not start Buck you are leaving him on the shelf too long. I think Buck can develope into a first class cfl qb while Jarious will always just be adequate.

leo

I would agree for the most part although I still think Jackson has room to improve. He is older in age than Pierce but not as experienced as a starting QB in the CFL as last season was his first chance other than diving for a few inches on 3rd downs. I think he has to improve to a point where he is better than adequate as, if the same goes for past seasons, there will come a time when both QB's are needed.

[mightybuck]

Blitz wrote:

However, if I was hypothetically placed in Wally's shoes I would take my head over my heart and choose Jackson to be the starter to begin the season

And I want to know about this statement. It sure is underminding Wally by saying if he picks Buck he is going with his heart and not his head. It will make certain people think Wally is not making a wise decision based upon your opinion.