OK, his little NFL fling is now officially over. I had to sit through, oh, 6 months of "Major's gonna be a fine NFL QB, at least a good backup" bs from many UT people & other generally clueless individuals (I went there too, so this isn't some tamu rant or anything). "No, guys, he sucks as an NFL prospect - no mobility + no arm strength = no chance." The Pats cut him & 2 days later he announces his decision to go back to UT to finish his degree & be a grad assistant. The spin has been on in UT land, however, proclaiming this to be the most selfless gesture (him "giving up" his NFL career & all to come back home to the school he truly loves with all his heart - what a guy!) since, well, ever. He had a great career at UT, was probably one of the smartest QBs I've seen in a while, & I respect the hell outta the kid, the quasi-deification he's been receiving is getting quite tiresome.
No blazing speed, no arm strength. No NFL QB. Chris Simms won't be a stud either. He'll be at about Major's "predicted" NFL level.
Except all Simms' problems are between his ears; I'm anxious to see how he does this year. I've always thought that if you could transplant Major's head onto Simms' body you'd have the greatest QB in football history...kinda reminds me of that old movie where they transplant the head of some old racist white dude onto Rosy Grier's shoulder....
I agree Chris has all of the physical tools to be a top 10 pick. The thing is, if Phil can't fix Chris, I doubt any coach will get to him. I'd see Chris being drafted in the 2nd-3rd round unless he has a coming out party like Carr last year.
Wasn't Doug Flutie very similar to Applewhite skill-wise? It is possible for guys who don't have amazing physical skills to have decent careers if they play smart. And just because Major didn't bother to try to succeed in the NFL doesn't mean he absolutely couldn't have. It means he didn't feel like being a 3rd or 2nd string QB for a few years before even getting a decent shot anywhere.
Chris and his 5.1 40 are going nowhere in the NFL- he's a shorter slower if possible bledsoe- But he can take UT to the BCS if we can figure the correct mathematic equation...
Rest assured, there will be a rookie card of Major Applewhite this year (in a Pats uniform). NFL career or not (maybe coaching?), the dude's a legend, and he's earned it...
Flutie is/was fast & mobile. Major was slow to begin with, had both knees reconstructed, and now his mobility falls in that grey area between cold gravy & the tectonic plates. If Flutie couldn't scramble, he never would have been a Div-1 QB, much less a CFL & NFL one. Major had a million to 1 shot of sticking with any NFL club (& he knew it going in). I think he'll make a great coach, which is what he's wanted to do all along. He can't work for UT next year, however. He's not a graduate yet (thus no grad assistant job), & undergrad assistants can only do so during their 5 year eligibility window. Some Austin HS is gonna have a great QB coach for a year.
could Major work as Vincent Young's Personal Quarterback Trainer for the next year? if he's not paid or anything by UT? I would love it if Major could infect VYoung with his genius before Greg Davis has a chance to sap it out of the young star. matter of fact, how long before Major can be UT's offensive coordinator?
I agree that he wasn't much of an NFL prospect due to size and physical ability issues, but my understanding was not that he was ever cut, but that the Pats and him came to a mutual understanding about what was best for him to achieve his goal of getting into coaching, so they granted him his release. You could be correct, but this is what i heard. Peter king did a big article on it at cnnsi.com. As for his quasi-deification getting annoying, there are about a BILLION things i can think of that are more annoying than hearing about applewhite, and that's just on the BBS....
I keep hearing how every UT fan wants Major to "inject knowledge" or whatever into Vincent. Problem is that they are 2 polar opposites as far as QBs go. Do you want Major to "unlearn" everything Vincent has learned as a QB? Clearly, Vincent's strength is his mobility and strong arm, which makes him a prototype rollout passer. Major was obviously a pocket passer. QB is the most instinctual position in football, something that is developed at a much younger age than 18 (VY's age I think). The only thing QBs can really change at this stage, are small mechanical things. Having seen VY play twice, the only thing he will need to do work on is learning the UT offense. The only guy who can stop VY on the field, is UT coordinator Greg Davis. VY is as good as advertised.
I can't wait to see VY get some time - the highlights of him from last years HS playoffs were incredible. The season stats I'd like to see him get some WR time if nothing else first year. M. Vick #2 with more muscle- Mack can recruit- everytime I see him interviewed he looks a little more like George W. Bush and his accent is a little more Texan.
