He's not been what everyone expected. He's not been bad, it's just everyone thought, after last season's remarkable true freshman campaign that was ALMOST perfect, that he was going to be the king of the universe this season. It just hasn't happened.
My diagnosis?...he's looking over his shoulder too much and not really playing to get back to the NC...he's playing to keep Fields from doing to him what Tua and Lawrence did to Hurts and Kelly Bryant. We're in the same boat, let's face it.
Here comes a big, bold prediction....Fields and Lawrence will meet each other in the NCG as starting QBs, more than ONCE!! This season? I don't know, but that's not out of the realm of possibility.
Fromm is already feeling the heat. He's struggled and just been average. He has the advantage of experience and game IQ, but eventually Fields is going to obtain those things. He's already the better athlete. Fromm is not a slouch, but Bryant and Hurts are not slouches either. They are good enough to start for almost anybody....they are just playing for that handful of 'elite' teams that recruit 5 Star skill players every stinkun season. You can keep 5 Star RBs happy, we've proved that over and over. But you can't keep 5 star QBs happy, especially when they go from being the man, to...something else...ask Eason, and Kelly Bryant. I'm amazed Hurts didn't decide to transfer and the only thing that probably kept him from transferring is the fact that Bama is blowing everyone away in the first half and he's getting to play in all of the second half of games.
So.....in my non-expert opinion, the LSU game is going to be the game that things take some kind of turn. It will be the first time all season we will be tested. If Fromm is brilliant and leads us to victory, then things will continue on as is. IF he struggles and Fields comes in and does some fancy read option stuff and maybe throws for a TD or two and puts them away, then the QB Controversy Demons will have finally made it to Athens after stops at Bama, Notre Dame and Clemson.

Thoughts?

While Fromm's passing stats have improved this season, he hasn't taken care of the ball as well as Fields has, avoided negative yardage plays, or proved to be a dynamic running threat.

Fromm:
2017: completed 181 of 291 (62.2%) passes for 2,615 yds (avg. 9 yds/attempt) w/ 24 TDs & 7 INTs; QBR 160.1; rushed 55x for 79 yds (avg. 1.4 ypc) & scored 3 TDs; sacked 20x for -138 yds
2018: completed 66 of 91 (72.5%) passes for 924 yds (avg. 10.2 yds/attempt) w/ 9 TDs & 2 INTs; QBR 186.1; rushed 12x for -22 yds (avg. -1.8 ypc) & scored 0 TDs; sacked 7x for -40 yds

Fields:
2018: completed 15 of 19 (78.9%) passes for 147 yds (avg. 7.7 yds/attempt) w/ 2 TDs & 0 INTs; QBR 178.7; rushed 13x for 115 yds (avg. 8.8 ypc) & scored 3 TDs; has not been sacked

Darin-

Fromm's stats are better this year than last, he is completing over 70% of his passes. He has had fumbles this year and seems to be holding the ball maybe a little too long but is that on him, the play call, or the OL-or a combo of all three.

I can't say the Fields is ready to lead this offense though-he fumbled a ball last week, he threw a pick but UT was offside, he has not been perfect either. That being said, you can see his talent and you see the spark he provides the offense. I do believe as the season progresses you will see him more instead of less.

Back to Fromm and I posted on this forum about this already, he is better than Hurts or Bryant bottom line. He can't run like either of them, but he is a MUCH BETTER passer than either one of them. He is very smart and knows what he is doing. But, I believe this year it has come down to execution and play calling. Chaney/Smart are fine with running, running and running more, throwing a few screens and short passes. Fromm has good touch on his passes but he is just off slightly or a WR (see Godwin and Swift last game) drop what should be catches for BIG GAINS. With the talent we have at WR/TE, I am waiting on the day we come out throwing the ball, because if we do, I think that opens up the run game more. We are not able to break the long runs this year, is that because of the OL, the RB's or the playcalling.

I still hold to my thoughts before the season started, bring in Fields each time we are inside the 20-30, that area of the field is where we can really use his dual threat the most. We shall see what happens but I do believe Fields ascent started last week and we will start to see him more and more as the season progresses. We need to start coming out on fire offensively, that has been an issue all season long.

I agree with ya Haney.....we are not utilizing our talent at WR. Holliman and Ridley need to have many more balls thrown to them and Robertson is yet to catch a ball. I hope we air it out a little more against Vandy, cause with LSU on deck, there's every reason to believe that we're gonna need to use all of our O weapons.

Darin-

And you didn't even mention, Mecole or Terry Godwin, also Nauta and Woerner. We truly have such a great group of pass catchers, I know Kirby likes the ground and pound, but dang, throw the ball a little to get the D to spread out and then run the ball. Make LB's have to worry about covering the TE's and RB's, tire out the secondary and also the DL-pass rush wears them out more than stopping the run. Hard to really complain when you sit at #2 in the nation and 5-0, but gosh we do have so many talented kids that we could get the ball to.

Man that's so true Haney.....at the risk of sounding like an 'arm-chair QB', it really does make you wonder sometimes, if you and I can see that, why can't the guys getting paid millions see it?! lolol

Folks in my area are again complaining about the play calling by Chaney... I wish he would spread the field with some 4-5 wide receiver sets... Let's give our killer wide receivers a chance to make some big plays... It will definitely open up the running game...

I don't think we should go spread out all the time but I do think we should show that look more often, with a QB like Fromm-he has different weapons running different routes, if he is seeing a rush-dump it, if he has time, wait for a route to open down the field. Speaking of Field(s), you put that guy in a spread offense with how he can run the ball, all the defenders spread out covering WR's, it opens up a lot of room for him to run as well. I have to believe we have that package and are just holding it. We have too many skilled weapons at WR to never break them out like that-and you can still run the ball out of that spread with one back next to the QB to protect but also run the ball or catch a pass.

Haney... That is exactly what I meant with my post... Thanks...

The OL is not up to the standard of last season. Those two losses have hurt.

Kirby wants to pound other teams with the run and dominate them in the last 1 1/2 to 2 quarters. I'm sure a lot of what Chaney calls has to do with Kirby's blueprint he has for success.

And what is worst, Fields isn't trusted at all by Smart or the other coaches. He goes in for one play, he screws up and is taken out faster than a rabbit ........(that).How is he going to build up confidence when his mentors fear sh....less every time he gets the ball?