Lujan or Christion?

[westernjack]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

I think you open a bigger can of worms if you go back on your word of "you don't lose your spot to injury." Could really damage the player-coach and player-player relationships across the whole team.

As it is, Lujan believes that it is in his best interest to help TC (Lujan will take over a playoff contender when he gets back). If Lujan thinks his starting job is in jeopardy, he could get jealous of TC and quit helping. Or worse he could actively subvert the coaching staff in the locker room. Sticking to your word is one way to avoid locker room cancers.

You have a sort of social contract on the football team, if you start messing with that bad things can start to happen.



Basically, I believe it is important that players believe when their coaches say, "trust me." They have said you don't lose your spot to injury, and it would be more damaging to the season to go back on that - especially when Lujan has proven to be capable if not as electric as TC. TC will get his opportunity, and we are in a great spot for the hunt for playoffs.

Just my $.02, I could be wrong.

I agree, it is a bit of a hairy situation the coaching staff is in. Stig seems to put himself in situations like this occasionally where he is very set in his ways and makes it known to everyone. One example, earlier this year when DC Brown said he would like to use 3-4 this year due to our good linebackers, but said it wasn't going to happen "because Stig doesn't like 3-4".

[goon]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

I agree, it is a bit of a hairy situation the coaching staff is in. Stig seems to put himself in situations like this occasionally where he is very set in his ways and makes it known to everyone. One example, earlier this year when DC Brown said he would like to use 3-4 this year due to our good linebackers, but said it wasn't going to happen "because Stig doesn't like 3-4".

Well he is the head coach. maybe the other coaches or DC needs to sell him on it more. Stig I doubt is not open to change, but our D is a strength for sure, like most years we have a pretty good D. it would be an adjustment for players and coaches to switch to 3-4.

People are worried if Lujan gets the job back and struggles, it wouldnt be fair too him, but at the same time not letting him have a chance again would be unfair. I get it college football doesnt give out participation trophies and I dont think Lujan did anything to lose his job. If he does struggle, cocahes can then say, we tried with him again, but based on performace we are moving to TC and Lujan is a back up with great experience and will be ready again when and if his number is called again.

[thumper_76]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

If TC keeps the job why does it have to be Lujan lost it to injury? Maybe it just turned out that TC is the better option? Doesn't mean it's Lujan's fault but if a guy turns out to be the better option you can't just go "Well Lujan got hurt so now we can't play a better option." Thats lunacy. Especially to burn a redshirt for two games! I feel like some people aren't understanding that even if we kept TC playing the rest of the season we already sacrificed a season of developing AND a quarter of a season of him playing! If we give the job back to Lujan after burning a redshirt like this it should go down as one of SDSU's worst coaching decisions in the history of the school as far as burning the redshirt is concerned. We knew what the injury to Lujan was and that it would be just a couple games till he was back. If you don't plan on keeping TC the starter than DONT BURN THE REDSHIRT.

[thumper_76]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

People are worried if Lujan gets the job back and struggles, it wouldnt be fair too him, but at the same time not letting him have a chance again would be unfair. I get it college football doesnt give out participation trophies and I dont think Lujan did anything to lose his job. If he does struggle, cocahes can then say, we tried with him again, but based on performace we are moving to TC and Lujan is a back up with great experience and will be ready again when and if his number is called again.

Unfortunately, like my Pa always told me, "Fair? Fair is where you go to get corndogs and cotton candy. This is life."

[jacksfan29]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

TC is electric, a great athlete no doubt.

The thing I think a lot of poster are getting caught up in is his flash and potential. There is a lot more to being a QB than being a great athlete and throwing "lasers". At this point I think Lujan is likely the better QB. Does that mean he's a better option? I don't know and no one on this board knows either.

At any rate I don't think we are national title contenders with either at the helm.

Really? If we beat UNI this weekend we are 6-1. If we beat who we are supposed to beat (MSU, USD) and split with ISUr and WIU we will be 9-2 and we will get a top 8 seed. If we win out, we will be a 3 seed at the lowest, possibly a 2 seed. There are less than 10 teams in the country right now who have a shot at the national championship. We are one of the 10. This is the most wide open I have seen FCS since we moved up. The CAA, down. The Big Sky, down. Southland, down. I

think Stig pulled TC's redshirt because there is an opportunity to make some noise this year. Does he stay the starter over Lujan? I don't know. What I do know, if Lujan isn't ready till the ISUr game and we are 7-1 entering into that game; you go with TC. Even Lujan would tell you that.

[LetsGetJacked]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

We (Midco Sports Network) talked with Stig today for Jackrabbit Journal (which I'll post later this week). Here is his quote, verbatim, on Zach Lujan's health status:

"He's making progress, it's between him and the trainer. Zach would want to play, but he's got to be full speed. He is our number one quarterback, that hasn't changed on the depth chart. And so, when he's healthy, he'll be on the field."

Take that for what it's worth, but I figured you guys would like to know

[Kemo]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

If TC keeps the job why does it have to be Lujan lost it to injury?

This right here ^^^

The whole "players don't lose their jobs due to injury" is not a very well thought out mantra.

The player isn't getting penalized because he got injured, but rather a former "back-up" is getting reward because they took advantage of an opportunity and out produced the previous starter.

Why isn't "players don't lose their jobs due to others getting healthy" a saying? You play the players that give the team the best opportunity to win, regardless of their past standing on the team. Anything else is a disservice to every other player on the team.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

If TC keeps the job why does it have to be Lujan lost it to injury?

There's already precedence for this. Crawford got injured his senior year and TOB took over and kept the job.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

We (Midco Sports Network) talked with Stig today for Jackrabbit Journal (which I'll post later this week). Here is his quote, verbatim, on Zach Lujan's health status:

"He's making progress, it's between him and the trainer. Zach would want to play, but he's got to be full speed. He is our number one quarterback, that hasn't changed on the depth chart. And so, when he's healthy, he'll be on the field."

Take that for what it's worth, but I figured you guys would like to know

God that just seems so dumb. Maybe it's coachspeak and Stig knows TC will keep the job. If that's true, the good. If he's being honest though, yikes.

And for those of you read to smash the reply button and start furiously typing your "trust the coaching staff" takes: remember it took TOB quitting the team, not his dreadful in-game performance to give Sumner a shot. Dale Moss was the best WR on the team his one year. Anybody remember how many games it took before he actually got to play consistently?

[TK22867]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

The player isn't getting penalized because he got injured, but rather a former "back-up" is getting reward because they took advantage of an opportunity and out produced the previous starter.

Please define "outproduced" when Lujan and TC have yet to play in the same game against the same competition.

[Kemo]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

There's already precedence for this. Crawford got injured his senior year and TOB took over and kept the job.

Technically not true.

Crawford got his job back for 1 game, we got rolled by SIU in the quasi-conference championship at home, and then TOB was awarded the starting spot.

So therefore (in the coaching staffs minds), Crawford technically didn't lose his spot due to injury.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

Technically not true.

Crawford got his job back for 1 game, we got rolled by SIU in the quasi-conference championship at home, and then TOB was awarded the starting spot.

So therefore (in the coaching staffs minds), Crawford technically didn't lose his spot due to injury.

Didn't even remember that. I'm excited for that to happen again. We go to Lujan and go immediately back to TC the following week.

[Kemo]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

Please define "outproduced" when Lujan and TC have yet to play in the same game against the same competition.

"Outproduced" maybe is the wrong word if only because it implies individuals statistics, which isn't as important as team results.

In terms of production in the win/lose column: TC has lead the team to 2 convincing wins against 2 top 20 opponents, while Lujan has led us to our first FBS win against Kansas, but also played the vast majority of a game in which we lost convincingly to the Bison. Not trying to bring down Lujan, because I think he has performed well, but I believe TC gives us the best chance to win based on reasons I have previously stated.

In terms of trying to get an exact side-by-side comparison, that is impossible. They are never going to experience the exact same looks, situations, and adversity even if they are playing the same team on the same day. You take the information you have, analyze it, and make the decision that best gives your team the opportunity to win.

[WestSideRabbit]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

Moss for an injured Tief is a better example.

[jacksfan29]

Re: Lujan or Christion?

Didn't even remember that. I'm excited for that to happen again. We go to Lujan and go immediately back to TC the following week.

After we get rolled at home against ISUr in a quasi championship game? I had forgotten about the SIU debacle.