Some more Danny O’Brien Thoughts
Let me preface this by saying I have no inside information, no connection, no idea what is going on inside Danny O’Brien’s head, so everything to follow is just opinion and speculation in the highest degree.
With all that being said, the big winner this week that no one is talking about is CJ Brown. I don’t know what he did to get this lucky, but whatever it was, he needs to keep doing it. First he gets two new offensive weapons to work with next fall, assuming Wes Brown and Stephon Diggs get immediate playing time. Wait a minute, I just realized we have another Brown. Maybe the reason we don’t have names on the back of the jersey’s anymore is because eventually everyone on the team is just going to be named Brown?
Conspiracy theories behind, CJ gets two new weapons, AND the only player on the team that is capable of taking playing time away from him is gone. Pretty much “Here you go kid, the keys to the car, oh and be careful, I tuned it up a little and added some horsepower”. CJ Brown has to be on cloud nine.
But back to O’Brien, why do you think he would transfer? First he was all on board with Edsall, second he loves his team mates, the University (he will graduate from Maryland and be considered an alum) and the area. We were transitioning back to a more pro-style offense which he ran during his highly successful Freshman season.
So why change? Here’s my thought. Because he wasn’t going to win his job back. I touched on this earlier, but CJ Brown is 100% healthy, DOB is still limited going into Spring Practice. A new system, even if it is like the old system will still take some adjustments. CJ Brown will be running that system and learning it all spring long. He will be getting his timing down, and figuring out the reads. He is talented, and though sometimes the intended receiver isn’t in the TV frame when one of his passes hits the ground, he is still capable of moving the team.
So Danny did not want to risk losing time getting his job back. Granted as I said, there are a lot of dots being connected with few numbers on the paper to guide me, but no other reason makes sense.
I honestly think we were in a situation where we had two talented QB’s and one spot, if Danny stayed and it appeared he was going to win his job back, then I think we would be talking about CJ Brown leaving. So it was going to be one or the other. DOB just took fate into his own hands by bowing out now.
Symbolically this still and will continue to hurt, but many forget we had a actual QB controversy last season that was only truly ended by Notre Dame, and though I was behind DOB the whole way, it wasn’t an easy decision. CJ Brown brings a lot to the table and now he will see every snap in spring and quite possibly (and God willing) every snap this fall.
Fear not Terps fans, the world is not ending in fact it could be much better. Then again, one of my biggest flaws is being too optimistic, looking for silver linings in fog banks if you will. But I’m high on this team and am excited for the fall campaign. With Danny or not, I was hoping it was with, but without may not matter as much as initially thought. Time to move forward, we wish Danny the best, but CJ is now our guy.
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February 14th, 2012 at 6:35 pm
With our (yet again) inexperienced offensive line, I believe Brown will be better suited for the offense with his ability to scramble. However, that same mentality may just get him killed. Of course sitting in the pocket and taking a repeated pounding may also get him killed. Uhh, good luck C.J.
In all seriousness, I have never like a football player more than O’Brien. He just screamed I am a Terp, I am a leader, and this is my team. Then Edsall comes in and pretty much reduces him to just another player, and now he will likely find great success elsewhere. It just seems like it is just another kick to the gut as a Maryland fan. I am glad you are a lot more optimistic than I am. I know C.J. can do things, but if he doesn’t at least pose a threat as a passer, really good teams are going to force him to beat them through the air, and he needs to prove he can do it.
February 14th, 2012 at 10:03 pm
Bob, I agree with Chris. I’m not optimistic. Brown is one dimensional and we have little experience on the offensive line. He will be scrambling for his life all season. I hope he can stay healthy because we don’t have a plan B anymore. Brown probably fits this offense best but I don’t think he was the better QB. I don’t see how we win more than 4 games next year. Please, please, please prove me wrong Terps.
I do believe that DOB wasn’t going to be the starter out of camp and that weighed on him as much as the fact that Edsall didn’t have his back. DOB came out when Edsall was first hired and said all the right things to back up Edsall. Edsall thanked him by showing zero commitment to the offense that DOB and the Terps knew how to run. Plus Edsall is an ass and who wants to go to battle for an ass?
February 15th, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Even though I wanted Danny to stay, it would have sucked to have him in the middle of the same QB controversy going into the start of the season (and I agree with Bob – CJ probably would have won the start due to DOB’s recovery).
Any program that picks him up will be fortunate. If Edsall is really blocking him from going to a system his is familiar with (Vandy), it makes coach look like a vindictive arse, killing any goodwill he gained by facilitating the Diggs signing.
If CJ can stay healthy (big IF given our O-line sitch), he will be just fine, and he’ll help us get to 0.500. If he can’t…well, back-to-back 2-10 seasons should get us a new AD & HC.
February 15th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
I think there is some bad blood and supposed negative recruiting by Franklin that caused the Vandy block. Who wouldn’t go negative recruiting about Maryland. Other than Diggs, what can you say has been a huge positive about Maryland Football? I bet every coach is doing negative recruiting about the Mighty Terps!
February 15th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
I can’t be optimistic about this team if Edsall is our coach. In fact, keep an eye out for my line of Terp t-shirts next year…Good to Grave.
February 15th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Prisbell (on the Junkies yesterday) thought that a reason for the Vandy stipulation might be that Maryland believes Franklin may have had contact with the players before they announced they were transferring.
February 15th, 2012 at 5:19 pm
Hey AK,
Saw somewhere Garcia was looking to go to Georgia, or at least highly interested in the Bulldogs. I’m not sure what his transfer status is, whether he will need to sit out or what.
February 16th, 2012 at 9:44 am
Yeah, there is mutual interest but he will have to sit out a year. Not sure how far UGA will pursue it because we need 2012 help.
February 17th, 2012 at 10:54 am
Looks like some big time programs are after Garica including Florida and Georgia. You can never have enough offensive linemen.
February 18th, 2012 at 11:18 am
I dont disagree with that, but we need help now because of youth and lack of depth. But he wouldn’t be able to play until 2013 and there are several big time recruits (#3 in the nation) that UGA leads or is a serious favorite.
I’m all for getting Garcia and obviously our coaches are as well; we have the space, but I also wouldn’t be upset if UGA focuses on those recruits because they will be in the program longer.