Xavier Lee Is It

In what was hardly a surprise, Bobby Bowden announced today that Drew Weatherford would again be the starting QB. Let the good times roll. It will be like Mardi Gras in October. We all know how wonderful Drew was at quarterback don't we? Come on now. This is the quarterback that loves throwing into double coverage. This is the quarterback that couldn't outrun a turtle. This is a quarterback whose idea of scrambling has to do with eggs.

Bobby Bowden made his dislike for Xavier Lee known quite often. I have never seen him criticize someone publicly as he has done with Lee. Whatever happened to patience is a virtue ? Bobby Bowden has been very patient with our lack of a running game week in and week out. He has been very patient with certain receivers that took plays off. He has been very patient with players that get into trouble with the law. And what about his patience with his son who was the offensive coordinator for so many years? The list goes on and on.

It should be noted that Bowden and Fisher gave Lee part of the Alabama game and the next three games to show what he could do while Bowden gave Drew Weatherford two years and almost four games this year to show what he can't do. Where is the equity or patience? I don't think any Nole fan expected that Lee would come in at the fourth game of the year and be perfect. We all know that there is a learning curve. The problem is that the learning curve for Lee was three games and for Drew it is limitless.

Boston College, Virginia Tech, Maryland, and Florida must be salivating at the prospect of Drew in all his glory. Stop the run and let him show his thing. I can hear Gene Deckerhoff now. Drew steps back, looks down the field, looks right, looks left, Carr doubled covered. Drew throws for Carr. Interception! Defensive coordinators have smiles on their faces at the prospect. Heck, even lowly Duke may be smiling.

I hear the so called sports talk analysts also telling us fans that we really don't know all the sophisticated nuances to calling plays. We are supposed to give Jimbo Fisher a pass and excuse him for anything that goes wrong. Heck, it's not his fault. It is the players. Fisher may be the next best thing since sliced bread but his offensive play calling in the last two games has not been exactly great. Note to these sports talk guys. It isn't rocket science. Fans are not as stupid as you think.

The point is that I see a coach or coaches throwing players under the bus while they refuse to take any blame for a bad game plan or play calling. How refreshing would it have been if Bobby Bowden on Saturday had apologized to the fans for the loss? Put it on the shoulders of the coaches for a lousy game plan and not coaching up the players. Not going to happen. The finger pointing started almost immediately after the game for the one who would be the scapegoat. And Xavier Lee was it.