Jarious Jackson Now Starter For 2008 Season

[Toppy Vann]

I for one do not have any confidence in JJ. Nothing he did last year inspired me and I don't think he can get the job done. I hope I am proved otherwise tomorrow night.

leo

The good news is that the team on the field has confidence in whichever QB is calling the signals. I would have thought the Lions winning season last year ABWDF would have proven to everyone that Jarius Jackson is a quality QB. I don't know why people don't realize that Jackson is a quality QB who could compete for a starting role just like Buck Pierce on just about team in the CFL.
Where I think the Lions were headed with Buck is to make him their starting QB as he is a consistent performer who has more years and upside left - however, he took a major blow in the CFL.

As an aside - Rick Ball for all the smarts he has should give his head a shake when he said on air on his show that the hit Buck took was a normal hit and he has to be able to take those. While Rick maybe should try that hit when he does his show at the Lions walkthru Thursday. I am sure Wally could get one of his DT's to demonstrate the hit that Buck took from Eddie Freeman - 307 lbs - that led to Wally changing QBs despite Buck leading them to a TD just after. Rick could drop back to pass while a DT is unleashed to hit him full on with no one blocking or slowing the guy up.


I agree with Blitz that the HC has a stellar record of developing QBs but less than a stellar record in deciding who to play and what to say to the media.

Today's Province has JC glad to have to call plays from the booth for just one QB and again the media stories mention that JC is unhappy to be in the booth calling the plays from there. I think his point in the story is that in the booth he is not privy to the QB change decisions and has plays designed for one guy, only to have a different QB head to the huddle. I thought this kind of talk should be for the coaches room, not the media and the newspapers. The campaign to get himself down at field level has shifted to the papers it seems. Wally needs to get a gag for this guy with this kind of talk as it just serves as a further distraction that is not helpful to the cause of winning football games.

The West Division seems to have upgraded if the first week is any indication. One game is not a season but it seems that the green Riders have a GC swagger and attitude which is surprising given the number of changes they have undergone. Certainly the Stamps have improved at the HC level and with a new DC who is more stable than the last guy. With DD breathing down HB's neck, we will see an improved Burris over prior years when there was no one else but him and where he could and did toss his OC under the bus when he failed to perform. He knows that Hufnagel won't hesitate to use DD so that will keep him on his toes for sure.

[Saskie bush]

As an outside observer, I feel the system used by the lions requires their QB's to hold on to the ball way too long. The injuries suffered by the QB's in recent years have been a direct result of hits taken during a pass play and not when running or scrambling . In the past few years the lions have had great depth at the position, with the recent loss of Dickenson and the health status of Buck, the lions will have to be very concerned about injuries. Friday's contest against the riders will be very interesting as Gary Etchevery has already had significant input into the blitz packages that could cause some confusion for the young Qb's that the lions have in their stable.

[Leothelion]

Winning season is not enough for me to be happy with JJ. Look how many games he could not move the ball including the western final. Most of his td's came after the lions defense gave him great field position. Also he completed a few long bombs but could he move the ball consistently-no. After seeing an great qb in Dickenson, I will not settle for another Damen Allen. As far as the lion players saying they are comfortable with JJ whatelse would they say? Ask the receivers if they were comfortable last year with not getting the ball enough.

Again I say I hope he proves me wrong but a 30 year old qb is not going to get better in my books, he is going to be the guy he always was.

Leo

[Blitz]

I hope you and MB are right. I guess what I find odd is the reversing an earlier decision and declaring JJ the starter for the rest of the season and not "until further notice".

I didn't hear Wally say JJ is the starter for the rest of the season. He's expected to start this week. How long he remains the starter is a matter of speculation.

Comments below from Lowell Ullrich and his Fifth Quarter over the past couple of days...regarding the quarterback situation.....

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Buono met with both quarterbacks on the weekend, giving them time to digest the change. And this time he says this move is cast in stone. Wally Buono hasn't come right out and said Jackson will go the rest of the way because around the Lions that would just be plain silly. But perhaps for the first time so far this season, the real feeling exists that he'll be given huge amounts of rope before hanging himself, so to speak. But for now it's Jackson's show like last yearThey have ditched the idea of quarterbacking by committee week-to-week, not that the idea ever held any traction anyway, and are committed to establishing Jarious Jackson as their guy behind centre.

Pressed on the switch, Buono sounded concerned that he would be accused of making a flip-flip on the whole Pierce/Jackson episode. Why change a week after making Pierce your starter? Buono said he would explain his reasoning in more detail later today, but came as close to saying he'd made a mistake than any point of his Lions tenure. "Was it a mistake on my part? I'm not saying it was a mistake or not. I'm not making two mistakes," Buono said before practice. "If I don't correct it, then I'm afraid to say maybe I didn't make a good choice."

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So, while Wally hasn't named Jackson the starter for the rest of the season he is being given the keys to the car for longer than the Riders game...it appears.

As for Jackson not inspiring confidence...Leo the Lion...I don't always agree with Wally's quarterbacking decisions but Jarious has to inspire confidence in Wally or he wouldn't be making this move.
.

[TheLionKing]

The same confidence in his naming Buck as the starter prior to the Calgary game ?

[cromartie]

I don't like this laterst quarterback saga. I wasn't in favor of Wally's iniitial decision to go with Pierce but I love Buck and just hoped he didn't get hurt. Well he did, and it sure didn't take long....the first half of the opening game. However, while circumstance had something to do with it....we now have Jarious as our starter for at least a few games it appears and the starting position is his to lose now. I think both quarterbacks have been sent mixed signals and so have their teamates.

One devilshly handsome American lionbacker warned you prior to the start of the season that Buck was going to be named starter because he had a skill set to better manage the type of offense the offensive coaching staff wanted to run.

What's interesting is that this move went against Wally's instincts about who should start, and how the offense should run.

So this looks like it's shaping up to be a rough first quarter of the season (Games 1-4) where the personnel situation and offensive game plan have to work themselves out.

Not helping matters are the matadors on the offensive line. They'll play themselves back into shape, to be sure, but the whole situation strikes me as the possibility of a 1-3 start and a season that looks a bit more like 2003 than we would have expected coming in.

[Blitz]

I don't like this laterst quarterback saga. I wasn't in favor of Wally's iniitial decision to go with Pierce but I love Buck and just hoped he didn't get hurt. Well he did, and it sure didn't take long....the first half of the opening game. However, while circumstance had something to do with it....we now have Jarious as our starter for at least a few games it appears and the starting position is his to lose now. I think both quarterbacks have been sent mixed signals and so have their teamates.

One devilshly handsome American lionbacker warned you prior to the start of the season that Buck was going to be named starter because he had a skill set to better manage the type of offense the offensive coaching staff wanted to run.

What's interesting is that this move went against Wally's instincts about who should start, and how the offense should run.

So this looks like it's shaping up to be a rough first quarter of the season (Games 1-4) where the personnel situation and offensive game plan have to work themselves out.

Not helping matters are the matadors on the offensive line. They'll play themselves back into shape, to be sure, but the whole situation strikes me as the possibility of a 1-3 start and a season that looks a bit more like 2003 than we would have expected coming in.

Either I should have listened to you cromartie...or I was right and Wally just had a one game brain cramp!!!

I don't see either quarterback as having a better skill set. I see them as having slightly different skill sets. Buck is better in a Chap style offence or a passing possession offence, featuring the short and intermediate pass. Buck is the better percentage passer, is very good at hitting the back out of the backfield, his primary receiver is Jason Clermont, and he plays better when we throw the ball a lot because he's more of a rythym passer like his predecessor, and sees the field well, especially laterally.

Jarious is better in a run oriented offence that uses play action. That allows him the time to throw vertically. He's not as accurate in the short and intermediate game but is very good at the vertical game and the deep ball. Sees the field well downfield. His favorite receiver is Geroy Simon and Jarious has a very strong arm and can get off a strong throw even off balance.

While they have a lot of similarities, including good mobility, their styles are really suited for different offences. If Jarious is forced to play Chap Ball he'll struggle some, at times, as Buck will, at times, if he is forced to play more of a run oriented, vertical style offence.

The big question is ...which style of offence will we see on Friday night???

[No Ka Oi]

JJ was the logical choice to remain the starter this season. He started 12 games last season, with 9 wins. He is 31 yrs old, but is still developing. Confidence is his issue and it would be a step backwards for his career to be standing on the sidelines backing up a 26 yr old, who hardly played last season.

JJ got better and better last year, game by game, becoming a dominating QB towards the end of the season. He had a QB rating of over 100 in his last six regular season starts, but unfortunately reverted to his early-season stupor in his WF start.

Despite JJ's success last year, I believe Wally went with Buck as the starter as he simply offered more upside. He is a more accurate passer than JJ and makes good decisions with the ball. He has(d) the potential to become our starter for many years to come. Wally had to weigh the fact that benching JJ would be a slap in his face and would likely curtail his development as a QB, which we witnessed in the Calgary game. Because Buck was that good, Wally decided to essentially throw JJ under the bus...a "young" developing QB, but going on 32 yrs old.

Firstmost, Wally still had to consider the development of Buck, the heir apparant as the Lions starter. It was more important to continue the progress of Buck's career, over the crushing dissapointment of JJ being relegated to backup status after becoming a real team leader last season.

Wally's "mistake" was that Buck sustained another shoulder injury in his first quarter of play, if not, he would still be our starter.

The safe move would be to keep our senior QB as the starter this year, to see if he could maintain the dominance he displayed in the second half of last season and continue his improvement...then have the up and coming 26 yr old come off the bench to give the team a spark when needed. Considering the personalities of the QB's, Buck is better suited to coming off the bench at this stage of his career than JJ, whose growing confidence might be lopped off at the knees if relegated to backup status.

Wally stuck his neck out a bit choosing Buck. It wasn't the safe move, but it offered more upside for the future of the franchise...but that scenario was thrown out the window when the Calgary defender jumped on Buck's shoulder in the first quarter.

Hopefully in a game or two, JJ will regain his confidence and reach the level of excellence he acheived last season and continue his development as a QB...and that Buck can heal up and become a reliable backup, giving the team a spark, when called upon.

[Blitz]

JJ was the logical choice to remain the starter this season. He started 12 games last season, with 9 wins. He is 31 yrs old, but is still developing. Confidence is his issue and it would be a step backwards for his career to be standing on the sidelines backing up a 26 yr old, who hardly played last season.

JJ got better and better last year, game by game, becoming a dominating QB towards the end of the season. He had a QB rating of over 100 in his last six regular season starts, but unfortunately reverted to his early-season stupor in his WF start.

Hopefully in a game or two, JJ will regain his confidence and reach the level of excellence he acheived last season and continue his development as a QB...and that Buck can heal up and become a reliable backup, giving the team a spark, when called upon.

I agree that Jackson got better and better as he continued to play last year. With regard to the Western Final last year, JJ got off to a slow start but that wasn't unusual. However, in the second quarter we put 10 points on the board with JJ and were only 3 points behind just before halftime with a quarterback who usually shines in the second quarter. Dickenson didn't move the offence at all in the second half, with our only points coming off a touchdown pass, following a long Ian Smart return.

Some interesting info from Mike Beamish, in the Vancouver Sun today...here are a few excerpts..

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Mike Beamish, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, July 02, 2008

After he went 9-3 as a starter last season, Jarious Jackson felt he had accumulated enough assets to be confirmed as the Lions No. 1 quarterback. Just for good measure, he won a pre-training camp skills competition -- the Damon Allen Quarterback Challenge -- which measured Jackson against 11 other CFL pivots in footwork, long toss, sprint-outs and target accuracy.

"I thought that spoke volumes for Wally [Buono]," Jackson quipped, when asked what sort of cachet a skills competition win carried with the Lions head coach.

Now, Jackson is back to the point where he thought he should have been all along. He gets the starting call Friday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the position is his until he proves otherwise. That's welcome news for Jackson but not for those who welcome a constant quarterback dilemma on a week-to-week basis. It's Jarious's job, and it's Buck's job to support him," Buono reiterated Tuesday after practice. "We want to have consistency at the quarterback position. One aspect of consistency is having one person in there, week in and week out." Buono said the damage to Pierce's shoulder was "very, very minimal" yet it that made the coach re-think his original position to name him as the starter. "If we need Buck to come in and help us win, then we've got that option, too," Buono said.

With regard to JJ's play last week against Calgary.........Jarious made this comment in today's Sun, as he commented on the problem of coming in and out and the difficulty of that, in terms of the tempo and rythym of the game

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"That was a tough day," Jackson said. "We were already down [17-10]. I didn't get to come in and throw, like, a couple of hitches or a couple of outs [short passes]. We had to come in and try and throw the seam routes [deep balls] right away. I didn't get a chance to get a feel for the game. That's when you can attack downfield."

[ziggy]

Time for all of us to throw our support behind JJ, he's the starter now. Still hoping Buck is our future though.

[Blitz]

Time for all of us to throw our support behind JJ, he's the starter now. Still hoping Buck is our future though.

I believe he is too....the question is when will that future arrive?

GM/coach Wally Buono made it clear again he only has one starter. The offence is in the hands of Jarious Jackson now, and there may not be any way for Pierce to get it back (Vancouver Province today)

In the meantime it's been a long and winding road for Jarious Jackson, including almost being traded last season. There were some Lionbackers who thought that would have been a good move to get a younger guy in here to develop behind Buck Pierce. Thankfully that didn't happen! I have no doubt that both Jackson and Pierce will be needed before this season is over!

In the meantime Buck is not ready to accept the backup role easily.....as mentioned today in the Vancouver Province...


"Don't write me off just yet."

Just six words. But they were delivered by Buck Pierce with such force it was clear that his desire to return as a starting QB with the Lions is just as strong as his determination to put his chronic shoulder problems behind him once and for all.
He also knows there are those who will see his shoulder, which effectively has been injured in three of his last five games dating to last season, as damaged goods. Troubling signs for a 26-year-old who may not have reached his potential.
However, Pierce won't second-guess the offseason decision not to have shoulder surgery. He also accepts the decision by GM/coach Wally Buono to remove him as the starter, though obviously through gritted teeth.

"I'll be the first to say if I thought I wasn't getting the job done or wasn't prepared, they'd have the right [to change quarterbacks]. But I still feel I can compete," Pierce said.

If I was a mid-30-year old guy it would be a bit different story, but Wally, I think, still has faith in me. People need to understand I can't control what happens. I can control how I react to things. We can say I'm disappointed, which I am, but it's how you deal with this situation. My shoulder is going to be what it is and I'm going to keep trying to get it back. I don't want to say it's something I have to deal with but it's something I have to take better care of."

[Lion Guy]

Time for all of us to throw our support behind JJ, he's the starter now. Still hoping Buck is our future though.

I believe he is too....the question is when will that future arrive?

GM/coach Wally Buono made it clear again he only has one starter. The offence is in the hands of Jarious Jackson now, and there may not be any way for Pierce to get it back (Vancouver Province today)

In the meantime it's been a long and winding road for Jarious Jackson, including almost being traded last season. There were some Lionbackers who thought that would have been a good move to get a younger guy in here to develop behind Buck Pierce. Thankfully that didn't happen! I have no doubt that both Jackson and Pierce will be needed before this season is over!

In the meantime Buck is not ready to accept the backup role easily.....as mentioned today in the Vancouver Province...


"Don't write me off just yet."

Just six words. But they were delivered by Buck Pierce with such force it was clear that his desire to return as a starting QB with the Lions is just as strong as his determination to put his chronic shoulder problems behind him once and for all.
He also knows there are those who will see his shoulder, which effectively has been injured in three of his last five games dating to last season, as damaged goods. Troubling signs for a 26-year-old who may not have reached his potential.
However, Pierce won't second-guess the offseason decision not to have shoulder surgery. He also accepts the decision by GM/coach Wally Buono to remove him as the starter, though obviously through gritted teeth.

"I'll be the first to say if I thought I wasn't getting the job done or wasn't prepared, they'd have the right [to change quarterbacks]. But I still feel I can compete," Pierce said.

If I was a mid-30-year old guy it would be a bit different story, but Wally, I think, still has faith in me. People need to understand I can't control what happens. I can control how I react to things. We can say I'm disappointed, which I am, but it's how you deal with this situation. My shoulder is going to be what it is and I'm going to keep trying to get it back. I don't want to say it's something I have to deal with but it's something I have to take better care of."

Doesn't really matter though does it Blitz. Both will fail because of Chap. Right?

[runningback]

It's the Home Opener Tonight! Can't Wait!!!!! I'm thinking J Jackson will have a really great game tonight!!!

[Blitz]

of."

Doesn't really matter though does it Blitz. Both will fail because of Chap. Right?

Well, it certainly will be an obstacle to overcome Lion Guy....let's hope we do!!!!

[TheLionKing]

It's the Home Opener Tonight! Can't Wait!!!!! I'm thinking J Jackson will have a really great game tonight!!!

Unfortunately, he had one of those forgetable nights. Two fumbles and an interception lead to 17 Saskatchewan points. He was once again overthrowing and underthrowing his receivers. His receivers certainly didn't help Jarius by dropping passes.