♠ ACE SPORTSWEAR ♠
AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE EXCEPTIONAL SPORTSWEAR
From the Kerosene Cowboy’s Sportswear Collection
By: Charles W. Boatright
Georgia vs. Notre Dame Proves Experience– Quarter Finals of CFP proves Talent doesn’t equal experience that QB’s need in 2nd & 3rd Strings. Coaches got to give QB’s snaps during tough games during the season to perform when needed at the end of season.
Situational Awareness is important part in aviation for pilots; but also in Sports, where athletes must have talent and skills combined with experience! There’s NO substitute for experience!
The Quarterbacks in College and Professional Football is no doubt the most important position on the team, just like a skilled pilot is in the cockpit. That is not to say positions on both the defense and offense are not essential to the team and winning games.
But the Quarterback in football is a key position that requires the quarterback to perform under pressure and is essential the other players be familiar with the Quarterback’s style of play. Running backs and receivers must mesh with the QB under actual game-day conditions to a point where they can anticipating the QB’s tendencies.
The Need for Georgia’s 2nd and 3rd String Quarterback to have Game-day Experience
Gunner Stockton was Georgia’s second string Quarterback that came in for Carson Beck after Beck had an injury to his right elbow during the SEC Championship Game with Texas. Gunner Stockton finished out the SEC Championship Game in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. Georgia would become the second seed in the CFP, with a bye.
A couple of days before the semifinals game with Notre Dame, a seventh seed, Carson Beck underwent surgery on his right elbow before the CFP Games started. This caused Beck to be unavailable for the Quarter Finals with Notre Dame, which didn’t have a Championship Game in their conference. Notre Dame just won their game of the First Round over Indiana at home.
The Temptation of Playing the Starting QB during the Regular Season
During the regular season, it is too easy for the coaching staff to rely on the team’s first string quarterback to ensure a successful undefeated, or perfect, season. There is tremendous pressure on a team to turn in a perfect season to get a high seed. During the 2025 CFP, this proved to have been no advantaged where ONE through FOUR seeds Lost to the lower seed teams.
Just some stats of the 2024 season record of teams that reached the Semifinals that:
The Ohio State was 7 – 2
Penn State was 8 – 1
Texas was 7 – 1
Notre Dame was 9 – 1
But what was interesting with the higher seed teams that had a bye, they all lost in the quarterfinals to first round teams. Unlike the four team as noted above in the semifinals of the 2025 CFP, these have either one or two loses compared to three teams that had a perfect season. Texas started Archie Manning in several games for his running and passing abilities. Starting Archie Manning will no doubt pay dividends next seasons in the fall.
Playing the second string QB as did Texas did should allow other teams to give an opportunity for their second and third string quarterbacks to take snaps during the third and fourth quarters. Taking snaps during the regular season under actual game-day conditions is priceless. As Georgia discovered during the quarterfinals with Notre Dame, they were forced to play their second string quarterback, Gunner Stockton, with little game-day experience.
I was having lunch at Whataburger on Monday, 30Dec2024, one of my favorite places to dine here in Madison, Mississippi. There were several Georgia fans on their way to the Sugar Bowl that were very concerned about having to start Gunner Stockton as their QB. If these Georgia fans were concerned, you could imagine how concerned Georgia’s Coaching Staff were to start their second string QB with little game-day experience.
I will be the first to admit that I’m not a fan of Coach Mike Bobo, the OC for Georgia. If you’re starting your second string quarterback with limited snaps in a championship game setting, you have to simplify the game plan. I believe Coach Bobo called a too complex of a game plan, especially at the start of the game with Notre Dame instead of letting Gunner Stockton have time to gain much needed confidence. Especially during the last few minutes of the first half.
This was made more complex with the terrorist attack on Bourbon Street during the early morning hours of New Year’s Day. This incident postponed the game between Georgia vs. Notre Dame until Thursday, 02 January 2025.
The Price Ignoring giving Second String Quarterback Reps
If a head coach ignores the opportunities to give their 2nd and 3rd string quarterback game-day experience of taking actual snaps during the regular season, it can turn out to be very costly, especially during post season play. It denies the Offensive Coordinator the opportunity to know what plays would be best suited for their 2nd or 3rd string QB. Remember Ohio State beat Alabama with their fourth string QB in 2015.
Plays that the OC calls for the starting QB might not be the same plays they need to be called for the 2nd and 3rd string QB based on their tendencies and strengths. It also denies the OC, receiving corps, and running back the ability to get familiar with the playing style of both the 2nd or 3rd string QB’s under game-day situation.
Without the OC being familiar with the 2nd or 3rd string QB, the receivers, and running backs were be handicapped where there is no doubt make for a subpar performance from all these positions. It even comes down to how the offensive line and backs block for either the 2nd or 3rd string QB that might prefer to be a pocket passer or a running passer.
NOTE to all Quarterback- Please don’t prolong your snap count; because those linemen are in a three point stance and after time they began to sway back-and-forth. And don’t take more than 2.2 seconds to get rid of the ball in the pocket. I might be old school, but I prefer three running backs in the back field to help with blocking assignments. I’m not a fan of the shotgun to pick up short yardage, especially at the goal line.
An Important Strategic Decision for the Benefit of the Entire Team
One reason playing the 2nd or 3rd string QB is important to gain experience is from a strategic decision on the coaches’ part as was bored out in the 2025 Sugar Bowl Game by Head Coach Kirby Smart for Georgia. Who can predict if the starting QB will go down due to an injury during the last part of the season as was the case with Georgia.
The 12- Team, or what could later be the 16- Team, CFP, a different strategy needs to be applied where experience is far more important than just wins and a perfect season is as proven with the stats, noted above with the four teams in the semifinals. With the 12- Teams CFP, the coaching staff can afford to lose one or two front end or middle of the regular season games. But, they can ill afford to lose a single game during the CFP, that is a season ender.
Practice and scrimmages DO NOT provide game-day conditions to gain valuable experience for all of the team’s QB’s. Any golfer will tell you that practice on the range or hitting balls in the backyard doesn’t offer course-like conditions to improve one’s golf game.
There’s NO substitute for actual game-day experience for the QB. Talent and skills demonstrated during practice and scrimmages doesn’t equal true game-day experience. A coach can’t confused talent and skill demonstrated during practice with experience during game-day, they are just aren’t that same animal.
TOP GUN Quote by Maverick about Thinking verse Natural Instincts
Go back to both TOP GUN movies where Maverick tells ICE MAN and later ROOSTER that- If you think up there you’re dead! What Maverick was saying, was that a pilot has to rely heavily on their instincts in their subconscious mind that they develop under actual fight conditions. This isn’t just true in aviation and pilots; but with athlete’s, as well. Refer to Subconscious Rule No. 9.
This is what experience does for the athlete of any sport; it gives them the ability to mentally slow down their perception of time using their quick instincts, rather than confusing thought processes. Look at Subconscious Rule No. 2 where it appears their performance is in slow motion, because the subconscious mind isn’t affected by time. Professional athletes have the ability to not just get into their ZONE, but get into their TIME ZONE.
Experience and instincts are a major part of a pilot’s subconscious mind performance, where in the military they call it applying Situational Awareness. This allows the Subconscious Mind to takeover and operate based on the 10-Rules of the Subconscious Mind, listed below, pay close attention to Rules No. 1 and 2 listed below:
1. The subconscious mind does not and must not differentiate between visualizations (practice) and real situations (performance).
2. The subconscious mind has no concept of time.
3. The Quicker and longer the subconscious mind believes and proves something, the harder it will be to alter this belief in any way.
4. Every thought causes a physical reaction. The subconscious mind can’t distinguish between a positive or negative thought.
5. What you expect tends to be realized.
6. Finding proof of your beliefs strengthens them.
7. The subconscious mind always prevails in conflicts with the conscious mind.
8. An idea, once accepted, will remain firmly in place until it is replaced by another.
9. The greater the conscious effort reduces the subconscious intuitive response.
10. Suggestions and beliefs can be used to “program” the subconscious mind.
Cameron Skattebo (No. 4) for Arizona State Football Team
Cam Skattebo (No. 4) for Arizona State Football Team- flea flicker validates not only giving 2nd & 3rd string Quarterbacks game-day experience but the running backs, as well. This is like having two quarterbacks on the field during the same play to confuse the defense and get into their heads.
To provide additional validation for a multi quarterback corps team, take Cam Skattebo, Running Back for Arizona State, that threw a 42- yard from AZ’s 49 yard line down to TX’s 8 yard line for a touchdown. This was during the Quarterfinal Round of the CFP with Texas at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. I knew that Cam Skattebo could run for a large amount of yardage; but I was totally impressed on Wednesday, 01Jan2025, with Cam’s passing abilities. That is with Cam being sick on the sidelines during the Peach Bowl.
During the last 6:37 minutes of the 4th Quarter with Texas, Cam Skattebo took a flea flicker from Sam Leavitt, AZ State Quarterback, and threw a 42- yard pass down to No. 12 Malik McCLain, AZ Wide Receiver, for a 8- yard touchdown that helped tied the game with Texas 24 to Arizona State 24 in the last few minutes.
Here the strategic strategy on developing multi quarterbacks– Not only is it wise to develop a team’s 2nd and 3rd string QB with game-day experience, but develop running backs as QB’s, like Cam Skattebo, that can pass, as well as, rush for yardage. This can be developed into a powerful game plan to catch the defense off guard and keep them guessing, especially during a short yardage punt plays, where one of the three blockers for the kicker to take a direct snap for either run or pass option.
Cam Skattebo Stats for the 2025 Peach Bowl:
143- Yards Rushing
99- Yards Receiving
42- Yards Passing
Having a running back that can not only rush for yardage, but also pass, can keep the linebackers from rushing the quarterback in order to provide the defensive backs additional passing coverage for slants or deep passes routes. This was one of the major problems that Georgia had with Gunner Stockton trying to have the time in the pocket to pass without the Notre Dame Linebackers rushing Stockton and not giving him time to complete passes. You put pressure on any quarterback, even those in the NFL QB’s where they won’t be able to develop their passing game.
Instead of the defensive line and linebackers getting into the head of the QB, the run/pass option of a running back(s) could get in the heads of the defensive line and linebackers. A team offensively does not want to become predictable.
Yogi Berra’s Quote on Practice and Performance
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.
Golfers, if you ever wonder why you couldn’t take your golf game from the range to the golf course, refer to Rules No. 1 and 7 for the reason, above. These Subconscious Rules are a great way to improve your performance in every part of your life, especially sports and hobbies.
My Diagnoses of Stage 2 Prostate Cancer
Due to my recent down time in my golf game, after my battle with Stage 2 Prostate Cancer, I was finally able to get back active in my hobbies and golf after I had two clear check ups with the second being in October of 2024. I did have to ease back into my welding, exercises and sports. There is one training technique that I was able to use that engaged my subconscious mind, called The Orange Bucket Challenge.
The above video is a great method to utilize Rule No. 1 of The Subconscious Mind. This is where I must hit four out of five 290- yards drives to within 15- feet of a Home Depot Orange Bucket. The challenge is this, if more than one of my drives misses the 15- foot target area, I must start over until I can place at least four out five drives into the 15- foot target area. The video above was filmed by a camera crew from WJTV-12, here in Jackson, Mississippi that ran the three part series during their Sports Zone Show.
The Importance of Fitness for Rehabbing
Another part of my rehab was my MELIORA Health & Fitness Program that I have done since 2014 after a hip replacement. Guys (referring to both ladies and gentlemen) one piece of advice I would like to give you, is to stay active and stay in shape, especially as you age over 35.
Also pick up a trade even if you are working in different career field, because this can become your second career when you retire. My interests are aviation, welding, and agriculture to stay busy doing what I want; instead of having to do what I have to do when I worked as a Grid Engineer for 35- years.
One of the best age-defying techniques you can have is a strength training regimen, just using dumbbells. The reason is that the muscle naturally releases a growth hormone when placed under stress. The muscles that release this natural growth hormone contain collagen that helps replace and repair the cells in the joints and especially the skin.
Below, I’m 67- years old posing with a model in her mid-20’s for our line of ACE SPORTY Cockpit & Gear Line.
Please visit our ACE Sporty Hangar Store for aviation gear and apparel. I also have on KINDLE my Health & Fitness Book to maintain an Age-Defying Lifestyle even at my age of 67:
My List of Books on Kindle under my name, Charles W. Boatright:
There are two reviews that are posted below on two of my books
01-THE QATSPY® MELIORA Health & Fitness Program Turbocharged DIET w/ Age-Defying Results!