Collins Brings The Juice to Media Day

Marc Narducci talks Sean Chandler in this Media Day report.

Sometimes the most revealing answers come from the most innocuous questions.

Someone asked Geoff Collins a Media Day query about how Frank Nutile got his nickname and Collins all but named him the starting quarterback for the Sept 2. Opener at Notre Dame.

After Collins went to great lengths to NOT name a starter, even mentioning that all four quarterbacks will get simultaneous snaps in practice Tuesday, his answer gave at least a clue in what direction he was headed:

juice

“The offense kind of moves and plays better with him out there,” Collins said of “Frankie Juice” Nutile. “If you are just standing in a room, Frankie Nutile is just standing in a room with this group of guys and that group of guys and he’s just a guy that people gravitate to and one day I was out there and said it (Frankie Juice) and I can’t stop saying it, obviously.”

Collins did not single out any of the other three quarterbacks for praise, in all fairness he was only asked about Nutile. OC Dave Patenaude will have a say in this all-important decision, Collins will be the guy who pulls the trigger and, on Media Day at least, he was thinking Nutile.

There are a couple of reasons why Nutile might be considered a “safe” pick over, say, the other three. One, Patenaude made the comment about Todd Centeio questioning whether he would perform before “72,000 people” on opening day. (Does Patenaude expect 8,000 no-shows in the 80,000-seat stadium?) Two, if Nutile has less-than-stellar performance, it’s easier to go to Anthony Russo or Logan Marchi for the Villanova game. Then there is a third option. Nutile can go 24-33 with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 35-21 win, but he showed no signs of that kind of performance in the Cherry and White game.

Other revealing Media Day answers:

Leon Johnson Taking Snaps on Defense

This is a little surprising in the sense that the Owls have plenty of high-end talent on the defensive line and they probably need Johnson to prop up an area of weakness in the offensive line.

Nick Sharga At Defensive End

Collins said that the holdover coaches said Sharga would “give Dion (Dawkins) fits” as a one-on-one scout team rusher at defensive end. I hope those same coaches told him about Sharga being the best linebacker on the field, Tyler Matakevich included, in a “real” game, a 34-12 win over a Memphis team that beat Ole Miss in 2015.

Shaun Bradley at Fullback

If the above clue about Nutile potentially starting was not enough, Collins offered that he made the switch of Shaun Bradley’s jersey number from 18 to 23 because Bradley, one of the team’s best linebackers, is also working at fullback and “he and Frankie Nutile have the same number and can’t be on the field at the same time.” If Bradley and Nutile were fourth-team fullback and quarterback, this would not be a big issue. If they are pushing for first-team time, it is.

Friday: Where Are They Now, Recruit Edition

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9 thoughts on “Collins Brings The Juice to Media Day

  1. I’d hate to see any of these kids get the start at ND and struggle in a loss then not get a chance versus Nova. Too many new things to essentially penalize the QB for the loss. With this opening game, I’d prefer CC use 2 QB’s in the first half (unless the starter is playing exceptionally well). Give the better performer the second half. And let that kid have the Nova start.

  2. I’d hate to see any of these kids get the start at ND and struggle in a loss then not get a chance versus Nova. Too many new things to essentially penalize the QB for the loss. With this opening game, I’d prefer CC use 2 QB’s in the first half (unless the starter is playing exceptionally well). Give the better performer the second half. And let that kid have the Nova start.

  3. To date, the qb decision is the most important of Collins’ short tenure as head coach. Fact is that he should take a page from Paterno, who never relied on the qb as his main weapon and essentially used the qb as a caretaker. With the receivers and running backs on this team he should mainly rely on short passes and the running attack. The qb essentially has to not make mistakes because they will kill the Owls. He also should take a look at the mistake Aeddazio made in the PSU game at the Linc the Owls should have won. For no discernible reason, Addazzio pulled the starter in the middle of the game and doomed the Owls’ fate. The worst thing a coach can do is play musical qbs because it throws the rhythm of the team off and manifests uncertainty, which is obvious to the rest of the team. Soon everyone is worried about their jobs, and the players begin to press. Unless it’s a blowout caused by mistakes made by the qb, a loss at ND is not something to panic over and change everything around. Of course if the erratic play continues into the Nova game changes will have to be made.

    • choose a starter and stick with him is a proven path to success….,

      big time college football has changed, the QB must be able to not only take the team into the 4th qtr but must be able to Win The Game…, like PJ did against UCF….,

    • Interesting.

      Who did the Steve start against PSU? I remember the Gerardi telegraphed and got picked, but who started that game? If CS started then there would likely be a reason to pull him because he was so bad most of the time.

  4. We just landed a commit from 3 Star WR Sean Ryan with MULTIPLE P5 Offers…. this is huge !!!!

  5. Now at 19 recruits. I wonder if and when CC keeps some powder dry as they say for the end of the year to have room for some highly rated kids that might be available. I assume there’s a few more scholarships available with the low number of last year’s recruits. Anybody have info on the number of available scholarships this year’s?

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