The Real Truth: Expectations Too High For Butch Davis With T.J. Yates?

The UNC Recruiting Class of 2011, top eight so far and perhaps heading higher, brings with it expectations for this year that could harm the Tar Heels, at least in the short term.  With a great defense comes a mediocre offense at best.

At the top of the question marks is T.J. Yates.  A three year starter with some grit, Yates  has played behind a front line that could have prevented the greatest scrambling quarterbacks of all time from being successful.

Bad lines have always been a major problem for teams looking to move up.  Without pressure on both sides of the ball, any football team is especially vulnerable.  But in Yates' case, this seems a bit overstated.  While the Carolina offensive line had some holes, and chased Yates a fair amount, his ability to spot open receivers could be a part of the picture. 

Another Yates problem appears to be his inaccuracy even when he sees the open man.  Few quarterbacks have done less and gotten away with eight wins.  Yates has done this twice.

But at this point, Davis, who allows players to play themselves out of starting roles only with great difficulty, appears ready for a move that could seal Yates' fate.  Because the problem with Yates last year was visibly confidence.  And confidence is often the only thing a quarterback has.  Because when the line collapses, as it does for every football team, the quarterback needs to scramble knowing he will find an open man and hit him short, long or in the flats.  

Unfortunately, Yates is neither agile, quick, or fast.  And he is also not really brave ala Elway.  So he generally dumps the ball in the wrong place.  And goes downhill fast.

Davis is ready to make a move.  Unless Yates performs before the LSU game, look for a redshirt quarterback start in the first game.  Unless Davis is a believer in doing this through a slow death and a first game loss, Yates has only one chance left anyway.  If not the next practice or so, then the first game for certain.

We will see.