"...(Omar) chance to play a lot..." ~ Cowher

h2oville rocket · Post by **h2oville rocket** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:35 pm

Interesting that a couple posters mention a preference for drafting Gradkowski over Omar. I know he's a Pittsburgh guy and all but interesting that another MAC QB is the only rookie option mentioned. I guess the Steelers just love those MAC QBs.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:08 pm

Gradkowski is a guy Steeler fans would naturally love. Blue collar, hometown guy that's smart and works hard. Omar may be more physically gifted, but most Pittsburgh folks value intangibles very highly.

BG alliances aside -- I'd rather have Omar in a heartbeat. The NFL, by and large, runs on talent. I always choose upside and Omar's is miles higher than Brucie's.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 9:18 am

I normally put a lot of weight on intangibles when evaluating QBs, however, to make it in the NFL you have to have that baseline physical talent.

I thought Harris had a legit shot because he had all those intangibles, and I thought he had enough talent to let those intangibles shine through. I was wrong and his accuracy issues never allowed him to get a good shot in the leauge. Bruce has all the intangibles that J5 had, but also has some serious questions about his physical ability. He's more accurate than Harris was, but his arm strength is VERY weak. Like BG, I don't think UT's offense really does a good job preparing a QB for the NFL either.

Based on where the NFL thought they were worth in the draft it is a VERY long shot that either of them ever become more than a backup.

MACMAN · Post by **MACMAN** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:02 am

Omars got nothing to worry about, he is learing and from what I heard from folks who have been in thousands at camp he is doing very well.
Bruce in Pit no way, yea hes a "tough guy" but hes not got the overall package that Omar has to make it in the NFL.
It is sad what happend to J5, but he is sadly a product of a college football bowl system that as further eviedence has impeeded yet anothers lilvely hood. In that it screwed his chances....but I think J5 could and should try to make it on a team Atlanta, Green bay.

dduncan · Post by **dduncan** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:40 am

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06222/712448-66.stm

Cowher will announce this morning whether quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will start and play in the preseason opener Saturday at Arizona. But Cowher also wants to use the next couple games to see improvement in rookie quarterback Omar Jacobs, the team's fifth-round pick.

Jacobs, who threw a school-record 71 touchdown passes in 25 games at Bowling Green, has been something of a disappointment at training camp, so much so that rookie free agent Shane Boyd has been splitting snaps with him as the third-team quarterback.

Jacobs is big (6 feet 4, 224 pounds) and has a funny throwing motion -- he looks like he is throwing darts -- but he is having problems picking up the offense and adjusting to a dropback style. Jacobs was primarily a shotgun quarterback at Bowling Green.

"I gave them both an opportunity [with the third team]," Cowher said. "You look at Shane, he had an opportunity to play in Europe, he's doing some good things. So is Omar."

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:37 pm

Ben will start, and the majority of the playing time will go to Boyd and Omar. Omar really needs to have a nice game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2545598

ChicagoFalcon · Post by **ChicagoFalcon** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 1:42 pm

Hey FalconFreak...If you've got Direct Tv...it's on the NFL Network here in two hours (4:05EST) and I'm right in front of my HD waitin on Omar to SHINE! Bring the brew and watch how many yards Omar threw..."4" lol

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:16 pm

Start of the 4th, and still no Omar.

Edit: Here comes Omar with about 9 to play and the Steelers down 15. He should get some opportunities to chuck it around a bit. The fact that Boyd got almost 2 quarters is not good. Boyd is far from an NFL QB.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:33 pm

Uggh. Really ugly series for Omar. An easy quick hitch that he threw early and behind Morey. A quick WR swing with no dropback that Morey gained about 2 on, and then a Shotgun out that he missed by about 5 feet.

Omar isn't going to make this team the way things are going right now. Hard to imagine a year ago this time.

jpfalcon09 · Post by **jpfalcon09** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:33 pm

1-3, 2 yards...he looked really nervous and overthrew 2 guys. Hopefully he'll get a chance to play more next game...but he just didn't look comfortable.

ChicagoFalcon · Post by **ChicagoFalcon** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:37 pm

alright...maybe I should've posted here...sorry folks

..

ChicagoFalcon · Post by **ChicagoFalcon** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:42 pm

They can knock Omar all they want...he WILL be the only QB to throw for a touchdown today! WATCH!

jpfalcon09 · Post by **jpfalcon09** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:44 pm

Looks much better 2nd series...8 yard pass and then another for about 20...2:00 warning and Omar has the Steelers at least poised to put points on the board.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:44 pm

Omar just made a couple decent throws for completions, but then didn't get a snap off before the two minute warning. They cut to a shot of Cowher and he shook his head like he wanted to kill himself.

In related news, I found this blurb from a Steelers insider:

QUARTERBACK – Ben Roethlisberger is starting and Charlie Batch will play as little as possible because the Steelers still fear his injury history. A pulling guard stepped on Batch’s foot while he was backpedaling from center at practice Wednesday night. Batch went down and bodies crashed on and around him. When he got up, the coaching staff exhaled, and so did the front office, which lists Kerry Collins and Tommy Maddox at the top of its street free-agent list. Rookies Shane Boyd (8) and Omar Jacobs (4) are the Nos. 3 and 4 quarterbacks. Off the record, they are called “No. 5s,” but the personnel department believes one of these rookies will emerge and provide security for the injury-plagued Batch (gulp). Boyd moved ahead of Jacobs this week and

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:47 pm

35 yd screen pass and it's first and goal.