When news broke on Monday regarding Liberty possibly leading the Phillip Sims’ sweepstakes, FlamesNation’s first reaction may have been “we are set at QB” or “he has too many issues.” I’ll admit that was my first reaction as well, but after taking some time to digest this that initial reaction is terribly wrong.
“We are set at QB”
Yes, Josh Woodrum had a remarkable freshman campaign. Yes, thoughts of having a 4 year starter at quarterback are intriguing. But go a step further. After Brian Hudson’s transfer to Campbell, who else is on the roster that is a proven quarterback at this level? We all know that 2nd string quarterbacks are just one snap away from being your starter, so, at the very minimum, adding a QB with BCS level experience would be huge for depth purposes alone. Not to mention Sims’ potential. This is a kid who was at Alabama. You know that SEC football team with multiple national championships. Sims was the #2 rated QB in the country coming out of high school. Let that sink in. He obviously has talent. Don’t get me wrong, Woodrum is extremely talented and we are blessed to have him as our quarterback for the next 3 years, but the opportunity to land a kid with the talent level of Sims is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“He Has Too Many Issues”
He’s lazy. He has work ethic issues. He has a sense of entitlement.
These are all ideas that have floated around regarding Sims and why he hasn’t panned out at either Alabama or Virginia. Most of these sentiments are coming from people who have never met Sims in person. If Sims ends up at Liberty, it means that head coach Turner Gill believes in him. Further, this statement from his former teammate, current Alabama quarterback, & 2 time defending National Champion A.J. McCarron should not be overlooked:
Guys mess up but the greats get back on track. My brother @phil14_sims757_ will be back. He Made me the player I am today by pushing me
— AJ McCarron (@10AJMcCarron) May 31, 2013
Phillip Sims to Liberty is a low risk, high-reward proposition for the Flames. Worst case scenario he is a bust, and Woodrum remains our quarterback. Best case scenario, Sims could be the quarterback to lead Liberty to the FCS playoffs for the first time in school history. We should roll the dice.
I just submitted a comment on the first blog post about Sims and while I respect your opinion I can’t agree with your assessment.
Given the way Sims reps himself, there is nothing I see that leads me to have confidence that he is ready to embrace the meaning and message of a school whose motto is “Training Champions for Christ.”
Liberty athletics is about far more than success on the field. It’s also about character values and a Christian lifestyle. As LU develops and seeks FBS recognition, its leaders have to remember that the bigger the stage the brighter the spotlight on what Liberty University stands for.
The worst case scenario is not that Sims “is a bust”. The worst case scenario could be far more public and ugly than that if he isn’t ready to embrace LU’s values and mission and clean some things up.
Based on what I can see, I seriously doubt Sims is a good fit for LU right now. I hate to say that but I think it’s accurate.
I wouldn’t mind taking a flier on Sims if he buys into the Liberty culture and he isn’t given any special treatment. If he truly earns the starting position over Woodrum then that is great news but I’d like to see Woodrum earn the starter position because I wasn’t that impressed by him last year either.