Luke Kromenhoek to Enter Portal

[Brobi-wan]

Others did and said it from day 1.
LK was a waste of money.

I wouldn?t confuse luck with ?evaluation?

[confucius say]

Last time I checked Taylor signed last Dec and Hawk signed in Jan. Both went through spring and then fall camp, so your premise is not even close to on point. The staff had seen neither one on our own field yet to even make depth chart call when they were signed.
You are the king of knowing things that aren't true and a master of selective hindsight when it come to picking apart your perceived inadequacies of this staff.

It's 💯 on point. Our staff whiffed on making the call that KT would be the clear number 2 ahead of LK in 2025 before both signed. Had they been able to see that prior to them signing they would not have spent substantial money on a third string QB in LK. They whiffed and wasted money, plain and simple.

And what I know that is true is that our staff determined by Game 1 that KT was the number 2 ahead of LK. That is an uncontested fact. And the fact that our staff couldn't see that prior to signing both resulted in us overpaying a third string QB in LK. The only real question here is whether that mistake by our staff is excusable. It may be. But it was still a mistake, which is my only point.

[confucius say]

We didn't overspend on a 3rd team QB at the time of signings. We did not pay KT much and given he was a raw HS QB playing in a limited system at Nox, he was the 3rd team QB we paid. Now, you can argue we overpaid our 2nd team QB at the time of signing, but given the circumstances (Shapen injury prone and a HS guy) we had to pay him what it costs to get him.

That we couldn't tell who was our clear number 2 and who was our third string at the time of signing is the problem. That's the whole issue and what caused us to overpay LK. Had we known KT was going to be the clear number 2 ahead of LK, we don't spend substantial money on LK. I'm fine with saying it's an excusable mistake, but it was unquestionably a mistake.

[confucius say]

Here is the deal on a backup QB, we can't afford to have a quality backup. We just can't. We have to find a decent Juco or DII QB that is willing to come and play on the cheap.

If KT goes down, what does it matter we aren't winning anything. I would rather go extremely cheap at Backup QB, if it means we can use that money towards an impact DL, OL or WR.

You hope to get lucky like the bears did and find a QB that can be serviceable.

We cannot pay a third string QB the amount of money we paid Kro this past year. IT is inexcusable moving forward.

That last paragraph is exactly right. Doing so cost us other players.

[confucius say]

In general, I don't think what you are saying is wrong. I just don't think it applies to where we were in 2025.
We had already seen in 2024 what happens when QB1 goes down and your only option is a True Freshman (MVB) or a RS who hadn't really played (Parson).
Knowing Shapen's injury history, putting ourselves in that position 2 years in a row was not going to cut it. If Shapen had been injured again early in the season we would have been staring down another 2-10 type season.
Bringing in Kro was the right call for 2025. And if I was in Lebby's shoes - coming off a 2-10 season - I'm signing and paying for the best QB I can.

For 2026 we still need a QB2. But, I think because we think KT is durable and can be the guy, and have a pretty solid incoming guy in McWhorter going with a solid FCS/DII/JUCO QB makes sense.
It's all about context

It is about context.
And the 2024 true freshman that had to play (MVB) is not the 2025 true freshman that would have had to play if Shapen went down (KT). Our staff couldn't see that last January so they threw substantial money at LK. Sucks, but that's the truth.

[Coach34]

Here is the deal on a backup QB, we can't afford to have a quality backup. We just can't. We have to find a decent Juco or DII QB that is willing to come and play on the cheap..

Our entire QB room was about 1.5MM. Most of the SEC spent that for their starter by himself. We spent very little compared to the rest of the SEC. No idea why you guys are freaking out about this. Hindsight is 20/20

[confucius say]

Our entire QB room was about 1.5MM. Most of the SEC spent that for their starter by himself. We spent very little compared to the rest of the SEC. No idea why you guys are freaking out about this. Hindsight is 20/20

Because I was told, even with hindsight, that depth is a good thing and paying LK what we paid him was not a mistake.
It was a mistake. It was wasted money, and we need to learn from it going forward.

[Gutter Cobreh]

It is about context.
And the 2024 true freshman that had to play (MVB) is not the 2025 true freshman that would have had to play if Shapen went down (KT). Our staff couldn't see that last January so they threw substantial money at LK. Sucks, but that's the truth.

Also, MVB transfers. We're lucky in a sense that KT hasn't expressed an interest in transferring. If were to transfer the money spent on LK would be worth it because we have a QB that has been able to learn the system for a year ready to go.

Because I was told, even with hindsight, that depth is a good thing and paying LK what we paid him was not a mistake.
It was a mistake. It was wasted money, and we need to learn from it going forward.

How much of what LK was paid came from you? If the answer is $0, then your opinion doesn't matter. If you did contribute, then when you place your next donation - earmark that for a specific player you think adds "value".

[Coach34]

Because I was told, even with hindsight, that depth is a good thing and paying LK what we paid him was not a mistake.
It was a mistake. It was wasted money, and we need to learn from it going forward.

Well, in hindsight, Whitson was wasted money.

[BlackSailsDawg]

In general, I don't think what you are saying is wrong. I just don't think it applies to where we were in 2025.
We had already seen in 2024 what happens when QB1 goes down and your only option is a True Freshman (MVB) or a RS who hadn't really played (Parson).
Knowing Shapen's injury history, putting ourselves in that position 2 years in a row was not going to cut it. If Shapen had been injured again early in the season we would have been staring down another 2-10 type season.
Bringing in Kro was the right call for 2025. And if I was in Lebby's shoes - coming off a 2-10 season - I'm signing and paying for the best QB I can.

For 2026 we still need a QB2. But, I think because we think KT is durable and can be the guy, and have a pretty solid incoming guy in McWhorter going with a solid FCS/DII/JUCO QB makes sense.
It's all about context

We are going to need 2 QBs. And If I had a say in it, he would go get a possible QB1 x 2 and make all 3 of them work for the job.

[Pancho]

better get some of the expert talent evaluators on here to find us a good backup QB in case next years OL performs like this on in 25. KT will need time to heal.

[Brahmabull]

Well, in hindsight, Whitson was wasted money.

What about Steen????

[Pancho]

sure and probably others with the way these experts on here talk

[confucius say]

Well, in hindsight, Whitson was wasted money.

One was within our control due to flawed evaluation.
The other was not and was due to an injury.

[confucius say]

We are going to need 2 QBs. And If I had a say in it, he would go get a possible QB1 x 2 and make all 3 of them work for the job.

I love the plan if we had unlimited funds. But I'd rather take the money we'd spend on two number 1 QB and get two legit linemen.

[confucius say]

sure and probably others with the way these experts on here talk

You do understand that we should expect more from people we pay hundreds of thousands/millions of dollars to do the job than we do of ourselves, right? I mean, you surely would expect more of your heart surgeon than me when it comes to heart surgery.

[MBDawg601]

You do understand that we should expect more from people we pay hundreds of thousands/millions of dollars to do the job than we do of ourselves, right? I mean, you surely would expect more of your heart surgeon than me when it comes to heart surgery.

Well, I think majority of folks thought it was a good get bringing in LK. We can’t look back after the season and say, “what a waste.”. Monday morning qb at its finest it was a gamble and maybe he just cannot learn the offense? He was highly rated and heavily recruited coming out of HS. We are not the only ones that “missed”.

[Coach34]

Well, I think majority of folks thought it was a good get bringing in LK. We can’t look back after the season and say, “what a waste.”. Monday morning qb at its finest it was a gamble and maybe he just cannot learn the offense? He was highly rated and heavily recruited coming out of HS. We are not the only ones that “missed”.

It was only a "waste" because Plastic Man stayed pretty healthy this season. Had he broken down in Game 4- then its very likely Chicken Hawk would have played quite a bit over the course of the last 8 games

[BrunswickDawg]

It is about context.
And the 2024 true freshman that had to play (MVB) is not the 2025 true freshman that would have had to play if Shapen went down (KT). Our staff couldn't see that last January so they threw substantial money at LK. Sucks, but that's the truth.

I just keep thinking about Billy Beane in Moneyball when he fires the lead A's scout - "You don't have a crystal ball. You can't look at a kid and predict his future anymore than I can. I've sat at those kitchen tables with you and listened to you tell those parents 'when I know I know, and when it comes to your son - I Know'. And you don't. You don't."

[MBDawg601]

It was only a "waste" because Plastic Man stayed pretty healthy this season. Had he broken down in Game 4- then its very likely Chicken Hawk would have played quite a bit over the course of the last 8 games

Exactly, but saying that bringing in LK, one of the highest rated QB prospects in miss state history was a mistake is idiotic. Dude can play, and will likely play somewhere. We have a history of QBs transferring out and becoming stars elsewhere.