Had he been able to say something like this at the Iggy's or during fall camp as a Frosh, might have been a different story:

** He said "it's absolutely vital" that he wins the starting quarterback job. "For me I made this decision for a reason. I didn't come here to be the backup. I came here to play, but you have to come and earn that. No one is going to give that to you and that's what I knew coming into this situation and that's what I wanted. I didn't want anybody to hand me a job. I wanted to come in and earn it. That's the only true way you're going to earn your teammates' respect and gain their confidence in you. So for me, I'm very excited about this opportunity. This is my last year. I've given everything I have at this thing and it's extremely important for me to perform well and to do well -- not only to win the job but for my goals and aspirations down the line as well.''