Personally I like the idea of naming your starting QB early. Obviously some coaches do not. Most of the best teams there is no question as they could name there starter the day after the season ends. Our team would be easier to name a starter for than most as you are going to name Hoyer or Stanton. My coice would be Stanton. That does not mean he will start the season at the QB. The problem could come when you have two very good QBs like SF did last year. The coach went with his proven starter but soon switched to his rookie.
I think what he was getting at is that if it's appropriate to change, you change, and he'll know when to change.
You see Whiz didn't know, so he had 'competition'. A good QB evaluator should know right away what he's got after limited field and film study. Then, if it's obvious, not to be afraid to make a change.
But by selecting someone, you give that person a chance, mentally and everything that comes with being starter (gameplan, practice reps, etc) to succeed.
Whiz always held competition because he flat out didn't really know imo. It was obvious that Warner should have started, but they kept putting the Captain back in. Literally only 2009 Warner didn't and we as fans didn't have a QB competition. While we all know Skelton is limited, had he been given the reigns early on under Whiz in an Arians style regime, he would have fared better. Not enough to keep the job, but probably enough for a few more wins imo.
Competition is good, but it comes at a cost. The most important thing is to know what you have at QB because you can evaluate it. Then if something changes, you notice it, and can see if it's a temporary funk or something else. Then you make the change. Or not. Depending on who is behind them and what you feel about them.
Also a guy shouldn't need competition to motivate himself to be better. Yet competition does indeed no matter what cut down on whoever starter's preparation compared to starting QB's who get full (or nearly full) reps.
I think we have a coach that knows these things. Some coaches stick with a sub par QB when something better is available because either are hard headed or simply don't know. Some coaches hold competitions every year because THEY don't know and will go back and forth like QB's are a remote control during commercials.
Then there are guys that at this point Arians seems to be, and that he realizes what he has or doesn't have, and will either make changes or realize that the guys behind them sucks just as bad and might as well stick with the guy that sucks the least. But he's identified who the best guy is, and unless someone on the field makes him change his mind in some way, that guy is the starter and is going to get the backing and reps that come with it because that's the best way to go.
I also think that's what Arians meant where "if you don't know, you really got problems."
Something like that.
