Mitch Leidner: "I feel like I’m twice as good of a player as I was last year.”

[BleedGopher]

per Joe:

Mitch Leidner remembers being in the weight room when he first heard ESPN’s Todd McShay had projected the Gophers quarterback as a first-round pick in his “Way-too-early 2017 NFL Mock Draft.”

“I didn’t really think anything of it,” Leidner said Monday at Big Ten media days. “Coach [Tracy] Claeys always says, ‘You don’t win an award for being a preseason whatever.’ It’s all what happens at the end of the season.”

But considering how much Gophers fans have doubted Leidner at times, the lofty projections by McShay, Mel Kiper and other NFL draft analysts have to feel vindicating, right?

“I don’t think so,” Leidner said. “Because I don’t think I’ve played near what my potential can be. After what I’ve been able to do this summer, coming off the [foot] surgery, I feel like I’m twice as good of a player as I was last year.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-qb-leidner-is-confident-after-strong-offseason/388214592/

Go Gophers!!

 

[wait!what?]

per Joe:

Mitch Leidner remembers being in the weight room when he first heard ESPN’s Todd McShay had projected the Gophers quarterback as a first-round pick in his “Way-too-early 2017 NFL Mock Draft.”

“I didn’t really think anything of it,” Leidner said Monday at Big Ten media days. “Coach [Tracy] Claeys always says, ‘You don’t win an award for being a preseason whatever.’ It’s all what happens at the end of the season.”

But considering how much Gophers fans have doubted Leidner at times, the lofty projections by McShay, Mel Kiper and other NFL draft analysts have to feel vindicating, right?

“I don’t think so,” Leidner said. “Because I don’t think I’ve played near what my potential can be. After what I’ve been able to do this summer, coming off the [foot] surgery, I feel like I’m twice as good of a player as I was last year.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-qb-leidner-is-confident-after-strong-offseason/388214592/

Go Gophers!!

confident.

 

[Taji34]

per Joe:

Mitch Leidner remembers being in the weight room when he first heard ESPN’s Todd McShay had projected the Gophers quarterback as a first-round pick in his “Way-too-early 2017 NFL Mock Draft.”

“I didn’t really think anything of it,” Leidner said Monday at Big Ten media days. “Coach [Tracy] Claeys always says, ‘You don’t win an award for being a preseason whatever.’ It’s all what happens at the end of the season.”

But considering how much Gophers fans have doubted Leidner at times, the lofty projections by McShay, Mel Kiper and other NFL draft analysts have to feel vindicating, right?

“I don’t think so,” Leidner said. “Because I don’t think I’ve played near what my potential can be. After what I’ve been able to do this summer, coming off the [foot] surgery, I feel like I’m twice as good of a player as I was last year.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-qb-leidner-is-confident-after-strong-offseason/388214592/

Go Gophers!!

They must read these forums. Hopefully Mitch is right. If he is that, paired with a better OL, should mean a really great offensive year. Time will tell I guess.

 

[bottlebass]

Prove it on the field and earn that draft pick. Sounds like he has the right mentality (not that I ever thought he didn't).

 

[Deckergopher]

confident.

And I like it!!

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

per Joe:

Mitch Leidner remembers being in the weight room when he first heard ESPN’s Todd McShay had projected the Gophers quarterback as a first-round pick in his “Way-too-early 2017 NFL Mock Draft.”

“I didn’t really think anything of it,” Leidner said Monday at Big Ten media days. “Coach [Tracy] Claeys always says, ‘You don’t win an award for being a preseason whatever.’ It’s all what happens at the end of the season.”

But considering how much Gophers fans have doubted Leidner at times, the lofty projections by McShay, Mel Kiper and other NFL draft analysts have to feel vindicating, right?

“I don’t think so,” Leidner said. “Because I don’t think I’ve played near what my potential can be. After what I’ve been able to do this summer, coming off the [foot] surgery, I feel like I’m twice as good of a player as I was last year.”

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-qb-leidner-is-confident-after-strong-offseason/388214592/

Go Gophers!!

I hope he's right! We need Mitch healthy and on his "A" game to have any chance at nine or more wins. I'd be even more confident in his feelings if he were coming off throwing hand or elbow surgery or was a punter.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Well I'm not sure he can say anything else, but hopefully he is confidant.

 

[60's Guy]

Come on guys...you ever tried to play a competitive sport with a foot, leg or ankle injury? It is very limiting to performance!!! Mitch stepped up and competed but he still has upside and I'm confident if he can stay healthy we will see a big difference!!

 

[MennoSota]

Considering where he was, does twice as good equal mediocre? [emoji41]

I kid.

I'm glad to read that Mitch sees himself as ready to excel. I hope his confidence is reality.

 

[Donovan]

Come on guys...you ever tried to play a competitive sport with a foot, leg or ankle injury? It is very limiting to performance!!! Mitch stepped up and competed but he still has upside and I'm confident if he can stay healthy we will see a big difference!!

+1

 

[westcoastgopher11]

If he plays good, cool. If not, he sounds like a tool.

 

[GopherJake]

If he plays good, cool. If not, he sounds like a tool.

Jackass comment. If you don't want your starting QB to be confident, you are the tool. He's done nothing but represent the university well. He's tougher than most and never complains. Shut your pie hole.

 

[Oregon Gopher]

Jackass comment. If you don't want your starting QB to be confident, you are the tool. He's done nothing but represent the university well. He's tougher than most and never complains. Shut your pie hole.

+1

 

[ruppertflywheel]

Yep...Mitch is a good kid. With that foot condition last year a lot guys would've mailed it in

 

[GopherHomer]

If he plays good, cool. If not, he sounds like a tool.

Well - at least Mitch only "maybe" sounds like a tool.

 

[Spoofin]

Jackass comment. If you don't want your starting QB to be confident, you are the tool. He's done nothing but represent the university well. He's tougher than most and never complains. Shut your pie hole.

Gotta love all the "but he is tough" responses - like it forgives anything else. Give it a rest. He didn't say or imply anything that made him a jackass. Truth is we hear every year about how ML7 wasn't healthy last year, but watch out this year. I hope he stays healthy all year, but history tells me he won't. But he will play - he is tough.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Doc1001]

AND-he has a bit of a fumbling problem. Coaches need to work with him on that.

 

[westcoastgopher11]

Jackass comment. If you don't want your starting QB to be confident, you are the tool. He's done nothing but represent the university well. He's tougher than most and never complains. Shut your pie hole.

I never said I didn't, as a fan of course I want Mitch to perform. My expectations are high for him:
-A completion percentage north of 60%
-Ideally around 2:1 TD:INT passing, with high single digit TDs rushing (depending on the load JJ gives him, and I would prefer he run more sparingly)
-3,250+ yards passing

I don't think this is unrealistic if someone is proclaiming to be "twice the player" he was last year, especially considering he will be a 5th year senior, 3rd year starter, with 35 games played. Care to disagree?

 

[bemidjigopher]

I never said I didn't, as a fan of course I want Mitch to perform. My expectations are high for him:
-A completion percentage north of 60%
-Ideally around 2:1 TD:INT passing, with high single digit TDs rushing (depending on the load JJ gives him, and I would prefer he run more sparingly)
-3,250+ yards passing

I don't think this is unrealistic if someone is proclaiming to be "twice the player" he was last year, especially considering he will be a 5th year senior, 3rd year starter, with 35 games played. Care to disagree?

I think for the most part those are realistic numbers, the yards might be a little high, in fact I would say that would be spectacular if he hit 3,250 and I say that because I think were still going to be more of running team, if he's throwing for that many yards I am fearful that will result in losses as were trying to come from behind. I think if he has a 2:1 TD/INT ratio and he throws for 2,500- 2,700 and has 8-10 rushing TD's and 500 plus rushing yards, I would say that's a really good year for Mitch and the offense as a whole.

 

[Maximus]

-3,250+ yards passing

I don't think this is unrealistic

1. Adam Weber, 2007 2,895
2. Bryan Cupito, 2006 2,819
3. Adam Weber, 2008 2,761
4. Adam Weber, 2010 2,679
5. Cory Sauter, 1995 2,600

i think shattering the school record with a largely unproven collection of receivers and new OC may be unrealistic.

 

[GoldenRodents]

1. Adam Weber, 2007 2,895
2. Bryan Cupito, 2006 2,819
3. Adam Weber, 2008 2,761
4. Adam Weber, 2010 2,679
5. Cory Sauter, 1995 2,600

i think shattering the school record with a largely unproven collection of receivers and new OC may be unrealistic.

This is not a time for realism.

 

[nsmike]

Let's be honest, 225 yards a game is not a big number and would get Leidner to fourth overall, 250 would get him to 3000 and first overall. I would b very comfortable with a 225 to 235 yards per game average at the end of the season.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

FWIW - for a right-handed passer, the left foot is the one you stride with, and has to absorb the weight of the follow-through. Leidner was playing last year with torn ligaments and a dislocated toe on his left foot. That has to screw up your mechanics - or at the very least, hurt like a sombitch. I wonder if that is why he seemed to have trouble with passes "sailing" on him last year - just not being able to plant that left foot and come over the top with the delivery.

I'm not saying that Leidner is going to turn into Manning or Brady - but I think we can reasonably expect to see a little more consistency, and quite a bit more mobility. IF the O-line performs better, it's going to be fun to see what the new offense actually looks like.

 

[Word]

AND-he has a bit of a fumbling problem. Coaches need to work with him on that.

The only stats I could find on Leidner say he fumbled 6 times last year, losing 3. Not great, but not awful either. Certainly not Daunte Culpepper-like.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

The gophers have been sub-mediocre to mediocre on offense so long it is easy to have low expectations. I believe we will be passing more than in recent years based on JJ's time at ULL. Obviously I could be wrong as we may be a great rushing team this season and they will lean on that as in 2014. But I expect Johnson understands the run and the pass feed off each other and while we need to have an identity that doesn't necessarily mean we have to run 75-80 percent of downs.

If we can go for 400+ yards per game (significantly better than the Limegrover era)that equates to 5200 yards. That would probably indicate a fine season if our defense holds up. In 2014 we rushed for 2800 yards which was our rushing high water mark and based on the guys we have, and an abundance of irrational optimism I'm going to pencil that in as our goal for 2016. That leaves 2400 passing yards for Mitch. Dreaming now, maybe our offense will really go off and we hit the 3000+ mark in rushing and passing, which is achievable even in the Big Ten if the stars align. Don't stop believing.

The really prolific offenses are going for over 8000 yards these days. With the advent of the spread, packaged plays, etc the offenses have the advantage and there is no reason to settle for 4500 yard seasons even in the Big Ten. Our goal should be 6000 yards.

 

[olddoc]

Whatever else he may be Leidner is a gamer.
His success the upcomng season depends on more than just what maybe his improved QB skills.
If he has to run the ball as much as he had to in the past and wears down it could be a long season.

 

[STPGopher]

Whatever else he may be Leidner is a gamer.
His success the upcomng season depends on more than just what maybe his improved QB skills.
If he has to run the ball as much as he had to in the past and wears down it could be a long season.

The bold times 10! I hope we don't find out what would happen if he HAS to run as much as in the past.

Just got e-mail notification tickets are starting to be shipped out August 1st, so I'm choosing optimism. 36 days till THEE other OSU...

 

[Killjoy]

confident.

He should be. He just has to remember not to use the surgically repaired foot when he kicks you in the ass at the end of this season.

 

[westcoastgopher11]

1. Adam Weber, 2007 2,895
2. Bryan Cupito, 2006 2,819
3. Adam Weber, 2008 2,761
4. Adam Weber, 2010 2,679
5. Cory Sauter, 1995 2,600

i think shattering the school record with a largely unproven collection of receivers and new OC may be unrealistic.

Firstly, this list looks wrong. If I remember correctly Weber owns spots 1, 3, 5, Cupito is 2 and Leidner last year was 4. If Mitch threw for 2,700 yards last year with a sieve offensive line, little WR help, and a schematically challenged OC, the only way to go should be up. Would an extra ~40 yards per game really be unrealistic? And that just goes to show you how much has changed in regards to the proliferation of speed and spacing in the modern college game. I don't think any of our passing records are somehow sacrosanct and untouchable, we have basically always been a run first school, and those numbers pale in comparison to some recent stat lines at spread programs.

I have come around to being more optimistic about Mitch in regards to his performance overall, and think he could go down as a great Minnesota QB if he has a strong senior year. But I'm not going to fawn over his intangibles if he can't stay on the field or the production isn't there. This team should expect to be competing for the B1G West with a competent offense and a strong returning defense (need 3rd down improvement here). If Leidner can ratchet down the fumbles and duck throws, and sprinkle in a little of the clutch factor, they could make a run.

But I honestly just want to beat Wisconsin more than anything. F*** the Badgers.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Firstly, this list looks wrong. If I remember correctly Weber owns spots 1, 3, 5, Cupito is 2 and Leidner last year was 4. If Mitch threw for 2,700 yards last year with a sieve offensive line, little WR help, and a schematically challenged OC, the only way to go should be up. Would an extra ~40 yards per game really be unrealistic? And that just goes to show you how much has changed in regards to the proliferation of speed and spacing in the modern college game. I don't think any of our passing records are somehow sacrosanct and untouchable, we have basically always been a run first school, and those numbers pale in comparison to some recent stat lines at spread programs.

I have come around to being more optimistic about Mitch in regards to his performance overall, and think he could go down as a great Minnesota QB if he has a strong senior year. But I'm not going to fawn over his intangibles if he can't stay on the field or the production isn't there. This team should expect to be competing for the B1G West with a competent offense and a strong returning defense (need 3rd down improvement here). If Leidner can ratchet down the fumbles and duck throws, and sprinkle in a little of the clutch factor, they could make a run.

But I honestly just want to beat Wisconsin more than anything. F*** the Badgers.

I get what you're saying but I think it would be a bad sign if he is averaging 250 yards a game. It would probably mean we are losing in a lot of games and/or the running game isn't working.