Graham Mertz vs Tanner Morgan - 2021

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Mertz has been absolutely terrible most of the season. Morgan too.
 

Denver_Gopher said:
Wow, they are pretty close Stat wise
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I was wondering about this when earlier in the season everyone was trashing on Mertz.
WI's running stats are similar to ours, so I was curious about our passing stats as well.

Both teams are pretty similar.
WI defense is a bit better and their #1 RB is probably better than what we have right now.

Slight edge to our passing game perhaps, but our passing game is so hot/cold.
 




Quick math on Mertz against 6 winning teams:
72/138 52.5%ish. 808 yards. 3 TDs,6 INT
 

Face The Facts said:
I was wondering about this when earlier in the season everyone was trashing on Mertz.
WI's running stats are similar to ours, so I was curious about our passing stats as well.

Both teams are pretty similar.
WI defense is a bit better and their #1 RB is probably better than what we have right now.

Slight edge to our passing game perhaps, but our passing game is so hot/cold.
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The difference is Mertz released his own logo preseason and was promoted as the second coming by…himself
 





Face The Facts said:
I was wondering about this when earlier in the season everyone was trashing on Mertz.
WI's running stats are similar to ours, so I was curious about our passing stats as well.

Both teams are pretty similar.
WI defense is a bit better and their #1 RB is probably better than what we have right now.

Slight edge to our passing game perhaps, but our passing game is so hot/cold.
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Wisconsin and Minnesota are very similar teams, probably the two most similar teams in the conference. Wisconsin is just a little better than us, mostly on the defensive end. Wisconsin leads the conference in fewest yards per play allowed (we're #6 with about a yard more per play allowed) and also leads the conference in fewest points per game allowed (we're #5 with about 3.2 points per game more). People can say "yeah, but they gave up 28 points to Nebraska" but Nebraska has shown an uncanny ability this season to lose to almost any team by one score or less.

Our running games are similar but they get about .7 yards more per carry which translates into about 30 more yards per game rushing on average. But, there really isn't much difference between the teams overall on the offensive end.

Wisconsin turns the ball over more than we do but 12 of their 21 turnovers this season occurred in the first four games. They've been much better since although they did have 3 turnovers against Northwestern two games ago. Minnesota is pretty good at not turning the ball over (only Ohio State and Michigan have fewer per game) but Minnesota ranks low in getting turnovers (11th in the conference) while Wisconsin is 2nd on that measure.

We can beat Wisconsin but, as someone else posted, we have to play well for 60 minutes, not 45.
 





Would be great to see a cut-up of every throw Tanner has made this year.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
The WRs made some plays yesterday and suddenly Morgan looks competent again.
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Fleck really challenged them after Iowa. CRAB especially stepped up big time. Best he has looked all year.

Morgan is what he is at this point. He needs receivers to make some plays in traffic and they did that yesterday.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
Quick math on Mertz against 6 winning teams:
72/138 52.5%ish. 808 yards. 3 TDs,6 INT
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Do the same for Tanner
WI has won 7 in a row and been pretty impressive. NE is pretty good and just can’t finish games.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Do the same for Tanner
WI has won 7 in a row and been pretty impressive. NE is pretty good and just can’t finish games.
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Wisconsin's schedule was very front loaded but they have been playing really well during the winning streak and it will take a great effort to beat them. Hopefully our coaches can learn some things from their Nebraska game as that was far and away the most success a team has had on that D.

Pretty amazing how statistically similar the QBs and the teams as a whole are. We have to avoid getting behind early to have any shot because that defense can be suffocating when playing with a lead.
 

If you are judging Mertz from the 3 losses, be prepared to see a very different QB on Saturday. His play and the offensive line are night and day since September.

Allen averages 7.6 yards a carry. He is an incredible talent.

How effectively will the Gophers be able to run the ball and how stubborn will they be if they get stopped. That is the whole game to me.
 

GVBadger said:
If you are judging Mertz from the 3 losses, be prepared to see a very different QB on Saturday. His play and the offensive line are night and day since September.

Allen averages 7.6 yards a carry. He is an incredible talent.

How effectively will the Gophers be able to run the ball and how stubborn will they be if they get stopped. That is the whole game to me.
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Allen definitely looks the part of the next great Badger running back. Keeping him from busting long ones will be key.

Biggest key for Gophers will be figuring out how to soften up the Wisconsin defense through the air some in order to hopefully open things up for the running game. Hopefully the Nebraska film gives our guys some ideas on how to do this effectively.
 

All depends on when you’re asking your qb to throw. Off play action when your run game is working? When it’s almost exclusively 2nd and 3rd and long? Do you only throw short and shot plays? So much more than just what the end stats are. Not advocating for either guy over the other, just saying
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Do the same for Tanner
WI has won 7 in a row and been pretty impressive. NE is pretty good and just can’t finish games.
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I did…but you just had to react before reading two more posts down.
 

GVBadger said:
If you are judging Mertz from the 3 losses, be prepared to see a very different QB on Saturday. His play and the offensive line are night and day since September.

Allen averages 7.6 yards a carry. He is an incredible talent.

How effectively will the Gophers be able to run the ball and how stubborn will they be if they get stopped. That is the whole game to me.
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Mertz is the best QB in the conference and it isn’t close
 

cjbfbp said:
Mertz has been pretty good in recent games.
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I don’t watch every Wisco game but the stats don’t really say that. He did well against two of the worst B1G teams. Almost all his TDs have been the past 3 games. Curious to see how he does against the Gophers. In his last three games against teams with winning records he has thrown for 52, 112 and 104 yards with 1 TD and 0 INT
 


GVBadger said:
Didn’t come close to saying that, but thanks.
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I didn’t say you said that. I was sharing an opinion. Just like you did. Mertz is aided by a great line and running game. He is a sophomore leading the best team in the west. I don’t know of a B1G QB I’d take over him. Certainly no one in the West. Maybe Stroud who is a system guy.
 


MNVCGUY said:
Fleck really challenged them after Iowa. CRAB especially stepped up big time. Best he has looked all year.

Morgan is what he is at this point. He needs receivers to make some plays in traffic and they did that yesterday.
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Well, as far as the "in traffic" part is concerned, the receivers could do a better job at getting some separation. If the receiver runs his route and at least one defender stays right with him, step-for-step, then yeah; that receiver is going to have to make a play on a 50-50 ball. He's going to have to come down with the ball.

Both of Autman-Bell's touchdowns were perfect examples of this. Autman-Bell was covered like glue in both instances, but Morgan saw the one-on-one coverage and put the ball where CAB had a chance. Those were two perfect throws, really. Also, the deep sideline route, over the shoulder to Dylan Wright, was a beautiful throw.
 

RememberMurray said:
Well, as far as the "in traffic" part is concerned, the receivers could do a better job at getting some separation. If the receiver runs his route and at least one defender stays right with him, step-for-step, then yeah; that receiver is going to have to make a play on a 50-50 ball. He's going to have to come down with the ball.

Both of Atman-Bell's touchdowns were perfect examples of this. Atman-Bell was covered like glue in both instances, but Morgan saw the one-on-one coverage and put the ball where CAB had a chance. Those were two perfect throws, really. Also, the deep sideline route, over the shoulder to Dylan Wright, was a beautiful throw.
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Yeah. We had 40 of those plays in 2019

we have had like 12 this year: and that also hurts Morgan’s confidence to throw it too

hopefully Morgan gives guys a chance again Saturday
 

Some guy said:
Yeah. We had 40 of those plays in 2019

we have had like 12 this year: and that also hurts Morgan’s confidence to throw it too

hopefully Morgan gives guys a chance again Saturday
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It will be a tough test vs that Badger defense. They are strong fundamentally, and their blitz packages are smart and creative.

A win over a good Wisconsin team — led by a great Wisconsin defense — would be a an outstanding accomplishment. If the Gophers can win this one, I believe that would give Tanner Morgan a 2-2 career record against the Badgers. Let's not forget that one of the 2 losses was in 2020 in overtime, a game in which our kicker... well, let's not revisit that. Ugh.
 

Some guy said:
Mertz absolutely sucks but wisconsin is probably the best team in the west anyways
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We will see Saturday. He is much improved. He did suck in the 3 losses. If Chryst could win a game without passing, he would. Have to factor that in to any QB stats for the Badgers.
 

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