Quarterback Competition Heating Up

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Good article, but no matter what Coach Kill says, there are clear 1st team (Gray),2nd team (Parrish), and 3rd team (Alipate)quarterbacks based on performance that anybody attending practice can see. I think Parrish really could play this offense well down the road a year or two, but if he has to play much this year I think we have a problem. He needs to get bigger, and stronger and more confident in the offense. (They really do take the quarterbacks out to the middle of the lake to see if they can swim to hurry the process up, it is a pretty tough way to learn, but Parrish will get through it.)The Harnish kid at NIU last fall was a bigger, stronger kid than Parrish is at the moment. I will guess competition will heat up a lot for the 2nd team slot when Shortell is here in the fall, because he is smart and can throw better than anyone on the field now and is a strong kid. But if Gray is healthy, he starts. He has worked the hardest, fits the offense the best, and is a wonderful athlete.
I hope I am wrong, but Moses A will have to transform a lot of things to lead this offense. He has to get a lot faster, be an accurate reader of run/throw options and an accurate thrower on short passes on the run. If he can do it, more power to him, but I don't think those are the skills he was recruited for.
 

"QB competition heating up": Does that seem a bit misleading?

I didn't read anywhere that Parish may be the starter or that Gray's position is in jeopardy. Is there some threat that Parish might be the starter that I haven't read anywhere?
 

I still think McKnight and Gray at wide receiver and Parish or Shortell playing QB gives us a better chance. We could have one of the best wide out combos in the big ten. If the Offensive line comes together and a running back steps forward we could have some real success.
Don’t force the puzzle pieces in the hole put them where they belong.
 

Technically true though realistically not likely. Writers trying to highlight various players involved and developing more than prove the "whose the QB going to be" point, though he is saying it is not a done deal. Gray has the lead by a large margin and should be the one started in the Rose Bowl come Sept. game with USC. Even if he does not have the time behind the center, he has more time then any of the others along with the playing time experience and exposure. Parish and anyone else would have to totally wow the coaching staff for more then a practice or two to supplant Gray as QB.

Basically has some info, but overall a non-issue.
 


Jon said:
I still think McKnight and Gray at wide receiver and Parish or Shortell playing QB gives us a better chance. We could have one of the best wide out combos in the big ten. If the Offensive line comes together and a running back steps forward we could have some real success.
Don’t force the puzzle pieces in the hole put them where they belong.
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WRs are important, but who the QB is is more important. Gray at QB gives them a better shot at winning IMO, just because of his game experience and exposure, though I admit to not knowing much about the others. All I do know is that if they have not shown enough to this point to unseat Gray in the practices, I don't know why they would be considered better when the season starts.
 

Jon said:
I still think McKnight and Gray at wide receiver and Parish or Shortell playing QB gives us a better chance. We could have one of the best wide out combos in the big ten. If the Offensive line comes together and a running back steps forward we could have some real success.
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In the long run, Gray is probably going to be a better WR than QB, but that's not where he belongs with the 2011 and 2012 editions of the Gophers. He is far and away our best offensive player, and you have to put the ball in the hands of your best offensive player as often as you can. With Gray at WR, you still have to have someone to throw him the ball, and while Weber was a disaster all four years short of some brilliant games here and there, having a freshman QB throwing Gray, McKnight, and Lair the ball would be even worse. Gray at QB plus one of Harris/Kiese/Gardener at WR2 is way better than Parish at QB and Gray at WR2 - it isn't even close.

Jon said:
Don’t force the puzzle pieces in the hole put them where they belong.
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Who's forcing anything anywhere? Gray has played QB his entire life with the exception of last year. What are you basing this "forcing" on? Have you been to any spring practices/scrimmages?

calminnfan said:
Gray has the lead by a large margin and should be the one started in the Rose Bowl come Sept. game with USC.
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Are we playing a neutral site game with USC? I hadn't heard that. Please advise.
 

Are we playing a neutral site game with USC? I hadn't heard that. Please advise.[/QUOTE]

Oopsss...my boo boo, I mixed up the stadiums and got the Los Angeles Coliseum where USC plays with Rose Bowl where UCLA plays...my bad.
 

Gray has good size at 230. Assuming he's going to take some sacks and be forced into running a few times this season, he's going to need that bulk to survive the hits.

QB is the most important position on the offense, the best thrower and athlete that can play the position should start at that position. Then, you worry about how to make the other positions better. You don't start at the making the other positions better first by taking away something from QB.

By the way, did anyone else see that Alipate is 281?! Maybe he could play O-Line!
 



I didn't see a breakdown of JD Pride? Oh, I see the article was written this year. Never would have know that by the content (lol).

It was a good summary of each player's background but had no information that would warrant such a title. A title like "Gophers have talent at QB" would have fit the content.

By the way, no attack on JD, I hope he gets a chance to play at WR. Just using that as a topical point of reference.
 

dpodoll68 said:
In the long run, Gray is probably going to be a better WR than QB, but that's not where he belongs with the 2011 and 2012 editions of the Gophers. He is far and away our best offensive player, and you have to put the ball in the hands of your best offensive player as often as you can. With Gray at WR, you still have to have someone to throw him the ball, and while Weber was a disaster all four years short of some brilliant games here and there, having a freshman QB throwing Gray, McKnight, and Lair the ball would be even worse. Gray at QB plus one of Harris/Kiese/Gardener at WR2 is way better than Parish at QB and Gray at WR2 - it isn't even close.



Who's forcing anything anywhere? Gray has played QB his entire life with the exception of last year. What are you basing this "forcing" on? Have you been to any spring practices/scrimmages?



Are we playing a neutral site game with USC? I hadn't heard that. Please advise.
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You might be right but I think Shortell wins the job in the fall and Gray is at receiver, with Parish as backup. Nope I have not been down to see a practice yet don't want to muddle my happy memories of Floyd being hosted high in gopher hands.
Oh and if the puzzle piece fits so well call it done and work at filling the other spaces with other pieces, just a thought.
 

Jon said:
I still think McKnight and Gray at wide receiver and Parish or Shortell playing QB gives us a better chance. We could have one of the best wide out combos in the big ten. If the Offensive line comes together and a running back steps forward we could have some real success.
Don’t force the puzzle pieces in the hole put them where they belong.
Click to expand...

Given the deveopment of Parrish and Alipate that is not even close to right, if you have been to practice you are not seeing the same QB's I see. I am not sure it would be true if Weber was here, and neither of those two is close to Weber at the moment. If you have a chance to get the ball in Q's hands 60 times per game or 6, you take the 60 with a green o-line, and journeymen running backs. Just pray for his health, because it will be tough if anyone else has to start games at that position next fall.
 

IF "Q" has the ball in his hands 60 times a game and takes a normal...

amount of hits in the normal role of qb-ing, trying to avoid sacks, etc. and ALSO is the leading running option on the field...more so than the running backs, you had better have a good option at back up qb just in case "Q" gets nicked up a bit. Hopefully he won't be running the ball too much during the early season ooc games and saves that element of his game for the Big Ten Season, when it all counts SO much more. The Big Ten Season is when that "extra" dimension is really needed. Hopefully, the running game utilizing the running backs and featuring the offensive line will be much stronger than it has been during the past four seasons. Quite frankly, I hope that "Q" or who ever is playing qb at any given point of the season doesn't need to carry the ball too often on called plays or even broken plays. It is a GREAT way to get a qb totally banged up and too often leads to time on the sidelines while the knicks, injuries and bruises heal. Run the ball mostly with the running backs! The qb is too vital as the "qb" on the field in managing the game, reading the defenses and making good, sound decisions. IF the qb has to do too much of the rushing, the back ups had better be ready, willing and able to go at a moment's notice. Good luck to all our qb's! Get ready. Stay ready. Be ready. And STAY HEALTHY!
 



Jon said:
You might be right but I think Shortell wins the job in the fall and Gray is at receiver, with Parish as backup. Nope I have not been down to see a practice yet don't want to muddle my happy memories of Floyd being hosted high in gopher hands.
Oh and if the puzzle piece fits so well call it done and work at filling the other spaces with other pieces, just a thought.
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If Kill and Limegrover start the season with a true freshman at quarterback, I'll be shocked. And won't expect the Gophs to win more than three game (the non-conference) if that many.
 


Am I missing something? Just like last year going into Spring it was obvious Adam was the best QB on the team, as it is going into this year that Gray is the best QB. They both had no interest in making it close by not just being the best QB's but by being a leader and demanding the job as the leader of the offense.
 


I've been to a few practices and Gray at QB is one of the few obvious starters on this team. He takes almost every single snap with the 1st unit. He is also clearly the best QB. Parish has had some decent moments and ALipate has even thrown the ball OK at times (Parish has looked better than Moses, but Moses does have an impressive arm). However, Gray is the clearly the #1 QB on this team.

As far as what they SHOULD do? I don't think very many people who have been at practice would really love to see Parish be our starter. I'm not ripping on Parish, I actually think he will be a very good QB in this system in a couple years.

Gray has always played QB, he is a perfect fit this offense (running and passing), he knows the offense by far the best, and his only competition is a RS FR who would be thrown in the deep end if he was named our starter.
 

It is funny how many people think that an excellent athlete can't throw the ball or learn the offense. Don't forget that Q was one of the best QB in the country coming out of high school. He was considered to be very close to Prior but was a better passer. Not to take anything away from the other QB's, but he was a better rated passer than anyone else on the team. Just in the few times we saw him play you can tell he has good touch on the ball, it just a matter of him gaining the confidence and learning the system. All accounts have him progressing very well.
 

Jon said:
I still think McKnight and Gray at wide receiver and Parish or Shortell playing QB gives us a better chance.
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Glad you aren't the coach. If they moved Gray to WR before fall practice started when he is clearly playing the best (right now at least) I am pretty sure he would not be attending the U of M in the fall.
 

Jon said:
You might be right but I think Shortell wins the job in the fall and Gray is at receiver, with Parish as backup. Nope I have not been down to see a practice yet don't want to muddle my happy memories of Floyd being hosted high in gopher hands.
Oh and if the puzzle piece fits so well call it done and work at filling the other spaces with other pieces, just a thought.
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You are going out on an awful thin limb to just assume that a true freshman QB with no other major offers is going to beat out a former HS AA QB who is also the best athlete (or one of the best athletes) on the team, has years of experience and an entire spring as the number 1 QB working with the offense and all the other first teamers.

Not that there is a problem with going out on a thin limb, you just might want to brace yourself if there is a gentle breeze.
 

What the heck is wrong with some of you, THEY WILL NOT PLAY A TRUE FR. AT QB!!!!!! From now on they will redshirt and do things the right way, and let kids develop.
 

Rosemountian said:
Glad you aren't the coach. If they moved Gray to WR before fall practice started when he is clearly playing the best (right now at least) I am pretty sure he would not be attending the U of M in the fall.
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And Q should not be here if he gets jerked around like that, I can say that because there is no chance it will happen. Fortunately, our coaching staff is not brilliant enough to realize how much better off we would be with Gray at receiver, they actually want a great quarterback handling the ball every play. It is also a ridiculously uncompetitive competition. Right now he is doing everything better than any other quarterback. It is not close, and even a fan can see it at practice. And the gap is widening not narrowing, because he is progressing faster than anyone else. Parrish is a normal college football player, he will be ready to play when he is a redshirt soph or junior. Shortell should give him a good run for backup in the fall.
It is great to take one for the team, but Q has done that and now it is his turn. In this system the quarterback is a huge part of the offense, if Q can't start in an offense that is basically a perfect fit for him, he should leave.
 


By all accounts from practice Moses is getting very few if any reps the last few practices. He needs to look for a new position, especially when Max gets to town and pushes him to 4th string.
 

He is getting reps at practice, at least the practices that i've been to. He hasn't gotten many (if any) with the 1st team, but he is still getting plenty of reps.

I'm not saying that i'm opposed to him moving positions (TE/H-Back), but I think his value this season is probably better served at 3rd string QB. Parish is the #2, but Moses could challenge him.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
He is getting reps at practice, at least the practices that i've been to. He hasn't gotten many (if any) with the 1st team, but he is still getting plenty of reps.

I'm not saying that i'm opposed to him moving positions (TE/H-Back), but I think his value this season is probably better served at 3rd string QB. Parish is the #2, but Moses could challenge him.
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The coaches have come right out and said the main reason Parish is ahead of Moses is that he has a better understanding of the offense. Moses has all summer to learn the offense and give himself a chance to compete for the QB job. It is really up to him if he gets to play QB.
 

Rosemountian said:
You are going out on an awful thin limb to just assume that a true freshman QB with no other major offers is going to beat out a former HS AA QB who is also the best athlete (or one of the best athletes) on the team, has years of experience and an entire spring as the number 1 QB working with the offense and all the other first teamers.

Not that there is a problem with going out on a thin limb, you just might want to brace yourself if there is a gentle breeze.
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I am ok if the branch breaks or the breeze blows, since that just means that Gray is the better qb which is all good; but I still think our best chance is a qb that can run the offense and get the ball in players like Gray’s hands, who then make things happen. I want a smart qb that gets the ball in the right place at the right time, maybe that is Gray but I think his gift is his athleticism.
 

Someone here has pointed out here that Gray gets you the 1st down on 3rd and 2. that's all you need to say.
 

Jon said:
I am ok if the branch breaks or the breeze blows, since that just means that Gray is the better qb which is all good; but I still think our best chance is a qb that can run the offense and get the ball in players like Gray’s hands, who then make things happen. I want a smart qb that gets the ball in the right place at the right time, maybe that is Gray but I think his gift is his athleticism.
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You think the best offense is a QB that can get the ball in a player like Gray's hands...but you advocate for moving Gray further away from the football where instead of having the most touches on the team he will likely be 4th or 5th (behind the QB, Mcknight, and likely 1-2 running backs).


Ponderous
 

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