Play only Gray

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I like Shortell- a lot. He has confidence and could be a good one.

However, I think we need to see what Gray can do. People forget that he has played 1.5 games as a starting qb AFTER 3 YEARS as a Gopher. Gray had a so-so first half and then a great drive to finish. He should have started the second half. He deserves to be treated like a true starter.

Basically Shortell should not play until garbage time (just like Gray SHOULD have the last two years)
 

Until the offensive line functions better than they are functioning...

it is possible that who ever plays quarterback is going to appear as though they are very inexperienced. Perhaps, that is because ALL the Gopher Quarterbacks ARE very inexperienced. ; 0 )

The Offensive Line ALSO needs to gel and to gain experience working as a unit. That is painfully obvious right now.

I think that the offensive line has the potential to play better than they have been playing. I believe that they will improve. That certainly would help every aspect of the offense.

Since both quarterbacks are very inexperienced, one of them has to emerge as the more experienced quarterback. I do agree with Winnipeg's suggestion that it is time to play only Mr. Gray. He has basically played 6 quarters. Our true freshman qb has played 2 quarters. There are 8 quarters of Non-Conference football to be played yet in 2011. For the most part, the offensive line will have MOST, if not ALL of the current starters playing the next 8 quarters, barring injury. This is a good thing. They will gain experience. They will improve. As the offensive line gains experience, I fully believe that the running backs will also gain experience and will improve in their yards per carry averages.

Gray needs repetitions. He needs to be left on the field. He needs to speed up his own game as the game itself slows down for him. He needs to take it to the defense and as he does, his game will come to him. He can do things to help the offensive line stay on the field as he helps the offense gain valuable yards...and first downs as he rushes for positive yardage outside the pocket. As he learns to respond, create difficult situations for linebackers and defensive backs, he also escapes the closing of rushing lanes by defensive linemen. He NEEDS these next 8 quarters to learn to take total responsibilty for this offensive line...for these running backs...for these receivers...for this offense as his own abilities to gain positive yards and move the chains and lead his team into the end zone grow more certain...more polished...more effective.

Gray NEEDS to have 14 quarters of running this team from the qb positon under his belt in order to get ready for the Big Ten Season. The offensive line NEEDS to have Gray lead this team for the next 8 quarters so that they can get ready for the Big Ten Season. IF Gray speeds up his game as the game comes to him, the offensive line will begin to create a few more opportunities for the running backs.

And you just never know: IF the Gophers can start running the ball...they just MIGHT do a little better at "stopping the run..." and pretty soon you have got REAL football being played!

Stick with Gray for the next 8 quarters. He gives this offensive line the best chance to succeed right now. 14 quarters of experience is better than 12 quarters of experience. There are many needs right now. IMHO, getting Gray as much experience as possible is the greatest need right now. I am seeing progress with each quarter that he plays.

Note to Mr. Gray: never let the armchair quarterbacks calling for the back-up qb get you down...and Mr Shortell, stay ready should your name be called. You are doing fine and your reps will come. But, now is the time of the season for the starting quarterback to be the starting quarterback.

; 0 )
 

Gray 17 runs 110 yards 6.5/carry. Bennett and Edwards combined 36 yards on 16 carries. McKnight 9 catches, 146 yards 16.2 per catch. Four other receivers caught 9 balls for under 100 yards with several drops or balls that could have and should have been caught. No passes to any running backs and where was Lair? 3rd down conversions 2 of 12. 4th down conversions 1 of 4. How can that be? This is against one of the worst teams in the country in our own backyard.

Fact is one person can not carry a football team. I don't understand the play calling yesterday. That starts with the opening kickoff giving them great field position. This is supposed to be a run oriented offense. Our quarterbacks were not rushed yesterday so the offensive line did well to protect, but what about opening holes. I put this loss squarly on the shoulders of the coaching staff, not on Gray. I'm sure the coaches agree with me which is one of the reasons I respect them as much as I do. Gray should have completed the pass in the end zone with a wide open reciever where he threw it away, etc.; etc.;

He will get better. The coaching will get better. Anyone that did not expect some bleeps in the radar screen as this program develops is in ga ga land. A coach prone to siezures on hot days, throws himself completely into the game and probably forgets to hydrate properly. We got the right coach. Gray is our best option and potentially a great option by week 6 or 7, and then hopefully, next year.

It was unreal yesterday watching this game. It hurt! It hurt a lot I can't wait to see what happens next week.
 

Gray was having some cramping again (from what I read), so that is apparently why Shortell was in for a short spell.
 

Welcome all apologists

The prize goes to the most creative excuse. Meanwhile, 2 losses. We have heard from some that the receivers dropped a few easy passes. From my vantage point at TCF, Jones missed one where his twisting torso and angle could no way catch anything but a back ache. He was not the only player that had to turn in contortions to catch balls. Apparently all the discipline and techniques taught to properly catch passes were seriously forgotten on the field. MG ran productively on massively broken down plays. So, I take his yardage with a grain of salt. He won't be able to do that to better teams.

Why do we apologize and feel the need to give MG the edge over any other player. One, Gray should be run out of the shotgun like Shortell, because the o-line is terrible. Two, he needs to be more deceptive with his hand-offs and not get in the way of the route. When Bennett had to juke past MG to get to the hole or the end, we know the play can not develop as planned. Then again, the adjustments at the line looked like they played to the strength of the Aggies.

The O line is weak. About as bad as it gets. No holes. Poor blocking.

The game plan sucked. The team looked ill prepared. Right now, I am 2 for 2 on game predictions, all losses. My hope was 4 wins. Too many areas need to be corrected to make victory possible.
 


Oneoldgopher said:
Right now, I am 2 for 2 on game predictions, all losses. My hope was 4 wins. Too many areas need to be corrected to make victory possible.
Click to expand...

Good job, would you like a cookie? Get over yourself. Being critical of the squad is one thing, I get that and it's deserved after yesterday. That being said, you also need to keep in mind the following: This squad is playing with a new coach, a QB that hasn't played in 3 years (or is a true freshman if you roll w/Shortell), and the team overall is VERY inexperienced. Everyone knew this whole process was going to take time to rebuild after what Brewster left us with as far as depth was concered. So why is everyone so shocked to see them struggle out of the gate? Remain a fan, support the team, and believe in Kill. He's done it before, and with time here, he'll do it again.
 

imthewalrus said:
it is possible that who ever plays quarterback is going to appear as though they are very inexperienced. Perhaps, that is because ALL the Gopher Quarterbacks ARE very inexperienced. ; 0 )

The Offensive Line ALSO needs to gel and to gain experience working as a unit. That is painfully obvious right now.

I think that the offensive line has the potential to play better than they have been playing. I believe that they will improve. That certainly would help every aspect of the offense.

Since both quarterbacks are very inexperienced, one of them has to emerge as the more experienced quarterback. I do agree with Winnipeg's suggestion that it is time to play only Mr. Gray. He has basically played 6 quarters. Our true freshman qb has played 2 quarters. There are 8 quarters of Non-Conference football to be played yet in 2011. For the most part, the offensive line will have MOST, if not ALL of the current starters playing the next 8 quarters, barring injury. This is a good thing. They will gain experience. They will improve. As the offensive line gains experience, I fully believe that the running backs will also gain experience and will improve in their yards per carry averages.

Gray needs repetitions. He needs to be left on the field. He needs to speed up his own game as the game itself slows down for him. He needs to take it to the defense and as he does, his game will come to him. He can do things to help the offensive line stay on the field as he helps the offense gain valuable yards...and first downs as he rushes for positive yardage outside the pocket. As he learns to respond, create difficult situations for linebackers and defensive backs, he also escapes the closing of rushing lanes by defensive linemen. He NEEDS these next 8 quarters to learn to take total responsibilty for this offensive line...for these running backs...for these receivers...for this offense as his own abilities to gain positive yards and move the chains and lead his team into the end zone grow more certain...more polished...more effective.

Gray NEEDS to have 14 quarters of running this team from the qb positon under his belt in order to get ready for the Big Ten Season. The offensive line NEEDS to have Gray lead this team for the next 8 quarters so that they can get ready for the Big Ten Season. IF Gray speeds up his game as the game comes to him, the offensive line will begin to create a few more opportunities for the running backs.

And you just never know: IF the Gophers can start running the ball...they just MIGHT do a little better at "stopping the run..." and pretty soon you have got REAL football being played!

Stick with Gray for the next 8 quarters. He gives this offensive line the best chance to succeed right now. 14 quarters of experience is better than 12 quarters of experience. There are many needs right now. IMHO, getting Gray as much experience as possible is the greatest need right now. I am seeing progress with each quarter that he plays.

Note to Mr. Gray: never let the armchair quarterbacks calling for the back-up qb get you down...and Mr Shortell, stay ready should your name be called. You are doing fine and your reps will come. But, now is the time of the season for the starting quarterback to be the starting quarterback.

; 0 )
Click to expand...

Definitely one of the top 5 of your 742+ posts.
 

We are supposed to take 110 rushing yards with a grain of salt because they were on broken plays? Wouldn't that make them more valuable since it was either his yards or a loss? I guess I don't understand that reasoning. I would also argue that on GopherHole it is quite the opposite as far as Gray getting a free pass. I think that there actually has been WAYYYYY to much criticism of him. I haven't read any threads about switching O-Lineman out, having Edwards replace Bennett, but there have been plenty asking for Shortell.
 

NMSU loaded up the box, selling out to stop the run and let Gray's arm beat them. They guessed right as his passing accuracy is not there. Until You can hit 60% completion rate no one will respect the run. Look for Miami to load the box Saturday and make Gray's arm beat them as well. Oregon State did this yesterday in the first half vs. the Badgers and Wilson killed them with accurate passing. Ask any NFL scout, they will take a less athletic but accurate passer any day over the adonis body. That's why Brees and Rodgers are just insane qb's.
 



kuhlmanalex said:
We are supposed to take 110 rushing yards with a grain of salt because they were on broken plays? Wouldn't that make them more valuable since it was either his yards or a loss? I guess I don't understand that reasoning. I would also argue that on GopherHole it is quite the opposite as far as Gray getting a free pass. I think that there actually has been WAYYYYY to much criticism of him. I haven't read any threads about switching O-Lineman out, having Edwards replace Bennett, but there have been plenty asking for Shortell.
Click to expand...

7 attempts - 11 yards - 1.6 yards per carry That is why no one is yelling for Edwards to replace Bennett. Who are you going to switch out on the O-line? It makes no difference who is runnig if there is no hole.
 


I think both should continue to play as they have.

1) this causes QB competition and should push for more effort and hopefully better results.

2) this gives experience to the back-up in case of the starter getting injured.

3) this forces the opponent to study both QB's, especially since they have different styles/potential, which reduces study time on other areas.
 

If Gray continues to run this much he will be injured just like Vick and Robinson last year. Shortell will get his chance soon enough.
 



After the USC game I felt that they should put in Shortall for some drives but leave Gray with a roughly 3:1 advantage. By having Shortall play most of the 3rd quarter that's roughly what it was and I don't have a problem with that. Like others have said, it gives him legitimate game experience and forces the opposition to scout more than one style of play.
 

First--Gray needs to observe the whole field, not just the #1 target. You can not telegrah your passes in B1G play (or NMSU). Don't give me the 'he needs more time" line, he is a NCAA QB.

Second--WR HAVE to make the plays....it would help if the Refs called pass interference correctly...but whatever...WAY too many drops.

Third--Clearly Max can play just as well ast Gray. There is no harm in him taking some snaps each game.
 

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