Annexstad Named Starting QB for NMSU Game

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A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
For the record I can vouch for the integrity of the Tomato Plant. Tomato Plant is a high character plant.
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With Annexstad being so "green", I guess that would make him a young tomato with high character.
 

Gophers_4life said:
Guys, I think it was a pretty innocuous comment. He was just saying they can afford to send both sons to the U of Minn. I would like to assume that if neither played football, they'd still happily pay for both sons to receive a fantastic education at the U.

I don't think that's anyone telling them what they should do with their money ... most people like to pay for their children to go to school, if they can afford it.

Moving on ...
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Thanks. I didn't think I wrote "They should pay for their kids school because they can afford it" because that is insane. They have every right to take a scholarship. In this case, they chose not to. He had plenty of options to play football as a scholarship student athlete, chose not to, which I think is partially due to his parents/families ability to pay for his school.
 

Gophers_4life said:
They've seen both in spring practice and fall camp. But no one has seen either in a game, let alone a Big Ten game. So I just don't buy that Morgan won't see non-mop up reps with the offense early in the season.

Gotta get both a chance to show what they got, at a minimum in the NM St game. Fresno game, I can buy it more ... because we gotta have that one. Miami OH, back to NM St philosophy. Then comes Big Ten season...
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Zach will have a minimum of four games to display his talents(My guess is the whole season). Tanner will get chances. I wouldn't be surprised if there will be packages/ groups of plays with him in mind. It will be interesting to see how the staff manages the flow of the game and yet still gets Morgan some minutes.
 

PMWinSTP said:
It's called sarcasm.
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Tough for me to get any kind of read on that, if you don't include any smiley faces or [/sarcasm] or anything like that.

So OK, we're good then?

I will stick with my unfounded, wild guess for now: at the time when ZA committed, he assumed he was going to be #3 behind VV and TM. He was willing to take that on, without a scholarship, in order to get back home to Minnesota and play for the Gophers (which is awesome), and with the strong assurance from Fleck that a scholly was coming as soon as possible. And he did that to allow Fleck to use that 25th spot on another area of need. And he even helped bring two more IMG guys here. All and all, a pretty awesome guy!

So why go to the "effort" of coming here early for an "extra" spring ball, if he didn't think he could be a starter or get significant playing time this fall? Because: i) it would only help his progression as a college football player, and not hurt (assuming no injury), ii) it gets him back home in MN that much sooner, as opposed to staying down in Florida for another semester, iii) tuition at the U of MN (for in-state) is actually significantly cheaper than tuition at IMG. Win-win-win there. That's an easy one, in my book.
 

STPGopher said:
Zach will have a minimum of four games to display his talents(My guess is the whole season). Tanner will get chances. I wouldn't be surprised if there will be packages/ groups of plays with him in mind. It will be interesting to see how the staff manages the flow of the game and yet still gets Morgan some minutes.
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Zach will make mistakes. Tanner will get chances. And I wouldn't be surprised if the two flip-flop as starter at least a couple times over the season. They're 18/19 year olds, with zero game experience. Even if the play lights out for a time ... they can inexplicably go into a slump. That's human nature, it happens.

It's great that they'll be there for each other, have each others' backs. Whoever isn't the starter, is watching from the sidelines and making notes, relaying what he saw. Etc.
 


Not to mention the probably just spent $75k a year sending their kids to IMG.
It would be nice to get a bit of a payoff on that.
 

I just want to know if ZA will be allowed to keep the ball on a read option??
 

Being named the Starter means the coaches saw Annexstad as the better choice for week #1. What we don't know is the margin between them.

Was Annexstad 1% better - 5% better - 25% better - 100% better? don't know.

All we really know one guy will start the first week, and the other guy won't. Fleck can talk about giving the starter a long leash, but if one guy is really struggling, and the coaches see the other guy as a viable alternative, there's no reason why they can't play both guys.
 

The Pioneer Press article said Zach had less completions to the defense. Which is a good sign.
 



From Elite to the tomato plant to completing passes to the defense to affording college plus other petty things. I think we've covered it all. Lets enjoy this and see how he pans out at this his first game coming up. I hoping to be surprised and I have ever reason to think that as it won't be a Big 10 opener.
 

Gophers_4life said:
Well I’m guessing that PJ sold him on getting a scholarship as soon as possible, and that he would get to travel as the emergency 3rd strong and run the scout team this fall with no pressure.

Really doubt ZA committed having any expectation of playing let alone starting this fall.
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Actually, this is indeed every players goal, to start as a freshman. Doesn't happen very often, but that is why he came here, to compete right away.
 

I will predict again that ZA is the guy and needs as much playing time as possible. I just don't think we have a situation like last year in that both QB's were going to play. I think TM gets mop up duty and that's about it. ZA needs to be on the field as much as possible so that he can grow quickly.
 

HoustonTXGopher said:
Actually, this is indeed every players goal, to start as a freshman. Doesn't happen very often, but that is why he came here, to compete right away.
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With such a blanket statement ("this is every player's goal"), I only need to find one example to disprove it. I'm quite certain if I had any motivation to do so, at all, a quick Google search would find a litany of quotes from players over even just the past couple years at P5 programs saying something like "yes I know I have to earn my way into the starting lineup, redshirting my freshman year allows me to mature physically and get more experience in the system", etc.

You're entitled to your opinion, but I don't agree with it.


HoustonTXGopher said:
I will predict again that ZA is the guy and needs as much playing time as possible. I just don't think we have a situation like last year in that both QB's were going to play. I think TM gets mop up duty and that's about it. ZA needs to be on the field as much as possible so that he can grow quickly.
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Even having said what I just said above ... part of me wants to agree with you here. Especially if it's likely that ZA will be the starter next year. In that case, I'd want ZA to gain as much game experience as possible this year.

But this year can't just be thrown into the garbage bin. We should try to win this year too ... so if that means TM gets game reps, because ZA is in a slump, or whatever reason, then that is what should be done.
 
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PJ said ZA narrowly won the competition.

PJ said this is not a short leash. ZA earned the job and he doesn't have to watch over his shoulder. If TM gets time, it's not because of what ZA is or isn't doing. At least not for the first several games.

That's what PJ said, so I don't have reasons to doubt it so far.
 

Gophers_4life said:
With such a blanket statement ("this is every player's goal"), I only need to find one example to disprove it. I'm quite certain if I had any motivation to do so, at all, a quick Google search would find a litany of quotes from players over even just the past couple years at P5 programs saying something like "yes I know I have to earn my way into the starting lineup, redshirting my freshman year allows me to mature physically and get more experience in the system", etc.

You're entitled to your opinion, but I don't agree with it.





Even having said what I just said above ... part of me wants to agree with you here. Especially if it's likely that ZA will be the starter next year. In that case, I'd want ZA to gain as much game experience as possible this year.

But this year can't just be thrown into the garbage bin. We should try to win this year too ... so if that means TM gets game reps, because ZA is in a slump, or whatever reason, then that is what should be done.
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I guess my point is, reality is different than back of your mind goals and dreams. I believe every player at least has a thought of what if, and by that I mean every player has a dream, even if momentarily of playing as a freshman.
 

Since it's going to be four or five years, might as well get it right. It's "Zack" not "Zach". Good thing we've got NMSU for our first game, sure wish we didn't have Fresno for our second.
 


Livingat45north said:
Since it's going to be four or five years, might as well get it right. It's "Zack" not "Zach". Good thing we've got NMSU for our first game, sure wish we didn't have Fresno for our second.
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I just hope the OL is stable enough. Spring game.... bit leaky IMO.
 


Gophers_4life said:
Tough for me to get any kind of read on that, if you don't include any smiley faces or [/sarcasm] or anything like that.

So OK, we're good then?

I will stick with my unfounded, wild guess for now: at the time when ZA committed, he assumed he was going to be #3 behind VV and TM. He was willing to take that on, without a scholarship, in order to get back home to Minnesota and play for the Gophers (which is awesome), and with the strong assurance from Fleck that a scholly was coming as soon as possible. And he did that to allow Fleck to use that 25th spot on another area of need. And he even helped bring two more IMG guys here. All and all, a pretty awesome guy!

So why go to the "effort" of coming here early for an "extra" spring ball, if he didn't think he could be a starter or get significant playing time this fall? Because: i) it would only help his progression as a college football player, and not hurt (assuming no injury), ii) it gets him back home in MN that much sooner, as opposed to staying down in Florida for another semester, iii) tuition at the U of MN (for in-state) is actually significantly cheaper than tuition at IMG. Win-win-win there. That's an easy one, in my book.
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I still disagree. A kid like Zack, that gives up playing for his high school and transfers to a known football factory, doesn’t think he will fail. He had the confidence to go in and compete directly at a school that traditionally puts QB’s into the NFL. He turned down P5 scholarship offers to come to the U, because “he knew” that he would become the starter. It is a special winner mentally and talent that can make a QB special.
This is not meant to criticize Tanner, he looks to be a better QB than we have had for awhile. The fact is that if you plan to compete at the top levels of College Football, you need to reload at QB every year. You hope to hit lightning in a bottle with a QB that has the physical talent and that special winning leadership. Next year we bring in a couple more QB’s that will push this year’s QB’s. Most top level teams are full of “potential QB’s” in hope they find that lightning.


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HoustonTXGopher said:
I guess my point is, reality is different than back of your mind goals and dreams. I believe every player at least has a thought of what if, and by that I mean every player has a dream, even if momentarily of playing as a freshman.
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If you'd just agree to change "every player" to "some players", then I could get on board. I'm very certain that a lot of true freshman come in fully expecting to redshirt, lift weights during the fall, run the scout team, and not travel. It's a "rite of passage", a progression towards being a starter later in your career. Crawl before you walk. Etc.

I don't think it's worth quibbling over further. I don't think you're dead wrong, at all. I just don't think *every* player dreams of coming into a major P5 program as an 18 year old and playing right off the bat against 22 year old men. Some do. And some are ready. Others ... would get slaughtered. Their potential is obviously there, but they just need time to mature physically.


alchemy2u said:
I still disagree. A kid like Zack, that gives up playing for his high school and transfers to a known football factory, doesn’t think he will fail. He had the confidence to go in and compete directly at a school that traditionally puts QB’s into the NFL. He turned down P5 scholarship offers to come to the U, because “he knew” that he would become the starter. It is a special winner mentally and talent that can make a QB special.
This is not meant to criticize Tanner, he looks to be a better QB than we have had for awhile. The fact is that if you plan to compete at the top levels of College Football, you need to reload at QB every year. You hope to hit lightning in a bottle with a QB that has the physical talent and that special winning leadership. Next year we bring in a couple more QB’s that will push this year’s QB’s. Most top level teams are full of “potential QB’s” in hope they find that lightning.
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This is an interesting idea. I can't dismiss it, at all.

The meat of it is, essentially, ZA came to Minnesota, over P5 scholarship offers, because he was assured and/or he "just knew" that he could be the starter in 2018. Some people might laugh at that ... I don't know about that. I'm not sure I agree with it, but it isn't impossible.
 


Pompous Elitist said:
If that ain’t the kettle...

I don’t recall many reports saying he was clearly better. PJ said it was neck and neck until yesterday.
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Your shtick is getting old...

Almost every report from observers... House, etc.. have said that Zack was having a better camp. PJ is going to say it is close until he makes a decision. Haven’t you been reading GH between your posts?


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Gophers_4life said:
If you'd just agree to change "every player" to "some players", then I could get on board. I'm very certain that a lot of true freshman come in fully expecting to redshirt, lift weights during the fall, run the scout team, and not travel. It's a "rite of passage", a progression towards being a starter later in your career. Crawl before you walk. Etc.

I don't think it's worth quibbling over further. I don't think you're dead wrong, at all. I just don't think *every* player dreams of coming into a major P5 program as an 18 year old and playing right off the bat against 22 year old men. Some do. And some are ready. Others ... would get slaughtered. Their potential is obviously there, but they just need time to mature physically.




This is an interesting idea. I can't dismiss it, at all.

The meat of it is, essentially, ZA came to Minnesota, over P5 scholarship offers, because he was assured and/or he "just knew" that he could be the starter in 2018. Some people might laugh at that ... I don't know about that. I'm not sure I agree with it, but it isn't impossible.
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I don’t think he was giving any promises on starting. I just think Zack had enough confidence in himself that he would win the starting job. That is what I mean when I say he knew.


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alchemy2u said:
Your shtick is getting old...

Almost every report from observers... House, etc.. have said that Zack was having a better camp. PJ is going to say it is close until he makes a decision. Haven’t you been reading GH between your posts?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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There’s a lot more that goes into playing quarterback than what I’ve heard mentioned here. No, I don’t recall reading all this stuff you’re referring to.

You sound like a breathless boy band fan. Nobody has played a snap and we’re all free to make our own evaluations. I wasn’t particularly impressed by either at the spring game. It doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t be really good some day but I’m not prepared to gush like a 12 year old girl.
 

alchemy2u said:
I still disagree. A kid like Zack, that gives up playing for his high school and transfers to a known football factory, doesn’t think he will fail. He had the confidence to go in and compete directly at a school that traditionally puts QB’s into the NFL. He turned down P5 scholarship offers to come to the U, because “he knew” that he would become the starter. It is a special winner mentally and talent that can make a QB special.
This is not meant to criticize Tanner, he looks to be a better QB than we have had for awhile. The fact is that if you plan to compete at the top levels of College Football, you need to reload at QB every year. You hope to hit lightning in a bottle with a QB that has the physical talent and that special winning leadership. Next year we bring in a couple more QB’s that will push this year’s QB’s. Most top level teams are full of “potential QB’s” in hope they find that lightning.


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Completely agree. He came early with the intent of ramping up as quickly as possible to be the starter. Spring game demonstrated that...I hope they open up the offense for him right away. Would like nothing more than for Rodney to get plenty of rest going into the B1G season.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
There’s a lot more that goes into playing quarterback than what I’ve heard mentioned here. No, I don’t recall reading all this stuff you’re referring to.

You sound like a breathless boy band fan. Nobody has played a snap and we’re all free to make our own evaluations. I wasn’t particularly impressed by either at the spring game. It doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t be really good some day but I’m not prepared to gush like a 12 year old girl.
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You read such extremes into almost everything. No one is claiming Zack is Johnny Football. Of course we don’t really know how good he will be until the games are played. My discussions was in how I don’t think he came here expecting to be 3rd string. There are some possible character traits that may make him special, we will see.


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I think the fact that Zack was able to recruit 2 highly rated lineman from his team showed his leadership abilities.
 


Worth watching...you can see the separation between the two beginning to show. Much better compared to Spring 2017 QBs.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3SNxmd9QyfI" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 

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