Iceland12
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Just last year, Notre Dame tried a platoon system that contributed to disastrous results for coach Brian Kelly.
Kelly found out quickly how picking two QBs can ruffle many feathers. His plan seemed doomed from the start, especially when DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire had these comments on media day:
“My whole goal is to turn chicken crap into chicken salad,” Zaire said.
“There’s supposed to be one quarterback on the field at one time,” Kizer said.
Kizer eventually won the job, but the Fighting Irish went 4-8. Kizer left early for the NFL, and Zaire transferred to Florida where — get this — he’s in a three-way battle to be the Gators’ starter.
Not every complicated QB situation sinks a team. Urban Meyer won a national title in 2006 at Florida with a rotation, and another in 2014 at Ohio State after two quarterbacks went down because of injuries. Granted, he did have the luxury of NFL-ready talent surrounding his signal-callers.
Notre Dame’s season showed that if both QBs don’t buy in to the job share, there could be problems. So far, that doesn’t appear to be the case with the Gophers.
“It’s really a relationship that we’re comfortable with. We bring out the best in each other,” said Rhoda, who was Mitch Leidner’s backup last year while Croft took a redshirt season. “… We’re both in a spot now where we need to take over this team. It’s a little bit different of an idea, doing it together.”
Said Croft: “It’s pretty fun, actually, working together out on the field and in the film room. It’s great that we’re making each other better and the team better.”...
With that in mind, don’t expect Fleck to have a quick hook with either Rhoda or Croft. He knows he’ll need both to be available for the demands of a Big Ten season.
“If I think both of these guys are going to play perfect football by putting them in the game, and motivate by fear — if you make a mistake, you’re out — then I’m not a great leader,” the coach said. “I want to be able to make sure they can play, run the system, and if they make a mistake, have an opportunity to respond to the mistake. That’s fair, and that’s what they both earned.”
Eventually, history and Pauli’s Exclusion Principle show us, one quarterback will fill that one spot. Thursday’s game will help play a part in deciding that.
“Nothing is more telling when those guys get under the lights and the stands are filled,” said Terrell, a four-year starter who led Western Michigan to a Cotton Bowl appearance last season. “You really get to see who the gamers are and who they really trust.’’
http://www.startribune.com/conor-rh...te-dance-of-using-two-quarterbacks/442298923/
Kelly found out quickly how picking two QBs can ruffle many feathers. His plan seemed doomed from the start, especially when DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire had these comments on media day:
“My whole goal is to turn chicken crap into chicken salad,” Zaire said.
“There’s supposed to be one quarterback on the field at one time,” Kizer said.
Kizer eventually won the job, but the Fighting Irish went 4-8. Kizer left early for the NFL, and Zaire transferred to Florida where — get this — he’s in a three-way battle to be the Gators’ starter.
Not every complicated QB situation sinks a team. Urban Meyer won a national title in 2006 at Florida with a rotation, and another in 2014 at Ohio State after two quarterbacks went down because of injuries. Granted, he did have the luxury of NFL-ready talent surrounding his signal-callers.
Notre Dame’s season showed that if both QBs don’t buy in to the job share, there could be problems. So far, that doesn’t appear to be the case with the Gophers.
“It’s really a relationship that we’re comfortable with. We bring out the best in each other,” said Rhoda, who was Mitch Leidner’s backup last year while Croft took a redshirt season. “… We’re both in a spot now where we need to take over this team. It’s a little bit different of an idea, doing it together.”
Said Croft: “It’s pretty fun, actually, working together out on the field and in the film room. It’s great that we’re making each other better and the team better.”...
With that in mind, don’t expect Fleck to have a quick hook with either Rhoda or Croft. He knows he’ll need both to be available for the demands of a Big Ten season.
“If I think both of these guys are going to play perfect football by putting them in the game, and motivate by fear — if you make a mistake, you’re out — then I’m not a great leader,” the coach said. “I want to be able to make sure they can play, run the system, and if they make a mistake, have an opportunity to respond to the mistake. That’s fair, and that’s what they both earned.”
Eventually, history and Pauli’s Exclusion Principle show us, one quarterback will fill that one spot. Thursday’s game will help play a part in deciding that.
“Nothing is more telling when those guys get under the lights and the stands are filled,” said Terrell, a four-year starter who led Western Michigan to a Cotton Bowl appearance last season. “You really get to see who the gamers are and who they really trust.’’
http://www.startribune.com/conor-rh...te-dance-of-using-two-quarterbacks/442298923/