Demry Croft: Burn the 'shirt??

Demry Croft: Burn the 'shirt?

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Saving a red shirt is ridiculous if you are losing games by letting a better player sit on the bench. I have hated Limegrover's play calling, but he may be afraid to let the QB air it out. The only times they have been productive in the passing game is when they are desperate and need to call those plays.


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John Galt said:
I didn't vote because I have no opinion.

If the staff thinks there is any chance he could help, they absolutely will pull the redshirt in a second. They were close to doing it yesterday.

John Galt, I didn't see the game. Do you say this because he was taking snaps with the second team before the game?
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alchemy2u said:
Saving a red shirt is ridiculous if you are losing games by letting a better player sit on the bench. I have hated Limegrover's play calling, but he may be afraid to let the QB air it out. The only times they have been productive in the passing game is when they are desperate and need to call those plays.


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I think many are missing something. Mitch plays best when going in a bit of a hurry. However, if we don't do better on 1st down or pick up one fist down on each drive it's hard to go fast. That could put the defense in some tougher spots. Most every time we've picked up a 1st down on a drive, we pick up the pace.


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bronco.jpg

This is probably going to sound crazy but I think Kill knows more about football than all posters on GopherHole.com. If the freshman plays it is because Kill thinks he can bring more to the table than the other QBs. I doubt it will happen this year but if Kill deems it appropriate, I'll be there to support the decision.
 


RolGnav said:
They also haven't been hired by any big name schools either. Oops.
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So you won't appreciate them until they leave for a big name school? That should work out in an interesting way for you.
 

BroncoRedux said:
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This is probably going to sound [B]crazy[/B] but I think Kill knows more about football than all posters on GopherHole.com. If the freshman plays it is because Kill thinks he can bring more to the table than the other QBs. I doubt it will happen this year but if Kill deems it appropriate, I'll be there to support the decision.
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You're crazy.
 

At some point this season, we will need a backup QB to take some snaps. It may be for bad QB play or it may be because Leidner takes as much abuse as he does running the ball. Might as well get Croft some snaps against the next 2 opponents in garbage time if we can. OR...put Streveler in with a big lead and try throwing the ball. If the CSU first half Mitch shows up against ANY of our Big Ten opponents- we are going to have a tough row to hoe. Bipolar Mitch at least makes it interesting....
 

Obviously take this with a grain of salt, but on the sports show last night Sid said he heard they are considering their options at QB and could make a switch at some point. Ruesse disagreed and said there was no chance Leidner wouldn't be the QB. However, if there is any week to give a new QB some reps this would be the week.
 



for people who talk about the O-line being our biggest problem (don't get me wrong it's ONE of them).... do you notice that the defenses bring heat almost every single play? If we had a qb who could open the defense up and get the ball out quickly into open space on quick releases on target, the defense would stop blitzing all the time and have to sit back into a little bit more of coverage. Our line is under heat the entire game because teams constantly bring 8-9 into the box and as soon as they see the option hand off, the linebackers are set on a run play. It's a bit unfair to ask 5 guys to block 6-7 on every play. That being said, their play does need to pick up quite a bit and mitch's play needs to pick up a lot. We cannot waste the talent of this defense especially our secondary when all of them are gone after this year because we cannot move the ball on offense. We are that close to being a top 15 team.
 

The question has been posed several times already so I'll ask it again: "What does Lediner offer us that Croft can't as well?"

Leidner:
-knows the playbook
-is a tough competitor and leader
-is a sub par athlete
-is below average thrower

We complain that Mitch has looked bad in the beginning of games but then we are encouraged with the way he has finished games, specifically his last drive at CSU on Saturday. The issue with that is we will never get a full game out of Mitch that is like that last drive. He simply isn't a good enough QB for that. The good players, whether it be in college or the NFL, are marked by their consistency. Mitch just isn't good enough and consistent enough. His ceiling is going to be that 50-55% completion rate.

Add on top of that he simply can't make anyone miss in space when he runs and he makes terrible decisions when pressured. There is yards left on the field because of how slow he is.

Even if he does know the playbook he isn't executing it well and he is still make mistakes a freshman QB would make. (Play clock, fumbling a 4th& inches snap, checking down to Rodrick in the middle of the field vs TCU with no timeouts)

So again...What does Mitch offfer that Croft couldn't give us as well? If we have to shrink the playbook for Croft it really doesn't make much of a difference because we are so predictable anyways. This will be the best defense we've had in a long time here and it be a shame to waste it on a QB who limits the offense and puts the D in bad positions.
 


Dradke13 said:
for people who talk about the O-line being our biggest problem (don't get me wrong it's ONE of them).... do you notice that the defenses bring heat almost every single play? If we had a qb who could open the defense up and get the ball out quickly into open space on quick releases on target, the defense would stop blitzing all the time and have to sit back into a little bit more of coverage. Our line is under heat the entire game because teams constantly bring 8-9 into the box and as soon as they see the option hand off, the linebackers are set on a run play. It's a bit unfair to ask 5 guys to block 6-7 on every play. That being said, their play does need to pick up quite a bit and mitch's play needs to pick up a lot. We cannot waste the talent of this defense especially our secondary when all of them are gone after this year because we cannot move the ball on offense. We are that close to being a top 15 team.
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I totally agree. The problem is for whatever reason Mitch can't accurately throw 5-10 yard passes. When he has time he can throw the ball downfield, but until he can throw a short pass this offense will continue to struggle.
 



gophers141 said:
The question has been posed several times already so I'll ask it again: "What does Lediner offer us that Croft can't as well?"

Leidner:
-knows the playbook
-is a tough competitor and leader
-is a sub par athlete
-is below average thrower

We complain that Mitch has looked bad in the beginning of games but then we are encouraged with the way he has finished games, specifically his last drive at CSU on Saturday. The issue with that is we will never get a full game out of Mitch that is like that last drive. He simply isn't a good enough QB for that. The good players, whether it be in college or the NFL, are marked by their consistency. Mitch just isn't good enough and consistent enough. His ceiling is going to be that 50-55% completion rate.

Add on top of that he simply can't make anyone miss in space when he runs and he makes terrible decisions when pressured. There is yards left on the field because of how slow he is.

Even if he does know the playbook he isn't executing it well and he is still make mistakes a freshman QB would make. (Play clock, fumbling a 4th& inches snap, checking down to Rodrick in the middle of the field vs TCU with no timeouts)

So again...What does Mitch offfer that Croft couldn't give us as well? If we have to shrink the playbook for Croft it really doesn't make much of a difference because we are so predictable anyways. This will be the best defense we've had in a long time here and it be a shame to waste it on a QB who limits the offense and puts the D in bad positions.
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The only way they could shrink the playbook would be to run up the middle every play LOL.
 

gophers141 said:
The question has been posed several times already so I'll ask it again: "What does Lediner offer us that Croft can't as well?"

Leidner:
-knows the playbook
-is a tough competitor and leader
-is a sub par athlete
-is below average thrower

We complain that Mitch has looked bad in the beginning of games but then we are encouraged with the way he has finished games, specifically his last drive at CSU on Saturday. The issue with that is we will never get a full game out of Mitch that is like that last drive. He simply isn't a good enough QB for that. The good players, whether it be in college or the NFL, are marked by their consistency. Mitch just isn't good enough and consistent enough. His ceiling is going to be that 50-55% completion rate.

Add on top of that he simply can't make anyone miss in space when he runs and he makes terrible decisions when pressured. There is yards left on the field because of how slow he is.

Even if he does know the playbook he isn't executing it well and he is still make mistakes a freshman QB would make. (Play clock, fumbling a 4th& inches snap, checking down to Rodrick in the middle of the field vs TCU with no timeouts)

So again...What does Mitch offfer that Croft couldn't give us as well? If we have to shrink the playbook for Croft it really doesn't make much of a difference because we are so predictable anyways. This will be the best defense we've had in a long time here and it be a shame to waste it on a QB who limits the offense and puts the D in bad positions.
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The only thing I would say is that with the game on the line, Mitch has come through several times. He shows poise when it matters most. Now if he would have made more throws earlier in the game, maybe we wouldn't be in so many close games.
 

Dradke13 said:
for people who talk about the O-line being our biggest problem (don't get me wrong it's ONE of them).... do you notice that the defenses bring heat almost every single play? If we had a qb who could open the defense up and get the ball out quickly into open space on quick releases on target, the defense would stop blitzing all the time and have to sit back into a little bit more of coverage. Our line is under heat the entire game because teams constantly bring 8-9 into the box and as soon as they see the option hand off, the linebackers are set on a run play. It's a bit unfair to ask 5 guys to block 6-7 on every play. That being said, their play does need to pick up quite a bit and mitch's play needs to pick up a lot. We cannot waste the talent of this defense especially our secondary when all of them are gone after this year because we cannot move the ball on offense. We are that close to being a top 15 team.
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While this may be true, there are a number of examples where an O-lineman just got beat badly 1-on-1 with a D-lineman. That is concerning.
 

Let's pull the RS - not because it is the smart thing to do, or because it will help the offense but let's pull it so the fanbase can watch him throw an incompletion and everybody can shut up about him being the immediate answer already.
 

GophersInIowa said:
While this may be true, there are a number of examples where an O-lineman just got beat badly 1-on-1 with a D-lineman. That is concerning.
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Both are correct. Iowa, I would say that a few of these a game is expected for every team in the country. Many teams do have talent on the D-line you know.
 

This board has a long history of pining for a QB who is riding the pine (always loved that one). Back in the day it was folks saying that MarQueis Gray should start over Adam Weber and old -timers here will remember that the Moundsview Cabal had to step in.

Since Adam is the Grad Assistant, the Cabal stands ready.

It's Leidner. Unless the coaches -- who have more stake than any poster here -- decide it isn't.


Go Gophers!
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Not sold on the Gophers' current QB situation, but I think it's silly to be calling for Croft to get the call. If the staff thought he could contribute anything meaningful whatsoever this season -- especially a year where the Gophers are a legit B1G divisional contender -- they'd be using him. If they do end up stripping Croft's redshirt, it'd be more about finally acknowledging Leidner's shortcomings and less about Croft's (supposed) potential.
 


theTurning said:
Coaches are never wrong.
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And all the "the back-up will be great" guys are never wrong either.

Here in the case of Croft, nobody on the board has ever seen him run or throw against any FBS caliber competition. He may be great, he may be another in a long line of "he looked great in Spring Practice" QBs. Mitch has had Quarters or a Half here and there where he's a been fine QB, but overall he's been bad.

Anybody who is saying that Croft will be automatically better has little or nothing to base it on.

That's why a 3rd Option of "Don't know" would have been best.
 


Maybe the backups aren't as good in practice, but are "gamers". IALTO
 

While I agree with a lot of posters in this thread that have said things along the lines of "I don't know, only the coaches know" and "if he were the better player he would already be playing", I think it is time to give Demry some run.

But here's where my opinion differs from many others who think he should play: I think we should move forward with Mitch as the starter and burn the shirt in the third quarter if we are up big. While I realize it may be shortsighted to burn the shirt for what could amount to 1.5 quarters of mop up time play vs Kent State and 1.5 quarters of mop up time play vs Ohio, perhaps he comes out and shows he is ready to play.

And if he's not ready, a good chunk of playing time this year as a backup prepares him well for a potential QB competition next August.


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Hollinsanity said:
While I agree with a lot of posters in this thread that have said things along the lines of "I don't know, only the coaches know" and "if he were the better player he would already be playing", I think it is time to give Demry some run.

But here's where my opinion differs from many others who think he should play: I think we should move forward with Mitch as the starter and burn the shirt in the third quarter if we are up big. While I realize it may be shortsighted to burn the shirt for what could amount to 1.5 quarters of mop up time play vs Kent State and 1.5 quarters of mop up time play vs Ohio, perhaps he comes out and shows he is ready to play.

And if he's not ready, a good chunk of playing time this year as a backup prepares him well for a potential QB competition next August.


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Also, if he is QB 2 they need to get him some snaps if the "just in case Mitch gets hurt," scenario happens.
 

I'm in the no camp because we cannot keep five players on the O-line healthy and playing together long enough right now for a young signal caller to be back there. I don't want Croft getting his brains beat in by our ineffective Offensive line play and what seems like people perpetually rotating in and out due to injury. Mitch already seems like he has the Yips because of all of the past hits, and blindside hit's or bad throws he remembers making. He Leidner already reacts like he is about to get hit or is being hit even when there are people not on him or at his feet. That and I don't think it would benefit Croft as light as he is to play and get beat up, Gophers need to fix there offensive line play and find five Healthy people that can play together for a few games and maybe than they can get on a roll.

Maybe Mitch should run the ball more or throw on the move, you know some quick roll outs where he is getting rid of the ball quickly. When he was hitting the quick outs or WR screens he seemed to develop a rhythm in the second half. Leidner seems most comfortable throwing the ball when he is rolling out or on the move, just a thought but I don't think it is beyond the QB or the coaches that the offense isn't playing well right now. I doubt Leidner is satisfied with his play and he doesn't really need any of us piling on more when the media is doing plenty of that already.
Although I am excited to hear that Croft is doing well in practice, unless the coaches determine that he can help the Gophers win now, I would not play him. I would rather Croft not start playing until next year when he has had a chance to get stronger put on some more weight, and that he can have the ability to recover from being hit. Switching to the freshman isn't really going to change the offense right now not until they can get some lineman and tight ends that are healthy and playing together.
 


Wouldn't You like to Know said:
Also, if he is QB 2 they need to get him some snaps if the "just in case Mitch gets hurt," scenario happens.
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Agreed. If he's the #2 QB he needs to see some playing time. It would really suck to lose the West to Wisconsin in the last game of the season if Leidner gets hurt and Streveler can't get the job done.
 

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