Drake Lindsey vs Rutgers

[UpAndUnder43]

First off, I’m sure this has been beaten into the ground. But I’m just flying high on that performance.

Also, from what I understand there isn’t a big “need” for NIL for him. Could he leave? Sure. But I don’t think it will be just for NIL. He threw the ball 41 freaking times. He’s getting a shot in the best conference.

Anyway, here is why I started this thread.

Lindsey throws a dime after going down 14-0. Should have been a TD (horse collar also!) and the entire game flips. Crowd is back.

The announcers (they were good?) mentioned it but the control he had. The hand motions. Moving RBs for protection. Hurry up offense!!! Under PJ Fleck? Masterful for the young man.

But the play that had me screaming was a simple throw on 2nd and 5 from the 9. He looks around. Does some hand motion thing below his waist towards Jalen Smith. Yells a bit. Takes the snap. Throws to Smith who muscles his way in for the TD. Just a football play by a football player. Lindsey read it. Knew he liked it. Didn’t need to say a word. TOUCHDOWN.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

The TD throw to Brockington was also very underrated. That was a tight window over the defender but yet inbounds.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

I wonder if the people who said he's a bottom four QB in the conference still feel that way

 

[MNVCGUY]

Fleck said it in his postgame press conference - Brosmer didn't allow Drake to be a freshman last year.

We saw the way Brosmer processed things last year and the command he had of the game when he was on the field. Drake was clearly paying attention and learning. Already playing at a high level as a redshirt freshman and as long as he keeps building on this as he gets more experience he has a chance to be the greatest QB to play at Minnesota (not a super high bar but still impressive).

 

[MNVCGUY]

I wonder if the people who said he's a bottom four QB in the conference still feel that way

In fairness to those people, he was a massive question mark heading into the season. But think it is safe to say that he is going to finish much higher on the list of conference QBs at the end of the season if things keep going the way they have to this point.

 

[Schnauzer]

Being at the game, and being all uptight about the possibility of losing (which seemed very real right up until they missed their final FG attempt), I was failing to appreciate the day Lindsey was having until I started to comprehend the main scoreboard rushing/passing/totals yard graphic. I just love the way the kid throws the ball. Even his little swing passes as backs roll out of the backfield are accurate and have the perfect touch on them to allow the back to easily catch them and not break stride.

Watching Kaliakmanis throw balls with vapor trails streaming out of them at TE's and backs standing 5 yards away will forever allow me to appreciate a well thrown short pass.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

Being at the game, and being all uptight about the possibility of losing (which seemed very real right up until they missed their final FG attempt), I was failing to appreciate the day Lindsey was having until I started to comprehend the main scoreboard rushing/passing/totals yard graphic. I just love the way the kid throws the ball. Even his little swing passes as backs roll out of the backfield are accurate and have the perfect touch on them to allow the back to easily catch them and not break stride.

Watching Kaliakmanis throw balls with vapor trails streaming out of them at TE's and backs standing 5 yards away will forever allow me to appreciate a well thrown short pass.

Very impressive for the team + coaching staff was how they utilized the short passing game to serve for the lack of a running game in the second half.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Being at the game, and being all uptight about the possibility of losing (which seemed very real right up until they missed their final FG attempt), I was failing to appreciate the day Lindsey was having until I started to comprehend the main scoreboard rushing/passing/totals yard graphic. I just love the way the kid throws the ball. Even his little swing passes as backs roll out of the backfield are accurate and have the perfect touch on them to allow the back to easily catch them and not break stride.

Watching Kaliakmanis throw balls with vapor trails streaming out of them at TE's and backs standing 5 yards away will forever allow me to appreciate a well thrown short pass.

Drake had 41 pass attempts and I can't think of any of those 41 that should have been picks. He does a really good job not putting the ball up for grabs, it is either a completion for us or an incomplete pass.

On the flip side Athan had the pick and multiple other passes that could have been picks.

Gotta love the decision making for by a redshirt freshman just getting his first taste of college football. He is not making freshman mistakes and that is huge.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

What Lindsey is able to do as a RS-FR is incredible. He has a big arm, he's really accurate and he goes through every progression (he doesn't only dink and dunk and it isn't just run, run, deep pass).

Typically, I hate the pro-style offense in college football because I think it puts too much on a QB's plate - too many reads. I like the RPO because essentially a QB has three decisions and it becomes like muscle memory (hand off, keep, slant, deep post). It's a variation of the same play 75% of the time.

But boy am I wrong with our offense. If you can recruit the QB position and coach the QB position like our last two guys, it's really hard to stop. He pulled that off without any threat of a ground game. Given the circumstances, it was as impressive of a game by a Gopher QB that I can remember.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Drake had 41 pass attempts and I can't think of any of those 41 that should have been picks. He does a really good job not putting the ball up for grabs, it is either a completion for us or an incomplete pass.

On the flip side Athan had the pick and multiple other passes that could have been picks.

Gotta love the decision making for by a redshirt freshman just getting his first taste of college football. He is not making freshman mistakes and that is huge.

And that pick Athan threw was horrendous. Not a deep ball that he under threw or something like that. He also tends to miss high. Which is never good.

 

[MNVCGUY]

And that pick Athan threw was horrendous. Not a deep ball that he under threw or something like that. He also tends to miss high. Which is never good.

Through 4 games and 117 pass attempts I am struggling to think of many times Drake has put the ball up for grabs. He has 2 picks, and one of those two was a complete fluke that bounced off Geers foot as he was falling. Don't remember the other one off the top of my head.

I think one of the key lessons Drake learned from Max was that it is ok to take the check down. So many QBs will elect for the dangerous throw into tight coverage as opposed to just taking the safe throw that might not gain a ton of yards but also isn't going to get picked off.

 

[matt]

Through 4 games and 117 pass attempts I am struggling to think of many times Drake has put the ball up for grabs. He has 2 picks, and one of those two was a complete fluke that bounced off Geers foot as he was falling. Don't remember the other one off the top of my head.

I think one of the key lessons Drake learned from Max was that it is ok to take the check down. So many QBs will elect for the dangerous throw into tight coverage as opposed to just taking the safe throw that might not gain a ton of yards but also isn't going to get picked off.

He had a couple poor decisions that could have or should have been picks against Buffalo, but I don’t remember any since that first game.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

And that pick Athan threw was horrendous. Not a deep ball that he under threw or something like that. He also tends to miss high. Which is never good.

Athan seems to quick throw by instinct alone at times.

It works in some moments ... but very much not in others.

 

[Schnauzer]

I like to feel sorry for myself, as a MN sports fan. The minute Kaliakmanis transferred out, I thought to myself "Watch him improve now and make us all eat crow." For the most part, he did improve last year and he did get serve a big slice of crow when he beat the Gophers and their new hotshot QB Brosmer last season at Rutgers. Kaliakmanis did show improvement and of course he had one of his better games against MN. This year it has looked like MORE improvement as he has been moving the ball through the air against everyone he has played.

But, the Gophers are the clear winner in this three player QB exchange. Kaliakmanis, even at his best, is still capable of throwing some amazingly bad passes. He was extremely lucky to only have one INT on Saturday. Meanwhile the Gophers have put a QB in the pros and their redshirt freshman is very much the real deal. Both Brosmer and Lindsey are visually quite a bit better than the Greek Rifle.

 

[MNVCGUY]

And that pick Athan threw was horrendous. Not a deep ball that he under threw or something like that. He also tends to miss high. Which is never good.

The pick was definitely a bad pick but he was also baited into it by Brown on a great play design. He didn't think in a million years that Brown would be standing there in the passing lane because it looked like he was going to go with the receiver.

Guessing by the time AK realized where the safety was he was already in his throwing motion and it was too late to bail out. Great call by Collins and great read by Brown.

 

[SeaBee_Gopher]

He had a couple poor decisions that could have or should have been picks against Buffalo, but I don’t remember any since that first game.

He threw an interception against California on a long out route jumped by their corner that has a lot of picks. Not a great decision against a very good defender.

 

[MNVCGUY]

He threw an interception against California on a long out route jumped by their corner that has a lot of picks. Not a great decision against a very good defender.

That's right, the fluke pick was against Buffalo and remember that one against Cal not being a great choice on his part. But a good sign that it is tough to come up with many times he has made poor decisions on throws 4 games in.

 

[caliGopher]

I wonder if the people who said he's a bottom four QB in the conference still feel that way

I don't think anyone said that. I think they ranked him low due to his age, and the FACT that he played very, very little last year, so no one knew anything about him beyond that he was a 3 star recruit and that Arkansas spurned him.

I have had every confidence that he would change opinions IF he had a chance to show what he can do, and so far, he's done that. I'd like to thank Robb Smith for shutting down our running game on Saturday to the point were there was no other option than to let Lindsey show what he can do.

He has not been perfect, but he's better than he should be given his relative lack of experience, and I'm excited to see him develop and grow.

 

[bonin21]

If this kid becomes a stud unfortunately he'll leave whether it's for money, for a chance to compete for a big conference championship, or a mix of both to some degree.

You have to hope this kid is very good but not great. That's probably the only way Gopher football can succeed is with a bunch of guys in the sweet spot.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I don't think anyone said that. I think they ranked him low due to his age, and the FACT that he played very, very little last year, so no one knew anything about him beyond that he was a 3 star recruit and that Arkansas spurned him.

I have had every confidence that he would change opinions IF he had a chance to show what he can do, and so far. I'd like to thank Robb Smith for shutting down our running game on Saturday to the point were there was no other option than to let Lindsey show what he can do.

He has not been perfect, but he's better than he should be given his relative lack of experience, and I'm excited to see him develop and grow.

There was a Badger blogger who was harsher then warranted in regards to Drake for obvious reasons not rooted in reality but rather how the fanbases feel about each other.

But yeah, for most Drake was rightfully ranked low because he is young and unknown.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Very impressive for the team + coaching staff was how they utilized the short passing game to serve for the lack of a running game in the second half.

Looked very much like a West Coast offense.

 

[Scottsdale Gopher]

I know everyone is anxious for Taylor to get back, and obviously he will help the run game. But the passing game will take another step with him as well. The staff doesn't seem to trust Davis and Ijeboi as receivers. There was a swing screen in the Cal game after Turner went out that one of them dropped (with space in front) and I can't recall a designed pass to a RB in the 6 quarters since. Lindsey can throw to all three levels and DT will help open the passing playbook even further.

 

[Dave H]

Fleck said it in his postgame press conference - Brosmer didn't allow Drake to be a freshman last year.

We saw the way Brosmer processed things last year and the command he had of the game when he was on the field. Drake was clearly paying attention and learning. Already playing at a high level as a redshirt freshman and as long as he keeps building on this as he gets more experience he has a chance to be the greatest QB to play at Minnesota (not a super high bar but still impressive).

I think there is a reason why Drake liked Brosmer so much and vice versa. Brosmer had the work ethic but was also not threatened by Drake and worked with him. You always saw them celebrating each other and not in some manufactured way, but like they were buddies on the same pop warner team just trying to win. I mean Brosmer still talks up Drake...

Look Drake is going to make some bad decisions, he will have bumps in the road, but he has the skills for sure and if he works like Brosmer did the sky is the limit. Brosmer was the perfect "stop gap" QB for a young QB because he maximized his skills by being tne student of the game and showing Drake how much that pays off.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I know everyone is anxious for Taylor to get back, and obviously he will help the run game. But the passing game will take another step with him as well. The staff doesn't seem to trust Davis and Ijeboi as receivers. There was a swing screen in the Cal game after Turner went out that one of them dropped (with space in front) and I can't recall a designed pass to a RB in the 6 quarters since. Lindsey can throw to all three levels and DT will help open the passing playbook even further.

DT is very good as a receiver out of the backfied. He definitely opens up that part of the game more than the other guys. It is such an odd thing because it seems like they would be some of the easiest catches but there are so few RB that are really good at it. It is part of what makes Taylor a difference maker when he is on the field.

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

The TD throw to Brockington was also very underrated. That was a tight window over the defender but yet inbounds.

That throw was as good as they get. Also, his throw to the TE for a TD vs Cal was high, high level. He throws guys open as they say.

 

[PMWinSTP]

I don't think anyone said that. I think they ranked him low due to his age, and the FACT that he played very, very little last year, so no one knew anything about him beyond that he was a 3 star recruit and that Arkansas spurned him.

I have had every confidence that he would change opinions IF he had a chance to show what he can do, and so far, he's done that. I'd like to thank Robb Smith for shutting down our running game on Saturday to the point were there was no other option than to let Lindsey show what he can do.

He has not been perfect, but he's better than he should be given his relative lack of experience, and I'm excited to see him develop and grow.

Gophs were also starting its 3rd/4th/5th string RBs.

 

[GophersInIowa]

If this kid becomes a stud unfortunately he'll leave whether it's for money, for a chance to compete for a big conference championship, or a mix of both to some degree.

You have to hope this kid is very good but not great. That's probably the only way Gopher football can succeed is with a bunch of guys in the sweet spot.

That's always a possibility but don't think it's an automatic. Him and his family have always talked about culture/relationships being the most important things. His mom is pretty active on twitter and is consistently talking about the culture and program. The Gophers run a pro style offense that gives him a lot of freedom to make decisions at the LOS. That has to help his chances at the next level.

Could be wishful thinking but I hope not. Fleck/staff have done a pretty good jog of keeping most top players even with less NIL than the top programs.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

If this kid becomes a stud unfortunately he'll leave whether it's for money, for a chance to compete for a big conference championship, or a mix of both to some degree.

You have to hope this kid is very good but not great. That's probably the only way Gopher football can succeed is with a bunch of guys in the sweet spot.

Your pessimism and fatalism is noted; personally, I think you are wrong. Drake will never be showcased or loved as much as he is at Minnesota.

 

[Gopherchase]

If this kid becomes a stud unfortunately he'll leave whether it's for money, for a chance to compete for a big conference championship, or a mix of both to some degree.

You have to hope this kid is very good but not great. That's probably the only way Gopher football can succeed is with a bunch of guys in the sweet spot.

Because we have a long and sad history of kids leaving? It’s actually the opposite.