Eric Atherton: Claeys, Leidner must seize opportunity

[BleedGopher]

per Atherton:

Leidner is being projected as a possible first-round NFL draft pick, but he's an unproven commodity. He has one season to showcase his work ethic, skills and leadership, and with the opponents he's going to face, it's safe to expect far fewer running plays on third-and-five this year.

A 9-3 regular-season record and a berth in the conference title game would go a long way toward ensuring Claeys' long-term tenure at the U and would probably put a lot of money in Leidner's pocket.

But opportunity can cut both ways. A 5-7 record might send Leidner to the Canadian Football League — and would prompt more than a few Gophers fans to think that if Claeys couldn't win in 2016, the U should start looking for someone who has a track record of success at the highest levels of college football.

http://www.postbulletin.com/sports/...cle_8d46af57-918e-5269-8fa2-5d322592ecf7.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Oooh a CFL career on the line!

While this year seems to provide more "opportunity" than most... you could kinda make that seize the opportunity statement about every year, game, etc.

 

[Biggsohnasty]

"A 5-7 record might send Leidner to the Canadian Football League"

It's statements like these that make me hate people who try writing about football.

That's one of the most rube-ish takes I've ever heard. It's the dopey ol' everything is about the QB no matter what idiotic line of thinking.

That can also cut both ways. The Gophers can go 10-2 and Leidner might not be any good and still end up in the CFL. What the hell does the team record have to do with Leidner's post-college prospects?

It's just beyond stupid.

 

[GopherHomer]

I've never heard of Atherton or his "paper" but Leidner's future really has almost nothing to do with the Gophers' record this year. He will get tested in the off-season and placed accordingly.

 

[Biggsohnasty]

You've never heard of the Rochester Post Bulletin? It's a decent sized paper. Certainly the biggest MN paper south of the Metro and I'd reckon the fourth biggest in terms of circulation in the state.

Never heard of Atherton either, but most of their writers seem to like dipping their toes in things they don't really cover which can be a little off putting but if they have good thoughts, its fine. This though just seems very cattle like in that everyone talks about the QB all the time, so let's just say how the team does will indicate how the QB does post college. Just real dense in my opinion but that's a lot of people who talk and write about football nowadays.