Having a star QB ......

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Texan Gopher

Texan Gopher

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Some here know me and that I am from MN/SD, but have lived in Cali, Illinois, and New Jersey before moving to Texas 12 years ago.

My wife and I are Texans season ticket holders. What CJ Stroud is doing is making me realize what a true star QB can do for a team.

If, if the Gophers can have their "Drew Brees" or their "Russell Wilson" etc just for a few years, it will be the high point of our fandom.

It is finally occuring to me what a star QB can do for the chemistry, culture, and the simple fun level.and belief level in the fans.

I am anxiously awaiting the day where my fellow Gopher fans can feel what that is like.

Damn is it fun to watch your team play when they have a special.talent at the QB position.
 

We would have at least 2 more wins with better QB play, and more comfortable wins.

Unfortunately we’re struggling there this year.

Even “just” Tanner probably the same +2 wins. It’s not like you need a superstar this year. We’re even had QBs that would dramatically improve outcomes for this season.
 
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I really like the QB we are getting from Arkansas. I think we do a pretty good job of looking for QB's, but I still think we need more mobility at the position. If we are going to be pocket passing then we need a slinger with accuracy.

Where they came from.

Lindsey Arkansas
Viotto Michigan/Canada
Knuth South Dakota
Kaliakmanis Illinois
Clark Texas
Kramer Minnesota
Morgan Kentucky

Annexstad-Minnesota/Florida
Shikenjanski Minnesota
 

MaxyJR1 said:
I really like the QB we are getting from Arkansas. I think we do a pretty good job of looking for QB's, but I still think we need more mobility at the position. If we are going to be pocket passing then we need a slinger with accuracy.

Where they came from.

Lindsey Arkansas
Viotto Michigan/Canada
Knuth South Dakota
Kaliakmanis Illinois
Clark Texas
Kramer Minnesota
Morgan Kentucky

Annexstad-Minnesota/Florida
Shikenjanski Minnesota
Click to expand...
I'm not against mobility.

I do feel like the mobility thing is a nice bonus, but if you rely on it ... it's because they're not gud at QB otherwise...

Granted in the college game, that might just be how it is and not a bad trade / deal to make.

I do hope we see a more competitive landscape at QB, earlier this year I was a little sad that with AK struggling a lot, we really don't have someone just a little better, that's not gud.
 



A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I'm not against mobility.

I do feel like the mobility thing is a nice bonus, but if you rely on it ... it's because they're not gud at QB otherwise...

Granted in the college game, that might just be how it is and not a bad trade / deal to make.
Click to expand...
I agree and mobility for me is more about pocket presence and ability to keep the play alive and make a throw.
 

Illinois and Purdue both had rookie QBs playing meaningful NFL snaps yesterday. (As I said a few times in recent years, Aidan O'Connell is destined to be an NFL starter)

Minnesota hasn't had a QB take a meaningful NFL snap in my life, and our best QB in modern history didn't get close to making a roster.

The Gophers generally don't develop or evaluate quarterbacks well across many coaching and stylistic eras, and the perception (reality) that it's all running plays doesn't help turn it around.
 


Give me any single one of Mason's QB's coupled with the rest of what PJ has had going since he's been here and we flat out have 2-4 BT West titles. Tanner had one good year. This kid looks mid major.
Competence at the #1 position on the field is a must. Tanner Morgan was at least competent his whole time here.
To really win big though, you need a guy that is a top 1/3 of the conference QB. We haven't had one of those here since Mason.
To be honest, I am getting close to being done with AK. I think he has lots of talent, but I just don't see much thinking going on with him, or attempts to change and get better by him. He's extremely inaccurate and you just can't have that all season long.
 



fmlizard said:
It was wild seeing Dobbs yesterday making plays with his feet for the Vikings. I've seen other teams quarterbacks do it before but never a team I follow.
Click to expand...
You mean for the Vikings, or you including the Gophers too?
 

Texan Gopher said:
Some here know me and that I am from MN/SD, but have lived in Cali, Illinois, and New Jersey before moving to Texas 12 years ago.

My wife and I are Texans season ticket holders. What CJ Stroud is doing is making me realize what a true star QB can do for a team.

If, if the Gophers can have their "Drew Brees" or their "Russell Wilson" etc just for a few years, it will be the high point of our fandom.

It is finally occuring to me what a star QB can do for the chemistry, culture, and the simple fun level.and belief level in the fans.

I am anxiously awaiting the day where my fellow Gopher fans can feel what that is like.

Damn is it fun to watch your team play when they have a special.talent at the QB position.
Click to expand...
While I can agree that a better qb would have gotten us a couple more wins in our conference this year let’s not kid ourselves that a star qb would cure all that ails this team. USC has now slid right out of the top 25 with the biggest star qb in college football this year.
 

PMWinSTP said:
Please elaborate.
Click to expand...

I'll bite. Leidner level play would have won us 2 more games.

(I posted the below in another thread, but it did surprise me)
------
A comparison of Mitch and Athan through their first 14 games:

Mitch Leidner = (132/247) 53%, 2064 yds, 13 tds, 9 ints || 183 car, 815 yds, 15 tds
Athan Kaliakmanis = (171/316) 54%, 2236 yds, 13 tds, 11 ints || 57 car, 79yds, 2 tds

Mitch W-L (starts)
2013 = 2-2 (0-2)
2014 = 7-3 (5-2) (Iowa 51-14, @Michigan 30-14)

Athan W-L (starts)
2022 = 3-2 (2-1) (@Wisc 23-16)
2023 = 5-4 (3-3) (@ iowa 12-10)

Mitch's next two games (2014):
95 yds pass || 54 yds rush 2tds = @14Wisc. on game 17.
258 yds pass 2tds || -10 yds rush = 16Missouri at the Citrus Bowl.


Athan's next two games:
We'll find out?

Thoughts:
1 - I think the quality of opponents were about the same for both QBs. Mitch played tOSU and Michigan 2x during this span.
2 - Even by strictly passing stats, Mitch outplays Athan. If we include Mitch's rushing game, heh, ouch there is no comparison. Mitch was vastly better.
3 - These are just stats. I'm not saying that Athan's ceiling is low. He had a better game today but there were some huge mistakes. He's a college QB though, I get it. I'm hoping these are moments he learns from and becomes great. But so far, he's far worse than Leidner.
 

Correct. QB play has flat out been the #1 weakness of this team this year.

And it's weird because he seems to have a lot to work with physical. Maybe it isn't his physical abilities that are the problem?
 

Go Gophs said:
Give me any single one of Mason's QB's coupled with the rest of what PJ has had going since he's been here and we flat out have 2-4 BT West titles. Tanner had one good year. This kid looks mid major.
Competence at the #1 position on the field is a must. Tanner Morgan was at least competent his whole time here.
To really win big though, you need a guy that is a top 1/3 of the conference QB. We haven't had one of those here since Mason.
To be honest, I am getting close to being done with AK. I think he has lots of talent, but I just don't see much thinking going on with him, or attempts to change and get better by him. He's extremely inaccurate and you just can't have that all season long.
Click to expand...
Mase was always a D-Cordinator away from having a great run. Had the offense downpat with his mobile QBs.
 

kisarazu said:
I'll bite. Leidner level play would have won us 2 more games.

(I posted the below in another thread, but it did surprise me)
------
A comparison of Mitch and Athan through their first 14 games:

Mitch Leidner = (132/247) 53%, 2064 yds, 13 tds, 9 ints || 183 car, 815 yds, 15 tds
Athan Kaliakmanis = (171/316) 54%, 2236 yds, 13 tds, 11 ints || 57 car, 79yds, 2 tds

Mitch W-L (starts)
2013 = 2-2 (0-2)
2014 = 7-3 (5-2) (Iowa 51-14, @Michigan 30-14)

Athan W-L (starts)
2022 = 3-2 (2-1) (@Wisc 23-16)
2023 = 5-4 (3-3) (@ iowa 12-10)

Mitch's next two games (2014):
95 yds pass || 54 yds rush 2tds = @14Wisc. on game 17.
258 yds pass 2tds || -10 yds rush = 16Missouri at the Citrus Bowl.


Athan's next two games:
We'll find out?

Thoughts:
1 - I think the quality of opponents were about the same for both QBs. Mitch played tOSU and Michigan 2x during this span.
2 - Even by strictly passing stats, Mitch outplays Athan. If we include Mitch's rushing game, heh, ouch there is no comparison. Mitch was vastly better.
3 - These are just stats. I'm not saying that Athan's ceiling is low. He had a better game today but there were some huge mistakes. He's a college QB though, I get it. I'm hoping these are moments he learns from and becomes great. But so far, he's far worse than Leidner.
Click to expand...
See posts #5 and #7.
 

fmlizard said:
It was wild seeing Dobbs yesterday making plays with his feet for the Vikings. I've seen other teams quarterbacks do it before but never a team I follow.
Click to expand...

Leidner for the Gophs was a good runner, especially his first couple years - it probably doesn't register because the pass gaming was below par in the Kill years. For the Vikes, you have to go back a ways, but Culpepper and Cunningham were very good runners.
 

Panthadad2 said:
Leidner for the Gophs was a good runner, especially his first couple years - it probably doesn't register because the pass gaming was below par in the Kill years. For the Vikes, you have to go back a ways, but Culpepper and Cunningham were very good runners.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't call Leidner a particularly good runner. He was fine, but extremely tough. The difference is that the coaching staff made that part of the game plan. At the very least, the defense had to account for him.
 

Go Gophs said:
Correct. QB play has flat out been the #1 weakness of this team this year.

And it's weird because he seems to have a lot to work with physical. Maybe it isn't his physical abilities that are the problem?
Click to expand...
I also think that the throws he struggles with are the reason the play calling is limited for passing tree and spreading the ball around. The Spann-Ford TD was a nice play, but with Athan and BSF it was kind of an all or nothing as he hasn't continuously hit on those type of throws or they get dropped. Again he completes just over 50% of his throws at 54.1%. That 122nd in NCAA football. Crazy part is that WI, IA and Rutgers current starters are worse. We've have 6 straight games with a completion of 30+ yrds, however his pocket and pocket presence has to be very clean to get our couple deep shots per game.
 

I'm of the opinion that no position sees a larger drop-off from NFL to the NCAAF level than the quarterback position. You just don't see that many quarterbacks that tear up opposing defenses at the college level. Obviously there are exceptions but is that more a function of the B1G west or the talent level at large? It just looks so much more stiff and programmed in the NCAAF.
 


Hates Monikers said:
I wouldn't call Leidner a particularly good runner. He was fine, but extremely tough. The difference is that the coaching staff made that part of the game plan. At the very least, the defense had to account for him.
Click to expand...
Mitch was the runner who could keep a drive going here or there or run a diversion at the goal line.

But I agree it wasn’t a weapon you could just deploy.
 

It sucks that Minny high school football can't be counted on to keep the U supplied with great in-state QBs. I mean, we've just gotten VERY little in that respect.
 

To the OP's point - look at what the transfer QB did for Illinois last year. He made a big difference in their season.
 


Hates Monikers said:
I wouldn't call Leidner a particularly good runner. He was fine, but extremely tough. The difference is that the coaching staff made that part of the game plan. At the very least, the defense had to account for him.
Click to expand...
Mitch Leidner was exactly as you would imagine a Gopher QB running the ball. Gritty, powerful, and courageous running in an array of sneaks, dives, and scrambles with a surprisingly high number of career rushing TDs (33) and a plodding average of 3.3 YPC. A 2-star brother of an offensive tackle giving it all he has.

What would happen if the Gophers had a QB who was a 1,000+ yard rushing type in the modern era?
 

fmlizard said:
Mitch Leidner was exactly as you would imagine a Gopher QB running the ball. Gritty, powerful, and courageous running in an array of sneaks, dives, and scrambles with a surprisingly high number of career rushing TDs (33) and a plodding average of 3.3 YPC. A 2-star brother of an offensive tackle giving it all he has.

What would happen if the Gophers had a QB who was a 1,000+ yard rushing type in the modern era?
Click to expand...
High odds he would not be even a serviceable passer, so Gophs would see a lot of 8-man fronts, would be hard to get down more than 10 points and win, and would probably mean a whole lot of 6-6 seasons or worse.
 

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