I don't see the numbers working out for Weber. We absolutely need a full time O line coach. This position is clearly one of our biggest issues and it's one of the biggest units, if not the biggest. It sure looked like Weber was a huge help to the team, but don't know where we find the opening. Maybe we pay him an assistant trainer or something. It wouldn't let him recruit but he could work with the QB's.
Leidner
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On the first play of that drive Leidner hit Lingen for seven. Seems like a chance on 2nd and 3.
Couldn't you pick out a drive like that in every game ever played?
3rd and 9 in first quarter / complete to Lingen for 10
3rd and 3 in second quarter / complete to Maye for 9
3rd and 6 in second quarter / complete to Maye for 7
-----AFTER GETTING STOPPED on FOURTH DOWN-----
3rd and 7 in fourth quarter / complete to Maye for 9
3rd and 3 in fourth quarter / rush for 7
3rd and 3 in fourth quarter / rush for 13 and TD
Doesn't serviceable equal average?
Otis
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We did play Central Michigan right?
3 of their four Regular season loses were to Power 5 Conference Teams, Syracuse in OT, OSU, and Michigan State. They also lost to Toledo which made a bowl game themselves.
Leidner did well putting up 21 pts on the team that held OSU to 24.
Don't let the directional University name make you think his performance was expected due to the competition.
3 of their four Regular season loses were to Power 5 Conference Teams, Syracuse in OT, OSU, and Michigan State. They also lost to Toledo which made a bowl game themselves.
Leidner did well putting up 21 pts on the team that held OSU to 24.
Don't let the directional University name make you think his performance was expected due to the competition.
Ski U Mah Gopher
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If I'm not mistaken, that pass was also short of the sticks (I think one yard), but was put in a position where KJ could pick up the 1st down.
You are correct. Maye slipped a tackle while making the grab.
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I'm not going I laud him for throwing beyond the sticks on 3rd down, so these examples don't do anything for me. He made a couple of great reads on the read-option on his final drive, but again, that does nothing for me when I'm wondering if he is capable of making good decisions throwing the ball.
I don't care to label him as below average, average, or above average. There are things he does well and things that kill momentum. Sometimes those good and bad things change game to game. From where I am sitting, his game to game inconsistency and poor decision making can ruin a week's worth of game planning because you don't know if he will perform.
Not trying to bash him after a great win. He made a lot happen on that final scoring drive. I just am responding to the posters who point to an 80% completion rate and act like he did no wrong. He may have not missed on many throws, but that doesn't necessarily make them good throws.
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Kuato Lives!
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What more do you want? No one is saying he was perfect. No college QB is. But if you still find the need to nitpick over an 80% completion percentage (80!) you have an agenda.
HoustonTXGopher
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You are spot on with this assessment. Leidner had a couple guys wide open and made poor decisions. What really frustrates me though is the amount of times receivers make catches on poorly thrown balls that had they been put where they should be the receiver then has plenty of room to run. Example: Lingen made a catch that he had to go down to make with at least 15-20 yards of running room ahead of him and this happens all the time. Mitch has certainly improved but he still drives me to drink when I watch him. Our future is bright! Go Gophers
mnsportsgeek
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Some people expect college athletes to play like pros. Can't help those people.
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Yes I did, and it was textbook wet blanket posting. "He may have only missed 4 passes but see guys they weren't good passes!" 80% completion percentage on 30 attempts is pretty damn good and trying to point out that he wasn't perfect (cmon, who is) is nothing more than nitpicking. regardless if you claim you aren't judging him.
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This. Some fans have unrealistic expectations for college qbs.
Textbook "wet blanket posting"? I'm sorry if I am spoiling your fun by assessing what I saw. 80% really is pretty damn good, but it's a shame it only ended up in 21 points. And I don't consider pointing out flaws to be nitpicking when those same flaws have been clear trends the entire season.
Go on now and continue today, I'm not here to ruin the fun of the bowl win. I'm actually quite content, myself.
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Oregon Gopher
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Throwing beyond the sticks is as much the responsibility of the receiver as the QB. Receivers need to know on a curl or out route where the sticks are- the qb trusts them to run the proper depth.
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This argument kind of sucks. I love to watch guys progress, improve, and learn over the course of 4 years. I have no "expectations". This team owes me nothing, thus I don't expect or demand a thing. I do however, hope they represent my school well. But I'm also not a homer, and I'm not gonna set the bar of qb play based on what we currently have. What's wrong with discussing how the incumbent can improve?
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GopherinFlorida
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We are losing a Quality Control guy to NIU (I think), so Weber could do that. He could also remain a graduate assistant another year...not sure if he finished his masters this year. Regardless of where, if TC wants him to stick around and Weber wants to stay, they can find a place.
mnsportsgeek
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How does it suck? How many quarterbacks make it to the next level each year? 10? That might be generous. Can Mitch be better? Sure. Should we expect more out of a Gopher QB? Absolutely, our athletes should always be pushed to improved. However, history says this season is one of the better ones. You're nitpicking a guy holding a ball to long and throwing short of the marker on 3rd down. Stuff that happens regularly at the highest level of football.
Mitch isn't going to the NFL. Stop expecting him to play like he is. He has stuff to work on, but when you nitpick games like yesterday you lose all your credibility. He threw for 60% completion this year, 2700 yards, and 14 touchdowns. I'd like to see 5-7 interceptions instead of 11. If you're pissed about him taking sacks, then I don't know how to help you. 16 sacks this year is pretty good. Hackenburg was sacked 38 times.
46Gophers
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Agree with what has been said. He had a good game yesterday albeit against a mediocre football team. I was very excited last year after our bowl game and was encouraged that he was showing great improvement and looking forward to this season. Unfortunately his mechanics and decision making regressed horribly early in the year. He did improve over the second half of this year so here I sit again cautiously optimistic. Mitch has never had great mechanics, is not the best at reading coverages, does not have the best pocket presence or great accuracy, and has slowed in his ability to run with the ball but he is an extremely tough competitor and a great leader. Because of his deficiencies I don't think he'll ever be a great quarterback, however, his strengths will allow him to lead the team to some great victories. Here is to hoping that we get "2nd half of the year Mitch" to start next year and his consistent play and strong leadership leads us to a Big10 West crown and a shot at the Big10 title.
Some people seem to be SO offended by Leidner's poor play in the past that they refuse to acknowledge he has been a work in progress since he first stepped on campus and his progress under incredible pressure has been impressive.
YES, Leidner's progress has been impressive.
He's fought through awful injuries, beaten rivals, won lots of games, will set many records statistically before he's done, and he's done all of that while taking crap from idiot fans who expect the second coming of Joe Montana or they'll boo the crap out the QB.
His games from Purdue on were mind boggling considering where he came from in 2013, and how beat to hell this team was up front this season.
He's done it all with a gritty determined stiff upper lip and goes into 2016 maybe being the best modern day QB in the program's history.
Name one better? I can't considering the surrounding cast.
No Barber/Maroney/Mason ground game to fall back on, no Decker, no Maxx.
He'll probably get even better next year if the new OC can take the pressure off him with a more creative running game, and when his foot heals from yet another surgery.
stocker08
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True. If nobody else is open.....the QB needs to make the throw and leave it up to receiver to make a play (like Maye did) for a few extra yards. Better to complete a pass short of the first than to take a sack or force a pass that lands incomplete or worse.
mnsportsgeek
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Fun fact: He's about 2300 yards away from 2nd most passing yards in Gopher History and 3121 away from catching Adam Webber. He can make a run at it although it would take a pretty special season.
Vandy
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+1 !!!
short ornery norwegian
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If "he wasn't perfect" is your idea of QB analysis, then you could post the same thing after every FB game played at every level.
Yes, Leidner is not a perfect QB, but I certainly think he showed improvement this year. I thought in the bowl game, there was clear improvement in his throwing mechanics - leading to the nicer spirals that many mentioned. It certainly seems as if Leidner benefited from his work with Adam Weber (and did not benefit from his work with the previous QB coach?).
And, no QB is an island. An offense needs 11 players working in rhythm to be successful - the OL, TE's, WR, RB's and QB. The Gophs still had too many 1- and 2-yard runs for my taste. Hopefully a combination of a new OL coach and some new linemen will improve that situation. But, I no longer cringe or cover my eyes when Leidner has a 3rd-and-long; instead, I wonder "who is he going to hit for the 1st down?"
My biggest concern is the loss of KJ Maye. He was without question the best WR on the team, and became a security blanket for Leidner - very much like Maxx the previous year. Who will fill that role next season?
Yes, Leidner is not a perfect QB, but I certainly think he showed improvement this year. I thought in the bowl game, there was clear improvement in his throwing mechanics - leading to the nicer spirals that many mentioned. It certainly seems as if Leidner benefited from his work with Adam Weber (and did not benefit from his work with the previous QB coach?).
And, no QB is an island. An offense needs 11 players working in rhythm to be successful - the OL, TE's, WR, RB's and QB. The Gophs still had too many 1- and 2-yard runs for my taste. Hopefully a combination of a new OL coach and some new linemen will improve that situation. But, I no longer cringe or cover my eyes when Leidner has a 3rd-and-long; instead, I wonder "who is he going to hit for the 1st down?"
My biggest concern is the loss of KJ Maye. He was without question the best WR on the team, and became a security blanket for Leidner - very much like Maxx the previous year. Who will fill that role next season?
PMWinSTP
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Lingen's defender was right on him...yes behind him but catchable. As many balls dropped on perfect throws as those caught on questionable throws.
PMWinSTP
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I think the point is he has improved. Some don't want to acknowledge that or they think he should have improved even more.
WorkingMyTailOff
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I was pleased with Leidner's play this year as well. Last night he threw some beautiful passes!
Could he have been battling a hand or shoulder injury in the TCU game (the wobbly passes)?
In general when the Oline gave him time he played well. Next year I am hoping for an improvement in Oline play and for Leidner to make quicker decisions.
Could he have been battling a hand or shoulder injury in the TCU game (the wobbly passes)?
In general when the Oline gave him time he played well. Next year I am hoping for an improvement in Oline play and for Leidner to make quicker decisions.
46Gophers
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Not offended by his poor play in the past just concerned with his regression earlier in the year and hoping that he is consistent next year since it could be a special season. I think you need not look any farther than his coach this past year for the answer to your question about a better Qb in modern program history. I would have loved to see Weber surrounded by the talent that this team has and not a carousel of O coordinators and schemes. The 2007-2010 teams struggled. I think Weber has done a great job helping Mitch and I am again optimistic that Mitch will continue to improve and hopefully be hot out the gate to start next season.
46Gophers
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Very much agree with one or more of the WRs and/or TEs stepping up and filling the void left by Maye's graduation.
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He was much improved this season and he did it on a bum leg. Next season if he improves by 1-2 mistakes (interception, fumble, bad sacks that are his fault) per game and improves by 1-2 bad throws per game he could have a very special season. He threw for 2700 yards this year. Almost hit the 60% completion mark. Probably would have if the receivers wouldn't have dropped so many balls this season.
Iceland12
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True. Often when it happens it's a safety valve throw or the defenders won't let the receiver get any farther. Make the throw and get what you can, take the sack or throw it away.
Two of those choices allow critics to whine about the QB.
One other note about Leidner holding on too long. Usually it's because no one is open or he's waiting for one of his guys to "clear" downfield. Pretty frustrating to see him take a sack while he's waiting.
The thing is those sacks usually take place while he's staying in the pocket where he can't just "throw it away". He is between the tackles and it seems it been hammered into him to stay there. Add in the number of defenders coming at him or staying near the line, he can't really get out of that "tackle box" to make that throw away "legal".
If he's rolling out and under major duress he needs to throw it away way more often.
He's not getting that chance.