Marcus Fuller blog: Gray says he is improving as a quarterback

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Gray says he is improving as a quarterback
By Marcus Fuller

Gophers sophomore MarQueis Gray is leading the team in receiving, but he has only played one snap at quarterback this season.

Gray is limited to practice reps at the position he hopes to play next season, but he said he's still improving. He said getting better as a wide receiver is also helping him at quarterback.

"I feel like I'm getting a lot more confidence in everything I do," said Gray, who ranks as the third best receiver in the Big Ten in yards (82.0) and catches a game (5.50), "whether it's throwing and practicing with the quarterbacks or going out there with the receivers each day."

I would like to say I notice improvement as well, but it's hard to really tell when the media is limited to only watching the first 30 minutes of practice. All we can see are a few team walk through drills and some individual workouts. During that time, Gray mostly sticks with the receivers.

I've heard his arm is even stronger than when he first arrived, and it was already impressive last season in his freshman year. Nobody has been able to give me a good read on his accuracy, which isn't surprising because his reps are relatively limited and so is throwing the ball period in a running offense.

One thing that might change Saturday, though, is Gray's involvement in the run game. Coach Tim Brewster talked this week about using Gray as an option quarterback, similar to what Northwestern does with Dan Persa. Maybe he's just trying to fool the Wildcats by leaking out a mock game plan. We'll see. But I hope Gray at least gets some running opportunities. It's definitely time to move him around.

http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2010/10/gray-says-he-is-improving-as-a.html

Go Gophers!!
 


Why, then, does he never get a series or two? Utterly weird. He looked great against Ohio State's scrubs last year, moving the team downfield to a TD with authority and confidence and making most of the big plays himself. Why, after that, he wasn't put on the fielsd in the Illinois, South Dakota State, Iowa and Iowa State games is a total mystery. At least one series per game!!
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
Why, then, does he never get a series or two? Utterly weird. He looked great against Ohio State's scrubs last year, moving the team downfield to a TD with authority and confidence and making most of the big plays himself. Why, after that, he wasn't put on the fielsd in the Illinois, South Dakota State, Iowa and Iowa State games is a total mystery. At least one series per game!!
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Its due to Brewster's love affair with Adam Weber. He doesn't see that a change should be made at the QB position because his ego wont let him admit he made the wrong choice at QB.

He doesn't even want people to believe that they have 2 QB's to use. When doing that makes defenses have to gameplan more knowing we could potentially put a dual threat guy like Gray in.

Brewster will be campaigning for Insert NFL Team Here to bring Weber in for a workout next year.
 

I think playing Gray would be an admission of fault by the Head Coach.
For the life of me I can't think of any reason why he doesn't play QB.
I wonder how many other quarterback stars from that high school all-american game in San Antonio end up being moved to a different position while the starter has struggled?
It just makes no sense...and I'm tired of hearing about Weber's stats. For the most part, he's struggled, just as he did last year.
Get a guy in the game who makes the defense worry!
And if it doesn't work out, then try Weber again. But let's at least give it a chance.
The status quo is obviously not working.
 


I'm pretty sure Gray doesn't play at QB yet because he's still in large part where we saw him last year, when he was unable to make even the simplest read and had virtually no confidence in his own ability to throw the football.

Gray running the option means Gray running the football, at least until I see differently.
 

Keep it simple. Do what we did with AAK, which was basically to call the option in the huddle; i.e., no decision.

Get the ball in Gray's hands.
 

I refuse to believe Gray is as stupid as the Coaches make him out to be...

How could he have played so many years in HS if he can't even remember like 7 plays?
 

RedPoo said:
I'm pretty sure Gray doesn't play at QB yet because he's still in large part where we saw him last year, when he was unable to make even the simplest read and had virtually no confidence in his own ability to throw the football.
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This is pretty much how Weber has played his entire college career. He has made an art form out of locking on to one receiver and throwing into coverage come hell or high water. I assume Gray can do that every bit as well as Weber plus make a good play or two every once in awhile. Gray has a stronger arm than Weber, he can't possibly be less accurate than him, and he is a significantly better runner. We are going to need Gray to play QB next year. Now is the time for him to start getting the experience he is going to need.
 



Gray just wasn't recruited into this kind of offense. We need a consistent, reliable pocket passer/handoff man like John Stocco. AFAIK, we haven't had one of those since Cupito left. Gray as a Jeff Horton QB is a waste of talent. Weber is not very good, but I'd rather have Weber at QB and Gray at WR than Gray at QB, Weber on the bench, and one of the freshman WRs in Gray's place. Weber is a decent scrambler too, if need be -- or even if not...

If the staff is planning on running the same offense next year (who the hell knows), then Gray should be staying at WR. This is where he has the most potential and the best ability to help the team. The staff should be seriously considering bringing in a JUCO QB.
 


Why keep playing a Zach Mills when you have a Michael Robinson in the waiting? That decision set Penn State back two years, and Brewster's decision might have done the same exact thing.
 

Ricky Rowe Zay said:
Its due to Brewster's love affair with Adam Weber. He doesn't see that a change should be made at the QB position because his ego wont let him admit he made the wrong choice at QB.
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LOL

Are you talking about Brad Childress?

Actually, if Brew has a love affair with a Gopher QB, it would logically be with Gray.. Considering he was the kid that Brew recruited and brought to the team. Weber was a redshirt freshman when he was thrown to the wolves Brew's first year. Whom I'm pretty sure didn't recruit Web.

C'mon guys.. Gray was recruited to run/play the spread offense, a la Michigan's Robinson, but because of Jedd Fisch's amazing new offense last year Gray got completely overwhelmed. As did Web, but because Adam had the most experience, he started.

People need to relax, Gray will have 2 great years as the QB of the Minnesota Golden Gophers and one great year as a WR of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. You guys will have your year to pound your chests and exclaim from the mountain tops how right you were about Gray. Until then, lets just watch this kid's play at WR and pontificate whom he would throw to if he were QB this year..
 



I'd keep Gray at reciever. Next year having Gray, Mcknight, Green, and Allen will make one formidable receiving crew. They will be the best in the Big Ten and one of the best in the Nation. I'd put Moses at quarterback. This kid is ready to go and he will be the talk of Spring practice.
 

gold04 said:
I'd keep Gray at reciever. Next year having Gray, Mcknight, Green, and Allen will make one formidable receiving crew. They will be the best in the Big Ten and one of the best in the Nation. I'd put Moses at quarterback. This kid is ready to go and he will be the talk of Spring practice.
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Put down the bong.
 

gold04 said:
I'd keep Gray at reciever. Next year having Gray, Mcknight, Green, and Allen will make one formidable receiving crew. They will be the best in the Big Ten and one of the best in the Nation. I'd put Moses at quarterback. This kid is ready to go and he will be the talk of Spring practice.
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Based on what? You'll be hard pressed to find one other person to agree with any of your opinions.
 

Formo said:
LOL
People need to relax, Gray will have 2 great years as the QB of the Minnesota Golden Gophers and one great year as a WR of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. You guys will have your year to pound your chests and exclaim from the mountain tops how right you were about Gray. Until then, lets just watch this kid's play at WR and pontificate whom he would throw to if he were QB this year..
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The problem with this attitude is that we could have had 3 years of Gray at QB which my have helped us get off to a better start this year. Plus, the one extra year would get him hitting the ground running in his JR year. If he's as great next year as I and many others hope, that will only show how stupid it was to stay with Weber this year.

Playing Gray this year was a win-win situation and we messed it up.
 

jll62 said:
The problem with this attitude is that we could have had 3 years of Gray at QB which my have helped us get off to a better start this year. Plus, the one extra year would get him hitting the ground running in his JR year. If he's as great next year as I and many others hope, that will only show how stupid it was to stay with Weber this year.

Playing Gray this year was a win-win situation and we messed it up.
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I agree it's all most a can't lose sitituation for us to play Gray at QB this year. At this point things can't get much worse so there would be little to no pressure on him as a first time starter. Unfortunately for the seniors it's time to start looking ahead and do whats best for the program and that means playing some underclassman.
 


Gray could probably be the best player on the team at any number of positions.

Is this good or bad?

You decide.

He is awesome. It was obvious from the second he ran right against Air Force and moved the pile four yards by himself.
 


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