Morgan being evaluated for a possible concussion.

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hello-world said:
Yes, you most certainly can recover to 'degrees', from concussion.
No, it isn't binary.

The staff should hold him out regardless of whether he is medically cleared.
Tua was medically cleared and running around hobbled ended up with one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can suffer.

It makes no sense to throw someone with a brain injury out on the field before the full 10 day recovery period is up.

The Gophers should win this game without him, and if they lose because of that then I don't care.

He's going to be here for at least 2 more years. Missing one game to make sure he doesn't re-injure himself is more than worth it.
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This. Honestly, I don't care if they lose to both Northwestern and Wisconsin because of this. I'd rather have him back for the bowl game 100% and have a chance to win than risk one of these two games and have him out of the bowl game and causing them to get crushed in said game.

The Gophers have been extremely lucky to this point with injuries and it was only a matter of time until one of these came up. Honestly, if this would have happened earlier in the season, who's to say they would still be 9-1 at this point? If it happened to more players, who's to say they wouldn't be closer to .500?

Honestly, it's not worth risking him for this week. Same goes for next week. He hopefully, and normally should, be ready by the bowl game.
 

MnplsGopher said:
Should not play this week.

But at least I respect the right for you to have an opinion. You don't have the respect for the right to free speech, so cheerished by this country. That is shameful.
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Respecting the right of opinion is basic - good point. Lots of unnecessary sniping and insulting going on lately here. We are all Gopher fans.
 


There are minor injuries that someone can play through - let's say someone is 80% with an ankle, depending on the position, they can tape it up and play if they can handle the pain/discomfort while being reasonably productive.

and then there are injuries that you can not and should not try to play through - especially at the college level. these players are not pros, and should be be treated like a pro. if there is any doubt, and I mean 1% of doubt, you do not rush someone back from a concussion. that decision should and must be made by medical personnel. the coach should have no role in that decision.

As far as the back-ups, if the team has a 3 or 4-TD lead in a non-conf game, I would very much want to see a backup QB in there - with the proviso that you must let them run the regular offense. put them out there in a game situation and see how they do. if Clark or Kramer had played one quarter in game conditions running the whole offense, I - and I suspect most fans - would feel a lot better about the prospect of one of them starting on Saturday.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I love how sure some are as to whether he should or should not start when they have zero information as to how he is actually doing.

If he is symptom free, feeling good and has had enough time to get ready for the game I would bet they will play him. If things are lingering or he doesn't get cleared until late in the week he will probably be out or serve as an emergency backup.

In spite of how sure some in here are as to his exact condition, I plan to just wait until we have some actual information before I declare what I think is best for Tanner. :)
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The statement in bold is why I think Tanner sits out, I just don't think he'll have enough time to prepare, remember part of the protocol would keep him from film study.
 


nsmike said:
The statement in bold is why I think Tanner sits out, I just don't think he'll have enough time to prepare, remember part of the protocol would keep him from film study.
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Maybe he can spend more time focusing and studying Wisconsin then? That could be the only way I see it as a blessing in disguise, but they need to win on Saturday without him for that to be possible.
 


Problem with concussions is that it's physical and mental injury. Part of the protocol would be to limit brain activity to help the recovery process. That means not only not taking reps in physical practice, but he could be not able to endure even tape study and other non physical mental prep. The only way I could see him playing this week is if he went into the protocol and they determined he did not have a concussion.
 




A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Do you really feel that a handful of reps in the limited amount of garbage time that was available would make those guys better?
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Not sure why this is hard for you to understand. Playing against an opponent who would like to flatten you in a real game is very different than practice, even when it is as you call it “garbage time”. It is still a real game at real-game speed. It’s the same reason why basketball coaches try to get young players experience against lesser opponents during “garbage time”. This should not be hard to understand.
 


As Fleck stated yesterday. Kramer and Clark have been splitting the grooming of the back-up quarterback. They have been running the game plans every week. It's not like they are the scout team QB. They have both been on the field this year, both went through spring practice, and both are in week 16 of the season/practice. I'm not concerned that they can do the job.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
There are minor injuries that someone can play through - let's say someone is 80% with an ankle, depending on the position, they can tape it up and play if they can handle the pain/discomfort while being reasonably productive.

and then there are injuries that you can not and should not try to play through - especially at the college level. these players are not pros, and should be be treated like a pro. if there is any doubt, and I mean 1% of doubt, you do not rush someone back from a concussion. that decision should and must be made by medical personnel. the coach should have no role in that decision.

As far as the back-ups, if the team has a 3 or 4-TD lead in a non-conf game, I would very much want to see a backup QB in there - with the proviso that you must let them run the regular offense. put them out there in a game situation and see how they do. if Clark or Kramer had played one quarter in game conditions running the whole offense, I - and I suspect most fans - would feel a lot better about the prospect of one of them starting on Saturday.
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Bingo. Well said, and I wish the staff had given the backups more time, and as you said, running the regular offense.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
There are minor injuries that someone can play through - let's say someone is 80% with an ankle, depending on the position, they can tape it up and play if they can handle the pain/discomfort while being reasonably productive.

and then there are injuries that you can not and should not try to play through - especially at the college level. these players are not pros, and should be be treated like a pro. if there is any doubt, and I mean 1% of doubt, you do not rush someone back from a concussion. that decision should and must be made by medical personnel. the coach should have no role in that decision.

As far as the back-ups, if the team has a 3 or 4-TD lead in a non-conf game, I would very much want to see a backup QB in there - with the proviso that you must let them run the regular offense. put them out there in a game situation and see how they do. if Clark or Kramer had played one quarter in game conditions running the whole offense, I - and I suspect most fans - would feel a lot better about the prospect of one of them starting on Saturday.
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The entire reason the concussion protocol was created was to take the decision out of the hands of the coaches and put it in the hands of the medical professionals. Which is why I don't understand the people saying you don't play him even if he is cleared. If the medical professionals clear him and he is ready to play I see no issue with sending him out there.

As for the backups, if you play them for an entire quarter, running the full offense in garbage time the only things you truly accomplish are giving future opposing defenses more film to study and you make yourself look like a jack a$$ for trying to run up the score. The fans might feel a little better because they have seen the backup play, but I don't think it would do much of anything for the QB himself.
 

If Annexstad had not had his injury, we wouldn't even be discussing this right now as there would be
minimal drop-off, if any, from Morgan. The two were basically neck and neck for quite a while.

Still, that being what it is, I would imagine that there are several teams out there who wish they had a Clark or Kramer ready to jump in right now. Provided the rest of the team rallies around them to compensate for Morgan's absence, as happens frequently, I think the Gophers should be fine. Maybe not stellar, but fine.
 

metrolax said:
If Annexstad had not had his injury, we wouldn't even be discussing this right now as there would be
minimal drop-off, if any, from Morgan. The two were basically neck and neck for quite a while.

Still, that being what it is, I would imagine that there are several teams out there who wish they had a Clark or Kramer ready to jump in right now. Provided the rest of the team rallies around them to compensate for Morgan's absence, as happens frequently, I think the Gophers should be fine. Maybe not stellar, but fine.
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Yeah it's rough that Zack isn't available. I'd like nothing more than to give Tanner all the time in the world, give Zack a run at Northwestern, and if he is doing well / Tanner needs time, let him feast on Wisc too.
 

amk8930 said:
This. Honestly, I don't care if they lose to both Northwestern and Wisconsin because of this. I'd rather have him back for the bowl game 100% and have a chance to win than risk one of these two games and have him out of the bowl game and causing them to get crushed in said game.
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You care more about a bowl game than winning the Big Ten? K.
 

I think if Morgan does not play it might actually be beneficial. Now I would of course prefer a healthy Morgan slingin it out there in Evanston, however, if he is not 1000% healthy why risk it?? This is basically a glorified practice in terms of post season position. Northwestern is always a tough team to play but even if we lose, the Wisconsin game is already a defacto B1G West championship due to tie breakers. The only thing that would change that is if Purdue wins in Madison, not gonna happen. Rest Morgan, give Clark/Kramer experience and we still might win. It all comes down to the Axe game.
 


metrolax said:
If Annexstad had not had his injury, we wouldn't even be discussing this right now as there would be
minimal drop-off, if any, from Morgan. The two were basically neck and neck for quite a while.

Still, that being what it is, I would imagine that there are several teams out there who wish they had a Clark or Kramer ready to jump in right now. Provided the rest of the team rallies around them to compensate for Morgan's absence, as happens frequently, I think the Gophers should be fine. Maybe not stellar, but fine.
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Ummm.... I really hope Annexsted is just as good as Morgan, but I’m not sure that the case after what Morgan has accomplished this year.
 

A player under the new system basically doesn’t lose his redshirt until he graduates.

Clark or Kramer could play 4 games or less next year or the year after or the year after that and their redshirt is just as intact as it is today.
 

I don’t understand those who are complaining about Kramer and Clark not running the full offense in mop up time. We’ve all seen how fast a 3 score lead can evaporate in college football, and there were only a few games like that anyway. I don’t view a game as out of reach unless there’s a 3 score difference with less than 3 minutes left. I think PJ thinks like that too. Regardless, it’s not like they were going to send Kramer out in the 4Q of the Maryland game and start slinging it around. Who does that?
 

Bordergopher said:
Bingo. Well said, and I wish the staff had given the backups more time, and as you said, running the regular offense.
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Well yes and no. If we were to play them more often then we would have burned their red shirts for sure If that is what we wanted to do then so be it. Or perhaps burn one of them throughout the year. However does that create a grudge from one player over the other?
 

If you are fighting for CFP rankings (which up until Saturday we definitely were, and by most opinions, we still are) margin of victory matters.

I have no issue with playing Tanner as much as we did so far.
The only odd part was the one game where both Clark and Kraemer played.

We have big issues next year if both of them enter 4 games or more behind Zack and Tanner.

Plenty of opportunity for both to redshirt over the next two-three years. Even if one is a backup for the other and we never get any other new QB's recruited, one should play in less than 4 games during one of the next 3 years.
 


MNVCGUY said:
The entire reason the concussion protocol was created was to take the decision out of the hands of the coaches and put it in the hands of the medical professionals. Which is why I don't understand the people saying you don't play him even if he is cleared. If the medical professionals clear him and he is ready to play I see no issue with sending him out there.

As for the backups, if you play them for an entire quarter, running the full offense in garbage time the only things you truly accomplish are giving future opposing defenses more film to study and you make yourself look like a jack a$$ for trying to run up the score. The fans might feel a little better because they have seen the backup play, but I don't think it would do much of anything for the QB himself.
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If your backup is the one running the offense, your not trying to run up the score. If the backup is in running the same plays for a quarter, other teams already have 3 quarters of the offense. It’s not like they’re going to pull out a bunch of new plays to give anything else away. Run the same plays you’ve been running. It’s really not that hard.
 

NW beat writer on the Skor North podcast: "If Minnesota shows up, they'll win." I hope Morgan is OK, but man, people are way too nervous about this game. It's like the Maryland talent truthers the week of that game. NW is horrible. Their QB went 7-13 with 2 INT's against the worst FBS defense maybe in history last week. Let that sink in.

If you're worried about NW's 38ish nationally ranked defense crowding the box to stop our run game while we've got 2 NFL WR's running around, consider that we'll be doing the same to them with our top 25ish defense (that probably includes 3 NFL draft picks) against the QB described above who's throwing to nobody. Dudes, MN is gonna win. Relax.
 

MGGopher said:
NW beat writer on the Skor North podcast: "If Minnesota shows up, they'll win." I hope Morgan is OK, but man, people are way too nervous about this game. It's like the Maryland talent truthers the week of that game. NW is horrible. Their QB went 7-13 with 2 INT's against the worst FBS defense maybe in history last week. Let that sink in.

If you're worried about NW's 38ish nationally ranked defense crowding the box to stop our run game while we've got 2 NFL WR's running around, consider that we'll be doing the same to them with our top 25ish defense (that probably includes 3 NFL draft picks) against the QB described above who's throwing to nobody. Dudes, MN is gonna win. Relax.
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I firmly believe we could run a full game of wildcat and beat jNW.
 


Jeshurun said:
I firmly believe we could run a full game of wildcat and beat jNW.
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Georgia probably thought the same thing about South Carolina. Hope the players and staff are taking this more seriously than you.
 

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