Official "Mitch Leidner is not a division one QB" thread

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Spoofin said:
Old News. I reported on GH last Sunday that Demry would play this Saturday.
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Here's a question: With how all that seems to be happening...(not getting into it again) has Mitch reached the frustration point of saying....fine let Croft play...if he can do better...great! But, if he can't then shut up because there is more to our offense struggling than just the quarterback struggling. Kind of like being threatened all the time...fine if you're going to do it...then do it... lets deal with it. Dunno?
I guess part of that answer would be how much pressure he feels from Croft's ability.
 

60's Guy said:
Here's a question: With how all that seems to be happening...(not getting into it again) has Mitch reached the frustration point of saying....fine let Croft play...if he can do better...great! But, if he can't then shut up because there is more to our offense struggling than just the quarterback struggling. Kind of like being threatened all the time...fine if you're going to do it...then do it... lets deal with it. Dunno?
I guess part of that answer would be how much pressure he feels from Croft's ability.
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Is there any reason to think Mitch is throwing a fit or such? (seriously I wouldn't know) Mitch came up under Nelson, he knew how competition worked, didn't seem to be an issue then. You can see from his reaction on the field he knows when he misses a guy. His play is one thing but he seems to always have handled himself well otherwise.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Is there any reason to think Mitch is throwing a fit or such? (seriously I wouldn't know) Mitch came up under Nelson, he knew how competition worked, didn't seem to be an issue then. You can see from his reaction on the field he knows when he misses a guy. His play is one thing but he seems to always have handled himself well otherwise.
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Not suggesting in any way Mitch is anything but a great teammate. Not suggesting he is "throwing a fit" for goodness sakes. I'm saying he is not playing relaxed, confident and up to his capabilities. I'm not in the camp that says he has no capabilities. He is inconsistent and isn't playing like it's fun. He started out playing like a guy enjoying himself and to me was a more effective teammate/leader with that personality. That's all. Zulgad sees the difference in his column how Mitch is being coached lately...it's different. If I was Leidner I 'd wonder what's going on...that's all I'm saying. As a result of that it's harder to play well.

I guess the easiest way I can try to explain what I'm trying to say it is that I didn't get the need for glowing comments about Croft before the Kent State game or the mind games of warming him up during the game. Now, I don't get the silence about backing Mitch. I think we all maybe know that threats don't work as a coaching motivation tool. Competition is good. Verbal threats and corresponding actions from the coach not so much. Even if all involved know Croft is playing Saturday...it's just not how I think it should be done. If he's not playing...then what in the world are you doing?
 

Fifteen years ago this would have been an easy question to answer,

Mitch Leidner is the Gophers starting quarterback.
The Gophers compete in Division 1.

Ergo, Mitch Leidner is a Division 1 quarterback.

Now they play in FBS. Trick question?
 

LakerFan said:
He's not acting this way publicly without a reason. He either feels it will help in his development to put pressure on him now, or he is at the point where this is Mitch's last chance and coddling him now can't help him. No player on the team got more psychological build up and support than Mitch Leidner, entire staff went out of their way to talk about Mitch as THE guy and THE leader and THE second coming of Peyton Manning. Mitch has an okay game against TCU, support continued. Mitch lays an egg in the first half of the CSU game but comes back strong in the second half, support continued. Mitch throws 2 bad INT's in the first half against a weak opponent at home, still his job to lose, but now you have to start covering your bets. Maybe you start pressuring to see if he responds positively to that since his response to support is not what you hoped for.
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I think your assessment is solid, except for the bold part.
 


I am still going with him being over coached and afraid of making a mistake. He tries to steer the ball instead of just throwing it on the easier plays and early in the game. He is money on the roll outs and later when he plays more instinctive. He just needs to relax and just play.


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I think the first kid at the training table on Saturday morning should get the job. Even if that person is on the women's row team. That way, we can test the theory that somebody new can do the job. We will satisfy another title requirement. And, we will have a warrior on the field. :rolleyes:
 

killme said:
I think your assessment is solid, except for the bold part.
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I'll admit they stopped short of actually saying he was the second coming of Peyton Manning, that was hyperbole on my part, but the inference that he learned something "special" at the Manning camp was laid on thick and often. I think it's healthy if the coaching staff is letting Mitch know his job is on the line (which it always is anyway). There is some hope that that will actually work because Mitch has at times seemed to play better under pressure, his real problems seem to be consistency when the pressure is off.
 

coach speak is by and large BS.

what's strange is Mitcheroo has played much worse than these 3 games in 2015 but there wasn't this level of fan angst in 2013 or 2014. Well, i had the angst but many of you did not.

note:
I am prepared for the 'Mitch got dinged in the Colorado St game and that was still limiting Mitch in the Kent & Ohio game so we brought in the backup.' coach speak
 



LakerFan said:
I'll admit they stopped short of actually saying he was the second coming of Peyton Manning, that was hyperbole on my part, but the inference that he learned something "special" at the Manning camp was laid on thick and often. I think it's healthy if the coaching staff is letting Mitch know his job is on the line (which it always is anyway). There is some hope that that will actually work because Mitch has at times seemed to play better under pressure, his real problems seem to be consistency when the pressure is off.
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Another elaboration on your previous post that has potential. QB is a tough job and has so many variables. More than any other football position, errors by one of the other 10 guys exposes him. When the QB is on, he can make plays to overcome those things, and he hasn't been able to do it often this year. Mitch also has had his own blunders and receivers aren't making many plays to overcome. The offense has looked out of sync, and the coaches' comments about simplifying things stood out to me. We want to be explosive, but we're just enough "off" to miss opportunities. A couple of big chunk plays might jump start things.
 

60's Guy said:
Not suggesting in any way Mitch is anything but a great teammate. Not suggesting he is "throwing a fit" for goodness sakes. I'm saying he is not playing relaxed, confident and up to his capabilities. I'm not in the camp that says he has no capabilities. He is inconsistent and isn't playing like it's fun. He started out playing like a guy enjoying himself and to me was a more effective teammate/leader with that personality. That's all. Zulgad sees the difference in his column how Mitch is being coached lately...it's different. If I was Leidner I 'd wonder what's going on...that's all I'm saying. As a result of that it's harder to play well.

I guess the easiest way I can try to explain what I'm trying to say it is that I didn't get the need for glowing comments about Croft before the Kent State game or the mind games of warming him up during the game. Now, I don't get the silence about backing Mitch. I think we all maybe know that threats don't work as a coaching motivation tool. Competition is good. Verbal threats and corresponding actions from the coach not so much. Even if all involved know Croft is playing Saturday...it's just not how I think it should be done. If he's not playing...then what in the world are you doing?
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Yeah I see what you're saying. I think Jerry & Co. just by their nature are really hesitant to toss out anything that seems critical at specific athletes.... except maybe for real disciplinary stuff and even then they're vague. That's not to say they're that way in private (I've heard they can be plenty harsh), just that they are extra careful in public.

I don't know if the Croft praise is so much motivational or part of a larger strategy as much as .... folks keep asking them and they aren't going to pass up a chance to praise a dude either.

Makes for a mixed picture but that is kinda how the team is ;)
 

wait!what? said:
what's strange is Mitcheroo has played much worse than these 3 games in 2015 but there wasn't this level of fan angst in 2013 or 2014. Well, i had the angst but many of you did not.

note:
I am prepared for the 'Mitch got dinged in the Colorado St game and that was still limiting Mitch in the Kent & Ohio game so we brought in the backup.' coach speak
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nailed it.
 







Seems to be the talker of today.


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One bad game and they'll be back. Again, folks feel a need to declare him "good" or "bad" rather then just accept that he is inconsistent. We'll go thru the same s**t next year.
 

FWIW, in the coaches press conferences today (Tuesday) Limegrover said Leidner was "as healthy as he's been all year." I don't remember any "official" announcement of an injury, but the coaches certainly seem to be suggesting that he was playing hurt.

I know there's been a lot of doom and gloom after the Michigan game, but you look at what they've done with the pass game the last two weeks - look at the potential of Smith and Brooks at RB - Lingen at TE - Still at WR - and think about getting Plsek and Duke A. back at TE next year, plus a year of development for the younger WR's, and this could be a fun offense next year. BUT - it all hinges on the O-Line. If they can solidify the O-line, I am very hopeful the Offense takes a step forward next year. And - Croft will be a year older and stronger, and hopefully ready to contribute - maybe as a change-of-pace or to give Leidner a break.
 

I think it's a bit premature to declare ml7 our savior. Hopefully I'm wrong but I'm guessing most who are posting here this week won't be anywhere near this thread next week.
 

MNGoldenGophers1 said:
I think it's a bit premature to declare ml7 our savior. Hopefully I'm wrong but I'm guessing most who are posting here this week won't be anywhere near this thread next week.
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Did you even read the new posts?
 

Mitch is currently #7 (fitting) in passing yards in the Big Ten.
 




I predicted (hoped) that as the season progressed Mitch would look like an All-B1G QB. The last couple of weeks, he looked that good to me. His resume continues to grow with numerous 4th quarter clutch plays and passes. He's tough, a good leader, and threw the ball really well after a bye week to get healthier. He'll have some bad throws, maybe even some sub-par games, but I think he is really on the rise and will continue to do so. If that happens, it contradicts the popular school of thought that this staff can't develop QBs.
 



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