Philip Nelson Is Leaving The Gopher Program UPDATED 1/29: Transferring to Rutgers

[diehard]

The difference between any freshman starter and senior starter is immense. We will never know what he would have done as a junior or senior here.

I am excited to see what steps forward Leidner makes from Freshman to Sophomore next fall. I expect a huge leap forward.

I am over the Nelson transfer. Full speed a head!!!

 

[imthewalrus]

I think it's pretty simple: He probably would have preferred to keep his redshirt especially considering how that turned out. He gets dinged up this year and then is scatter armed when he's in there and generally plays like sh$t and catches a lot of sh$t from Gopher fans via all kinds of different forums. My son knows quite a few of the players and it sounds like Leidner was one of the most popular kids on the team so Nelson knew and probably could feel that which was probably awkward. Plus, Daddy didn't like that his boy was facing competition at QB, or that he was getting stones thrown at him left and right for some ridiculously poor play.

I think he just wanted a fresh start and where that was going to take place probably just wasn't as important as just getting the heck out of dodge. Sitting a year will probably be good for him. I think he maybe has a little puss in him, though, and am not sure he's got the make up to be a leader of a team or a rock solid BCS type QB. If he does end up having a good career, no hard feelings from me; particularly since I don't think he would have acheived much success here it just didn't seem to be in the cards. I was a supporter as long as I could be, but after the last four games of this year I was done with him and OK to see him try his luck somewhere else. Good luck to him.

But, some of you "poor sports" who want to take shots at the kid on his way out do HAVE to admit that he quarterbacked the team to the FOUR Conference wins that the team got in the 2013 Conference Season. You can NOT pi$$ and moan that FACT away. The way things went, he pretty much saved the season for Coach Kill and my Gophers in 2013 after the games against Michigan and iowa.

So be the typical bad sport fans and do what you do...but...I'm looking through your nasty need to take shots.

I say: Good Luck to PN...Good Luck to all the remaining quarterbacks on my Golden Gophers Football Team and Good Luck to Coach Kill and his staff as they try to do better in 2014 in Conference Play than they did in 2013. I just don't quite understand why some of you people have to be such poor sports about most everything. I'm glad for the time that the young man was on my Golden Gopher Football Team. Some of you people are really poor sports...

 

[kellyleeks]

But, some of you "poor sports" who want to take shots at the kid on his way out do HAVE to admit that he quarterbacked the team to the FOUR Conference wins that the team got in the 2013 Conference Season. You can NOT pi$$ and moan that FACT away. The way things went, he pretty much saved the season for Coach Kill and my Gophers in 2013 after the games against Michigan and iowa.

So be the typical bad sport fans and do what you do...but...I'm looking through your nasty need to take shots.

I say: Good Luck to PN...Good Luck to all the remaining quarterbacks on my Golden Gophers Football Team and Good Luck to Coach Kill and his staff as they try to do better in 2014 in Conference Play than they did in 2013. I just don't quite understand why some of you people have to be such poor sports about most everything. I'm glad for the time that the young man was on my Golden Gopher Football Team. Some of you people are really poor sports...

Do you think Kill is the right guy for the U? I know that you support him, but I'm not sure that you really care for him. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

 

[Dr.Don]

Do you think Kill is the right guy for the U? I know that you support him, but I'm not sure that you really care for him. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

OH kellyleeks...BIG MISTAKE, BIG MISTAKE!!!

 

[elohrehpog]

You seem to have an insider type quality to your posts. How close to the team are you?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but Phil's transfer had little to do with schemes, playing time or attitude - at least on the Nelson's part. Pat Nelson called coach Kill a class act. The same could be said of father and son. I wish them nothing but the best. They deserve it.

 

[60's Guy]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but Phil's transfer had little to do with schemes, playing time or attitude - at least on the Nelson's part. Pat Nelson called coach Kill a class act. The same could be said of father and son. I wish them nothing but the best. They deserve it.

I agree that father and son exited with grace. But they did say it was about scheme not competition (playing time)...he wanted a passing offense. If you are saying that wasn't it...I agree it sounded hollow. But you also aren't giving any clues to what the "real" reason was.

 

[Killjoy]

Do you think Kill is the right guy for the U? I know that you support him, but I'm not sure that you really care for him. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

Why would you say that? I remember wren saying that Kill could possible some day be as good as Mason. I know that is a tall order but we can all hope. Gosh, wouldn't that be something special if he was able to reach Mason's level!

 

[imthewalrus]

Why would you say that? I remember wren saying that Kill could possible some day be as good as Mason. I know that is a tall order but we can all hope. Gosh, wouldn't that be something special if he was able to reach Mason's level!

killjoy bangs his head slowly without ever penetrating what ever he is trying to bang his head on. One day he will break his head without ever having seen what is on the other side of that object he continues to head-butt...Kelly leeks killed his reputation by faking his own death and now he is just fake...don pretends he is drink...dranks...drunk and talks BIG with his little words as he says nothing.

In 2014 my Golden Gopher Football Team's coach will be as good as his Conference Record says he is. Conference wins vs. Conference losses will tell us all we need to know about what kind of season Coach Kill and his Staff will have coaching my Golden Gopher Football Team.

I really do admire Coach Kill and his staff. I think they do have the chance to prove to be one of the better Coaching Groups in Men's Revenue Sports to live and work in Minneapolis on the Campus of the U of M for quite some time. The 2014 Conference record will tell us just how they fared during the 2014 Conference Season. A Bowl Game Invitation complete with a Bowl Game Win would be a VERY encouraging sign

 

[joshvanklomp]

Here is what he said:

Quote Originally Posted by joshvanklomp View Post
"Maybe I'm off, but I don't really feel like Nelson was a great fit for our system. I think he was recruited heavily more because he was (one of?) the top in-state guy."

I will give you that he did not say he was a no name recruit however his post clearly implies that the only real reason we recruited him was to land a top in-state guy which could not be farther from the truth as the coaching staff stated numerous times they felt Nelson was the perfect QB for their system.

If the read-option is as big of a piece of the offense as it has been, I don't see how he could be considered a perfect fit.

 

[kellyleeks]

killjoy bangs his head slowly without ever penetrating what ever he is trying to bang his head on. One day he will break his head without ever having seen what is on the other side of that object he continues to head-butt...Kelly leeks killed his reputation by faking his own death and now he is just fake...don pretends he is drink...dranks...drunk and talks BIG with his little words as he says nothing.

In 2014 my Golden Gopher Football Team's coach will be as good as his Conference Record says he is. Conference wins vs. Conference losses will tell us all we need to know about what kind of season Coach Kill and his Staff will have coaching my Golden Gopher Football Team.

I really do admire Coach Kill and his staff. I think they do have the chance to prove to be one of the better Coaching Groups in Men's Revenue Sports to live and work in Minneapolis on the Campus of the U of M for quite some time. The 2014 Conference record will tell us just how they fared during the 2014 Conference Season. A Bowl Game Invitation complete with a Bowl Game Win would be a VERY encouraging sign

It sounds as if you like him and prefer to judge his conference performance by his record in conference games.

Let go of the death faking gag. It's old.

 

[MNVCGUY]

If the read-option is as big of a piece of the offense as it has been, I don't see how he could be considered a perfect fit.

I am not going to dig back a couple years to find the quotes but I guarantee Nelson was not just a token recruit. This place was buzzing about him big time when he came on board and there were many comments from the staff to the same effect. Unless you have just started paying attention to Gopher football in the past year or so you would know that Nelson was the guy the coaches hoped would be the QB of the future for this team.

It didn't work out so we move on, just don't pretend like he was never a good fit to begin with because coming into things it was widely believed by nearly everyone that he was going to be the perfect QB to lead this team into the future.

 

[Maximus]

The 2014 Conference record will tell us just how they fared during the 2014 Conference Season. A Bowl Game Invitation complete with a Bowl Game Win would be a VERY encouraging sign

Bowl wins are irrelevant. Conference wins only matter.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Bowl wins are irrelevant. Conference wins only matter.

Conference wins AND losses. Whatever we lack in one, we will make up for in the other.

 

[Rescooter]

Conference wins AND losses. Whatever we lack in one, we will make up for in the other.

Don't forget this:

; 0 )

 

[John Galt]

I am not going to dig back a couple years to find the quotes but I guarantee Nelson was not just a token recruit. This place was buzzing about him big time when he came on board and there were many comments from the staff to the same effect. Unless you have just started paying attention to Gopher football in the past year or so you would know that Nelson was the guy the coaches hoped would be the QB of the future for this team.

It didn't work out so we move on, just don't pretend like he was never a good fit to begin with because coming into things it was widely believed by nearly everyone that he was going to be the perfect QB to lead this team into the future.

+1. This board is quick to discount anyone who isn't great by the time they are a sophomore. Most on here were already writing Rashede's obituaries and would have thought it was no big deal if he transferred...

 

[Unregistered User]

I am not going to dig back a couple years to find the quotes but I guarantee Nelson was not just a token recruit. This place was buzzing about him big time when he came on board and there were many comments from the staff to the same effect.

When people first started writing on here about how he wasn't that big of a loss, I took a look at some of his senior highlights. He was precisely what I thought would be the perfect QB for Kill's system. Go find a couple, take a look, and tell me you weren't thinking the same.

But he choose to move on, and so have I.

 

[60's Guy]

Dunno?

When people first started writing on here about how he wasn't that big of a loss, I took a look at some of his senior highlights. He was precisely what I thought would be the perfect QB for Kill's system. Go find a couple, take a look, and tell me you weren't thinking the same.

But he choose to move on, and so have I.

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/o/463576/highlights/7430491

Dunno? In the video he has a nice easy throwing motion where he lays the ball in the receivers hands on deep throws.
He did that same thing in a scrimmage at TCF to McDonald that was sweet. That arm action disappeared. I have no idea if it just happened or if it was changed to better fit passes into tighter windows with more velocity versus better defenses. But the result was he was no longer as accurate. He rolled out left and rifled a 40-50 yard pass to the goal line corner versus Texas Tech in the bowl game. That was the play that made me think he was going to be special.

As a sophomore he digressed. His body language was negative. The team played better for Mitch imo. Something was going on obviously. I'd like to know what? Why he transferred? Did his feelings get hurt? Did he get beat out
and pout? Was he hurt? (his arm? the concussion? his leg?) Why was he unhappy?

He said he is not a running quarterback. He is in the highlights. So, what's that about?

UU said it best: He chose to move on and I'm trying to move on as well. The depth would have helpful to the Gophers if his leadership that came with it was positive. Evidently it wasn't?

I hope he succeeds at Rutgers but without knowing why he's there it's hard to predict. The fact he is there isn't a good thing for him imo but I'm totally guessing. We'll know in a couple years.

 

[Iceland12]

Looks like a former coach at Rutgers and now a QB guru steered Nelson toward Rutgers. Reading between the lines, add to the reasons for Nelson leaving is finding a place that had a better QB coach.

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/i...shea_says_ru_got_a_heck_of_a_quarterback.html

A friend of the Nelson family knows former Rutgers coach Terry Shea, who has found a niche as one of the premier quarterback trainers in the country. It was quickly arranged for Philip to travel from his home in Mankato, Minn., to Phoenix to train with Shea for four days at EXOS, the renowned training facility previously known as Athletes' Performance..

"To be honest, it's probably the single best move that Philip thinks he's made in a long time," said Nelson's father, Pat. "With the quarterbacks Terry Shea has coached up and he's used to, he really showed Philip some things. It's incredible the knowledge that Terry Shea has and how good of a teacher he is."

Shea's 11-44 record in five seasons as Rutgers' head coach from 1996-2000 obscures an otherwise distinguished coaching career that has spanned parts of six decades. An offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the college and professional level for most of his career, Shea began training quarterbacks for the NFL Draft six years ago.

Shea has trained a number of first round picks, including Matthew Stafford (No. 1 pick in 2009), Sam Bradford (No. 1 in 2010) and Robert Griffin III (No. 2 in 2012). Shea is currently preparing San Jose State quarterback David Fales for the Draft, but he was able to fit Nelson into his schedule while Fales was at the Senior Bowl.

A four-day training program with Shea costs $3,000, and Nelson got his money's worth. He was at the facility for over 10 hours each day, with a bulk of the time spent in meeting rooms developing the mental aspect of the position..

 

[Ole]

Still doesn't makes sense to me, and seeking out a private coach is classic overcompensating IMO.

He absolutely regressed as a passer this year and missed some big time open receivers.
The staff had enough confidence in him early to start him against Iowa and he had a horrible showing, after that there was no reason to simply hand him the keys.
He either thinks too highly of himself and didn't want to compete, or he saw himself falling behind in an offense that has gotten more run oriented and didn't allow him as many shotgun opportunities.
I wish him good luck, especially in a program that's going to have a rough transition to the black and blue B1G.

 

[Iceland12]

Still doesn't makes sense to me, and seeking out a private coach is classic overcompensating IMO.

He absolutely regressed as a passer this year and missed some big time open receivers.
The staff had enough confidence in him early to start him against Iowa and he had a horrible showing, after that there was no reason to simply hand him the keys.
He either thinks too highly of himself and didn't want to compete, or he saw himself falling behind in an offense that has gotten more run oriented and didn't allow him as many shotgun opportunities.
I wish him good luck, especially in a program that's going to have a rough transition to the black and blue B1G.

Agree with most of that. Only would say that if he's that confident in his abilities isn't wasn't a fear of competition that led to his transfer. He could have thought that regardless of how well he'd do here, he'd never get the chance to throw it as much as he'd like to.

If he turns out to be lousy, then don't care that he transferred. If he turns out to be great at Rutgers than he made the right decision to transfer.

Either way just not that upset about it.

 

[Winnipegopher]

Interesting that hiring private coaches is allowable under NCAA rules.

I am not sure that a fired coach from Rutgers 13 years ago would be steering guys to Rutgers.

Part of me thinks Nelson wanted to get away from Minnesota. People with domineering parents often want to get away.

 

[Iceland12]

Interesting that hiring private coaches is allowable under NCAA rules.

I am not sure that a fired coach from Rutgers 13 years ago would be steering guys to Rutgers.

Part of me thinks Nelson wanted to get away from Minnesota. People with domineering parents often want to get away.

Had the same thought, but even harder to think that it was just a coincidence. Maybe the guy who caught the ball had more influence.

One of the receivers Nelson threw to was Brandon Coleman, the Rutgers product who is preparing for the Draft at EXOS. Nelson was still undecided about his future at the time, and Shea said, "Brandon did a nice job of presenting Rutgers to him."

After the training program ended, Nelson and his father flew directly from Phoenix to Rutgers for a visit, and Nelson committed to the Scarlet Knights on Jan. 29. He is enrolled in classes and will be able to participate in spring practice, but then must sit out next season before completing his final two years of eligibility.

 

[Winnipegopher]

Had the same thought, but even harder to think that it was just a coincidence. Maybe the guy who caught the ball had more influence.

One of the receivers Nelson threw to was Brandon Coleman, the Rutgers product who is preparing for the Draft at EXOS. Nelson was still undecided about his future at the time, and Shea said, "Brandon did a nice job of presenting Rutgers to him."

After the training program ended, Nelson and his father flew directly from Phoenix to Rutgers for a visit, and Nelson committed to the Scarlet Knights on Jan. 29. He is enrolled in classes and will be able to participate in spring practice, but then must sit out next season before completing his final two years of eligibility.

Yeah that I could believe. Plus if he is training current Rutgers players maybe he still has some contact with the program.

 

[station19]

In the Kill era we have seen two QB's transfer out, both of whom have started games. Haven't seen any QB's really progress in regards to the passing game. Should we be concerned?

 

[highwayman]

In the Kill era we have seen two QB's transfer out, both of whom have started games. Haven't seen any QB's really progress in regards to the passing game. Should we be concerned?

JAXST. Max Shortell 114-200 7 Int 57.0% 1608 YDS 6 TD

Didn't progress this year, either.

 

[Spoofin]

Shortell wasn't very good when he was here. Folks like to romanticize when looking back. I seem to recall him even saying when he left that he didn't want to, but felt he had to. Read that as even he knew others on the team were better than him. I liked Max, but it wasn't a big loss. Now, Philip not progressing with the potential he had is fair debate...

 

[cncmin]

In the Kill era we have seen two QB's transfer out, both of whom have started games. Haven't seen any QB's really progress in regards to the passing game. Should we be concerned?

Yes...because the offense is too predicated on the run, even when it's not working, and often just disregards the pass. The scheme left a lot of wanting this year. Someone earlier in this thread said something about "the run game wasn't the problem" - really? If the Gophers could have run the ball, they'd have scored enough points to win more games this past year. Sure the passing game was broken, but the running game wasn't much better.

It was my opinion based on watching Nelson and his body language early in the season that he wasn't happy that the staff didn't trust him, didn't even try to pass the ball; or perhaps just trying to "force" the run through the eye of the needle too much. His body language was poor - looked frustrated. Fast forward several weeks, and finally they start throwing the ball, mixing up plays, scoring - his body language improved, he looked like he was having fun; and then the second half of the PSU game came, where the staff once again began going ultra-conservative and refusing to throw the ball. At that point Nelson's confidence took a dive, and he started missing those passes he was hitting so well just a couple of weeks earlier, the team stopped scoring, frustrations mounted; the scheme once again was mediocre and a fairly poor mix of play calls. It didn't help that the receivers weren't making plays after Engel went down.

It's not difficult to understand why Nelson might be frustrated. And it really stinks that he is transferring, and also that he decided to seek out and pay for private training after choosing to leave the program - why not before? All along, it looked like Nelson's problems were in his head, but I'm not sure they were unwarranted. You can only do so many things to someone before their confidence disappears, e.g., Colton Iversen under Tubby Smith, who went on to have a great senior season at CSU. I have a feeling Nelson is going to be very good his final 2 seasons, and it's a shame he won't be in maroon and gold.

On to the next, and we can only hope others step up in his place.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

I certainly was hoping Nelson would find his mojo but he took his talents to Rutgers. Perhaps he will improve dramatically with a change of scenery and coaching, but I'm skeptical .

The list of sub-par qbs that transfer in college or are traded/picked up as free agents in the nfl AND go on to resurrect their careers to become top-level starters is very small.

I can't really think of anyone off the top of my head. Can anyone else (serious question)?

There were obviously frustrations on both sides. I also suspect (but can't prove) nelson was not popular in the locker room. When the coach has to come out and publicly talk about how someone is improving as a leader that's a red flag to me. A combination of not playing well, frustration with play calls, personnel (receivers), coaching heat/friction, and not having good chemistry with the team probably contributed to his unwise decision to transfer. I'm sure Nelson Sr. was in his ear as well.

He made a bad decision, and should have tried to overcome his problems in MN.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

I should specify I am looking for qbs that were multi-year starters at their first stop and failed, eg tavaris Jackson, NOT a Farve that never really played or someone like Russell Wilson that was extremely successful but transferred for other reasons.

 

[btowngopher]

In the Kill era we have seen two QB's transfer out, both of whom have started games. Haven't seen any QB's really progress in regards to the passing game. Should we be concerned?

Nelson did progress in my opinion. Not by leaps and bounds but he was better as a sophomore than he was as a frosh. I suspect he would've been a little better next year. Kill hasn't really worked with any QBs for very long on this team. I don't think an opinion can really be formed yet.