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

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Spoofin said:
1. Whether you were a Nelson guy or a Leidner guy you have to admit they weren't far apart this year. This hurts in depth if nothing else.

2. Our team was at its best this year with Phil at QB (4-game streak). Neither he nor Mitch looked good at most times. This is going to hurt in options if nothing else.

3. How could losing your star QB recruit 2-years in not affect recruiting players like Jones, Holland, and Ragnow?

All these posts about how this is no big deal, we don't need him, Mitch is way better anyway, are so dumb. It hurts our team - plain and simple and no way around it.
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Well said. The perception cannot be welcome.

I like Leidner and I liked Nelson. I'm one of the guys who thinks Leidner can be pretty good, but you don't get anywhere when your proto-marquee guys transfer.
 

There's more to this story then meets the eye. Shortell and now Nelson. I'm hard pressed to believe these kids just woke one day and said "this isn't the place for me." Leidner is not the answer. Either the system or the QB Coaching.
 

Per football press release.

Head football coach Jerry Kill announced today that sophomore quarterback Philip Nelson will transfer from the University of Minnesota.

“Philip is a terrific young man, and I wish him all the best as he continues his education and football career elsewhere,” said Kill, who is on the road recruiting. “I want to thank Philip for the contributions he made to our football program both on and off the field, and I will do anything I can to help him both now and in the future.”
 

GoldenGopher88 said:
There's more to this story then meets the eye. Shortell and now Nelson. I'm hard pressed to believe these kids just woke one day and said "this isn't the place for me." Leidner is not the answer. Either the system or the QB Coaching.
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Shortell saw that he wasn't going to start over Gray/Nelson. Nelson saw he wasn't going to start over Leidner. What else is there to see?
 



Well I defended Nelson all year, and I still believe he has a lot of talent, but I guess I believe it more than he does.
 

I don't see this as a sign of anything negative going on behind the scenes. Not every kid is going to be content as a backup, even if the team they are on is a good one. Minnesota isn't alone in this, every school has players transfer out pretty much every year, for various reasons. Good luck to Nelson in the future. Hopefully someone else is the answer.
 

This is very disappointing from a depth, recruiting, and fan perspective (for me at least). He seems like a great young man, and he made some great plays and missed many other wide open opportunities during his brief time.

He also took a lot of hits and suffered at least one concussion and maybe that played a factor in wanting to play a different offensive style?
 





there is no way this doesn't hurt the program. people can post no big deal Nelson wasn't that good anyway doesn't address the real issue. this is supposedly the crown jewel in Kill's first recruiting class. probably more going on here than any of us will ever know.

this is all about perception and when the QB that was anointed by many as the next savior leaves the team it certainly does not look good for the whole brick by brick foundation that Kill is trying to sell.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
Brick by brick, baby.

2 more years max.
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2 more years of Kill, max? Sorry, you're way off. 3 wins to 6 wins to 8 wins. The program would have to absolutely fall apart in the next 2 years for him to be gone.
 

People keep trying to rationalize the timing. The reason Harbison and Nelson transferred now is because spring semester hasn't started yet, and by doing so now they can enroll elsewhere and be available for spring practice with their new teams.
 



If GW is predicting Kill will be gone within 2 years then we'll probably be in the Rosebowl within 2 years. No one is worse at making predictions on this board than him.
 

I, along with most Gopher fans, was extremely excited when Nelson committed. I appreciate everything he gave to the program and wish him the best of luck with his future. That being said, I would have been much more upset if it was Mitch transferring. I believe Mitch has more upside and will continue to improve. With Strevler maybe now staying at QB and Mckinzy coming in the Spring, I say let the competition sort itself out to give the team the best opportunity to win.
 


That might mean his buddy, Ryan Slichte, probably won't be coming, huh. For those who don't know, he's the current junior signal-caller for Mankato West. I watched him play this past season a couple of times, and though I was extremely impressed with his talent-level, I don't think he'll end up with the frame to be a top level college QB. With that said, he is a 4 star recruit. Missing on him would just make this program look even worse.
 

BigGopherFan said:
That might mean his buddy, Ryan Slichte, probably won't be coming, huh. For those who don't know, he's the current junior signal-caller for Mankato West. I watched him play this past season a couple of times, and though I was extremely impressed with his talent-level, I don't think he'll end up with the frame to be a top level college QB. With that said, he is a 4 star recruit. Missing on him would just make this program look even worse.
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And what happens if we get a three-star QB from Atlanta who ends up being phenomenal?
 

MadtownGopher said:
Shortell saw that he wasn't going to start over Gray/Nelson. Nelson saw he wasn't going to start over Leidner. What else is there to see?
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Who knows why? I guess that doesn't matter. The ONLY thing that will matter at the end of the 2014 Conference Schedule will be how many WINS Coach Kill manages to achieve in the conference vs. how many LOSSES Coach Kill will be handed by other conference member teams and coaches. It will be Coach Kill's 4th season at the U of M. He needs Conference wins in numbers. He needs victory over border-battle conference members iowa and wisky.

He does things his own way. He calls ALL the shots. He sets up the offense and the defense the way he wants to set them up. He handles quarterbacks the way he handles quarterbacks.

It will be an interesting year. It will be a VERY important year.

He NEEDS a win over wisky in the very worst way. That has become the KEY to the season. He NEEDS to lead the program to a bowl invitation. He can NOT regress too much within the conference unless he manages to win some border-battle games with iowa and wisky.

The quarterback situation will be what the quarterback situation will be. If Coach Kill is worried about the quarterback situation he does not show it. He will not show it. He appears to like to play a number of quarterbacks. That is his choice. He gets to run his own show.

So, I'd have to say: "...time will tell if Coach Kill will win enough Conference games in 2014 to keep ahead of the critics, mobbers and bashers.

My barometer of the health of the program in year number four, as in every other year will NOT be focused on the quarterback controversy that so often occurs. No, not at all. My primary indication of just how well...or...not so well the health of the competitiveness of the program within the conference is faring will, of course, be totally centered on the Conference Record of Coach Kill and my Golden Gopher Football Team. And, of course, the outcome of the iowa and wisky border battle games will go a LONG way in determining how much "wiggle-room" Coach Kill will have with boosters, fans and the media should he win less than the four conference games he won in 2013.

Good luck Philip. Good luck remaining quarterbacks. Good luck Coach Kill. But, remember Coach: it is ALL about the Conference won/loss record by the time you reach season number four.
 

Spoofin said:
1. Whether you were a Nelson guy or a Leidner guy you have to admit they weren't far apart this year. This hurts in depth if nothing else.

2. Our team was at its best this year with Phil at QB (4-game streak). Neither he nor Mitch looked good at most times. This is going to hurt in options if nothing else.

3. How could losing your star QB recruit 2-years in not affect recruiting players like Jones, Holland, and Ragnow?

All these posts about how this is no big deal, we don't need him, Mitch is way better anyway, are so dumb. It hurts our team - plain and simple and no way around it.
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Texas Tech win a bunch of games with a walkon true freshman qb. It can be done. Yeah it sticks to lose the experience, but it ìs not like he was Johnny Football.
 


This is a tough blow. The circumstances are unfortunate for both Philip Nelson and the Gopher program. Nelson seemed to have the physical tools and smarts to play the position, but never gained the confidence. Unfortunately, Philip was thrown into a tough situation and faced many hurdles from the start: a) having to start in a bad offense as a true freshman ; b) not being able to attend quarterback camps after his freshman season; c) losing his best receiver midseason; d) three primary targets being freshman e) being injured entering the Big Ten season; f) having a floundering offense again this season. The bottom line is that throughout his development he was never able to develop confidence or rhythm, for whatever reason. A fresh start is what he needs and I don't blame him - just tough to be on the other side.

I don't think Leidner can be the guy. Doesn't know the offense well enough and can't throw on the run. Hopefully the coaches know something we don't about Streveler.
 

scools12 said:
there is no way this doesn't hurt the program. people can post no big deal Nelson wasn't that good anyway doesn't address the real issue. this is supposedly the crown jewel in Kill's first recruiting class. probably more going on here than any of us will ever know.

this is all about perception and when the QB that was anointed by many as the next savior leaves the team it certainly does not look good for the whole brick by brick foundation that Kill is trying to sell.
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If this still was the first year, you'd have a point, but anybody seriously considering become a Gopher this year or next had to be thinking about how godawful that Offense looked at the end of the season. If the Nelson who played without getting a TD from the 2nd Half of the Penn State game through the rest of the year was going to be the starting QB next season, that would have hurt the program.

No decent Wideout would have considered coming here. No above-average Running Back who doesn't want to see constant 8 man fronts would come here either.

They still may not, but this news won't make it worse.
 

badgergopher said:
When he says he wants a passing oriented offense I speculate that he really wants to run less. These guys are like running backs who are then expected to throw the ball. In the bowl game Brock Huard even commented that ML might have missed a throw because he was gassed from the last play.
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This right here is the best post of the thread. I'm not sure if that is truly why Nelson left but it makes the most sense to me....and I agree. We run r QB's way too much. That crap might have worked at Northern but when u r getting hit by Big10 studs in conference play it takes a toll. This is why we need Jeff Jones so much along with Ragnow. We need to improve the o-line and backfield so the QB can run less and pass more.
 


Most on here thought that the QB competition would be wide open this year. Both QBs have showed major flaws. You can blame the offense, but Nelson threw for more than 200 yards 2 times in his Gopher career. Anyone else miss Adam Weber?
 

When an SEC team goes zeo wins for the conference in year one...

Do you suppose there might be any truth to the rumor that Arkansas might be wanting to audition some quarterbacks to use during the next few years? A redshirt year to get to know the system and then two years remaining to have a shot at running the show...

And, of course, a coach who used to hang out in Mad-Town who just might recall recruiting a quarterback a few years ago?

Probably totally unfounded...but the rumor IS out there...
 


Nelson needed to step our from behind his father. Complain about the targets all you want, but would this same decision have been made before the losing streak to end the year? I don't think so. He didn't make plays against the best competition or in bowls. I appreciate what he did for the program, but it is time to move on to the people who are more committed to this team. Btw, if we listened to dad, this has been talked about for awhile. This comes off though as coming out of the blue to the coaching staff. Whatever happened to talking to your coaches if you have a concern as a player? Coach Kill is approachable, but not gullible. The Nelson's took the easy way out because they were too afraid of hearing an answer they wouldn't like. Unfortunate.
 

scools12 said:
there is no way this doesn't hurt the program. people can post no big deal Nelson wasn't that good anyway doesn't address the real issue. this is supposedly the crown jewel in Kill's first recruiting class. probably more going on here than any of us will ever know.

this is all about perception and when the QB that was anointed by many as the next savior leaves the team it certainly does not look good for the whole brick by brick foundation that Kill is trying to sell.
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I can say all those things because I never bought for a second that Nelson was half as good as many on this board did. I found the 'Mankato Jesus' nickname a ridiculous one for a kid that had to that point accomplished nothing, and for all of the talk about him choosing us over Wisconsin, people always conveniently forgot that Wisconsin never offered him and weren't going to.

The idea that anyone thought he was going to be a savior is a joke.
 

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