QB Question

[balds]

Where would we be if Bewster handed the reigns over to Gray after the OSU game last year, and showed the same loyalty to keeping Gray the starter as he has shown for Weber?

Better or worse finish to last year?

Better or worse start to this year?

Better or worse shape for next year?

I think Brew was in a tough spot, in that he would have lost a good chunk of the locker room had he made the move, as there were many players who had been through the battles with and were loyal to Weber. I wish he would have made said move. Gray would have had many rough spots, but we went multiple games without scoring a TD (Gray accounted for only TD drive in OSU game). How much worse could it have been? Gray has something Weber doesn't, the ability to extend plays. With a soft offensive line Weber too often just folded, where Gray might have been able to get outside and make plays. Frankly, I like the idea of your best athlete having the hands on the ball every play. Our current offense runs about 8 plays. Why couldn't the offense have been simplified last year to get Gray on the field, if that was indeed the hang up?

Gray would have had a lot of experience coming into this year and a ton going into next year. If he does play QB next year (who else could, Alipate?) I feel like we are almost starting over in his development, which would be sad for such a gifted athlete.

Thoughts?

 

[Too Long in the Wasteland]

Probably worse last year.

This year I don't see how we could be much worse (If it weren't for Dasher being a gambling degenerate we'd be 0-3)

Definitely better off next year.

You make a good point that Brewster could have had a revolt on his hands if he had benched Weber midseason last year. This year, not so much. I pondered something similar in another thread. If Brewster weren't on the hotseat, would he consider handing over the reigns to Gray this year, knowing that he'll take his lumps. We'd definitely be in better shape for 2011. OTOH, if the coaches have already written off Gray as a starting QB (despite what they're saying publically via the depth chart) that wouldn't be such a great idea. And Alipate clearly isn't ready. Be interesting to see if he's the man in 2011

 

[Mulligan]

Somehow I still think a coaching staff that works with the QB's every day of practice has a better idea of who can do the better job in a game than we fans. Gray is Brewster's most heralded recruit. Brewster is on the ropes trying to hang onto his job. I'd think if Gray was at all capable of taking over, he would have the job. Especially with the way Weber played last year. Amazes me that people can't seem to grasp that.

 

[station19]

Somehow I still think a coaching staff that works with the QB's every day of practice has a better idea of who can do the better job in a game than we fans. Gray is Brewster's most heralded recruit. Brewster is on the ropes trying to hang onto his job. I'd think if Gray was at all capable of taking over, he would have the job. Especially with the way Weber played last year. Amazes me that people can't seem to grasp that.

+19

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I think we'd be 1-2.

As much as I was in favor of Gray taking over, Weber has not been the problem this season. He has been decent so far (his worse game was our W) and Gray at WR has been one of our better players. We'd be either the same or a bit worse.

However, we'd be a bit better next season.

 

[Crazy Joe Davola]

One thing I have to say about Brewster

is that he is loyal. He is going to live and die with Weber as his QB. Imagine recruiting the #2 All-purpose QB in the nation 2nd only to Terrell Pryor and never giving him a start to see what he can do. Gray is a much different QB than Weber, he may not make all the throws or have the accuracy of Weber but he has the running ability to escape when the OL breaks down he has the ability to escape and make a play. If this were the vikings I would say no to Gray at QB but this is college and dual threat QB's flourish. If I were Gray I would transfer and get to a program who knows how to use him, he is wasting away under Brewster if he really wants to play QB.

 

[dpodoll68]

Somehow I still think a coaching staff that works with the QB's every day of practice has a better idea of who can do the better job in a game than we fans. Gray is Brewster's most heralded recruit. Brewster is on the ropes trying to hang onto his job. I'd think if Gray was at all capable of taking over, he would have the job. Especially with the way Weber played last year. Amazes me that people can't seem to grasp that.

Amazes me that people seem to think that coaches are infallible.

If they were, coaches would never be fired, as this staff is probably going to be in the next 2-3 months.

The great majority of the world's population used to think the world was flat. Holding a view contrary to this was often deemed worthy of death or imprisonment.

So - yes, even coaches who see both play every day can absolutely be wrong. They have more experience and expertise than we do, sure, but that doesn't mean they can't be wrong. Even if every single offensive coach is in agreement - doesn't mean they can't be wrong.

 

[ruralgopher]

I think we would have lost more last year.

I think we would be 1-2 this year, but finish worse at the end of the year (not a rip on him, who would he throw to?)

Next year, maybe better, but if he is getting his QB reps this year, probably not by much.

 

[station19]

Amazes me that people seem to think that coaches are infallible.

If they were, coaches would never be fired, as this staff is probably going to be in the next 2-3 months.

The great majority of the world's population used to think the world was flat. Holding a view contrary to this was often deemed worthy of death or imprisonment.

So - yes, even coaches who see both play every day can absolutely be wrong. They have more experience and expertise than we do, sure, but that doesn't mean they can't be wrong. Even if every single offensive coach is in agreement - doesn't mean they can't be wrong.

Very true, but if I were a betting man I would place my wager on the coaches.

 

[monk10]

Not one coach but three coaches now have looked at the QB situations and picked Weber. At some point you have to realize that Weber is the best option on the team to help them win football games. Actually I guess you don't, but it seems silly to me.

 

[dpodoll68]

At some point you have to realize that Weber is the best option on the team to help them win football games.

No, I don't.

I trust Brewster to recruit.

I trust Brewster to sell the University of Minnesota to potential stakeholders.

I trust Brewster to represent himself and the University in a positive light.

I trust Brewster to hire position coaches.

I do not trust Brewster to hire coordinators.

I do not trust Brewster to consistently outmaneuver opposing coaches in a gameday scenario.

I do not trust Brewster to fully develop talent.

I do not trust Brewster to put talent in a position to succeed.

The last 3 are directly related to Weber, and Brewster's decision to continue to play him over Gray. Given the number of QBs who have played in the history of the Big Ten, I would like to hear an argument of how Gray can possibly be worse than the all-time losingest QB in the history of the conference.

It's not Weber's fault that he's not a good QB. It's Brewster's fault for continuing to trot him out there every week. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Brewster went for the safe option instead of taking the early hit and striving for more in the long run. He will lose his job sooner than later because of it. It's sad, really - I was hoping Brewster was going to be the guy.

 

[RodentRampage]

The last 3 are directly related to Weber, and Brewster's decision to continue to play him over Gray. Given the number of QBs who have played in the history of the Big Ten, I would like to hear an argument of how Gray can possibly be worse than the all-time losingest QB in the history of the conference.

And I don't trust your assessment. All time losingest? Where do you get that from?

 

[monk10]

No, I don't.

Thanks for confirming my second point. (insert random sarcastic comment to rile you up )

Actually I guess you don't

I still stand by my opinion to call it silly. But then again I see what Weber actually does when he walks up to the line of scrimmage, and what Gray did (or didn't do) when he walked up to the line of scrimmage. Maybe it is b/c I am a former Offensive Coordinator, or maybe it is b/c I like to have my QB being able to put me in the best play based on what the defensive gave me. Maybe it is that I have a similar coaching philosophy of our last three coordinators around this. Maybe it is b/c I see us becoming a worse passing team with a more inaccurate QB behind the center.

You have married yourself to this argument over the offseason, and even proclaiming some disowning of Brewster if he picks Weber. You are emotionally invested into this argument, and to be honest, I don't see any way any words I type here will get pass that. It is my understanding that you are comfortable maybe "more" comfortable (if anyone is actually comfortable with losing) losing with Gray then with Weber.

 

[dpodoll68]

All time losingest? Where do you get that from?

Assuming he starts through the rest of the season, and continues with his current winning percentage, he will have started for more losses than any QB in the history of the Big Ten. Look it up if you don't believe me.

It is my understanding that you are comfortable maybe "more" comfortable (if anyone is actually comfortable with losing) losing with Gray then with Weber.

Absolutely. At least losing with Gray is a means to an end. Losing with a 4th-year starting QB who is sub-.500 in his career gets you nowhere, as he will be gone at the end of the year, and you have lost 2 years' worth of time to develop your next starter. Do you think Terrelle Pryor would be playing as well as he has if he weren't thrust into the starting lineup too soon?

 

[GopherFB]

It's hard to tell what we'd get from Gray since we've seen almost nothing of him at QB.

However, it would probably require a totally different style offense. Weber is more of a pocket passer and you'd be looking at running the option and things like that with Gray. Personally, I think if you put Gray in there they could run for and throw for 200+ pretty regularly if his passing skills are decent.

The problem is I think that it would be very difficult to switch these two mid season.

I think they would have been better if they started the season with Gray and designed the offense around him. Weber is very overrated in almost every way.

 

[monk10]

If we also follow your logic starting and playing a bunch early in his career didn't help Weber, according to your opinion of him. We can put a whole bunch of data points on a map and compare QB's who started earlier in their career and those who didn't. But at the end of the day on the Gopher team we have seen coaches consistently pick a QB you personally don't like over the one you would like to see.

If you are asking my opinion would it be great if we could blow out some teams and give Gray more playing time at QB. Yeah that would be great. Do I think we have a better chance of winning week in and week out with Weber, yeah I do.

Do we just keep recycling our opinion of this every week?

 

[GophersInIowa]

No, I don't.

I trust Brewster to recruit.

I trust Brewster to sell the University of Minnesota to potential stakeholders.

I trust Brewster to represent himself and the University in a positive light.

I trust Brewster to hire position coaches.

I do not trust Brewster to hire coordinators.

I do not trust Brewster to consistently outmaneuver opposing coaches in a gameday scenario.

I do not trust Brewster to fully develop talent.

I do not trust Brewster to put talent in a position to succeed.

The last 3 are directly related to Weber, and Brewster's decision to continue to play him over Gray. Given the number of QBs who have played in the history of the Big Ten, I would like to hear an argument of how Gray can possibly be worse than the all-time losingest QB in the history of the conference.

It's not Weber's fault that he's not a good QB. It's Brewster's fault for continuing to trot him out there every week. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Brewster went for the safe option instead of taking the early hit and striving for more in the long run. He will lose his job sooner than later because of it. It's sad, really - I was hoping Brewster was going to be the guy.

So it's been Weber's fault only that we haven't been very good? Yes, Gray could be worse than Weber. You act like he's out there making 20 mistakes a game. He's not a great QB, but he's certainly not the worst QB ever. Good grief.

Gray has shown us nothing as QB for any of us to think he would come in and do better than Weber.