QB situation going forward

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Why, Why, Why are you people talking about this? Can we not wait until at least spring practice? Anything, I mean anything can happen between now and then. Im sorry I delayed my morning constitution to read this thread...I wan't my 3 minutes back!
 

GopherinPhilly said:
Why, Why, Why are you people talking about this? Can we not wait until at least spring practice? Anything, I mean anything can happen between now and then. Im sorry I delayed my morning constitution to read this thread...I wan't my 3 minutes back!
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Heh. Hey, if nothing else, maybe this thread will help with your constitutional. :D
 

GopherinPhilly said:
Why, Why, Why are you people talking about this? Can we not wait until at least spring practice? Anything, I mean anything can happen between now and then. Im sorry I delayed my morning constitution to read this thread...I wan't my 3 minutes back!
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This is what college football fans do.
 

Yes, sooo much time, anything could happen between now and Spring even.

But going off current, making the assumption Gray will only keep getting more consistent, then yes, he is the clear absolute starter Day 1 come next year. The thing about Kill is, I'm not sure if that will mean an automatic redshirt for Nelson. If he feels he is physically ready and is beating out Shortell, he may give him some minutes next year, and then say, "alright, next three years are all yours Philip". I don't know how Kill feels about redshirting guys and then bringing them out to start as redshirt freshmen without any experience at all. He may be completely cool with it, but he seems to value experience so just throwing that out there.

Shortell seems to be that guy in the middle, who may improve enough to become a guy who can run this offense well enough despite not being a "mobile" QB, and if Kill feels that he can be the guy for at least the next couple years after Gray, then yeah, I definitely see a Nelson RS coming with a competition then occurring the year after Gray.
 

MNGopher3409 said:
If Gray's future in the NFL is WR, why would he even want to play QB as his stock would lessen. If Nelson has the talent to start and redshirts, do you think Gray willingly takes one for the team and plays QB? That is possibly a life changing decsion on Gray's part.
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There's plenty of time for Gray to become a WR if that's where the pros have him pegged to play.

From the 30,000 foot level, Gray looks to be a kid who has been incredibly loyal and is committed to this program 100%. That means he wants to help this team do everything it can to win. Simply put, that means playing QB.
 


50PoundHead said:
There's plenty of time for Gray to become a WR if that's where the pros have him pegged to play.

From the 30,000 foot level, Gray looks to be a kid who has been incredibly loyal and is committed to this program 100%. That means he wants to help this team do everything it can to win. Simply put, that means playing QB.
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I dont think its as clear cut as ya'll think.. Is a combination at QB of Nelson and Shortell worse off then a WR core of DCT, Moulton, Jones?, Geshun Harris, Fruechte and maybe the freshman we signed?

Marquise does seem to be very loyal and I believe will do anything to help the team win but I think that might be at WR
 

AuggieGopher said:
I dont think its as clear cut as ya'll think.. Is a combination at QB of Nelson and Shortell worse off then a WR core of DCT, Moulton, Jones?, Geshun Harris, Fruechte and maybe the freshman we signed?

Marquise does seem to be very loyal and I believe will do anything to help the team win but I think that might be at WR
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There are 16 WR's on the roster and McKnight is the only Sr. Gray does not make this team better by playing WR next year. There are two committed WR's for next year as well.
 

There may be 16 WR on the roster but outside of McKnight name one that looks like a legit Big Ten WR that you would want as you go to guy next year.

Right now Gray is the best option we have at QB. If that is true next year then he should stay at QB and play out his senior season and then hope for the best NFL wise. However if some other QB on the roster can push Gray and be a viable option to start, putting him back at WR is not a crazy suggestion because I have yet to see anyone other then McKnight that would worry me as an opposing DC. Maybe DCT, maybe Jones but right now they are still very raw and are by no means sure things.
 

MNVCGUY said:
There may be 16 WR on the roster but outside of McKnight name one that looks like a legit Big Ten WR that you would want as you go to guy next year.

Right now Gray is the best option we have at QB. If that is true next year then he should stay at QB and play out his senior season and then hope for the best NFL wise. However if some other QB on the roster can push Gray and be a viable option to start, putting him back at WR is not a crazy suggestion because I have yet to see anyone other then McKnight that would worry me as an opposing DC. Maybe DCT, maybe Jones but right now they are still very raw and are by no means sure things.
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going into next year i would guess dct is the number 1 add a healthy jones and moulton and im okay.. i would love to see a really good pass catching te that can also block.. i will also say i think everyone is looking ahead to next year when we should be looking ahead to 2013. hopefully will j comes aboard rs as well as harbison then you have nelson DCT jones moulton harbison (hopefully joyner) and johnson... get a power running game and our o could be very very tough
 



MNVCGUY said:
There may be 16 WR on the roster but outside of McKnight name one that looks like a legit Big Ten WR that you would want as you go to guy next year.

Right now Gray is the best option we have at QB. If that is true next year then he should stay at QB and play out his senior season and then hope for the best NFL wise. However if some other QB on the roster can push Gray and be a viable option to start, putting him back at WR is not a crazy suggestion because I have yet to see anyone other then McKnight that would worry me as an opposing DC. Maybe DCT, maybe Jones but right now they are still very raw and are by no means sure things.
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By next year, I would think DCT and Jones would be enough to create a pretty effective downfield passing game. If they're both healthy, that is. I keep thinking Keise will step into a more significant role one of these days, but who knows. If he figures it out, I'd definitely go to battle with those 3.
 

I just don't think Kill would be pouring everything into Gray right now if he isn't going to be the guy next year. I would want Nelson with a year in the system behind a more veteran OL the throwing hime to the wolves next year. Starting Gray or Nelson next year probably is the difference of 1 win. I don't think that is worth burning Nelson's red-shirt.
 

Keise is a really bad football player and probably should not see the field
 

AuggieGopher said:
Keise is a really bad football player and probably should not see the field
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What are you basing that off of? He hasn't played very well when he's been in the game, but he's hardly played. I think he's been banged up as well. He may never be much of a contributor but he's still young and could develop into a nice WR.
 



The ideal situation would obviously be to start Gray and red shirt Nelson next season, but I think Jerry Kill is going to play whichever QB gives the team the best chance to win. If Nelson's name gets called, I think he will be ready for it, but I sure hope he does get red shirted next season.
 


AuggieGopher said:
I dont think its as clear cut as ya'll think.. Is a combination at QB of Nelson and Shortell worse off then a WR core of DCT, Moulton, Jones?, Geshun Harris, Fruechte and maybe the freshman we signed?

Marquise does seem to be very loyal and I believe will do anything to help the team win but I think that might be at WR
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Gray needs to touch the ball as much as possible for us to win. He should be the QB.
 

50PoundHead said:
Gray needs to touch the ball as much as possible for us to win. He should be the QB.
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This.

In our offense, a good WR is not nearly as valuable as a guy liek Gray at QB. Even when he was struggling throwing the ball, Gray was still our best (only) threat on offense. He needs to touch the ball as much as possible and that is a QB.

As far as his draft stock, well, he'll have a lot of time to show what kind of athlete he is. There is film of him playing WR, he will probably test out freakishly in the combine, he will show he can catch the ball.

Unless Nelson comes in and absolutely sets the world on fire, there is almost no chance he will take Gray's spot. Gray has supposedly worked his butt off, he's never complained (never got into the Weber debate) and he's been really good the past couple of games. He's earned the QB spot.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Unless Nelson comes in and absolutely sets the world on fire, there is almost no chance he will take Gray's spot. Gray has supposedly worked his butt off, he's never complained (never got into the Weber debate) and he's been really good the past couple of games. He's earned the QB spot.
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Plus he's the kid you want representing your program and leading/teaching the young ones. When the freshman step on campus this spring/next fall, they'll see this monster and say, "OK - this is how I'm supposed to act, work, represent myself etc." A WR doesn't have the same impact when it comes to leadership.

Gray is the man. Would love to have him around for a couple more seasons, but I'm plenty content with two years as our QB.
 

KoolAid said:
Plus he's the kid you want representing your program and leading/teaching the young ones. When the freshman step on campus this spring/next fall, they'll see this monster and say, "OK - this is how I'm supposed to act, work, represent myself etc." A WR doesn't have the same impact when it comes to leadership.

Gray is the man. Would love to have him around for a couple more seasons, but I'm plenty content with two years as our QB.
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Yep. It reminds me of an interesting convo Mason and Barrero (spelling?) had about new coaches playing all of "their guys" to build for the future. Mason said that he doesn't buy into that philsophy at all for a couple reasons.

(1) He always think you should try to win games and that means playing the BEST player.
(2) It isn't fair, and the underclassmen (your guys) see that. They would see a kid like Gray who has done everything right, be the better option next year, and earn the position...and he wouldn't be playing. You want the model of success to be Gray. (Come in, work hard, do what you're told, no off the field issues, and if you earn the position...you play). It's a great example. Mason even pointed to Shady Salamon. He said that will definitely strike a chord with some younger players who might not see their path to PT so clearly when they are true freshmen.
 

2011: Gray starts, Shortell backs up
2012: Gray starts, Shortell backs up, Nelson redshirts
2013: Shortell starts, Nelson backs up
2014: Shortell starts, Nelson backs up (most likely)
2015: Nelson starts
 

magpie said:
2011: Gray starts, Shortell backs up
2012: Gray starts, Shortell backs up, Nelson redshirts
2013: Shortell starts, Nelson backs up
2014: Shortell starts, Nelson backs up (most likely)
2015: Nelson starts
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Sounds solid to me. After how impressed everyone was with Shortell earlier in the year I don't get why so many are discounting him now.
 

magpie said:
2011: Gray starts, Shortell backs up
2012: Gray starts, Shortell backs up, Nelson redshirts
2013: Shortell starts, Nelson backs up
2014: Shortell starts, Nelson backs up (most likely)
2015: Nelson starts
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I'm pretty sure that's not Jerry Kill's plan if he is having Nelson come in January.
 



magpie said:
2011: Gray starts, Shortell backs up
2012: Gray starts, Shortell backs up, Nelson redshirts
2013: Shortell starts, Nelson backs up
2014: Shortell starts, Nelson backs up (most likely)
2015: Nelson starts
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2013 - 2016: Nelson Starts
 

I don't know how anyone can say with any degree of certainty who they think will be the starting QB after Gray, much less in 2016.
 

Maverick_52 said:
I'm pretty sure that's not Jerry Kill's plan if he is having Nelson come in January.
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That's ridiculous. Coming early is more of a decision by Nelson. But either way, it's an advantage for any player to enroll early and get an extra 15 practices.
 

Anybody can predict, situations will happen that dictate what actually happens, but it keeps small minds occupied!
 

Stan The Caddy said:
Two words: Michigan, Purdue.
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1. He only took a few snaps against Purdue. Michigan is the only game he played the majority of the time.
2. No one played well in the Michigan game.
3. I'm excited about Nelson, but he isn't even on campus yet.
4. Shortell has hardly played at all, it's ridiculous to me how some of you are just dismissing him already. I think he could be a very good QB.
 

I wouldn't be so quick to discount Shortell either. So far as measurables go, Shortell's are just fantastic and are pretty much a prototype for what a tall, rangy, dropback QB should be. 6'6, 225, tall enough to see over all the linemen, and from the limited amounts we've seen from him shows good footwork and good throwing mechanics as well as surprising agility for such a tall kid, and most importantly, he's definitely got an arm that might make him someday (in my opinion) worthy of being a starting caliber B10 QB. I would say he certainly at the very least shows that kind of potential. He can make all the throws including a very nice deep ball, so I'll be very much looking forward to seeing how he develops and progresses forward.

He was the 21st ranked QB in America coming off his senior season, so it's hardly like Shortell is some kind of chopped liver. Phillip Nelson might be the next big thing, but I could see he and Shortell having some spirited and interesting competitions in the years ahead, and I'm hoping to see that, because the team would be the much better off for it.
 

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