RandBall: Gophers QB Tanner Morgan had 'the best season you didn't see coming'

[BleedGopher]

per RandBall:

Morgan was supposed to be just one of multiple options to start at quarterback for the 2019 Gophers before Zack Annexstad suffered a foot injury in early August.

PFF did a preseason ranking of all 130 quarterback spots for FBS schools, and Morgan ranked No. 86 before a single snap. In updated midseason rankings he had moved up to No. 27; and this week, PFF released its final rankings and had Morgan all the way up as the No. 7-ranked quarterback in all of FBS — behind only Burrow, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert.

That’s not just great company. It also illustrates just what a surprise standout Morgan was, considering all six of those other guys were in the preseason top 20.

Again, Morgan was No. 86 — a big part of the reason PFF had this to say about the Gophers QB who finished the year with 3,253 yards, 30 touchdowns, seven interceptions, a 66% completion rate and an 11-2 record:

“Perhaps the best season from a quarterback that you didn’t see coming, we’re a long way from Zack Annexstad seemingly entering the year as the starter for the Gophers way back in early summer, 2019. All Morgan did was finish the year with the country’s seventh-highest passing grade as he was every bit of an elite quarterback this season. … It didn’t matter the situation, didn’t matter the throw type. Morgan made nearly every throw look easy and took advantage of his extremely talented receivers on the outside as well as anyone else did in 2019.”

Gophers QB Tanner Morgan had 'the best season you didn't see coming'

Tanner Morgan wasn't even a sure thing to start at quarterback for the Gophers before Zack Annexstad suffered a foot injury in early August.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[PitinoFan]

But, they said he didn’t have the arm strength to make all of the throws. PFF says he made it look easy.

....It didn’t matter the situation, didn’t matter the throw type. Morgan made nearly every throw look easy...

 

[MNVCGUY]

But, they said he didn’t have the arm strength to make all of the throws. PFF says he made it look easy.

....It didn’t matter the situation, didn’t matter the throw type. Morgan made nearly every throw look easy...

Yeah, was a shame his lack of a rocket arm someone how turned into him having a weak arm but made for some funny discussions.

He might not be able to zip it in there the way some of the elite guys can, but his arm is more then strong enough to do what he needs to be in order to be a really good QB.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

He looked pretty good in 2018 and no way he wasn’t the starter in 2019. I have no idea what PFF was looking at if he was ranked 86th. Anyone care to post their criteria?

 

[PitinoFan]

Yeah, was a shame his lack of a rocket arm someone how turned into him having a weak arm but made for some funny discussions.

He might not be able to zip it in there the way some of the elite guys can, but his arm is more then strong enough to do what he needs to be in order to be a really good QB.

Right, there several different ways for a QB to get it done, depending on their strengths and weaknesses. Obviously, their game needs to mesh with the offensive system and personnel. For Tanner, he needs quick hitting pass plays, rollouts, extra protection at times, mixed in with a few targets to the TE/RB, and a few deep shots from the pocket....pretty much what they did against Auburn. I don’t think he was sacked in that game. In fact, he probably didn’t even get his uniform dirty!