Rivals: B1G QB

salzie

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https://n.rivals.com/news/big-ten-spotlight-breaking-down-qb-situations-across-the-league

MINNESOTA

Starter: Undecided

Contenders: Zack Annexstad
, Tanner Morgan

One of the Big Ten’s biggest storylines of last off-season was Annexstad, a true freshman walk-on, winning Minnesota’s starting quarterback competition. The IMG Academy graduate would go on to start the first seven games of the season before being injured in an Oct. 20 contest against Nebraska. Morgan started the remainder of Minnesota’s games that season, and led the Gophers to big wins over Wisconsin and Georgia Tech to end the season. Both quarterbacks played well this spring, and their competition to lead Minnesota’s offense in 2019 will continue into the summer.
 

I'm pretty sure Annexstad got injured in the Miami game and then played injured until Nebraska. That's the storyline I remember.
 

A different injury took him out of the Nebraska game. I think he had an ankle injury during the Miami (Ohio) game that limited his mobility, which to be fair he didn't use that much compared to Morgan, but then an abdomen injury officially took him out.

Honestly, Morgan could have probably started earlier, but I don't think the ankle injury was as bad as we thought either. I mostly think that he stayed in as long because 1. He burned his redshirt, so getting him as much playing time was important for the future, and 2. PJ still wants to find a QB the team can rally behind. Both fit the bill, but it can be better for the team if you pick one. Just my thoughts.
 

Annexstad scrambled effectively against Fresno State last year. I think mobility is as important to him as it is to Morgan.

 

I didn't remember that he got a different injury in the Nebraska game. I kind of remember that I wanted Seth Green to take over when Annexstad got hobbled. I wonder why I was so anti-Morgan at the time? Did he have a really poor Spring Game, or did he look bad splitting time in the preseason? When he played well after becoming the starter, I was very pleasantly surprised. I'm an Annexstad fan because I like to cheer for the homegrown kids and he's a great recruiter, but I honestly think that the job is Morgan's to lose.
 


I didn't remember that he got a different injury in the Nebraska game. I kind of remember that I wanted Seth Green to take over when Annexstad got hobbled. I wonder why I was so anti-Morgan at the time? Did he have a really poor Spring Game, or did he look bad splitting time in the preseason? When he played well after becoming the starter, I was very pleasantly surprised. I'm an Annexstad fan because I like to cheer for the homegrown kids and he's a great recruiter, but I honestly think that the job is Morgan's to lose.

Annexstad went to the hospital with an internal midsection injury at half. Morgan and Annexstad both outplayed Vic in the spring game, and by all reports it was a neck and neck battle until the end, but ZA had a better deep ball in practice. That, and his leadership qualities, allegedly gave him the edge at the end preseason. I don't know where your anti Morgan bias came from, maybe you liked the idea of the Baker Mayfield comparisons with ZA so much you turned on Morgan.
 

I didn't remember that he got a different injury in the Nebraska game. I kind of remember that I wanted Seth Green to take over when Annexstad got hobbled. I wonder why I was so anti-Morgan at the time? Did he have a really poor Spring Game, or did he look bad splitting time in the preseason? When he played well after becoming the starter, I was very pleasantly surprised. I'm an Annexstad fan because I like to cheer for the homegrown kids and he's a great recruiter, but I honestly think that the job is Morgan's to lose.

Morgan looked bad in a brief appearance early in the season. It was only a series or two, but some negative things happened. That left me with a bad first impression. But he erased that fairly quickly after becoming the starter.

EDIT: Must have been the Miami game. 1-for-5 passing with an interception, and two runs for -18 yards.

JTG
 
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Annexstad scrambled effectively against Fresno State last year. I think mobility is as important to him as it is to Morgan.


Thanks for that reminder. That was a very nice scramble and pass. I guess I had in my mind the gimpy Zach post injury. However, I noticed a pretty big difference in their pocket awareness. Zach got plastered a few times from the side and fumbled when it seemed like he should have been able to sense a rusher was closing in. Tanner seemed to have better awareness and avoided that result better. I could be wrong on that though.


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Thanks for that reminder. That was a very nice scramble and pass. I guess I had in my mind the gimpy Zach post injury. However, I noticed a pretty big difference in their pocket awareness. Zach got plastered a few times from the side and fumbled when it seemed like he should have been able to sense a rusher was closing in. Tanner seemed to have better awareness and avoided that result better. I could be wrong on that though.


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Take a look at Morgan's NW game. He definitely benefited from much better OL play/protection, but really struggled in that game. He had workman/game manager type numbers in those three year-end wins. Defense and run game were rolling, but he was not asked to do much.
 



Take a look at Morgan's NW game. He definitely benefited from much better OL play/protection, but really struggled in that game. He had workman/game manager type numbers in those three year-end wins. Defense and run game were rolling, but he was not asked to do much.
His qb rating in big ten games was top 5 in the conference. He was better than just a manager.

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His qb rating in big ten games was top 5 in the conference. He was better than just a manager.

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I was specific on the games and the stats in those games. 26-47 (55%), averaged 132 yards (139 was high), had 3 TD, 1 INT in those three games. 9-16, 124 yards, 0 TD 0 INT against Wisconsin. Game manager.
 

Given the significant stats difference which is even more apparent if we only look at conference if TM was a game manager what does that make ZA?

I like ZA, I like TM more. Is either one a top draft pick type player? Nope. Can they be effective in our run heavy offense - yep. Given our issues on defense last season I’m not sure why you’re saying we should be passing a lot in games we are ahead in. Look at the elite level YPA.
 

Both appear to be good team mates and good leaders. Both have excellent attitudes and seem to be fast learners.

Morgan seemed a bit more polished, to me. He seemed to have a better grasp of what the coaching staff wanted from the offense as a whole. Maybe it was the extra (redshirt) year.
 






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