Rossow: Gophers coaches should redshirt their young quarterbacks

[BleedGopher]

per Rossow:

When Jerry Kill surprisingly removed freshman quarterback Demry Croft’s redshirt in the second half of the Gophers’ loss to Northwestern last fall, it was expected that Croft would challenge Mitch Leidner for the starting job.

That wasn’t the case during the second half of last season. It certainly won’t be the case in 2016, either.

Junior Conor Rhoda remains the backup quarterback entering Week 3. Tracy Claeys and the Gophers staff need to correct Kill’s mistake and allow Croft to sit out the 2016 season to get his year of eligibility back.

For the long-term health of the program, the Gophers’ brass shouldn’t stop there. They should also ensure freshman Seth Green’s redshirt isn’t burned in a knee-jerk decision — like the one made regarding Croft’s eligibility in Evanston last September.

http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2016/09/gophers-coaches-redshirt-young-quarterbacks/

Go Gophers!!

 

[salzie]

I think we all agree. Still annoyed connor Mayes rs was burned for minimal pt

 

[mkAz]

For the most part I agree, but it's way to early in the season to make this decision. What if Leidner get's hurt next week and Rhoda is ineffective?

 

[PMWinSTP]

For the most part I agree, but it's way to early in the season to make this decision. What if Leidner get's hurt next week and Rhoda is ineffective?

Well, yeah, that's always a possibility...don't think anybody's advocating red shirt no matter what.

 

[tikited]

For the most part I agree, but it's way to early in the season to make this decision. What if Leidner get's hurt next week and Rhoda is ineffective?

Croft will be the guy if Mitch can't start several games. Rhoda will be the guy in any other scenario. At least that is what I think.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Croft will be the guy if Mitch can't start several games. Rhoda will be the guy in any other scenario. At least that is what I think.

Man, not this again. Rhoda is the backup. If Croft was better, he'd be the backup, period.

 

[Unregistered User]

Man, not this again. Rhoda is the backup. If Croft was better, he'd be the backup, period.

Man, not this again. If they need someone for 3 plays, it would be Rhoda, if they need 3 games, it would be Croft, period. Paragraph.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Man, not this again. If they need someone for 3 plays, it would be Rhoda, if they need 3 games, it would be Croft, period. Paragraph.

I don't think that's a given. Croft looked lost last year, I could see Rhoda beating him out for the backup job under scenarios that call for extended playing time.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I don't think that's a given. Croft looked lost last year, I could see Rhoda beating him out for the backup job under scenarios that call for extended playing time.

I agree, since the new OC came in Rhoda's name has filled the #2 spot.

Interesting take on KFAN Thursday was the Fargo Flash saying he thinks they will seek a JC or Graduate QB for next year.


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[Word]

I agree, since the new OC came in Rhoda's name has filled the #2 spot.

Interesting take on KFAN Thursday was the Fargo Flash saying he thinks they will seek a JC or Graduate QB for next year.

I take everything Conzemius says with a grain of salt. He's probably guessing just as much as the rest of us on here.

 

[Spoofin]

I take everything Conzemius says with a grain of salt. He's probably guessing just as much as the rest of us on here.

Hey, don't lump all of us on here together. I guess way more than anyone else on here.


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[highwayman]

Man, not this again. If they need someone for 3 plays, it would be Rhoda, if they need 3 games, it would be Croft, period. Paragraph.

I think you are dead wrong, period. Neither Croft nor Green will see the field unless both Leidner and Rhoda are hurt. Rhoda has shown repeatedly in practice that he is a better option than either right now.

 

[tikited]

Man, not this again. Rhoda is the backup. If Croft was better, he'd be the backup, period.

Oh, I didn't know you were on the coaching staff since you know this 100%.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Honestly I could care less about redshirting any of the QBs I just want a capable backup ready to go in the event that Mitch goes down. We use the QB run and were lucky last season that Mitch proved to be as durable as he was. All it takes is one bad hit and we will need the backup QB in there and at this point we really have no clue what to expect in the guys behind Mitch.

Croft didn't look very good in limited action last year and Rhoda is a mystery as well due to limited snaps. Green is a complete unknown.

Claeys needs to win now so if needed I have no doubt he will play the guy he thinks will get the job done regardless of his redshirt status because there is no reason for him to give a second thought to what the roster will look like in 4-5 years if he gets canned after this year or next.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Oh, I didn't know you were on the coaching staff since you know this 100%.

It's called a depth/position chart. Comes out each game week. Coaches in multiple interviews have explained and expressed how quickly and thoroughly Rhoda learned the offense and how well he's executed it. It's idiotic to think they are doing some sort of elaborate rouse or strategy to hide that they really think Croft is the backup.

 

[dpodoll68]

I agree, since the new OC came in Rhoda's name has filled the #2 spot.

Interesting take on KFAN Thursday was the Fargo Flash saying he thinks they will seek a JC or Graduate QB for next year.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Conzemius also said that Damarius Travis is in his 6th year and that the true freshman QB from Alabama will be a Heisman finalist.

He is less knowledgeable about the Gophers than the average poster here, which is particularly unforgivable since he is an M man and has a much higher level of access than the average rube.

 

[BarnBoy]

I think you are dead wrong, period. Nor Croft nor Green will see the field unless both Leidner and Rhoda are hurt. Rhoda has shown repeatedly in practice that he is a better option than either right now.

Neither Croft nor Green...

Sorry, my 7th grade English teacher is rolling in her grave.

Neither, nor. Either, or.

 

[tikited]

It's called a depth/position chart. Comes out each game week. Coaches in multiple interviews have explained and expressed how quickly and thoroughly Rhoda learned the offense and how well he's executed it. It's idiotic to think they are doing some sort of elaborate rouse or strategy to hide that they really think Croft is the backup.

Yep, because there has never been a situation where a 3rd string player got reps over a 2nd string player. Also correct on the depth chart never, ever, not going exactly as presented to the public. You are correct again thinking that mop-up duty and being the air apparent are the same thing.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Conzemius also said that Damarius Travis is in his 6th year and that the true freshman QB from Alabama will be a Heisman finalist.

He is less knowledgeable about the Gophers than the average poster here, which is particularly unforgivable since he is an M man and has a much higher level of access than the average rube.

I agree that you or I could do a better job with information based on reading local media and gopherhole. It's an interesting thought however. I will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[MaxyJR1]

Yep, because there has never been a situation where a 3rd string player got reps over a 2nd string player. Also correct on the depth chart never, ever, not going exactly as presented to the public. You are correct again thinking that mop-up duty and being the air apparent are the same thing.

Why would you position a player who has played in games as the #3 unless he is the #3 QB? There is more to playing QB then throwing a spiral. Leidner and Rhoda have the other tools that #3-#5 don't at this point.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Coaches should redshirt players who won't get lots of playing time / might benefit from redshirting...... that's some deep strategy there.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Why would you position a player who has played in games as the #3 unless he is the #3 QB? There is more to playing QB then throwing a spiral. Leidner and Rhoda have the other tools that #3-#5 don't at this point.

I think he's talking about what the depth chart might not tell you, and you're talking about what you want to belive, they are not the same things.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Hopefully, it's a scenario that will have to remain one of Gopherhole's greatest mysteries. However, both are entirely plausible. In college football, redshirt availability is often part of the process in where backups lineup on the depth chart. I'm not saying that's the scenario here, but it definitely happens.

On the other hand, maybe Rhoda did beat out Croft.

 

[highwayman]

Oh, I didn't know you were on the coaching staff since you know this 100%.

Funniest post of the season. "Pot calling the kettle..."

 

[wait!what?]

Conzemius also said that Damarius Travis is in his 6th year and that the true freshman QB from Alabama will be a Heisman finalist.

He is less knowledgeable about the Gophers than the average poster here, which is particularly unforgivable since he is an M man and has a much higher level of access than the average rube.

you nailed it. He is Dave Lee awful.

 

[GophersInIowa]

It's called a depth/position chart. Comes out each game week. Coaches in multiple interviews have explained and expressed how quickly and thoroughly Rhoda learned the offense and how well he's executed it. It's idiotic to think they are doing some sort of elaborate rouse or strategy to hide that they really think Croft is the backup.

I'm not sure why it is so hard to believe that the coaches think Croft is the better long term solution so they would play him in a situation where Leidner is out for a long period of time. I don't know if that is the case, but it is possible.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

I'm not sure why it is so hard to believe that the coaches think Croft is the better long term solution so they would play him in a situation where Leidner is out for a long period of time. I don't know if that is the case, but it is possible.

+1

This is not a new concept or an elaborate scheme. It's pretty common in college football. I have no idea if that's what is happening now, but, it isn't a crazy notion.

 

[PMWinSTP]

I'm not sure why it is so hard to believe that the coaches think Croft is the better long term solution so they would play him in a situation where Leidner is out for a long period of time. I don't know if that is the case, but it is possible.

Much more possible they think that of Rhoda, since they've said it publicly and put him as backup over the other QBs in published charts. Not sure why that seems to be even harder to believe.

 

[tikited]

Much more possible they think that of Rhoda, since they've said it publicly and put him as backup over the other QBs in published charts. Not sure why that seems to be even harder to believe.

It isn't hard to believe, but since both situations have been happening in college football for centuries....

 

[GophersInIowa]

Much more possible they think that of Rhoda, since they've said it publicly and put him as backup over the other QBs in published charts. Not sure why that seems to be even harder to believe.

I never said that isn't a possibility. You're probably right.

There are two possibilities here. You said it has to be #1 and it is idiotic to think #2 is a possibility. I disagree and think either one of them could be the truth.