Should Nelson start the rest of the way?

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upnorthkid

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Pretty simple. Nelson had a rough day today. Let's be honest. I don't know if he's right for this team as we stand so should he start at all the rest of the way given he and leidner r healthy?
 

I wouldn't pull the plug on him yet. He was just coming off an injury and hasn't played in a few games. I guess we will have to trust the coaches. We don't have a choice.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I wouldn't pull the plug on him yet. He was just coming off an injury and hasn't played in a few games. I guess we will have to trust the coaches. We don't have a choice.
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Agreed. I'd probably stick with him too. He showed last year he can throw. I think he will figure it out.
 

He was able to throw in one game, where Purdue blew coverage on two long gains. I don't know that Leidner will do any better, but I'd like to see. We already know Shortell was a better passer than Nelson and he wasn't even all that good. The true answer is there may not be a better qb on the roster. Who knows. I like Leidner's size though. Better chance to see over the lineman.
 

Why not use both of them. Mix it up. Let us try doing something creative on offense. I know that is an anathema for Limegrover, but just try it, you might like it. If we keep going the way we did against Iowa, we are going to continue to get our a$$ kicked.
 


Leidner dominated in the Western IL game and in the San Jose game. Nelson was awful in the Western IL game...after he went down was when the game changed. Today Nelson ran 9 times for minus 18 yards. Nelson might do better when it doesn't count, but when it does, put Leidner in. That being said, I love Coach Kill and trust him.
 

There is a reason Leidner only threw the ball 12 times last week. Obviously the coaching staff doesn't trust him to throw the ball. Heck, Leidner had problems throwing a 4-yard swing pass a least twice last week.

Phillip starts, no doubt he is the better passer, at least in my mind. :) WR's and o-line need to help him out as well.
 

e.bigelow said:
There is a reason Leidner only threw the ball 12 times last week. Obviously the coaching staff doesn't trust him to throw the ball. Heck, Leidner had problems throwing a 4-yard swing pass a least twice last week.

Phillip starts, no doubt he is the better passer, at least in my mind. :) WR's and o-line need to help him out as well.
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Good point. I remember some swing passes vs. SJSU that I could have made (I am exaggerating) that Leidner blew. Leidner is not a good passer. Unfortunately, Nelson is only slightly better.
 




e.bigelow said:
There is a reason Leidner only threw the ball 12 times last week. Obviously the coaching staff doesn't trust him to throw the ball. Heck, Leidner had problems throwing a 4-yard swing pass a least twice last week.

Phillip starts, no doubt he is the better passer, at least in my mind. :) WR's and o-line need to help him out as well.
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Probably because we didn't need him to throw the ball. Nelson couldn't throw the ball to save his life today. There were a few really nice throws.....but for the most part, they were to wide open receivers. He also managed to throw behind and over a bunch of receivers today.
 

I suspect Nelson started today because the coaches believe he is the better passer. He didn't show it today, but the coaches see them more than us. Neither one was going to run today.
 


stocker08 said:
Probably because we didn't need him to throw the ball. Nelson couldn't throw the ball to save his life today. There were a few really nice throws.....but for the most part, they were to wide open receivers. He also managed to throw behind and over a bunch of receivers today.
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I don't buy that argument. If that's the case, then they should have started Leidner. But, they didn't. I think I have seen Leidner throw ONE good pass in his colligiate career so far. That was last weeks pass to KJ Maye for about 30 yards. Otherwise, I have seen missed 4-yard swing passes and ugly thrown balls, that by great catches by WR's and TE's, ended in completions. But, I guess that is the end goal. I guess, my opinion is, what I've seen from Nelson compared to Leidner, in the numerous practices, scrimmages ad games I have attended, is that Nelson MOST definitely throws the ball better than Mitch. But, I don't get paid to make that decision. Just my opinion though. (Sorry for grammar and spelling errors, this is all typed on an iPhone. :))
 



We are in the MSU dilemma. The thing is, we don't have that elite defense. Thus, we are terrible.
 

Isn't it interesting that coming into the day that Nelson was averaging more yards per carry than Leidner yet everyone wants to brag up Leidners running ability. Nelson is and should be the starter without a question. The gophers line has to play much much better. Everyone must play better than today because the run game is supposed to help set up the pass but if you can't run at all you are in trouble.
 

Nelson gets happy feet when he gets pressured. He doesn't step up into the pocket or set his feet. Quite frankly, I don't think he handles pressure very well. Several times he took losses when he should've got rid of the ball.
 

Where did Phil's swagger go?

Kid was so comfortable playing QB for a frosh.
 

Even money says Leidner's career high for rushing yards will have been set last week.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
Nelson gets happy feet when he gets pressured. He doesn't step up into the pocket or set his feet. Quite frankly, I don't think he handles pressure very well. Several times he took losses when he should've got rid of the ball.
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That was very noticeable today. I think that explains a lot of over throws. Nelson does seem to have taken a step back. He does not look comfortable back there.
 


ruppertflywheel said:
Nelson gets happy feet when he gets pressured. He doesn't step up into the pocket or set his feet. Quite frankly, I don't think he handles pressure very well. Several times he took losses when he should've got rid of the ball.
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Yup.
 

gopherMD said:
Quarterback rating of 13. And well earned.
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Exactly. I don't care what you have seen in practice or the scrimmages.....what matters is the game. If he feels too much pressure and simply cannot handle it.....you have to look into other options. Look at our 12th overall QB playing for the Vikings. Replaced by the backup for many of the same reasons. He looks uncomfortable. In defense of both Nelson and Ponder......the offensive line has done neither any favors.
 

Even when Nelson had time, he got happy feet and took himself out of the play. He just has no rhythm.
Frankly, this was a criticism I had of mason. If you are going to play mediocre non conference, shouldn't you spend a little time working on your weaknesses to become more balanced? If we want to be a 60/40 team. Lets be a 60/40 team against bad teams as well. The argument that we didn't want to give teams "looks" just got blown up today
 

Liedner at 100% is better than Nelson at 80%. Isn't that what Kill more or less said? Yet Kill played Nelson and never, even in the worst moments, put Liedner on the field. Quit being fan boys and make up excuses such as Nelson coming off an injury -- as Kill noted days ago, when he was aware and chose the poorer option anyhow. It then means he is to blame. If he felt Nelson was 100%, then he was trying to screw up Iowa's game plan (which obviously didn't work) and you can speak against Mitch's work.

I think it's obvious where the problem lies.
 

It wasn't as if the passes that Nelson was trying to make were difficult. He missed short wide open receivers. At least a dozen times he missed wide open receivers. I don't know if Liedner is a poorer thrower or not than Nelson. He certainly couldn't have done any worse. Someone said Nelson was a proven passer in one of the other post. He was the last ranked QB in the Big Ten. That is not a proven passer. I really believe (IMO) if he can hit those open receivers, that we could have won the game.
 

MNSpaniel said:
It wasn't as if the passes that Nelson was trying to make were difficult. He missed short wide open receivers. At least a dozen times he missed wide open receivers. I don't know if Liedner is a poorer thrower or not than Nelson. He certainly couldn't have done any worse. Someone said Nelson was a proven passer in one of the other post. He was the last ranked QB in the Big Ten. That is not a proven passer. I really believe (IMO) if he can hit those open receivers, that we could have won the game.
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Leidner certainly could have done worse.
 

Anything is possible and if that is the case .... then we are in really bad shape at QB. I would rather have a QB that can open things up with the pass and then let the running backs carry the load on the ground.
 

Good lawd...I hate this board after a loss (and sometimes after a win).

This thread is idiotic.
 

GopherinPhilly said:
Good lawd...I hate this board after a loss (and sometimes after a win).

This thread is idiotic.
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+1

A bunch of negative nancies. Everything isn't always on the quarterback. Offensive line was appealing, wide receivers weren't open often and dropped catchable passes, and the runningbacks ran into the wide open arms of defenders. It's not all on Nelson by any means.
 

Is Leidner more decisive than Nelson on game days? Would the outcome had been better if Leidner was inserted in the second half? We'll never know. They both have ways to go in their seasoning. This is the B1G. You can't have any weakness & inexperience at QB, or you'll be forever relegated to the back of the line.
Hopefully, they do make it to any type of bowl this year. I don't care if it is the toilet bowl as long as they get those extra practices. IMHO, I think they'll be much better next year with extra reps and when they get stronger and insert more imaginative plays to burn those neural pathways to good timing routes & multiple options instinctively. They are so predictable as of yesterday.

Although I am disappointed about the result yesterday, I think they have made some progress however subtle.
 

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