NoelarBear
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Had they brought in a top flight QB some of this might make sense with a lot returning on defense. But they didn't bring in a top flight QB. They brought in one who looked really bad for much of the year playing at the Big Ten level. These predictions seem to be putting a ton of faith in AK becoming something he was not last year.Rutger returns 8 top tacklers from their top 20 defense last year and they don't play any of the top 4 preseason B1G teams this year. Wonder if Mandel is the "National media person who says Rutgers is a Darkhorse playoff team."- from Big Ten Camp Day at Rutgers.
They are touting the completion % of AK compared to their last QB's as a huge difference.
As a longtime gopher fan, AK was better than 75% I ever saw at qb wearing the M.If AK is practicing well, that's no guarantee he will play well.
Really.....because I can think of a bunch of QBs that have played for the Gophers since I started really following the team that I would take over AK from last year.As a longtime gopher fan, AK was better than 75% I ever saw at qb wearing the M.
Some of those guys go back pretty far…might actually be the 25% who were better.Really.....because I can think of a bunch of QBs that have played for the Gophers since I started really following the team that I would take over AK from last year.
Morgan
Weber
Cupito
AAK
Cockerham
Sauter
Sure I am missing some but those are the ones that spring to mind. Heck, I would probably even take Leidner over what we got from AK last year. Athan came with a high ranking and if he lives up to it he would quickly move ahead of a lot of the guys on this list but right now he isn't better than any of them.
Here is the list of passing leaders at the U.Some of those guys go back pretty far…might actually be the 25% who were better.
Or that that the media thinks Rutgers has better receivers, a system that favors his style of play, or just a fresh start/kick in the pants will help. Or the media just doesn't have a clue. Who knows what will happen. I'm sure AK will be better - it would be almost impossible to be worse.If the media really thinks AK will do that much better at Rutgers, that amounts to saying that the Gopher coaches were the problem and AK will have better coaching at Rutgers.
Here is the Gopher QB all-time passer rankings, sorted by NCAA Passer Rating.Here is the list of passing leaders at the U.
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Year-By-Year Passing Leaders - University of Minnesota Athletics
Year Player Att. Comp Yds TD Int 1946 Ev Faunce 36 31 335 1 3 1947 Ev Faunce 44 15 234 1 5 1948 Ev Faunce 85 44 567 2 6 1949 Billy Bye 77 41 571 6 7 1950 Geo...gophersports.com
If you go back to 2000 the only players I would for sure take the current version of Athan over would be Rhoda and Nelson. I would probably even take Travis Cole over Athan.
I didn't really watch any of the guys pre Cory Sauter but looking at numbers there may be a bunch on that list that Athan would beat out. But starting from Sauter and moving forward, Athan would be down near the bottom of the list.
Right now he is all hype, but he is still young and his development was messed up by covid and injuries so maybe he still improves and actually reaches the heights we hoped he would when he committed to the U.
ATT | COMP | COMP-% | INT | TD | YDS | YDS/ATT | TD/ 100 ATT | INT/100 ATT | TD RUSH | NCAA Pass Rtng | Last year played | |
MORGAN | 1063 | 661 | 62.18% | 32 | 65 | 9,469 | 8.9 | 6.1 | 3.0 | 8 | 151.2 | 2022 |
CUPITO | 918 | 513 | 55.88% | 25 | 55 | 7,446 | 8.1 | 6.0 | 2.7 | 0 | 138.3 | 2006 |
ABDUL-KHALIQ | 847 | 481 | 56.79% | 26 | 55 | 6,660 | 7.9 | 6.5 | 3.1 | 16 | 138.1 | 2003 |
FOGGIE | 628 | 311 | 49.52% | 32 | 34 | 5,162 | 8.2 | 5.4 | 5.1 | 24 | 126.2 | 1987 |
SAUTER | 945 | 539 | 57.04% | 33 | 40 | 6,834 | 7.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 8 | 124.8 | 1997 |
WEBER | 1,594 | 909 | 57.03% | 51 | 72 | 10,917 | 6.8 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 10 | 123.1 | 2010 |
ECKERS | 262 | 147 | 56.11% | 17 | 15 | 1884 | 7.2 | 5.7 | 6.5 | 1 | 122.4 | 1994 |
COCKERHAM | 485 | 252 | 51.96% | 24 | 29 | 3,483 | 7.2 | 6.0 | 4.9 | 12 | 122.1 | 1999 |
LEIDNER | 1029 | 580 | 56.37% | 32 | 36 | 7,287 | 7.1 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 33 | 121.2 | 2016 |
GRAY | 295 | 150 | 50.85% | 11 | 14 | 2,053 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 12 | 117.5 | 2012 |
HOHENSEE | 722 | 392 | 54.29% | 31 | 33 | 4,792 | 6.6 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 5 | 116.5 | 1982 |
SCHAFFNER | 515 | 278 | 53.98% | 22 | 21 | 3,472 | 6.7 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 6 | 115.5 | 1991 |
SCHADE | 627 | 322 | 51.36% | 23 | 22 | 3,986 | 6.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 2 | 109.0 | 1994 |
KALIAKMANIS | 405 | 216 | 53.33% | 13 | 17 | 2,236 | 5.5 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3 | 107.1 | 2023 |
FLEETWOOD | 876 | 465 | 53.08% | 44 | 18 | 5,279 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 5.0 | 15 | 100.4 | 1992 |
DUNGY | 586 | 274 | 46.76% | 35 | 22 | 3,515 | 6.0 | 3.8 | 6.0 | 16 | 97.6 | 1976 |
CURRY | 505 | 226 | 44.75% | 24 | 16 | 3,060 | 6.1 | 3.2 | 4.8 | 14 | 96.6 | 1971 |
STEPHENS | 297 | 100 | 33.67% | 27 | 13 | 1,571 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 9.1 | 17 | 74.4 | 1961 |
COX | 106 | 37 | 34.91% | 12 | 7 | 508 | 4.8 | 6.6 | 11.3 | NA | 74.3 | 1957 |
Thanks, that certainly tracks with where I was ranking Athan in regards to the QBs we have had here. It isn't like we have had some great list of QBs but his 2023 was definitely below a lot of the guys we have had come through here, at least in the more modern era of football.Here is the Gopher QB all-time passer rankings, sorted by NCAA Passer Rating.
ATT COMP COMP-% INT TD YDS YDS/ATT TD/ 100 ATT INT/100 ATT TD RUSH NCAA Pass Rtng Last year played MORGAN 1063 661 62.18% 32 65 9,469 8.9 6.1 3.0 8 151.2 2022 CUPITO 918 513 55.88% 25 55 7,446 8.1 6.0 2.7 0 138.3 2006 ABDUL-KHALIQ 847 481 56.79% 26 55 6,660 7.9 6.5 3.1 16 138.1 2003 FOGGIE 628 311 49.52% 32 34 5,162 8.2 5.4 5.1 24 126.2 1987 SAUTER 945 539 57.04% 33 40 6,834 7.2 4.2 3.5 8 124.8 1997 WEBER 1,594 909 57.03% 51 72 10,917 6.8 4.5 3.2 10 123.1 2010 ECKERS 262 147 56.11% 17 15 1884 7.2 5.7 6.5 1 122.4 1994 COCKERHAM 485 252 51.96% 24 29 3,483 7.2 6.0 4.9 12 122.1 1999 LEIDNER 1029 580 56.37% 32 36 7,287 7.1 3.5 3.1 33 121.2 2016 GRAY 295 150 50.85% 11 14 2,053 7.0 4.7 3.7 12 117.5 2012 HOHENSEE 722 392 54.29% 31 33 4,792 6.6 4.6 4.3 5 116.5 1982 SCHAFFNER 515 278 53.98% 22 21 3,472 6.7 4.1 4.3 6 115.5 1991 SCHADE 627 322 51.36% 23 22 3,986 6.4 3.5 3.7 2 109.0 1994 KALIAKMANIS 405 216 53.33% 13 17 2,236 5.5 4.2 3.2 3 107.1 2023 FLEETWOOD 876 465 53.08% 44 18 5,279 6.0 2.1 5.0 15 100.4 1992 DUNGY 586 274 46.76% 35 22 3,515 6.0 3.8 6.0 16 97.6 1976 CURRY 505 226 44.75% 24 16 3,060 6.1 3.2 4.8 14 96.6 1971 STEPHENS 297 100 33.67% 27 13 1,571 5.3 4.4 9.1 17 74.4 1961 COX 106 37 34.91% 12 7 508 4.8 6.6 11.3 NA 74.3 1957
Sorry, I might have been better off not seeing this list as for the most part it's pretty depressing as all of this essentially took place since 1960. When you start reviewing the TD/INT ratio and then combine it with Completion % how could we not get better results? You would think with dumb luck we would have stumbled into a couple of hidden gems that performed closer to Tanner's level over this period of time. Consider the fact that Tanner was actually recruited to play at the Group of 5 level at W. Mich and he's the best QB in Minn history by a mile. If Max has a decent year he's easily in the top 2 QB's at MN in terms of QB ratings.Here is the Gopher QB all-time passer rankings, sorted by NCAA Passer Rating.
ATT COMP COMP-% INT TD YDS YDS/ATT TD/ 100 ATT INT/100 ATT TD RUSH NCAA Pass Rtng Last year played MORGAN 1063 661 62.18% 32 65 9,469 8.9 6.1 3.0 8 151.2 2022 CUPITO 918 513 55.88% 25 55 7,446 8.1 6.0 2.7 0 138.3 2006 ABDUL-KHALIQ 847 481 56.79% 26 55 6,660 7.9 6.5 3.1 16 138.1 2003 FOGGIE 628 311 49.52% 32 34 5,162 8.2 5.4 5.1 24 126.2 1987 SAUTER 945 539 57.04% 33 40 6,834 7.2 4.2 3.5 8 124.8 1997 WEBER 1,594 909 57.03% 51 72 10,917 6.8 4.5 3.2 10 123.1 2010 ECKERS 262 147 56.11% 17 15 1884 7.2 5.7 6.5 1 122.4 1994 COCKERHAM 485 252 51.96% 24 29 3,483 7.2 6.0 4.9 12 122.1 1999 LEIDNER 1029 580 56.37% 32 36 7,287 7.1 3.5 3.1 33 121.2 2016 GRAY 295 150 50.85% 11 14 2,053 7.0 4.7 3.7 12 117.5 2012 HOHENSEE 722 392 54.29% 31 33 4,792 6.6 4.6 4.3 5 116.5 1982 SCHAFFNER 515 278 53.98% 22 21 3,472 6.7 4.1 4.3 6 115.5 1991 SCHADE 627 322 51.36% 23 22 3,986 6.4 3.5 3.7 2 109.0 1994 KALIAKMANIS 405 216 53.33% 13 17 2,236 5.5 4.2 3.2 3 107.1 2023 FLEETWOOD 876 465 53.08% 44 18 5,279 6.0 2.1 5.0 15 100.4 1992 DUNGY 586 274 46.76% 35 22 3,515 6.0 3.8 6.0 16 97.6 1976 CURRY 505 226 44.75% 24 16 3,060 6.1 3.2 4.8 14 96.6 1971 STEPHENS 297 100 33.67% 27 13 1,571 5.3 4.4 9.1 17 74.4 1961 COX 106 37 34.91% 12 7 508 4.8 6.6 11.3 NA 74.3 1957
I'd for sure take Leidner over last years QB performance.Really.....because I can think of a bunch of QBs that have played for the Gophers since I started really following the team that I would take over AK from last year.
Morgan
Weber
Cupito
AAK
Cockerham
Sauter
Sure I am missing some but those are the ones that spring to mind. Heck, I would probably even take Leidner over what we got from AK last year. Athan came with a high ranking and if he lives up to it he would quickly move ahead of a lot of the guys on this list but right now he isn't better than any of them.
If the media really thinks AK will do that much better at Rutgers, that amounts to saying that the Gopher coaches were the problem and AK will have better coaching at Rutgers.
Iowa at 9-3 is just LOL, LMAO.
You are not suppose to say that on GH.If the media really thinks AK will do that much better at Rutgers, that amounts to saying that the Gopher coaches were the problem and AK will have better coaching at Rutgers.
When it comes to offense I trust Ciarrocca more than I trust PJ Fleck.Schiano has a reputation for solid defense and he tries to use special teams to his advantage. The offense will continue to be awful. Ballsiest thing ever to bring in AK. Let’s see if it works out.
He was there last year and their offense was good enough to beat crappy Michigan State, even crappier Indiana and mediocre Northwestern in conference games. And now he is handing the keys to that barn burner offense to a guy who played like garbage in the same conference....When it comes to offense I trust Ciarrocca more than I trust PJ Fleck.
People look at the completion percentage and picks and forget how important he was to us as a mobile qbI'd for sure take Leidner over last years QB performance.
Cockerham was a hall of famer based on name alone.Really.....because I can think of a bunch of QBs that have played for the Gophers since I started really following the team that I would take over AK from last year.
Morgan
Weber
Cupito
AAK
Cockerham
Sauter
Sure I am missing some but those are the ones that spring to mind. Heck, I would probably even take Leidner over what we got from AK last year. Athan came with a high ranking and if he lives up to it he would quickly move ahead of a lot of the guys on this list but right now he isn't better than any of them.
Not necessarily. The gophers are running a different scheme than AK was recruited to. He might just be a better fit.If the media really thinks AK will do that much better at Rutgers, that amounts to saying that the Gopher coaches were the problem and AK will have better coaching at Rutgers.
Macalester?As a longtime gopher fan, AK was better than 75% I ever saw at qb wearing the M.
What? I can't think of a regular starter from the 21st century that was worse than AK.As a longtime gopher fan, AK was better than 75% I ever saw at qb wearing the M.