Strack: QB1 Should Be Open Competition for 2022 Gophers

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Strack:

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, redshirt seniors like Tanner Morgan have the opportunity at 6th year of eligibility. Given what we’ve seen so far on social media, Morgan looks like he will return for that extra year of eligibility.

But no matter how the game turns out on Saturday vs the Wisconsin Badgers or the year turns out after bowl season, it’s time to open up the quarterback competition for 2022. Even if Tanner Morgan returns, it’s time to give a talented, and somewhat experienced backup QB group a chance.

There are a litany of QB options for PJ Fleck behind Tanner Morgan. They start with Zack Annexstad, who was on pace to beat Morgan out for QB1 in 2019 before being injured. But the talent goes much deeper.

We’ve seen the Eden Prairie native, Cole Kramer, throw a few passes out of the wildcat position already but he was recruited behind Texas native, Jacob Clark, who has a booming arm and a high school resume to live up to it. And even behind those three backups is the jewel QB recruit of the PJ Fleck tenure, Illinois native (and the only 4-star in the room), Athan Kaliakmanis.

www.minnesotasportsfan.com

QB1 Should Be Open Competition for 2022 Gophers

The Minnesota Gophers play for Paul Bunyan's Axe on Saturday but no matter how the season finishes, it's time to give Tanner Morgan some quarterback competition next year.
www.minnesotasportsfan.com www.minnesotasportsfan.com

Go Gophers!!
 







You're not benching the All-time winningest QB in program history. Sorry folks, this is Tanner Morgan's job as long as he is healthy and on the roster.
 

RogueGopher said:
You're not benching the All-time winningest QB in program history. Sorry folks, this is Tanner Morgan's job as long as he is healthy and on the roster.
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I agree that it is Morgan's job to lose. That said....it should be an open competition. Morgan was inconsistent all year. Fortunately he showed up to play yesterday. But that shouldn't guarantee him the job. Play the guy who gives us the best chance to win.
 

I want a new OC if it's not Tanner, I just don't trust Sanford to mold a starter with zero experience (Annexstad not included).
 



I'm a big Tanner Morgan fan but of course it should be an open competition.
 

I appreciate what Morgan has done for the Gophers but if he continues the pace of regression and inconsistency as he has the last two years and is again handed the starting spot - that’s a level of pain I don’t want to endure
 

RogueGopher said:
You're not benching the All-time winningest QB in program history. Sorry folks, this is Tanner Morgan's job as long as he is healthy and on the roster.
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He threw 9 TDs versus 7 INTs this year. I still blame the Sanford, because he sucks, but Morgan shouldn't be a lock, regardless of his lifetime stats.
 

I think he wrote this before the game. I wonder if he would change his opinion at all now?
 



stocker08 said:
I agree that it is Morgan's job to lose. That said....it should be an open competition. Morgan was inconsistent all year. Fortunately he showed up to play yesterday. But that shouldn't guarantee him the job. Play the guy who gives us the best chance to win.
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I wonder if it's possible that Tanner will opt to play another year but somewhere else? There are a lot of FBS programs where he could win the starting position. I'm always rooting for the guy but it's a little unfair to other recruits that one QB can be the starter for a period spanning 5 years.
 

cjbfbp said:
I wonder if it's possible that Tanner will opt to play another year but somewhere else? There are a lot of FBS programs where he could win the starting position. I'm always rooting for the guy but it's a little unfair to other recruits that one QB can be the starter for a period spanning 5 years.
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.00001% chance of that happening. Maybe less.
 

- Yes it should be, regardless. It won't be, if Morgan comes back.

- when has Fleck ever benched a starting QB (let alone a super-senior, "the heart of our team", etc etc etc) unless he was hurt?

- Fleck does not possess whatever level of cut-throat, do-whatever-it-takes to win mentality that would be required to bench Morgan. He can't physically do it. He can't, and he won't.


- Funny thing is: earlier this year some on this board practically wanted to expel Morgan and kick him to the curb without a degree! Now, some want Morgan back for next year. This place is so knee-jerk, hyper-reflexive, bipolar
 

MplsGopher said:
- Yes it should be, regardless. It won't be, if Morgan comes back.

- when has Fleck ever benched a starting QB (let alone a super-senior, "the heart of our team", etc etc etc) unless he was hurt?

- Fleck does not possess whatever level of cut-throat, do-whatever-it-takes to win mentality that would be required to bench Morgan. He can't physically do it. He can't, and he won't.


- Funny thing is: earlier this year some on this board practically wanted to expel Morgan and kick him to the curb without a degree! Now, some want Morgan back for next year. This place is so knee-jerk, hyper-reflexive, bipolar
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To your last part - nope. It's different posters. Not people changing their mind.

Fleck has been "cut throat" enough to send a few d-lineman packing and a top WR benched for large portions of the season.
 

The unfortunate thing is that PJ didn’t give anyone else a chance to get some experience. Except for Kramer - where was Kramer yesterday?
 

CentralGopher said:
.00001% chance of that happening. Maybe less.
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You seem to think that's impossible. If you're that certain about forecasting the future, why are you wasting your time on a sports message board? Shouldn't you be a fund manager or something?
 

Word said:
To your last part - nope. It's different posters. Not people changing their mind.
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Not sure I agree, but I'm not going to bother searching for evidence. Just a feeling.

Word said:
Fleck has been "cut throat" enough to send a few d-lineman packing
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Huh? You talking about the two guys who recently decided to voluntarily transfer out of the program, for no reason?

Word said:
and a top WR benched for large portions of the season.
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No evidence that he was actually benched. He played in a lot of these games, just didn't get targeted all the time. You saying Fleck dictated that Morgan wasn't allowed to target him and/or he was only allowed to be in route combos where he was not going to be targeted?
 

cjbfbp said:
I wonder if it's possible that Tanner will opt to play another year but somewhere else? There are a lot of FBS programs where he could win the starting position. I'm always rooting for the guy but it's a little unfair to other recruits that one QB can be the starter for a period spanning 5 years.
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Correct.

Clark in particular has been screwed. I guess you could say the same for ZA as well, but he did actually get the first crack and just unlucked into a bad situation that he had little chance of succeeding in.
 

I know it's way out there but is there any chance Morgan and Fleck have a deal where Morgan is getting an early start on his coaching career while in uniform? He acts as mentor and back up to Clark and Kaliakmanis next year. I think Morgan is smart enough to realize his playing career is over after college and football has been such a huge part of his life, why wouldn't he take advantage of the chance to do it one more year.
 

MplsGopher said:
- Yes it should be, regardless. It won't be, if Morgan comes back.

- when has Fleck ever benched a starting QB (let alone a super-senior, "the heart of our team", etc etc etc) unless he was hurt?

- Fleck does not possess whatever level of cut-throat, do-whatever-it-takes to win mentality that would be required to bench Morgan. He can't physically do it. He can't, and he won't.


- Funny thing is: earlier this year some on this board practically wanted to expel Morgan and kick him to the curb without a degree! Now, some want Morgan back for next year. This place is so knee-jerk, hyper-reflexive, bipolar
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Well, he benched Rhoda for Croft and then chased Croft out of the program over a broken door. Then the next season Zack won the starting job, until Morgan out played him in two games, and he hasn't seen the field since.

Morgan had a bad year and he shouldn't be a lock for next season. I blame Sanford, but it doesn't particularly matter whose fault it is if Sanford is going to keep his job.

Minnesota will likely never have an offensive line this good again. Morgan threw 9 TDs behind that line. It's time to look elsewhere. Either he or Sanford need to go.
 

watertown 1987 guy n said:
I appreciate what Morgan has done for the Gophers but if he continues the pace of regression and inconsistency as he has the last two years and is again handed the starting spot - that’s a level of pain I don’t want to endure
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Definitely....going 6-3 in the Big Ten sucks

Morgan has his flaws, there are very few perfect QBs out there, but the level of crap that gets tossed at him is unfair.

If someone shows an understanding of the offense and plays at a level that would be a significant improvement over Morgan than they should get a shot. If not, keep putting the winningest QB out there and see what happens.

Good lord, you would think after leading the team to a second win over Wisconsin in the last 4 years we could have one day without people complaining about Morgan and the OC....but guess not.
 

It absolutely should be an open competition next year. And here's one more thing to consider...

If Tanner returns, and he's the starter and he is not markedly better than he was for most of 2021, then there should be serious concerns about how the younger QB's are developing. If it's truly an open competition, the overall play at the QB position for next year, over the course of the season, needs to be better than it was this season, whether it's with Morgan or new blood.

The program building in a positive direction needs to be reflected in improved play at every position across the board. Either Morgan needs to be a little better next year, or someone else needs to take over, OR, that should be a red flag about how those guys are improving.
 

Pete smith said:
The unfortunate thing is that PJ didn’t give anyone else a chance to get some experience. Except for Kramer - where was Kramer yesterday?
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Morgan was playing really well and Wisconsin has a great run defense. Why would you remove the real threat of the pass by putting Kramer back there so that the really strong Wisconsin run D can tee off knowing it is almost certainly a running play?
 

As if … it sometimes isn’t?

PJ makes no secret that his job is to go out and get better players.

I doubt he would sit Steve Montana and play someone else.
 

MplsGopher said:
Not sure I agree, but I'm not going to bother searching for evidence. Just a feeling.


Huh? You talking about the two guys who recently decided to voluntarily transfer out of the program, for no reason?


No evidence that he was actually benched. He played in a lot of these games, just didn't get targeted all the time. You saying Fleck dictated that Morgan wasn't allowed to target him and/or he was only allowed to be in route combos where he was not going to be targeted?
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You don't think Fleck was involved in the d-lineman leaving? You're not that naive are you?

And Wright has sat for good chunks of games. Not just lack of targets.
 

I’m pretty sure that it would be an ‘open competition’ in name only. There is no way that Morgan is not the starter if he’s back. I’m all for an open competition though.
 

Here's the problem with that. If there is an honest open competition and Tanner comes out on top, the GH experts will whine that it was not an open competition without any knowledge of what transpired.
 

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