Tanner Morgan injury watch thread

[Dano564]

For all of the "we're going to lose this game anyway" crowd...

We are 4 point dogs.
We are not 14 point dogs
We are not 24 point dogs
We are not 28 point dogs.

We are 4 point dogs against a defense who couldn't stop the run last week.
We like to run the ball.

I'm not betting that we win, but it's not like our chance to win is <1%.
You should know the underdog can win after we lost to the underdog in the last two games.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Right but in your example he would have no time to prepare.

If he can't practice at all because of a head injury, I just don't see him playing. And I hope I'm right.

Which is why I gave the more reasonable example of only being able to practice (non-contact) starting today. More than nothing ... but does it actually give us the best chance to win, vs. AK starting and prepping with the 1's all week?

We can't and won't know, because Fleck would never do it, short of being told by medical staff that TM is off the table.

 

[Go Gophs]

That's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about:

Doc: "well, Tanner scored 78 on the [insert name of Concussion protocol readiness test]. Anything over 75 is technically cleared to play, but he is border line. Another week I think he gets up into the mid 80's. But it's your call coach. If you want me to sign off on clearing him, I'll sign it"

Fleck: "Do it"

You either pass or you don't with concussion protocol. Simple as that.

 

[Gophers_4life]

You either pass or you don't with concussion protocol. Simple as that.

It's never that simple with the human body. There's always a spectrum and could be even better next week.

But Fleck's decision is a Yes/No binary.

 

[Go Gophs]

It's never that simple with the human body. There's always a spectrum and could be even better next week.

But Fleck's decision is a Yes/No binary.

The doctors will clear or not clear. I have been though this. There is no maybes when dealing with brain injuries.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Right but in your example he would have no time to prepare.

If he can't practice at all because of a head injury, I just don't see him playing. And I hope I'm right.

In Monday’s presser Fleck said that a guy with Tanner’s experience doesn’t need to practice early in the week to play. But he also said if he wasn’t cleared to practice on Thursday, he likely wouldn’t play.

 

[Dakota2]

as noted, we do not know the nature or severity of the injury.

IF it is a concussion - people respond very differently to concussions, depending on the severity. Some people recover very quickly with few complications. others take much longer to get back to 'normal.'

I put this in the same category as Mo going into the Purdue game. If the doctors clear Morgan to play, he will play. If the doctors don't clear him to play, he won't play.

But we won't know until right before kickoff, if then.

the real tricky part is that it could literally be a game-day decision - meaning that the other QB's and the team will not know who is starting until that decision is made. AK can do all the prep work possible, but there's a big difference in knowing you're the starter all week versus being told 20 minutes before kickoff. when put in that situation, some people rise to the challenge. others crap their pants. (hopefully, Gophers are not wearing the white pants........)

Not a big difference. Kaliakmanis is not a child. He's been preparing to lead a college football team half his life. He knows all week he might be called upon. All three QBs know the game plan and work with it all week.

Whether he starts, relieves, or just watches, AK will be ready. So will Kramer unless he's injured.

Offensive line play and overall defensive energy will have more to do with winning this game than who plays quarterback.

 

[PMWinSTP]

as noted, we do not know the nature or severity of the injury.

IF it is a concussion - people respond very differently to concussions, depending on the severity. Some people recover very quickly with few complications. others take much longer to get back to 'normal.'

I put this in the same category as Mo going into the Purdue game. If the doctors clear Morgan to play, he will play. If the doctors don't clear him to play, he won't play.

But we won't know until right before kickoff, if then.

the real tricky part is that it could literally be a game-day decision - meaning that the other QB's and the team will not know who is starting until that decision is made. AK can do all the prep work possible, but there's a big difference in knowing you're the starter all week versus being told 20 minutes before kickoff. when put in that situation, some people rise to the challenge. others crap their pants. (hopefully, Gophers are not wearing the white pants........)

Unless I missed something, with Mo there was no inication that he would be out. If he was not medically cleared for his ankle, it seeems pretty odd he would completely suit up as if he were going to play. He also went back in after the injury and got his 100 yards in the Sparty game, after having the ankle looked at and staying on the field.

Certainly feels like a situation IMHO where he was cleared for Purdue, and the decision was made to have him suit up but play only if neeeded if a couple RBs went down in the game.

Morgan got looked at and was then carted off the field, then spent time at the hospital. All could have been being overly cautious (head), but the differences in the situations does make you wonder a bit.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Which is why I gave the more reasonable example of only being able to practice (non-contact) starting today. More than nothing ... but does it actually give us the best chance to win, vs. AK starting and prepping with the 1's all week?

We can't and won't know, because Fleck would never do it, short of being told by medical staff that TM is off the table.

There is more too it than just practices, there are meetings and game prep. We have no way of knowing what Tanner was or was not cleared to do this week. It is entirely possible that he has been in meetings all week and active at practice even if he wasn't actually taking the reps.

We saw it first hand with Aiden O'Connell. He didn't practice much during the week leading up to the game but was able to do enough that the coaches felt confident putting him out there against us.

There is a difference when dealing with experienced players and practice time. A guy like AK might need a lot of reps to get ready. A guy like Morgan probably needs far less, because he has been her for the past 25 years and has tons of experience to draw from.

 

[Tommyboy]

Happy Morgan gets the snap in Happy Valley, and 4 Penn Defensive lineman hit Happy Morgan at the same time. Happy Morgan looks fine as he walks to the Penn State sideline.

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

It comes down to: does playing TM actually give this team the best chance to win?

If TM has practiced all week as the starter and is good to go, he probably does.

Would AK be able to perform even better if he had a whole week to physically and mentally prepare himself as the starter? We can speculate but we’ll never know.


But what if TM is held out of practice all week, with AK getting all the reps? Then TM wakes up on Saturday and says “put me in coach!” Of course Fleck will do so. And he’ll keep him in the game, no matter what.

That’s kinda more my point.

Short of another injury, we’re very unlikely to see anyone but TM in the game.

What we don’t know is, how justified is such a position.

So your argument is you think you know better than Fleck and Ciarrocca as to who gives the team the best chance to win and that they are playing Morgan just because they like him, even though they know Athan gives the team a better chance to win?

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

That's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about:

Doc: "well, Tanner scored 78 on the [insert name of Concussion protocol readiness test]. Anything over 75 is technically cleared to play, but he is border line. Another week I think he gets up into the mid 80's. But it's your call coach. If you want me to sign off on clearing him, I'll sign it"

Fleck: "Do it"

You clearly don't follow Gopher football very closely.

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

Not a big difference. Kaliakmanis is not a child. He's been preparing to lead a college football team half his life. He knows all week he might be called upon. All three QBs know the game plan and work with it all week.

Whether he starts, relieves, or just watches, AK will be ready. So will Kramer unless he's injured.

Offensive line play and overall defensive energy will have more to do with winning this game than who plays quarterback.

I'd throw WR play in there, more so than "defensive energy".

 

[Gophers_4life]

The doctors will clear or not clear. I have been though this. There is no maybes when dealing with brain injuries.

What I said is perfectly reasonable - the docs could say "he would be much better next week, but if you want me to clear him this week I'll do it and he can play this week"

 

[Gophers_4life]

Unless I missed something, with Mo there was no inication that he would be out. If he was not medically cleared for his ankle, it seeems pretty odd he would completely suit up as if he were going to play. He also went back in after the injury and got his 100 yards in the Sparty game, after having the ankle looked at and staying on the field.

Certainly feels like a situation IMHO where he was cleared for Purdue, and the decision was made to have him suit up but play only if neeeded if a couple RBs went down in the game.

Morgan got looked at and was then carted off the field, then spent time at the hospital. All could have been being overly cautious (head), but the differences in the situations does make you wonder a bit.

This. Mo could have played for Purdue, or he wouldn't have suited up.

Fleck thought we wouldn't need him to win, because we kicked MSU's rear end so hard the week before and they were so good last year. Turns out, MSU is meh this year and we needed Mo against Purdue.

Then Fleck tried to play it in the press like the doctors control everything and he (Fleck) is completely powerless.

 

[Gophers_4life]

There is more too it than just practices, there are meetings and game prep. We have no way of knowing what Tanner was or was not cleared to do this week. It is entirely possible that he has been in meetings all week and active at practice even if he wasn't actually taking the reps.

We saw it first hand with Aiden O'Connell. He didn't practice much during the week leading up to the game but was able to do enough that the coaches felt confident putting him out there against us.

There is a difference when dealing with experienced players and practice time. A guy like AK might need a lot of reps to get ready. A guy like Morgan probably needs far less, because he has been her for the past 25 years and has tons of experience to draw from.

Yep, I buy this.

I'm really only saying we will never know, which you agreed we can't and won't know what Tanner has actually done this week.

But in all likelihood we are going to see him on the field the entire night vs PSU, regardless what actually did happen this week.

 

[Gophers_4life]

So your argument is you think you know better than Fleck and Ciarrocca as to who gives the team the best chance to win and that they are playing Morgan just because they like him, even though they know Athan gives the team a better chance to win?

No, not even close to what I have been saying. I think I have been pretty clear for multiple posts.

 

[Gophers_4life]

You clearly don't follow Gopher football very closely.

Yeah that must be it

 

[RememberMurray]

For all of the "we're going to lose this game anyway" crowd...

We are 4 point dogs.
We are not 14 point dogs
We are not 24 point dogs
We are not 28 point dogs.

We are 4 point dogs against a defense who couldn't stop the run last week.
We like to run the ball.

I'm not betting that we win, but it's not like our chance to win is <1%.
You should know the underdog can win after we lost to the underdog in the last two games.

Yes. Thank you.

As a lifelong Minnesotan, I can say this with all sincerity: Minnesotans are morose, gloomy people — especially when it comes to sports.

The Gophers under P.J. Fleck are 1-0 versus Penn State.

 

[Dakota2]

I'd throw WR play in there, more so than "defensive energy".

Defensive energy tops the list. Who could ever believe a Fleck/Rossi defense could get beat for a half then watch a freshman walk on the size of a 7th grader take a kickoff 92 yards, we score quick and take the lead, and then that defense takes the field and gets pushed around just like the first half?

Impossible. They should have been on fire, chasing DeVito into the parking lot. They should have had Chase Brown in chains.

That defense is not going to win games. Our recievers can win awards for route running. Won't matter if defense is playing 40 minutes.

 

[60's Guy]

The biggest clue Tanner will or could likely play…he flew home with the team right after the game. Doesn’t happen imo if he had a serious head injury.
But, too many guys on here saying we will lose or likely lose has me fired up to see a Gopher victory.
Is Penn State really 7 and 6 in whiteouts??
No wonder we are only 4 point dogs.

 

[GophersWin!]

The biggest clue Tanner will or could likely play…he flew home with the team right after the game. Doesn’t happen imo if he had a serious head injury.
But, too many guys on here saying we will lose or likely lose has me fired up to see a Gopher victory.
Is Penn State really 7 and 6 in whiteouts??
No wonder we are only 4 point dogs.

I think it’s tanner or athan. That’s my guess and bet

 

[Go Gophs]

What I said is perfectly reasonable - the docs could say "he would be much better next week, but if you want me to clear him this week I'll do it and he can play this week"

False. You pass or don't. Doctors will not clear them unless they pass protocol. Go through it once, it is not a "choice" if there are remaining symptoms they will not let you play period. There is a return to play protocol that is followed.

You can read through the University's return to play protocol if you want. I'm telling you this is not the way things work.

https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/ssi/concussion/a5prot/SSI_A5Prot-UniversityofMinnesota.pdf

 

[Some Day...Maybe]

Defensive energy tops the list. Who could ever believe a Fleck/Rossi defense could get beat for a half then watch a freshman walk on the size of a 7th grader take a kickoff 92 yards, we score quick and take the lead, and then that defense takes the field and gets pushed around just like the first half?

Impossible. They should have been on fire, chasing DeVito into the parking lot. They should have had Chase Brown in chains.

That defense is not going to win games. Our recievers can win awards for route running. Won't matter if defense is playing 40 minutes.

Offense essentially scoring 7 points doesn't help. D line needs to be able to pressure the passer, they were awful in Illinois game.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Unless I missed something, with Mo there was no inication that he would be out. If he was not medically cleared for his ankle, it seeems pretty odd he would completely suit up as if he were going to play. He also went back in after the injury and got his 100 yards in the Sparty game, after having the ankle looked at and staying on the field.

Certainly feels like a situation IMHO where he was cleared for Purdue, and the decision was made to have him suit up but play only if neeeded if a couple RBs went down in the game.

Morgan got looked at and was then carted off the field, then spent time at the hospital. All could have been being overly cautious (head), but the differences in the situations does make you wonder a bit.

It's not uncommon for a player to be a game-time decision. He suited up, went through the warm-up and was not cleared after that. It was possible he was cleared after warm-ups.

 

[Dakota2]

Yep, I buy this.

I'm really only saying we will never know, which you agreed we can't and won't know what Tanner has actually done this week.

But in all likelihood we are going to see him on the field the entire night vs PSU, regardless what actually did happen this week.

Tanner doesn't need to physically practice as long as he was good for game plan meetings and watching practice.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Doctors will not clear them unless they pass protocol.

So?

85 > 78

Just because the technical threshold to be allowed to be cleared is 75, doesn't mean playing him this week is the ethical decision.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Tanner doesn't need to physically practice as long as he was good for game plan meetings and watching practice.

Or, AK would've been slightly better, because he did practice all week.

We'll never get to know that. Would love to peer into alternate universes to really see what happens.

 

[Dave H]

Do you really think “the doctors” are like this perfectly autonomous group that are entirely, absolutely impervious to any kind of “persuasion”?

Medical diagnosis is hardly black and white.

Jesus is everything some deep rooted conspiracy with you? Your takes are bizarre and awful...

I gotta think people who know you in real life have constant migraines from eyerolling at your awful opinions and takes on things.

 

[Dave H]

I'm very confident Fleck would not play Morgan in that scenario. If Morgan isn't practicing at all this week then he wouldn't be playing regardless of how he feels on Saturday.

Yeah but you live in the real world...not the crazy upside down world MPLS_Go...errr...Gophers_4LIFE lives in.