Tanner Morgan thoughts

Went to all the open practices and a couple closed ones last year. Kramer was 4th just behind Clark, from what I saw. Really lost in the Spring compared to Clark. Very large noticeable gap between Morgan/Annexstad and Clark/Kramer in the Fall.


I didn't see much, but I thought Clark and Kramer were really close. I think Kramer edge slightly, but that might be my memory playing tricks on me (knowing that Kramer got a little more run than Clark).

I think a lot of the people who assumed Kramer was a throw away scholarship did so based on the rankings. The rankings aren't definitive. I think they are helpful and a good piece of information, but at the end of the day, a staff that does a pretty good job evaluating QBs (from as far as I can tell), offered Kramer a scholarship pretty early.
 

The AAK play I remember, is vs Michigan when they scored 31 4th quarter points to beat MN.
Michigan was scoring at will, and AAK had a 50 yard TD run, to give us some hope. But it was not enough. I did not look any of these stats up, it is from memory, so if there was something incorrect, I'll take the blame :)
 


Was always a big fan of Asad and yeah he gets kind of lost in the shuffle when discussion QBs that played here. He was a solid passer and could run some too. I also really enjoyed watching Bryan Cupito play.

If I was going to rank QBs from the last 20-25 years or so in terms of favorites, would probably go:

1. Morgan
2. Weber
3. Asad
4. Cupito
5. Cockerham (just outside 20 years at this point)
SO, to be clear here. If Tanballs leaves the program tomorrow he is still the best QB out of this list? because that is what you are saying.
 

The AAK play I remember, is vs Michigan when they scored 31 4th quarter points to beat MN.
Michigan was scoring at will, and AAK had a 50 yard TD run, to give us some hope. But it was not enough. I did not look any of these stats up, it is from memory, so if there was something incorrect, I'll take the blame :)

Actually the AAK TD is what probably cost us the game. It was a QB sneak where the red sea parted and it turned into a TD. If he just gets the first down, maybe we continue dominating them on the ground, grind out a bunch of clock and hold on. We were up a TD at the time and his score put us up 14 with around 10 minutes left in the game.

Obviously no way to know how it would have played out had that play gone differently. Still just unreal to lose a game where you rush for over 400 yards. Well that was a fun trip down memory lane :)
 


SO, to be clear here. If Tanballs leaves the program tomorrow he is still the best QB out of this list? because that is what you are saying.

Obviously if he up and leaves that might change my opinion on him. There is nothing scientific in my list just an opinion on how I would rank the guys in terms of how much I liked watching them play during their time here.
 

Actually the AAK TD is what probably cost us the game. It was a QB sneak where the red sea parted and it turned into a TD. If he just gets the first down, maybe we continue dominating them on the ground, grind out a bunch of clock and hold on. We were up a TD at the time and his score put us up 14 with around 10 minutes left in the game.

Obviously no way to know how it would have played out had that play gone differently. Still just unreal to lose a game where you rush for over 400 yards. Well that was a fun trip down memory lane :)
You are correct. My memories of the heart-breaking games vs. Michigan, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan State at the Metrodome, all kind of blend together! :)
 

Actually the AAK TD is what probably cost us the game. It was a QB sneak where the red sea parted and it turned into a TD. If he just gets the first down, maybe we continue dominating them on the ground, grind out a bunch of clock and hold on. We were up a TD at the time and his score put us up 14 with around 10 minutes left in the game.

Obviously no way to know how it would have played out had that play gone differently. Still just unreal to lose a game where you rush for over 400 yards. Well that was a fun trip down memory lane :)

My earliest Gopher scar. 40 yard line 4th row behind Gophs bench. 10 year old me still remembers my dad yelling at Mason they were going to throw a swing pass to Chris Perry every play (they did and we couldn't stop it). Never forget.

FWIW I thought the AAK TD run sealed the deal. How naive I was...
 

Not sure how to research it but I seem to recall that the Mason-era teams ran for 400+ yards several times...and lost most of those games. I think the dropped punt snap loss to Wisconsin was a 400+ game, too? Amazing when you think about it.
 



Not sure how to research it but I seem to recall that the Mason-era teams ran for 400+ yards several times...and lost most of those games. I think the dropped punt snap loss to Wisconsin was a 400+ game, too? Amazing when you think about it.

Can't speak for other games but a quick check of the 2005 boxscore against Wisconsin does show that we rushed for 411 yards in that game only to lose on the fluky dropped punt snap at the end. One thing about those Mason years, we certainly mastered the art of finding creative and heartbreaking ways to lose games.
 

OK, fine. I found it odd you seemed down on the incumbents and high on the new kid and assumed you must be in that sphere down in TX. My mistake.

It‘s the subject of a whole ‘mother thread but the arguments on changing a 20+ year old college starter or potential pro (famously Tebow and Rodgers) throwing mechanics is debatable to me. Maybe in a controlled environment things can be consciously tweaked but for an established, experienced athlete to make significant changes to their throw particularly under mental and physical time pressures is a bit far fetched and I suspect muscle memory kicks in, but certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Mental adjustments and adaptation to prevent fundamental breakdowns seems like it might be more important for an experienced athlete. Morgan, for example had much better stats in the second halves of games. Why? Situation, mental state, play calling, defensive fatigue? That’s not always the norm but I found it endearing.

For newbies (to any sport) the potential gain of mechanics coaching seems much higher. I bet some folks who would never believe they’re capable to throw a football 40 yards could do it with a little coaching... Get the kinetic chain going from the feet to the hips to the abdomen to the shoulder to the wrist and fingertips and even a 50+ year old might be able to torque that sucker down the field without shredding ligaments (too much).
I accept your apology...I think.;)

Passing mechanics and a golf swing have a lot in common and in several ways. Tanner learned to throw with his hips over the summer and it greatly improved his velocity and accuracy. Think about golf. If you drive your power from the hips down, you're a lot stronger than if you throw or swing with just your upper body.
 

The AAK play I remember, is vs Michigan when they scored 31 4th quarter points to beat MN.
Michigan was scoring at will, and AAK had a 50 yard TD run, to give us some hope. But it was not enough. I did not look any of these stats up, it is from memory, so if there was something incorrect, I'll take the blame :)
I remember thinking (No! Don't score and give them back the ball, use more clock!) sigh.
 

I remember thinking (No! Don't score and give them back the ball, use more clock!) sigh.
When Asad scored the TD I immediately told Mrs. Billd that this was scoring too fast. Recollection is that it was around 10 minutes left and that run aside, absent a turnover, we were going to score at least one more time with how well Maroney, Barber, and Tapeh were rowing behind Eslinger and the whole gang.

The Gophers running game that night was a once-in-a-lifetime event to behold.

No doubt having the QB in that moment the Red Sea parted...and it did part...just progress the ball enough for the first down and fall down to boot is a lot to ask. But with how the Gophers D was performing at that point, falling down was the correct answer.

We were so close to greatness that game. Peed in our pants the very next week at home against a very mediocre Sparty. So it went...

Not progress.
 
Last edited:





Maybe enough time has gone by...mixed with a little success...to make it okay.

Progress.
I remember being at that game and the walk back to my car in silence like it was yesterday. Not enough time yet for me. Still hurts too much.
 

This is a lot of talk about a game we all have agreed to never speak about.

I'm crying now. Maybe that game is why I hate Michigan so much more than a lot of people.
 

I remember being at that game and the walk back to my car in silence like it was yesterday. Not enough time yet for me. Still hurts too much.
I had a stupid grin after that game. The football endorphins were off the charts.

I hated the ending but the ride getting there was an adrenaline rush like no other.

Mrs. Billd thought I was nuts. She asked "why do we do this?" Probably correct...
 





Top Bottom