Wisconsin State Journal: Minnesota: Can Tanner Morgan do that again?

[BleedGopher]

per the Wisconsin State Journal:


The Golden Gophers were one of the biggest surprises in college football last year. After going 7-6 in 2018, Minnesota rattled off nine wins to start the 2019 season. A tough loss at Iowa and UW rolling the Gophers at home ended their chances at the Big Ten title and a possible College Football Playoff berth, but it was still a breakthrough season.

Quarterback Tanner Morgan, a redshirt sophomore who wasn’t projected to start until an injury to Zack Annexstad thrust him into the role, was a big reason for Minnesota’s success. He set school records for passing yards (3,253), touchdowns (30), completion percentage (66%) and passing efficiency (178.7).
Receiver Tyler Johnson graduates and takes 86 catches, 1,318 yards and 13 touchdowns with him, but Rashod Bateman (60-1,219-11) is back to lead the receiving corps. Offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca left for the same role at Penn State, but one would assume that the run-pass option scheme Morgan utilized so well will remain.

If Morgan can put together another season like he did in 2019, the Gophers could again make a run in the Big Ten West.

Minnesota: Can Tanner Morgan do that again?

The Golden Gophers were one of the biggest surprises in college football last year. After going 7-6 in 2018, Minnesota rattled off nine wins to start the 2019 season. A

madison.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[BTChamp]

Wisconsin = dinks

 

[BleedGopher]

Wisconsin = dinks

This.

Go Gophers!!

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Wisconsin = dinks

Science!

 

[Biggsohnasty]

That feels like a fair question for folks covering outside teams to ask. A year ago at this time, Morgan wasn't highly-heralded (around the country) and while we liked what he did as a RS Frosh, it wasn't as if he'd set the world on fire.

Fast forward to the season and he was terrific. But he is losing Johnson who was incredibly productive and wondering if there was some fluke nature to his breakout doesnt seem out-of-bounds. If he's asked to do more in terms of distributing to more guys, and making his WRs better (rather than his WRs making him better), can he do it?

I tend to think the offense will largely stay the same in that it's a ground-and-pound, clock grinding approach and Morgan won't be asked to throw 35-plus times regularly. I think their ideal game script involves Morgan throwing it 20-25 times with 40-plus runs. Executing that plan becomes even more critical with the defense being younger and likely experiencing its own set of growing pains during the year.

Getting involved in shootouts isn't how this team is going to win. And while Morgan was awesome, there are times where his decision-making and the positive results of those decisions seem fluky because of how good Johnson and Bateman were. Can he replicate that production/take it to another level as an upperclassman? I think he'll be good - though perhaps not better.

But the question about Morgan feels like a fair one - though I think the bigger one opposing writers should be focusing on is the defense even if that doesn't quite garner the same buzz as all QB all the time.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

That feels like a fair question for folks covering outside teams to ask. A year ago at this time, Morgan wasn't highly-heralded (around the country) and while we liked what he did as a RS Frosh, it wasn't as if he'd set the world on fire.

Fast forward to the season and he was terrific. But he is losing Johnson who was incredibly productive and wondering if there was some fluke nature to his breakout doesnt seem out-of-bounds. If he's asked to do more in terms of distributing to more guys, and making his WRs better (rather than his WRs making him better), can he do it?

I tend to think the offense will largely stay the same in that it's a ground-and-pound, clock grinding approach and Morgan won't be asked to throw 35-plus times regularly. I think their ideal game script involves Morgan throwing it 20-25 times with 40-plus runs. Executing that plan becomes even more critical with the defense being younger and likely experiencing its own set of growing pains during the year.

Getting involved in shootouts isn't how this team is going to win. And while Morgan was awesome, there are times where his decision-making and the positive results of those decisions seem fluky because of how good Johnson and Bateman were. Can he replicate that production/take it to another level as an upperclassman? I think he'll be good - though perhaps not better.

But the question about Morgan feels like a fair one - though I think the bigger one opposing writers should be focusing on is the defense even if that doesn't quite garner the same buzz as all QB all the time.

you think he is gonna pull a leidballs? Stop it.

 

[BilldGopher]

 

[Biggsohnasty]

you think he is gonna pull a leidballs? Stop it.

Didn't realize there was a way that what I said could be construed that way but I guess you can never overestimate reading comprehension.

No, I don't think he's going to pull a leidballs. He's light year's better than Leidball(s?). I'm simply saying I think it's fair for opposing journalists, when analyzing the Gophers (in less biased fashion than us), to wonder if Morgan will be as good as he was last year again. And I tend to think he'll be good - even if he's not a lot better than he was last year. But ultimately I still think the offense, when it's achieving ideal self, is run first, run second, pass when necessary and possess the ball for 32-38 minutes.

 

[btowngopher]

That feels like a fair question for folks covering outside teams to ask. A year ago at this time, Morgan wasn't highly-heralded (around the country) and while we liked what he did as a RS Frosh, it wasn't as if he'd set the world on fire.

Fast forward to the season and he was terrific. But he is losing Johnson who was incredibly productive and wondering if there was some fluke nature to his breakout doesnt seem out-of-bounds. If he's asked to do more in terms of distributing to more guys, and making his WRs better (rather than his WRs making him better), can he do it?

I tend to think the offense will largely stay the same in that it's a ground-and-pound, clock grinding approach and Morgan won't be asked to throw 35-plus times regularly. I think their ideal game script involves Morgan throwing it 20-25 times with 40-plus runs. Executing that plan becomes even more critical with the defense being younger and likely experiencing its own set of growing pains during the year.

Getting involved in shootouts isn't how this team is going to win. And while Morgan was awesome, there are times where his decision-making and the positive results of those decisions seem fluky because of how good Johnson and Bateman were. Can he replicate that production/take it to another level as an upperclassman? I think he'll be good - though perhaps not better.

But the question about Morgan feels like a fair one - though I think the bigger one opposing writers should be focusing on is the defense even if that doesn't quite garner the same buzz as all QB all the time.

He could have been making certain decisions because he knew Johnson and Bateman were good.

 

[Bigeddysprings]

Science!

Then they came back.

 

[PitinoFan]

I frequently see good WRs cited as the reason Tanner had a great season, but I rarely see the same said about Tua, Hurts, Fields, Lawrence, etc. It’s more likely that Tanner made his receivers better too. PJ said he makes everyone on the team better. I’ll take his word for it.

 

[Biggsohnasty]

I frequently see good WRs cited as the reason Tanner had a great season, but I rarely see the same said about Tua, Hurts, Fields, Lawrence, etc. It’s more likely that Tanner made his receivers better too. PJ said he makes everyone on the team better. I’ll take his word for it.

I think most people that aren't slobbering over QBs recognize that it's a total team thing. For Hurts, clearly the system was magic, Tua undoubtedly benefitted in a big way from having essentially a 4x100 relay set of WRs, Fields was heavily insulated at Ohio State (which he'll be again).

That's not taking away from Morgan. If people think he's one of the five best QBs in college football, we're seeing things differently. Fair to wonder that when a guy completes 210 passes in a season, and is losing a guy who caught 86 of those, how does he compensate?

Morgan was awesome - but there's no denying that he benefitted from a pair of elite WRs. That's allowed. Now we'll see if he can raise the level of play from guys (as excited as we all are about Bell, the TEs, etc.) who likely aren't as good as Tyler Johnson.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

I think most people that aren't slobbering over QBs recognize that it's a total team thing. For Hurts, clearly the system was magic, Tua undoubtedly benefitted in a big way from having essentially a 4x100 relay set of WRs, Fields was heavily insulated at Ohio State (which he'll be again).

That's not taking away from Morgan. If people think he's one of the five best QBs in college football, we're seeing things differently. Fair to wonder that when a guy completes 210 passes in a season, and is losing a guy who caught 86 of those, how does he compensate?

Morgan was awesome - but there's no denying that he benefitted from a pair of elite WRs. That's allowed. Now we'll see if he can raise the level of play from guys (as excited as we all are about Bell, the TEs, etc.) who likely aren't as good as Tyler Johnson.

Tyler Johnson was the Gophers #2 receiver. I think Morgan will thrive without him

 

[builtbadgers]

Of course he can. I could care less if he is a top 5 QB. All i know he is close to the best one for this team.

 

[Biggsohnasty]

Of course he can. I could care less if he is a top 5 QB. All i know he is close to the best one for this team.

Agreed. He's excellent. Best QB we've had around here in quite some time. Question isn't weather or not he's the best guy for this team or if he's an elite QB. It's can he do what he did last year again?

I wouldn't be surprised if his numbers aren't as good as they were a year ago. That doesn't mean he won't be good or that the team won't have a strong season still.

I'm just not understanding the 'dinks' comments when the questions as to weather or not he can take his game to another level feels fair. I think a lot of people are just assuming he's going to just keep ascending - and he might - but I think it would be wise to be guarded against the possibility that the Morgan we saw last year was (statistically) the best Morgan we'll see. For all the reasons I've laid out.