Gophers have two freshman quarterbacks ready to start - Strib

Iceland12

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Come Aug. 30, the Gophers will open their season with an unknown situation at quarterback. Either Tanner Morgan, a redshirt freshman, or Zack Annexstad, a walk-on true freshman, will begin under center against New Mexico State. It’s not an optimal situation for any team — who wouldn’t want a senior like Penn State’s Trace McSorley? — but it’s the situation the Gophers have and one that they will have to make work.

For coach P.J. Fleck, it’s a challenge but one he relishes because of the type of QBs he has in Morgan and Annexstad, who both likely will play this season.

“They don’t feel like freshmen,’’ Fleck said. “When I stand back there, I don’t sense any freshman nerves, anxiety. They make mistakes, but they’re not freshman mistakes. They’re making 400-level mistakes.’’

Fleck hasn’t decided on a starter, saying “they’re neck and neck’’ in the competition.

Minnesota is not alone in having no experience at QB. Nebraska also could have either a redshirt freshman (Tristan Gebbia) or a true freshman (Adrian Martinez) starting. The rest of the Big Ten, however, features potential starters with at least four games of experience and six with 20 or more games played.

Gophers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca had to think for a while when asked if he’s ever been in a situation in which his top two QBs had no game experience. “No,’’ he said, “but I’ve had a situation [at Rutgers] where a true freshman started for us.’’ That QB was Tom Savage, who is now with the New Orleans Saints as a backup.

Ciarrocca’s point: Just because they’re freshmen doesn’t mean they can’t play...


http://www.startribune.com/zeroing-...eshman-quarterbacks-ready-to-start/490648081/
 


All this optimism will really kill my buzz if both of them are barely better than Rhoda. I hope at least one of them is a B1G QB.
 


All this optimism will really kill my buzz if both of them are barely better than Rhoda. I hope at least one of them is a B1G QB.

If both are slightly better than Rhoda this year, they'll probably be pretty good by the time they're seniors.
 


Wasn't it Georgia who played a true freshman at QB last year and he took them to the National Title game? Didn't Alabama put a true freshman QB in the National Championship game and he sparked and lead them to victory? By no means saying MN is anywhere near the college football playoff, just wanted to point out that freshman QB's can have success at this level. I know the norm is not to, but it's not a given.
 

anyone ask Jerry Kill what he thinks about the current gopher qb quandary? 'I took Harnish and Lynch into the then new MN stadium and spanked those boys into hiring my country butt.
 

The year that nobody with a freshman starting qb has a better season than we do is the year I am ready to attribute our problems to a lack of experience at qb.
 

I suspect that most FR QB's who have a lot of success are stepping into a situation with established skill position players and an established OL. In those cases, the QB is the last piece in the puzzle, and probably isn't expected to carry the team or be the team leader - just run the offense and execute the plays that are called.

at MN, you have FR QB's who are walking into a situation with a young team, questions on the OL, questions about depth at RB, and questions about depth at WR. Now - if all of those questions are answered positively, then things could turn out fine. But, a FR starting at QB for an established helmet school program is not the same as a FR starting at QB for the Gophers.
 



I suspect that most FR QB's who have a lot of success are stepping into a situation with established skill position players and an established OL. In those cases, the QB is the last piece in the puzzle, and probably isn't expected to carry the team or be the team leader - just run the offense and execute the plays that are called.

at MN, you have FR QB's who are walking into a situation with a young team, questions on the OL, questions about depth at RB, and questions about depth at WR. Now - if all of those questions are answered positively, then things could turn out fine. But, a FR starting at QB for an established helmet school program is not the same as a FR starting at QB for the Gophers.

As per usual I agree with SON's take. However it seems that often when a frosh QB takes over its the result of injury or an upper classman clearly not being up to the job. The Gopher's situation is one where we know we will have a freshman QB so they are getting all the practice reps and attention from the coaches. My hope is that this speeds the development of one of our freshmen QB's. We'll see what happens...
 

I suspect that most FR QB's who have a lot of success are stepping into a situation with established skill position players and an established OL. In those cases, the QB is the last piece in the puzzle, and probably isn't expected to carry the team or be the team leader - just run the offense and execute the plays that are called.

at MN, you have FR QB's who are walking into a situation with a young team, questions on the OL, questions about depth at RB, and questions about depth at WR. Now - if all of those questions are answered positively, then things could turn out fine. But, a FR starting at QB for an established helmet school program is not the same as a FR starting at QB for the Gophers.

Other than QB where is the inexperience and youth on offense?
 

Wasn't it Georgia who played a true freshman at QB last year and he took them to the National Title game? Didn't Alabama put a true freshman QB in the National Championship game and he sparked and lead them to victory? By no means saying MN is anywhere near the college football playoff, just wanted to point out that freshman QB's can have success at this level. I know the norm is not to, but it's not a given.
They were five star recruits, not a red shirt plucked from the MAC and a walk on

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 

Both of these freshman QBs will be markedly better than either QB from last year. May both outperform Leidner's best year. At least 2 wins better. The Fleck effect begins this year.
 



Both of these freshman QBs will be markedly better than either QB from last year. May both outperform Leidner's best year. At least 2 wins better. The Fleck effect begins this year.

How do people think they know these things???
 

Other than QB where is the inexperience and youth on offense?

I didn't say "inexperience and youth," I said "questions." And there are questions about each of the groups I mentioned: who is going to start on the OL - who will be the top reserves - who will red-shirt (or at least only play 4 games). Who lines up on the depth chart at RB behind Smith? Besides Johnson, who starts at WR?

Those are all legitimate questions - and they do not necessarily have to do with inexperience and youth. And as far as being a young team, just ask the head coach. I believe he's mentioned it once or twice.
 

I didn't say "inexperience and youth," I said "questions." And there are questions about each of the groups I mentioned: who is going to start on the OL - who will be the top reserves - who will red-shirt (or at least only play 4 games). Who lines up on the depth chart at RB behind Smith? Besides Johnson, who starts at WR?

Those are all legitimate questions - and they do not necessarily have to do with inexperience and youth. And as far as being a young team, just ask the head coach. I believe he's mentioned it once or twice.

I must have responded to a shorty-Fleck mind melt. BTW, thank you for another great report. I look forward to it every single week.
 




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