Zannexstad

Jeshurun

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Wow, do we finally have a quarterback? I know it's two games, but the ability to put the ball into tight windows or just where the receiver can get it is astonishing to me for a freshman. Maybe I'm deceived by the dearth of QBs we've had here, but I see top 3 round draft potential when I watch him play. That throw to Johnson making something out of nothing was unlike anything I've ever seen in a gopher game.
 

He is off to a good start and has the accuracy and arm strength we have not seen in a few years. He has a ways to go in pocket presence but I am very hopeful for him to develop into a great QB. He also does not seem to be overwhelmed by the moment.
 

He is off to a good start and has the accuracy and arm strength we have not seen in a few years. He has a ways to go in pocket presence but I am very hopeful for him to develop into a great QB. He also does not seem to be overwhelmed by the moment.

Yeah, mon. Lot to like about this kid.

JTG
 

we have two better passing qbs and one better running qb than last year...we have six better wrs than last year...we are better than last year at all five oline spots and all five oline depth spots...
 

He is off to a good start and has the accuracy and arm strength we have not seen in a few years. He has a ways to go in pocket presence but I am very hopeful for him to develop into a great QB. He also does not seem to be overwhelmed by the moment.

Actually, he has great presence in the pocket, IMHO.
 


Actually, he has great presence in the pocket, IMHO.

I think he's referring to the tendency to scramble outside of the pocket and make life harder on his tackles, rather than step up in the pocket. That will come with time.
 

I think he's referring to the tendency to scramble outside of the pocket and make life harder on his tackles, rather than step up in the pocket. That will come with time.

He's moved where the pocket has allowed, which has been laterally. The kid has great awareness. His scramble to hit TJ was elite.
 

The thing I have loved about Annexstad through two weeks is that he has avoided the bad INT that can plague young QB's. He will have his ups and downs this year but tough not to be excited about his potential given how good he has looked so far as a True Freshman. Should only get better as he gets more experience in the offense and with college ball in general.
 

He's moved where the pocket has allowed, which has been laterally. The kid has great awareness. His scramble to hit TJ was elite.

There was a play earlier in the game, 2nd and 20 at about their own 20 in the second quarter. His scramble out of the pocket on it wasn't quite like the big play he had to Johnson, but flushed nevertheless. Threw it to Johnson just past the 1st down marker, Johnson with a fabulous catch, but just out of bounds. ZA used his feet really well on that one also and perhaps a stepping stone for both TJ and ZA for that big play that they did connect on.
 



He looks really good. Great set of receivers and he is very decisive in his throws. Hard to believe he's a freshman. Not to pick a scab, but he looks much more comfortable than Leidner ever did. Again, the quality of receivers may have something to do with that.
 

He looks really good. Great set of receivers and he is very decisive in his throws. Hard to believe he's a freshman. Not to pick a scab, but he looks much more comfortable than Leidner ever did. Again, the quality of receivers may have something to do with that.

Agree. Got knocked down and roughed up but was unfazed. Also had a great scramble for some yards when everything broke down.
 

He is a better runner than I expected. Not just in scrambling but you could have designed runs for him. Really impressed by his passing obviously. Nice to have a QB who can complete passes and use the middle of the field.
 

Love his poise. Biggest concern for me so far is the telegraphing of throws. That's pretty standard for college QB's though...let alone true freshmen.
 



Looking promising for sure.

Cool as a cucumber.

His bullets are great throws but those throws over the middle I worry are gonna get someone killed ....

His longer throws are looking pretty far off / awfully floaty.
 

Love his poise. Biggest concern for me so far is the telegraphing of throws. That's pretty standard for college QB's though...let alone true freshmen.

He's not IMHO. That was my concern with Morgan.
 

Looking promising for sure.

Cool as a cucumber.

His bullets are great throws but those throws over the middle I worry are gonna get someone killed ....

His longer throws are looking pretty far off / awfully floaty.

I don't see that at all.
 

Looking promising for sure.

Cool as a cucumber.

His bullets are great throws but those throws over the middle I worry are gonna get someone killed ....

His longer throws are looking pretty far off / awfully floaty.

I don't see that at all.
 

He needs to connect on a few deep balls eventually but to keep defenses honest. Definitely have the speed on the outside to take the top off the defense.

That is pretty much my only complaint so far
 

Actually, he has great presence in the pocket, IMHO.

I agree with Jeshu, I think this is the weakest part of his game.

I am obviously nit-picking when it comes to a true freshman QB, but leaves the pocket too quickly (IMO).
 

I agree with Jeshu, I think this is the weakest part of his game.

I am obviously nit-picking when it comes to a true freshman QB, but leaves the pocket too quickly (IMO).

I agree as well. There are times he could step up in the pocket instead of bailing.
 

A gifted QB has "it". Too early to tell if ZA qualifies but nothing so far tells me otherwise.
 

The thing I have loved about Annexstad through two weeks is that he has avoided the bad INT that can plague young QB's. He will have his ups and downs this year but tough not to be excited about his potential given how good he has looked so far as a True Freshman. Should only get better as he gets more experience in the offense and with college ball in general.

Agree about importance of avoiding INT's. Very impressive. He also raised his completion pct this last game. That along with eliminating fumbles had been one of the few "knocks" against from his 1st game. Overall impression is he is playing a controlled game and very well. That is probably what PJ wants at this point. The Ball is the Program.
 

Wow, do we finally have a quarterback? I know it's two games, but the ability to put the ball into tight windows or just where the receiver can get it is astonishing to me for a freshman. Maybe I'm deceived by the dearth of QBs we've had here, but I see top 3 round draft potential when I watch him play. That throw to Johnson making something out of nothing was unlike anything I've ever seen in a gopher game.

I think he’s going to be quite good in a year or two, but throwing into double coverage won’t work against bug ten opponents.
 

Actually, he has great presence in the pocket, IMHO.

Strongly disagree. I'm happy with him so far, but he has a long way to go.

His pocket presence was pretty bad. He put his tackles in awful situations against Fresno.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAbMQDIs-Ec&t=55m56s (this was about a step away from becoming a safety)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAbMQDIs-Ec&t=61m21s (thought his pocket was collapsing before we had a man come open)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAbMQDIs-Ec&t=62m42s (Leber calls him out on this one)

Also not sure what you're seeing on his long throws but he is inaccurate beyond 15 yards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAbMQDIs-Ec&t=77m25s

His flick to Johnson on the run tells me he has the arm strength to be better than he is downfield.

He's raw, but has more talent than I've seen at Minnesota in awhile.
 
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Strongly disagree. I'm happy with him so far, but he has a long way to go.

His pocket presence is atrocious. He put his tackles in awful situations against Fresno.

Also not sure what you're seeing on his long throws but he is horribly inaccurate beyond 15 yards.


His flick to Johnson on the run tells me he has the arm strength to be better than he is downfield.

He's raw, but has more talent than I've seen at Minnesota in awhile.

Not going to continue to belabor the point, but I just can't agree with you. The line actually needs to pass block a lot better to give him time. Multiple times where he had no time and would have taken a sack without moving laterally. He will need to scramble a lot more in conference games if they can't pass block better.
 

Kid has some moxie, has a good arm, and doesn't get rattled. I like that combo! Excited to see him develop.
 

Not going to continue to belabor the point, but I just can't agree with you. The line actually needs to pass block a lot better to give him time. Multiple times where he had no time and would have taken a sack without moving laterally. He will need to scramble a lot more in conference games if they can't pass block better.

A lot of the 'poor' pass blocking was designed screens so make sure to keep an eye out for that. The line wasn't just giving guys up, they were getting up field and blocking, which is something we have't seen to a large extent at Minnesota before.
Screen example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAbMQDIs-Ec&t=16m54s
(Looks like piss poor blocking at first glimpse, but they are intentional releases).

Also, not trying to rip on the kid, I ****ing love him.
Added some videos if you want to check out what I'm talking about.

He has a lot of room to improve, which is a good thing!
 
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Only thing that's suspect is arm strength. His deep ball seems to float/is underthrown a bit. We knew that arm strength was an issue for both he and Morgan going in.
 

Wow, do we finally have a quarterback? I know it's two games, but the ability to put the ball into tight windows or just where the receiver can get it is astonishing to me for a freshman. Maybe I'm deceived by the dearth of QBs we've had here, but I see top 3 round draft potential when I watch him play. That throw to Johnson making something out of nothing was unlike anything I've ever seen in a gopher game.

Let's pump the brakes a bit


He's doing well, but he's not screaming NFL QB to me
 

Looking promising for sure.

Cool as a cucumber.

His bullets are great throws but those throws over the middle I worry are gonna get someone killed ....

His longer throws are looking pretty far off / awfully floaty.

Seems like a lot of the longer throws have been over the top to let the receiver run under it which would be more about playing calling and the defense. Haven't seen many plays of the 20-25 slant over the middle which is ok in my since its good way to get your receiver killed.
 




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