Next year's starting quarterback is......

Does Alipate have any eligibility left? Seriously, Morgan is #1 and Annexstad #1A. Improved O-line play was a major factor in the late improvement, but I think we saw (at least I did) the difference between a freshman and a redshirt freshman in the decision-making process on the field. Morgan was just so much quicker in recognizing reads. That's no dig at Annexstad. I don't care what level of high school ball you played, it's a big step to college ball. I like both these guys and I'm excited to see Clark and Kramer in the mix as well.

We could use another blocking TE...
 

I want Reusse to try out. He should have some eligibility left.

How about someone starts a charity fund drive, and Patrick has to try to field a punt at the end of the Spring game if the dollar goal is met? U could probably charge admission...I'd pay to see that.
 

How about someone starts a charity fund drive, and Patrick has to try to field a punt at the end of the Spring game if the dollar goal is met? U could probably charge admission...I'd pay to see that.

Bring back Cashman to defend that punt and I will go in $1000.
 




ZA is my choice. Morgan was underwhelming to me in every game except the first one he took over in. Realistically though I think it's best to open the competition up again in spring and see who is the best.


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Disagree. The passing stats don't show it but I thought he was masterful in the wisconsin game. Ok, a bit of hyperbole there but the job he did making the correct reads on the RPO and read option was fantastic. I believe it was a slant on the 9 minute drive that he squeezed it in just over the LB and nailed the WR. I was very happy with his performance as he put the team in a position to be successful.
 

Disagree. The passing stats don't show it but I thought he was masterful in the wisconsin game. Ok, a bit of hyperbole there but the job he did making the correct reads on the RPO and read option was fantastic. I believe it was a slant on the 9 minute drive that he squeezed it in just over the LB and nailed the WR. I was very happy with his performance as he put the team in a position to be successful.

So basically a good game manager?. Not what I call great. If the stats don't suggest a great passing game then my choice is the other guy or whoever wins the open competition next year.


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So basically a good game manager?. Not what I call great. If the stats don't suggest a great passing game then my choice is the other guy or whoever wins the open competition next year.


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You said 'underwhelming' in every game except for Nebraska. My argument is that he wasn't underwhelming in the wisconsin game based on how he ran the offense and made all the correct decisions....when to hand off, when to pull it on the RPO, and making some very nice throws. Now you're moving the goal post to saying it needs to be a 'great' passing game. There's a lot of room between underwhelming and great. Please make up your mind on what you'd like to discuss.

Also the Indiana stat line - 17/24, 302 yards, 3 TDs including the game winning 60+? yard TD. Wasn't underwhelming to me.

I freely admit I have no clue who starts next fall. Way too many variables.
 
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I like that we have two QBs with some experience now. I’ve also been amazed that neither one has short-hopped a pass to a wide open receiver (something I grew to think was normal for college QBs after Weber and Leidner).
 



The winner of a great QB competition. Ski-U-Mah &RTB!!!
 

You said 'underwhelming' in every game except for Nebraska. My argument is that he wasn't underwhelming in the wisconsin game based on how he ran the offense and made all the correct decisions....when to hand off, when to pull it on the RPO, and making some very nice throws. Now you're moving the goal post to saying it needs to be a 'great' passing game. There's a lot of room between underwhelming and great. Please make up your mind on what you'd like to discuss.

Also the Indiana stat line - 17/24, 302 yards, 3 TDs including the game winning 60+? yard TD. Wasn't underwhelming to me.

I freely admit I have no clue who starts next fall. Way too many variables.

Haven't moved the goal post but might have a little different definition than you. To me game manager=underwhelming. If that isn't for you so be it.


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So basically a good game manager?. Not what I call great. If the stats don't suggest a great passing game then my choice is the other guy or whoever wins the open competition next year.


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Wow, if Morgan was just a game manager I am not sure what I'd call Zach, because Morgan definitely looked better.
 

IF TM2 looks respectable in the bowl game it’s difficult to envision a scenario where he loses the job for game 1 2019. I don’t know how you sit a winning QB that played a large role in defeating our most hated (ok my most hated) rival and risk backlash if the other guy underwhelms out of the gate. If Clark or ZA5 comes in next year and blows the doors off the practice facility with their tight spirals and offensive mastery then maybe PJ will sit TM and risk a transfer scenario. Maybe ZA will look so good he wins the job back prior to game 1. Maybe this, maybe that.
 




It will be between ZA and Tanner. The two freshmen will redshirt.
 

Haven't moved the goal post but might have a little different definition than you. To me game manager=underwhelming. If that isn't for you so be it.


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But he didn't call the plays.

I don't think what Morgan did against Wisconsin was merely managing the game. Managing a game is what happens when your QB simply doesn't hurt you. The third down pass to Tyler Johnson was more than managing a game.
 


I think Clark, ZA and Kramer all redshirt next year.

Would be awesome if that ended up happening but odds are we will need another QB at some point due to injury. Green could maybe serve as an option if they decided they could trust him to expand his role from just a wildcat guy.

I would put Morgan out as the odds on favorite to be the starter going into next year but anything can happen and I certainly don't think he distanced himself far enough from ZA to say he is a lock to be the guy. Should be an interesting competition to keep tabs on.
 

I think Clark, ZA and Kramer all redshirt next year.

At first I thought no way, but then remembered if they play 4 games or less it's now a redshirt season.

If this happens, it would make a lot of sense with regards to balancing out the classes. In 2020, TM would be a junior, ZA a soph, and CK and JC redshirt freshmen. It would begin to look "normal."
 

Tanner Morgan. 3-2 in the Big. Won at Madison. No reason to come off him. He’s winning. He has the poise and leadership and he’s accurate. He’s a decisive decision maker [emoji16].

Morgan has the 4th highest passer rating in the Big Ten. 59% completion percentage. More yards per completion.

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I think you said it all. I don't know why this is even controversial.
 

With what we know right now, I definitely think the odds are that Morgan is the starter Week One next year.

However, the x-factor is the development that ZA could make between now and next August, both mentally and more importantly physically. I think if ZA puts the time in, he could look a lot different in spring ball and into the fall. I don't know their birthdays but Morgan I would assume is a year older (maybe more, maybe less?) than ZA and Zack could make a big leap from his FR year to his SO year.

Not sure I have a favorite in the race, although if I had to guess from a passing standpoint, I would guess ZA's ceiling is a little higher than Morgan's but I'm only guessing.

I know one thing, the Gophers are in better hands than they've been in a long time at the position.
 

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I'd give the edge to Morgan. I've also got to guess that PJ will not want to start another true freshmen, at least out of the gate.
 

Has any Gopher QB ever recorded four wins in their career against Wisconsin, because there is only one guy on the current list that has the chance to pull this off?
I would start that guy!
 

Tanner Morgan will start in the bowl game. Zack Annexstad will play. It is Morgan's to lose next year.

What a difference a year make. I'd say Clark and Kramer will red shirt next year. They will benefit with one year of strength & conditioning.
 

I’ve never felt better about our QB situation! I’m only mid-30’s, but still.
 

Morgan put up some nice numbers, but I am an Annexstad guy. Don't forget how impressed we all were early in the season, before he got hurt.

 

Morgan put up some nice numbers, but I am an Annexstad guy. Don't forget how impressed we all were early in the season, before he got hurt.


I wasn’t that impressed with ZA from the get go. He had some nice throws and made some plays. Overall he had happy feet, took unnecessary sacks, his deep throws leave a lot to be desired, and he stared down option 1. I don’t think I ever saw him go through his progressions.
 

Morgan put up some nice numbers, but I am an Annexstad guy. Don't forget how impressed we all were early in the season, before he got hurt.


I think you mean before we started playing against better teams. That was a lot of his regression. Tanner never got to feast on any bad teams.

I think it's Tanner all the way, with Annexstad only taking over if he's injured or has a long period of ineffectiveness in 2019. I don't think any newcomers will be in the mix, unless a grad transfer comes out of the sky from somewhere.

Morgan doesn't jump off the page as a stud talent, but his efficiency against all Big Ten opponents as a freshman bodes really well for him as an upperclassman.
 

I think you mean before we started playing against better teams. That was a lot of his regression. Tanner never got to feast on any bad teams.

I think it's Tanner all the way, with Annexstad only taking over if he's injured or has a long period of ineffectiveness in 2019. I don't think any newcomers will be in the mix, unless a grad transfer comes out of the sky from somewhere.

Morgan doesn't jump off the page as a stud talent, but his efficiency against all Big Ten opponents as a freshman bodes really well for him as an upperclassman.

Not sure we'd really need to do this with 2 QBs coming in next year, but maybe even keep Zach to 4 games or fewer next year to give him an extra year?

I think Morgan is better right now, but in Zach's defense, Morgan is a year older. Maybe by next fall Zach will overtake Morgan. We shall see. It's a good problem to have.
 

Tanner Morgan has won me over! He has more mobility and a good arm. If you still have a recording of Saturday's game, here is where he won me over: take a look at the 4th and 1 play where we got that horrible spot of the ball and there were a series of timeouts, the tv cameras showed the Gophers in pre-huddle mode and Morgan had the O-linemen eye to eye and was pointing his finger and getting them fired up about the next play. That is the kind of leadership I NEED to see from a QB. I haven't seen a player do this for the Gophers in a long time. This is becoming a "player-led team" which is what PJ is striving for. Morgan is my guy!
 




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