Minnesota Closing Argument: It’s Time.

Donate To GopherHole
BleedGopher

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
60,728
Reaction score
16,030
Points
113
per Off Tackle Empire:

Closing Statement

Tanner Morgan is probably nothing more than a game manager. The OL is only 7-8 deep. We don’t know if Micah Dew-Treadway can replace O.J. Smith all season at DT. Antoine Winfield has yet to be able to complete a full season. The starting kicker will probably be true Freshman Michael Lantz.

This is all that you can find that are negatives for the 2019 Minnesota Golden Gophers going into the season.

There is experience and more talent ready to go than has been available in recent years, even when some people **cough** thought there could be all-conference players at every level. Morgan just needs to make the right decisions, like he did down the stretch last season, and the offense is going to be a blast to watch.

Everyone in the fan base should go out of their way to thank Nebraska and Illinois for getting Robb Smith fired, because the difference between he and Joe Rossi’s group at the end of the year was night and day. Minnesota is ready to go, and we have the schedule.

We’re winning the B1G West this year.

https://www.offtackleempire.com/201...edictions-big-ten-west-champions-row-the-boat

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
per Off Tackle Empire:

Closing Statement

Tanner Morgan is probably nothing more than a game manager. The OL is only 7-8 deep. We don’t know if Micah Dew-Treadway can replace O.J. Smith all season at DT. Antoine Winfield has yet to be able to complete a full season. The starting kicker will probably be true Freshman Michael Lantz.

This is all that you can find that are negatives for the 2019 Minnesota Golden Gophers going into the season.

There is experience and more talent ready to go than has been available in recent years, even when some people **cough** thought there could be all-conference players at every level. Morgan just needs to make the right decisions, like he did down the stretch last season, and the offense is going to be a blast to watch.

Everyone in the fan base should go out of their way to thank Nebraska and Illinois for getting Robb Smith fired, because the difference between he and Joe Rossi’s group at the end of the year was night and day. Minnesota is ready to go, and we have the schedule.

We’re winning the B1G West this year.

https://www.offtackleempire.com/201...edictions-big-ten-west-champions-row-the-boat

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

The feedback on Tanner Morgan has been largely negative this off-season, and I wonder why. I'm not offended, just wondering what people have seen (or heard or read) to make them think that he's "nothing more than a game manager."
 

Tanner Morgan = Winner
he stepped in during arguably the toughest part of the schedule last year and lost only 1 game.

Given he should be able to hone his skills a little during a full season of which competition increases weekly this should be a fun year to watch. obviously as with most programs we need to stay healthy. If we can.... THIS WILL BE A SPECIAL YEAR
 

everybody knows my name said:
The feedback on Tanner Morgan has been largely negative this off-season, and I wonder why. I'm not offended, just wondering what people have seen (or heard or read) to make them think that he's "nothing more than a game manager."
Click to expand...

It’s definitely perplexing. I think a lot of people assumed ZA was “ahead,” and perceive Morgan as a drop off, even though their performance on the field last season didn’t show that. At the very least, it should provide some motivation for him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

PitinoFan said:
It’s definitely perplexing. I think a lot of people assumed ZA was “ahead,” and perceive Morgan as a drop off, even though their performance on the field last season didn’t show that. At the very least, it should provide some motivation for him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yeah I thought Tanner looked better than ZA last year, and definitely good enough to win with. Dont know everyone is so down on a sophomore who had a pretty good record in his starts as a freshman.
 


PitinoFan said:
It’s definitely perplexing. I think a lot of people assumed ZA was “ahead,” and perceive Morgan as a drop off, even though their performance on the field last season didn’t show that. At the very least, it should provide some motivation for him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Exactly. Annexstad has not looked very mobile, even when healthy. Morgan seems to have a lot more upside.
 

We’re talking about a kid who started 4 years in high school, and threw for over 10,000 yards. He’s probably experienced this before, and I doubt he lacks self-confidence. Imagine how small he was as a 9th grader having to prove he was worthy of being a starting QB.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

People want that rocket arm, even when anticipation, timing, consistency, accuracy and an average arm will do. Men prefer blondes, women prefer rich guys, football fans prefer taller QBs.

We’ve had people arguing he wasn’t any good because they decided not to throw it much when we were having success, eating clock, ahead in score by moving the ball on the ground. I don’t know. I do know TM moved the ball better, had better accuracy, showed anticipation, and converted thirds downs better with his arm and legs than the other guy. I don’t know if he can pick apart an elite secondary yet but chances are he gives us the best shot of anyone on the roster.
 

BleedGopher said:
per Off Tackle Empire:

Closing Statement

Tanner Morgan is probably nothing more than a game manager. The OL is only 7-8 deep. We don’t know if Micah Dew-Treadway can replace O.J. Smith all season at DT. Antoine Winfield has yet to be able to complete a full season. The starting kicker will probably be true Freshman Michael Lantz.

This is all that you can find that are negatives for the 2019 Minnesota Golden Gophers going into the season.

There is experience and more talent ready to go than has been available in recent years, even when some people **cough** thought there could be all-conference players at every level. Morgan just needs to make the right decisions, like he did down the stretch last season, and the offense is going to be a blast to watch.

Everyone in the fan base should go out of their way to thank Nebraska and Illinois for getting Robb Smith fired, because the difference between he and Joe Rossi’s group at the end of the year was night and day. Minnesota is ready to go, and we have the schedule.

We’re winning the B1G West this year.

https://www.offtackleempire.com/201...edictions-big-ten-west-champions-row-the-boat

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

I would argue the entire defense is still a question mark given the small sample size under Rossi and some of the bad performances pre Rossi. If the Rossi defense wasn’t a mirage it should be a very good year for the gophers barring key injuries or an improbable implosion by Morgan.
 



I’m still on Team Tanner. There is a long history of freshman QBs improving quite a bit in subsequent years. Any improvement at all would make him the best QB in Gopher history. People forget how efficient he was last year playing P5 games.

The Gophers had a freshman rank by some measures among the Top 10 QBs in America last year and somehow he became a “game manager” over the offseason.
 

everybody knows my name said:
The feedback on Tanner Morgan has been largely negative this off-season, and I wonder why. I'm not offended, just wondering what people have seen (or heard or read) to make them think that he's "nothing more than a game manager."
Click to expand...

I'd argue they are not negative but neutral (game manager). Look at his numbers in the last four games (including the bowl win). The one game he had decent numbers (NW) was a loss and his worst performance by far with two INTs, and two fumbles in 4th on successive plays, one recovered and one lost. Other three (wins), game manager. AVG around 130 passing and 10 or fewer completions. Not flashy by any stretch.
 

PMWinSTP said:
I'd argue they are not negative but neutral (game manager). Look at his numbers in the last four games (including the bowl win). The one game he had decent numbers (NW) was a loss and his worst performance by far with two INTs, and two fumbles in 4th on successive plays, one recovered and one lost. Other three (wins), game manager. AVG around 130 passing and 10 or fewer completions. Not flashy by any stretch.
Click to expand...

He threw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs against Indiana, and over 250 and 2 TDs against Illinois, and 214 yards in one half against Nebraska. Yeah, they didn’t ask him to do much in most games, but you’re short changing his stats a bit. Also, one of those Ints against Northwestern went right off Bateman’s hands. The other one was awful...right into triple coverage...a freshman mistake that even top QBs are prone to make from time to time.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tanner-morgan-2/gamelog/2018/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

PMWinSTP said:
I'd argue they are not negative but neutral (game manager). Look at his numbers in the last four games (including the bowl win). The one game he had decent numbers (NW) was a loss and his worst performance by far with two INTs, and two fumbles in 4th on successive plays, one recovered and one lost. Other three (wins), game manager. AVG around 130 passing and 10 or fewer completions. Not flashy by any stretch.
Click to expand...

In the last 4 games the Gophers weren’t trying to chase points because the D was competent. So Tanner’s numbers aren’t huge in aggregate but they were super efficient. His YPA was best in conference and ahead of Heisman candidate and 1st rounder Haskins.

Purdue, Minnesota, and Northwestern have all 6 of the top all time yardage passers in B1G history and Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa combine for only 4 of the Top 20. This is because the aforementioned schools have often sucked on D and had thin QB rooms.
 



It is funny to see how one or two writers say something and the next thing you know everyone dog piles on it and pushes the point a little bit further until you get an end result that is unrecognizable from the original reality.

Somehow we have gone from an equal battle of two for the starting QB role to having to settle for a backup that can never be more than a game manager. Turn on the TV now and the guy (or gal) behind the BTN desk will point to "questions at quarterback." Yet I don't recall anyone saying "questions at quarterback" last November and December.

It seems like someone suggested Annexstad could throw a football farther than Morgan. That morphed into "Annexstad is the starting QB" and that morphed into "Gophers forced to play backup at QB" which morphed into "questions at QB" which morphed into "Morgan is a game manager".
 

Schnauzer said:
It is funny to see how one or two writers say something and the next thing you know everyone dog piles on it and pushes the point a little bit further until you get an end result that is unrecognizable from the original reality.

Somehow we have gone from an equal battle of two for the starting QB role to having to settle for a backup that can never be more than a game manager. Turn on the TV now and the guy (or gal) behind the BTN desk will point to "questions at quarterback." Yet I don't recall anyone saying "questions at quarterback" last November and December.

It seems like someone suggested Annexstad could throw a football farther than Morgan. That morphed into "Annexstad is the starting QB" and that morphed into "Gophers forced to play backup at QB" which morphed into "questions at QB" which morphed into "Morgan is a game manager".
Click to expand...

It seems like it started with Burns. Who knows where he was getting his intel from.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

W-L is the only real stat to care about - even at QB. TM2 has won everywhere he has been. I wouldn’t underestimate him based on that alone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

It doesn't bother me at all to have Morgan as the starting QB. The lack of experience behind him does concern me.

I'm even more concerned about the LT situation, because weakness there tends to lead to battered QBs. Schlueter struggled last year before being supplanted by Faalele at RT. Now he bears the greatest responsibility for protecting the QB's back.

Sure hope he's up to the task.

JTG
 

BleedGopher said:
per Off Tackle Empire:

Closing Statement

Tanner Morgan is probably nothing more than a game manager. The OL is only 7-8 deep. We don’t know if Micah Dew-Treadway can replace O.J. Smith all season at DT. Antoine Winfield has yet to be able to complete a full season. The starting kicker will probably be true Freshman Michael Lantz.

This is all that you can find that are negatives for the 2019 Minnesota Golden Gophers going into the season.

There is experience and more talent ready to go than has been available in recent years, even when some people **cough** thought there could be all-conference players at every level. Morgan just needs to make the right decisions, like he did down the stretch last season, and the offense is going to be a blast to watch.

Everyone in the fan base should go out of their way to thank Nebraska and Illinois for getting Robb Smith fired, because the difference between he and Joe Rossi’s group at the end of the year was night and day. Minnesota is ready to go, and we have the schedule.

We’re winning the B1G West this year.

https://www.offtackleempire.com/201...edictions-big-ten-west-champions-row-the-boat

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
They should run no huddle and up tempo to show the naysayers that Morgan is not just a game manager. I know that we do this a lot but no sense in saving tempo for Fresno St. Get the rythem and scoring going early and often. Let's open with a flee flicker to Batemen.

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk
 

rockford said:
It doesn't bother me at all to have Morgan as the starting QB. The lack of experience behind him does concern me.

I'm even more concerned about the LT situation, because weakness there tends to lead to battered QBs. Schlueter struggled last year before being supplanted by Faalele at RT. Now he bears the greatest responsibility for protecting the QB's back.

Sure hope he's up to the task.

JTG
Click to expand...

I agree.
 

With our receiving corps, Tanner Morgan will be a lot more than a game manager. Last year, he was the more accurate passer of the two. If he can build off of what he did last year, he’s the difference that will put us over the top in November. I like his chances, he wins games.
 

I am not worried at all about Morgan, he'll be fine
 

Schnauzer said:
It is funny to see how one or two writers say something and the next thing you know everyone dog piles on it and pushes the point a little bit further until you get an end result that is unrecognizable from the original reality.

Somehow we have gone from an equal battle of two for the starting QB role to having to settle for a backup that can never be more than a game manager. Turn on the TV now and the guy (or gal) behind the BTN desk will point to "questions at quarterback." Yet I don't recall anyone saying "questions at quarterback" last November and December.

It seems like someone suggested Annexstad could throw a football farther than Morgan. That morphed into "Annexstad is the starting QB" and that morphed into "Gophers forced to play backup at QB" which morphed into "questions at QB" which morphed into "Morgan is a game manager".
Click to expand...

I'm not really sure that "game manager" is an insult. It's also really all that we need. Minnesota's offense is always going to be based on a big running game. We need someone who doesn't turn the ball over, and completes short to mid range passes with high completion percentage.

Morgan seems like he's more than capable of that, plus able to pick up a couple first downs with his legs per game, and make a few difficult throws per game. Sounds like our guy!
 

PitinoFan said:
He threw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs against Indiana, and over 250 and 2 TDs against Illinois, and 214 yards in one half against Nebraska. Yeah, they didn’t ask him to do much in most games, but you’re short changing his stats a bit. Also, one of those Ints against Northwestern went right off Bateman’s hands. The other one was awful...right into triple coverage...a freshman mistake that even top QBs are prone to make from time to time.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tanner-morgan-2/gamelog/2018/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I like Morgan and have posted so many times out here. He can move the offense. My response was to the question about how people can be so negative towards him...I don't think it's negative just neutral because they look at his stats in those four games. In the three wins, he managed, which is exactly what was needed. His worst outing happened to be in that stretch of games.
 

Gophers_4life said:
I'm not really sure that "game manager" is an insult. It's also really all that we need. Minnesota's offense is always going to be based on a big running game. We need someone who doesn't turn the ball over, and completes short to mid range passes with high completion percentage.

Morgan seems like he's more than capable of that, plus able to pick up a couple first downs with his legs per game, and make a few difficult throws per game. Sounds like our guy!
Click to expand...


There are only so many good QB's to go around.
 

Gophers_4life said:
I'm not really sure that "game manager" is an insult. It's also really all that we need. Minnesota's offense is always going to be based on a big running game. We need someone who doesn't turn the ball over, and completes short to mid range passes with high completion percentage.

Morgan seems like he's more than capable of that, plus able to pick up a couple first downs with his legs per game, and make a few difficult throws per game. Sounds like our guy!
Click to expand...

Yep, I agree. He moves the offense and does what is needed, when it is needed a vast majority of the time. I do think Fleck wants the Pass/Run to be more balanced, but is completely fine with taking what is being given on offense, and Morgan can clearly manage either.
 

Obviously, I'm not at practice and I'm not in the QB room, or sitting in with the coaches. So I can only process the information that is available.

but, here's what I think I know:

Annexstad and Morgan competed for the starting job last season. Annexstad was named the starter. I have to think that means something.

This season, people who were at practice and some of the "insiders" kept suggesting that Annexstad was ahead in the competition to be the starting QB. Because of the injury, we'll never know what decision the coaches would have made this year. But there is - at least - a suggestion that Annexstad is considered to have the higher ceiling of the two QB's. Morgan may be steadier, but at least some people thought Annexstad had a better chance of elevating his game.

As far as last year, I believe we never got a real chance to evaluate Annexstad because of the injuries. Instead, we got to see Morgan play behind what turned into an improved OL with Faalele, and having the benefit of an improved defense.

Look - the Gophers have the ability to have a solid season with Morgan. as far as Annexstad, call it a hunch or a feeling, but I still get the sense that long-term - IF he's healthy, Annexstad is capable of a higher level of play compared to Morgan. Maybe one year, he'll stay healthy, and we'll get to see for ourselves.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Obviously, I'm not at practice and I'm not in the QB room, or sitting in with the coaches. So I can only process the information that is available.

but, here's what I think I know:

Annexstad and Morgan competed for the starting job last season. Annexstad was named the starter. I have to think that means something.

This season, people who were at practice and some of the "insiders" kept suggesting that Annexstad was ahead in the competition to be the starting QB. Because of the injury, we'll never know what decision the coaches would have made this year. But there is - at least - a suggestion that Annexstad is considered to have the higher ceiling of the two QB's. Morgan may be steadier, but at least some people thought Annexstad had a better chance of elevating his game.

As far as last year, I believe we never got a real chance to evaluate Annexstad because of the injuries. Instead, we got to see Morgan play behind what turned into an improved OL with Faalele, and having the benefit of an improved defense.

Look - the Gophers have the ability to have a solid season with Morgan. as far as Annexstad, call it a hunch or a feeling, but I still get the sense that long-term - IF he's healthy, Annexstad is capable of a higher level of play compared to Morgan. Maybe one year, he'll stay healthy, and we'll get to see for ourselves.
Click to expand...


True, and Clark has (supposedly) more upside than both Annexstad and morgan
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Obviously, I'm not at practice and I'm not in the QB room, or sitting in with the coaches. So I can only process the information that is available.

but, here's what I think I know:

Annexstad and Morgan competed for the starting job last season. Annexstad was named the starter. I have to think that means something.

This season, people who were at practice and some of the "insiders" kept suggesting that Annexstad was ahead in the competition to be the starting QB. Because of the injury, we'll never know what decision the coaches would have made this year. But there is - at least - a suggestion that Annexstad is considered to have the higher ceiling of the two QB's. Morgan may be steadier, but at least some people thought Annexstad had a better chance of elevating his game.

As far as last year, I believe we never got a real chance to evaluate Annexstad because of the injuries. Instead, we got to see Morgan play behind what turned into an improved OL with Faalele, and having the benefit of an improved defense.

Look - the Gophers have the ability to have a solid season with Morgan. as far as Annexstad, call it a hunch or a feeling, but I still get the sense that long-term - IF he's healthy, Annexstad is capable of a higher level of play compared to Morgan. Maybe one year, he'll stay healthy, and we'll get to see for ourselves.
Click to expand...

My read exactly.

JTG
 

Upside is great, but it doesn’t always materialize. I want the one who gives the team the best chance to win the next game on the schedule.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

PitinoFan said:
Upside is great, but it doesn’t always materialize. I want the one who gives the team the best chance to win the next game on the schedule.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I agree with SON.
I also think ZA might be the best chance to win. Do disrespect to what TM has done.
Glad we have both.

ZA played against a weaker line and played injured. Tough QB.
He's a lot of what you want in a QB.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom