Fleck indicated Morgan will have to win the starting job next year. "There's always competition & there always will be competition...he's very aware"

Why on earth would Fleck — or any other coach, for that matter — choose Tanner Morgan as the starter if Tanner Morgan wasn't the best QB on the team?
Correct. PJ just fired a good friend of his from the Gopher's OC position. NOTHING and NOBODY are going to get in the way of his pursuit of ELITENESS for the Gopher football team. PJ thrives on difficult conversations (except maybe with Heather).
 

Better is not such an easy thing to judge though. One QB may be a better runner than another, or you might have a QB who is better at certain types of passes. But you have to take the whole picture into account. Who is going to make the right reads and the right decisions. Who is going to do the best job of taking care of the football. Who can you count on not to get rattled when things go sideways....

I absolutely believe that if the coaches truly thought another QB would give the team a better shot at winning, that guy would play. But to unseat Morgan, it is going to take one heck of a player to make the coaches believe someone else is better suited to lead the team than the winningest QB in the history of the program.

There is a reason why veteran QBs typically don't get beaten out. There is a lot more to playing QB at this level than just the physical tools.
When a veteran gets beat out or replaced during the season, it is not because he suddenly doesn't know the offense or doesn't read defenses. It's usually because someone else is more physically gifted. Sometimes you take higher ceiling over experience.
 


Chase Field: Home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the temporary home Arizona State University Sun Devils when their stadium was being renovated may not be as bad a venue for football after all with a retractable roof.


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Ok, seriously. This is the thing about a football locker room: You cannot fake out the players.

When a team sees in practice every day that a player is better than the guy starting in front him, everyone knows. The coaching staff, eventually, would lose all trust and credibility with the locker room by not putting in the best player who gives the team the best chance to win.

Will Morgan get the benefit of the doubt to start camp? Absolutely. He's earned it, even though I'm not a fan. But if, and when, Athan Kaliakmanis proves he's the better player, he will play. You can't fake it with the players. Maybe Morgan starting is an indictment on the recruiting at the position?

How on earth would any coach recruit if this weren't the case? "Oh, by the way, even you're better than the player ahead of you, you will never play because we have gifted him a starting spot." Let's stop the nonsense.
 


Why on earth would Fleck — or any other coach, for that matter — choose Tanner Morgan as the starter if Tanner Morgan wasn't the best QB on the team?

Fleck's future depends on winning, just as it does for all coaches. It would be crazy and self-defeating to start a player he knew to be inferior at the most important position in football.
Except PJ has a fault…he won’t switch QBs unless they get hurt. 100% Zack was crippled and should not have been the QB, but he was. He had to go AWOL at halftime to lose his job.
Morgan took over and once the season starts PJ ain’t switching QBs. Tanner needed a backup to takeover in a few different games..not happening .

The only way someone beats out Tanner is in the spring or summer practices. I think PJ would like it to happen but that guy has to be lights out better. Close battle, Tanner wins the job. And whoever does win, it’s for 12 games. PJ wants no part of controversy.
 

Except PJ has a fault…he won’t switch QBs unless they get hurt. 100% Zack was crippled and should not have been the QB, but he was. He had to go AWOL at halftime to lose his job.
Morgan took over and once the season starts PJ ain’t switching QBs. Tanner needed a backup to takeover in a few different games..not happening .

The only way someone beats out Tanner is in the spring or summer practices. I think PJ would like it to happen but that guy has to be lights out better. Close battle, Tanner wins the job. And whoever does win, it’s for 12 games. PJ wants no part of controversy.
We might disagree some on calling it a fault but you are 100% correct that Fleck likes to stick with one guy and doesn't want to flip flop between QBs (with the exception of the occasional wildcat package).

I do think in 2022 we may see them try to get Athan in the mix some though since it will be Morgan's final year and I am sure they would like to get the heir apparent some game reps if possible.

Where I still struggle is with the desperation some seem to have with wanting to see Morgan replaced. He has essentially been a 3 year starter (half of 2018, 2019, shortened 2020, 2021) and the vast majority of his starts have come against Big Ten or Power 5 teams since he missed the non-conf in 2018 and there wasn't one in 2020. Team is something like 26-13 with him as the starter and yet there are those that can't wait to see another QB under center.

Morgan has his faults but he gets way too much crap from a number of posters on here.
 

because every football fan's favorite player is the backup QB
Everybody loves the back-up QB, until about the 3rd game in, when you start to understand why he's the back-up and not the full-time starter. Obviously, there are exceptions here and there, but generally speaking, there's a reason the back-up is the back-up.
 

Morgan is a really good college QB that had a decline in play that heavily correlates with a change in coaching, offensive approach, and personnel. Fair to argue the hows and whys. We will get our answer next season (and arguably the last several games of this year) on whether Morgan and MSJr were oil and water.
 



Everybody loves the back-up QB, until about the 3rd game in, when you start to understand why he's the back-up and not the full-time starter. Obviously, there are exceptions here and there, but generally speaking, there's a reason the back-up is the back-up.
Iowa is an example of this. Petras gets replaced by Padilla, somewhat due to injury but also due to performance. Padilla looks ok against us in game one but struggles after that and eventually gets replaced in the second half of the Nebraska game by Petras.
 

After 2019, I was excited to have the same QB who could take more responsibility within the offense as he continued to gain experience. I was hoping PJ would trust him to start making adjustments on his own so we could move away from the “stare at the sideline with 5 seconds left on the play clock” offense. Maybe that’s wishful thinking for a college QB, or PJ doesn’t want the coaches to give up control over those adjustments, but that would’ve been a valuable expansion of Tanner’s game.
 

I tend to believe it’s - or will be- much more open a proposition than the majority of posters.
Yup. I'm inclined to agree.

One thing to remember; From any point during this past season up until next August when a decision needs to be made on a starter, the younger QB's like Athan and Kramer have CONSIDERABLY more room for improvement than Morgan does. At this point, Morgan is who he is in his development but either one of those younger QB's could make large leaps forward in their development and get much closer to unseating Morgan than some people think.

Morgan is very likely starting, but P5 football is big business and at the end of the day the staff needs to win games, while at the same time keeping an eye towards the future also. I wouldn't immediately dismiss Morgan potentially losing the job. Unlikely, but certainly not impossible.

If Fleck has proven anything by moving on from Robb Smith and now Sanford, winning trumps loyalty, as well it should.
 

Yup. I'm inclined to agree.

One thing to remember; From any point during this past season up until next August when a decision needs to be made on a starter, the younger QB's like Athan and Kramer have CONSIDERABLY more room for improvement than Morgan does. At this point, Morgan is who he is in his development but either one of those younger QB's could make large leaps forward in their development and get much closer to unseating Morgan than some people think.

Morgan is very likely starting, but P5 football is big business and at the end of the day the staff needs to win games, while at the same time keeping an eye towards the future also. I wouldn't immediately dismiss Morgan potentially losing the job. Unlikely, but certainly not impossible.

If Fleck has proven anything by moving on from Robb Smith and now Sanford, winning trumps loyalty, as well it should.
Yes. Tanner is an obvious apostle of the RTB/Fleck culture. Meaning - he would likely acknowledge and adopt Fleck’s assessment or decision if Athan or Cole or someone else provides the best chance for team success. Also, how many times had Coach Fleck stated that Tanner is “like having another coach on the field”. Perhaps KC has his assistant QB coach already on staff. If there is true competition, it is mostly good. I continue to look forward, again, to when our athletic, striding, QB, keeps it and runs for 20-30 yards through the massive holes that exist away from the opponent’s run pursuit - more often. See: NU ‘21 game. Knuth - fall of ‘24 or ‘25?!?! No doubt the KC announcement was as well received in Harrisburg, SD, as in the other corners and outposts of Gold Country.
 



I don't know why people are quicker to assume that PJ is just gifting Tanner the job, rather than acknowledging the far more likely reality that none of the other QB's are/were as good as Tanner.
Because they don't want to believe that Fleck didn't have anyone on the roster who can do better than a sub-60 completion percentage and 10:8 TD:INT ratio.
 

Isn't Athan supposed to be very athletic? More of a dual threat? Wonder if he may supplant Kramer as the change of pace guy?
yeah that will be interesting to see how that plays out......but Kramers high school measurables were better then athans across the board....40, Shuttle, and vertical.
 

It is gifting sir. There will be no competition at QB next Spring or fall.
Even if that were true, how would it be gifting?

Are you in open competition for your job? Or does your boss know you, presumably like you, and think you're the right fit?

Now, I'm not arguing that is the best way to think of football players, but it's not a gift. He isn't starting Morgan out of the kindness of his heart.
 

Even if that were true, how would it be gifting?

Are you in open competition for your job? Or does your boss know you, presumably like you, and think you're the right fit?

Now, I'm not arguing that is the best way to think of football players, but it's not a gift. He isn't starting Morgan out of the kindness of his heart.
Yeah, this idea that some are hanging onto that Morgan is the starter no matter what is just kind of sad at this point.

He earned the starting job and it would take a heck of a performance to unseat him from it, but nothing is guaranteed. I think where some fans still struggle is with the fact that the backup might be better at certain things (or at least they assume he is) but that doesn't mean he should be starting over Morgan.

Fleck is going to play the guy he thinks will put the team in the best position to win. Some fans just don't want to believe that is Tanner Morgan for one reason or another.
 

Yeah, this idea that some are hanging onto that Morgan is the starter no matter what is just kind of sad at this point.

He earned the starting job and it would take a heck of a performance to unseat him from it, but nothing is guaranteed. I think where some fans still struggle is with the fact that the backup might be better at certain things (or at least they assume he is) but that doesn't mean he should be starting over Morgan.

Fleck is going to play the guy he thinks will put the team in the best position to win. Some fans just don't want to believe that is Tanner Morgan for one reason or another.
The backup is ALWAYS better. Always.
 
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Yeah, this idea that some are hanging onto that Morgan is the starter no matter what is just kind of sad at this point.

He earned the starting job and it would take a heck of a performance to unseat him from it, but nothing is guaranteed. I think where some fans still struggle is with the fact that the backup might be better at certain things (or at least they assume he is) but that doesn't mean he should be starting over Morgan.

Fleck is going to play the guy he thinks will put the team in the best position to win. Some fans just don't want to believe that is Tanner Morgan for one reason or another.
I think some watch too much NFL and not enough college football, so they have unrealistic expectations of what a starting qb should look like.
 

Ok, seriously. This is the thing about a football locker room: You cannot fake out the players.

When a team sees in practice every day that a player is better than the guy starting in front him, everyone knows. The coaching staff, eventually, would lose all trust and credibility with the locker room by not putting in the best player who gives the team the best chance to win.

Will Morgan get the benefit of the doubt to start camp? Absolutely. He's earned it, even though I'm not a fan. But if, and when, Athan Kaliakmanis proves he's the better player, he will play. You can't fake it with the players. Maybe Morgan starting is an indictment on the recruiting at the position?

How on earth would any coach recruit if this weren't the case? "Oh, by the way, even you're better than the player ahead of you, you will never play because we have gifted him a starting spot." Let's stop the nonsense.
Are you assuming Athan will get equal 1st team reps as Tanner? That's really the only way to get a true comparison. I think it's a false assumption.
 

I think some watch too much NFL and not enough college football, so they have unrealistic expectations of what a starting qb should look like.
Well, let's cut to the chase; at the very minimum, it's imperative that the starting QB have an exceptionally hot female significant other. Speaks to his confidence and all those things, they've done studies, written books
 

Well, let's cut to the chase; at the very minimum, it's imperative that the starting QB have an exceptionally hot female significant other. Speaks to his confidence and all those things, they've done studies, written books
If you follow their social media (mostly Instagram these days) you get to see a more personal side to these guys. And you can test your hot gf theory, but you should toss ZA and JC into the mix to make it fair.
 

We might disagree some on calling it a fault but you are 100% correct that Fleck likes to stick with one guy and doesn't want to flip flop between QBs (with the exception of the occasional wildcat package).

I do think in 2022 we may see them try to get Athan in the mix some though since it will be Morgan's final year and I am sure they would like to get the heir apparent some game reps if possible.

Where I still struggle is with the desperation some seem to have with wanting to see Morgan replaced. He has essentially been a 3 year starter (half of 2018, 2019, shortened 2020, 2021) and the vast majority of his starts have come against Big Ten or Power 5 teams since he missed the non-conf in 2018 and there wasn't one in 2020. Team is something like 26-13 with him as the starter and yet there are those that can't wait to see another QB under center.

Morgan has his faults but he gets way too much crap from a number of posters on here.
The odds of Morgan completing four and a half seasons without some kind of injury are extremely low. He's been an ironman three and a half years, missing only two meaningful snaps in the last seconds at Iowa City in 2019.

Chances are we will see Athan some time next year when it matters.
 

Iowa is an example of this. Petras gets replaced by Padilla, somewhat due to injury but also due to performance. Padilla looks ok against us in game one but struggles after that and eventually gets replaced in the second half of the Nebraska game by Petras.
And Petra's gets pulled for Padilla during the Big Ten title game.
 

Yeah, this idea that some are hanging onto that Morgan is the starter no matter what is just kind of sad at this point.

He earned the starting job and it would take a heck of a performance to unseat him from it, but nothing is guaranteed. I think where some fans still struggle is with the fact that the backup might be better at certain things (or at least they assume he is) but that doesn't mean he should be starting over Morgan.

Fleck is going to play the guy he thinks will put the team in the best position to win. Some fans just don't want to believe that is Tanner Morgan for one reason or another.
Nobody can rationally say Tanner has not earned all the starts he has made. Some folks just believe Fleck is wedded to the idea the guy who starts the season keeps the job all year unless he is hurt to the point he can't play.

I don't think it's about Morgan. I think the next starter after Morgan will also be hard to displace after the season starts.

My guess is PJ highly values the QB leadership role and hates to disrupt it.
 


I may have missed something, but I’m puzzled by all the talk about Zach and Clark competing for the starting job with Tanner. Didn’t they both enter the transfer portal?
 

I may have missed something, but I’m puzzled by all the talk about Zach and Clark competing for the starting job with Tanner. Didn’t they both enter the transfer portal?
There is some lamenting about the fact that they were never given a shot because Fleck will only play Morgan, not because he earned the job but because he is Fleck's chosen one who will never ever ever ever ever get replaced no matter how terrible he is because Fleck would rather play Morgan and lose than play another QB who would give the team a better chance to win.
 




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