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Gray still confident as a QB; my spring thoughts
By Marcus Fuller
After Saturday's spring game, I asked sophomore quarterback MarQueis Gray to evaluate his play after 15 practices over the last month.
"I don't know," said Gray, who went 4 of 7 for 66 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the spring game. "I think I became a better quarterback than I was last year. I couldn't really give myself a grade, because I don't want to sound to overboard with it."
It was the last chance for Gray and senior Adam Weber to prove they should be the starter. Weber was more impressive going 8 of 20 for 144 yards, but all of his yards came in the first half. Weber had a 56-yard pass to Troy Stoudermire and a 35-yard pass to McKnight in the first quarter.
"Hopefully, it's going to be hard for the coaches (to decide)," Gray said. "I think I had a great spring, so it's up to the coaches now. (If Weber is named the starter) I'm still going to compete, because I'm only one snap away from being the quarterback. I still have to study my playbook to be the leader of this offense."
-- I don't think there's any question Weber will be the starter. But the harder decision for Gophers coach Tim Brewster and offensive coordinator Jeff Horton will be about Weber's backup this year.
Redshirt freshman Moses Alipate was 2 of 4 for 14 yards Saturday. Even with limited reps this spring, Alipate has looked like a better pure passer than Gray. But I don't think Alipate has earned the No. 2 quarterback spot.
Gray definitely has earned that distinction to this point. That means something considering he wasn't able to benefit from a redshirt year like Weber and Alipate did. He might be better off in a spread offense, but Gray should get a chance to prove himself if Weber gets hurt this year.
I think the Gophers owe him that. He sat out a year to get the ACT score he needed to qualify. He stayed loyal to the Gophers and returned. Minnesota wasted his true freshman season by pretty much giving him only one or two plays at a time, even with Weber struggling. Gray should have replaced Weber or at least have been able to run the offense for a half or for an entire series when it counted last year. But that didn't happen.
-- Weber hasn't missed a game in three years, so I don't think his backup will see playing time this season, unless it's garbage time (and I'm not sure the Gophers will blow anybody out).
Brewster said he didn't want to run two different offenses this season, meaning a special package for Gray. So, Gray will be used at wide receiver and in other areas besides quarterback in order to help the team. Alipate is only a quarterback, so he will just have to wait patiently until he likely gets a shot to compete with Gray for the starting spot in 2011.
-- If Weber gets hurt, then Gray should be given at least a couple of games to get comfortable. If he really looks good, then Gopher fans will remember how excited they were when he signed here two years ago. If Gray looks pretty bad, then maybe it makes sense then to give Alipate a chance.
-- I think Gray should be used sparingly as a receiver this year, unless he totally switches positions. I would mostly use him in the red zone or at the goal line for jump ball throws. Otherwise, Gray should just concentrate on growing more as a quarterback. He could still have two productive years as a starter if he keeps developing his football mind.
-- There are enough receivers and pass-catching tight ends on the roster to provide targets for Weber, especially with freshman receiver Marquise Hill and junior college tight end Tiree Eure joining the team this year. You don't need too many receivers to be an effective pro-style offense. Gray can help, but he's not the answer at receiver. It's about time that Stoudermire, McKnight, Brandon Green and Hayo Carpenter become the consistent playmakers they were expected to be.
-- The defense actually intrigues me for next season, especially after I watched them dominate for the most part in the spring game. There doesn't seem to be any All-Big Ten caliber players. But the size of the defensive line should make it hard for opposing teams to run. I've written about the big tackles like Jewhan Edwards, Brandon Kirksey and Sean Ferguson. But I really like the speed of redshirt freshmen ends Matt Garin, Ra'Shede Hageman and Kendall Gregory-McGhee. They're young and need to work on improving their pass rushing technique, but at least one of them should become a star in time. My money is on Garin. But Hageman obviously has the most potential.
-- The safety position should also be better this year with more depth. I was impressed with safeties Kenny Watkins and Christyn Lewis, who replaced Kyle Theret and Kim Royston. Lewis, who looks pretty thin, delivered a big hit on McKnight to force a dropped pass Saturday. Watkins is also a pretty hard hitter, and he should be a good backup to Theret when he returns.
Brewster expects junior college transfer Herschel Thornton to compete for playing time at free safety in the fall, so the Gophers should be able to recover from losing Royston.
-- Linebacker really drops off from last year though. Sophomore Mike Rallis could lead the team in tackles next season if he performs like he did this spring. Redshirt freshmen Sam Maresh and Spencer Reeves made some nice plays Saturday. But sophomore Keanon Cooper really needs to raise his level of play and perform like he did at times last year. Cooper had an interception on Gray, but he hasn't separated himself from Aaron Hill at weakside linebacker. That's a good and bad sign, considering Hill didn't even play last season.
I'm not sure what Brewster will do with junior Gary Tinsley, who was arrested for suspicion of fleeing police and driving while intoxicated. But the Gophers need Tinsley to play this year.
-- The defensive position that concerns me the most is cornerback. I think sophomore Michael Carter will end up becoming an all-league player one day. Senior Ryan Collado is also as tough as anyone on the team. But there isn't much talent and depth there based on what I've seen this spring. Brewster can only hope that some of his newcomers like Dwight Tillman, Tyrone Bouie and Brock Vereen arrive ready to contribute.
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2010/04/gray-confident-in-his-ability.html
Go Gophers!!
By Marcus Fuller
After Saturday's spring game, I asked sophomore quarterback MarQueis Gray to evaluate his play after 15 practices over the last month.
"I don't know," said Gray, who went 4 of 7 for 66 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the spring game. "I think I became a better quarterback than I was last year. I couldn't really give myself a grade, because I don't want to sound to overboard with it."
It was the last chance for Gray and senior Adam Weber to prove they should be the starter. Weber was more impressive going 8 of 20 for 144 yards, but all of his yards came in the first half. Weber had a 56-yard pass to Troy Stoudermire and a 35-yard pass to McKnight in the first quarter.
"Hopefully, it's going to be hard for the coaches (to decide)," Gray said. "I think I had a great spring, so it's up to the coaches now. (If Weber is named the starter) I'm still going to compete, because I'm only one snap away from being the quarterback. I still have to study my playbook to be the leader of this offense."
-- I don't think there's any question Weber will be the starter. But the harder decision for Gophers coach Tim Brewster and offensive coordinator Jeff Horton will be about Weber's backup this year.
Redshirt freshman Moses Alipate was 2 of 4 for 14 yards Saturday. Even with limited reps this spring, Alipate has looked like a better pure passer than Gray. But I don't think Alipate has earned the No. 2 quarterback spot.
Gray definitely has earned that distinction to this point. That means something considering he wasn't able to benefit from a redshirt year like Weber and Alipate did. He might be better off in a spread offense, but Gray should get a chance to prove himself if Weber gets hurt this year.
I think the Gophers owe him that. He sat out a year to get the ACT score he needed to qualify. He stayed loyal to the Gophers and returned. Minnesota wasted his true freshman season by pretty much giving him only one or two plays at a time, even with Weber struggling. Gray should have replaced Weber or at least have been able to run the offense for a half or for an entire series when it counted last year. But that didn't happen.
-- Weber hasn't missed a game in three years, so I don't think his backup will see playing time this season, unless it's garbage time (and I'm not sure the Gophers will blow anybody out).
Brewster said he didn't want to run two different offenses this season, meaning a special package for Gray. So, Gray will be used at wide receiver and in other areas besides quarterback in order to help the team. Alipate is only a quarterback, so he will just have to wait patiently until he likely gets a shot to compete with Gray for the starting spot in 2011.
-- If Weber gets hurt, then Gray should be given at least a couple of games to get comfortable. If he really looks good, then Gopher fans will remember how excited they were when he signed here two years ago. If Gray looks pretty bad, then maybe it makes sense then to give Alipate a chance.
-- I think Gray should be used sparingly as a receiver this year, unless he totally switches positions. I would mostly use him in the red zone or at the goal line for jump ball throws. Otherwise, Gray should just concentrate on growing more as a quarterback. He could still have two productive years as a starter if he keeps developing his football mind.
-- There are enough receivers and pass-catching tight ends on the roster to provide targets for Weber, especially with freshman receiver Marquise Hill and junior college tight end Tiree Eure joining the team this year. You don't need too many receivers to be an effective pro-style offense. Gray can help, but he's not the answer at receiver. It's about time that Stoudermire, McKnight, Brandon Green and Hayo Carpenter become the consistent playmakers they were expected to be.
-- The defense actually intrigues me for next season, especially after I watched them dominate for the most part in the spring game. There doesn't seem to be any All-Big Ten caliber players. But the size of the defensive line should make it hard for opposing teams to run. I've written about the big tackles like Jewhan Edwards, Brandon Kirksey and Sean Ferguson. But I really like the speed of redshirt freshmen ends Matt Garin, Ra'Shede Hageman and Kendall Gregory-McGhee. They're young and need to work on improving their pass rushing technique, but at least one of them should become a star in time. My money is on Garin. But Hageman obviously has the most potential.
-- The safety position should also be better this year with more depth. I was impressed with safeties Kenny Watkins and Christyn Lewis, who replaced Kyle Theret and Kim Royston. Lewis, who looks pretty thin, delivered a big hit on McKnight to force a dropped pass Saturday. Watkins is also a pretty hard hitter, and he should be a good backup to Theret when he returns.
Brewster expects junior college transfer Herschel Thornton to compete for playing time at free safety in the fall, so the Gophers should be able to recover from losing Royston.
-- Linebacker really drops off from last year though. Sophomore Mike Rallis could lead the team in tackles next season if he performs like he did this spring. Redshirt freshmen Sam Maresh and Spencer Reeves made some nice plays Saturday. But sophomore Keanon Cooper really needs to raise his level of play and perform like he did at times last year. Cooper had an interception on Gray, but he hasn't separated himself from Aaron Hill at weakside linebacker. That's a good and bad sign, considering Hill didn't even play last season.
I'm not sure what Brewster will do with junior Gary Tinsley, who was arrested for suspicion of fleeing police and driving while intoxicated. But the Gophers need Tinsley to play this year.
-- The defensive position that concerns me the most is cornerback. I think sophomore Michael Carter will end up becoming an all-league player one day. Senior Ryan Collado is also as tough as anyone on the team. But there isn't much talent and depth there based on what I've seen this spring. Brewster can only hope that some of his newcomers like Dwight Tillman, Tyrone Bouie and Brock Vereen arrive ready to contribute.
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2010/04/gray-confident-in-his-ability.html
Go Gophers!!
However, a bold opinion deserves bold type, don't you think?