“he still at times will not be right in there”

[freewillie07]

Did Fitz tip his hand here??



On pros and cons of starting out with a tough game:

"Disadvantage: having a young quarterback ... whoever starts."

Would he say a fifth-year senior is young?

 

[NJCat]

Did Fitz tip his hand here??

Would he say a fifth-year senior is young?

He would say neither QB has started a college game, and he'd be correct.

 

[corbi296]

I’ll make a prediction that this year’s offense will be markedly better statistically than last year’s unit that ranked 12th in the Big Ten. I don’t think I am going out on a limb at all with this one.

 

[BigNUFan51]

At this point, only way this is still a competition is if TJ has improved significantly to make Hunter's physical abilities not enough to seal the deal.

If we're accepting what we're being told at face value, then both things are probably true: 1) Hunter is not quite as ready as we'd hoped, and 2) Green has improved significantly.

It's worth at least waiting and seeing what we have.

It could also mean that Hunter stinks right now and TJ Green stinks less.

 

[mikero3]

This team is all about Bowser and the D. The QB position just needs to manage the offense and not lose the game for us.

Except what colleges win with this style? that has an OL like ours? We aren’t Wisconsin or Iowa, don’t have a good TE and don’t have the talent they have at OL, so saying our QB could manage a game and we could win it...is not accurate . Thorson was an experienced senior and had to make plays, and he still made a lot of mistakes in his senior season.

Let Johnson make his mistakes and get better! Instead of playing Green, who in his senior season is not the future regardless if they are currently equal during practice.

 

[freewillie07]

It could also mean that Hunter stinks right now and TJ Green stinks less.

No

 

[Bwm57]

Falling for the Fitz misdirection again I see...

Exactly.

 

[ricko654321]

The defense will be better than last year’s outstanding unit and Bowser is poised to breakout. I am confident of it.

What odds would you state for us winning the division? Not trying to ask the question for an executable line, just curious.

 

[corbi296]

What odds would you state for us winning the division? Not trying to ask the question for an executable line, just curious.

1 out of 3 chance of winning the division. So many factors outside of team’s control that impact those odd.

 

[StreamCat]

If Hunter Johnson isn’t better than TJ Green this season is shot.

That’s the spirit!

 

[TheC]

Except what colleges win with this style? that has an OL like ours? We aren’t Wisconsin or Iowa, don’t have a good TE and don’t have the talent they have at OL, so saying our QB could manage a game and we could win it...is not accurate . Thorson was an experienced senior and had to make plays, and he still made a lot of mistakes in his senior season.

Let Johnson make his mistakes and get better! Instead of playing Green, who in his senior season is not the future regardless if they are currently equal during practice.

Yes... at key moments in a game, our QB will have to make a play. But folks on here are talking about how Hunter could produce 300+ yard, 3 TD games and I don't think that will happen or is necessary for us to have success. But it would be fun!

 

[Gladeskat]

That formula always has worked and will always work at any level of football if your defense and running game are truly outstanding.

Except in the Rose Bowl for decades.

 

[ricko654321]

Did Fitz tip his hand here??

View embedded media

On pros and cons of starting out with a tough game:

"Disadvantage: having a young quarterback ... whoever starts."

Would he say a fifth-year senior is young?

I thought the same thing when I heard that comment from him, to be honest. It might have been a slip up, but...

 

[ricko654321]

1 out of 3 chance of winning the division. So many factors outside of team’s control that impact those odd.

Okay yeah that’s about what I think too. +550 is good value...

I suppose we are just thinking that we’d get there in different ways. I think for the 1 in 3 to happen we develop a pretty good passing game to go along with a stout defense and a decent running game. Seems that you think we would get there by making our defense and running game even stronger.

 

[DaCat]

I thought the same thing when I heard that comment from him, to be honest. It might have been a slip up, but...

I don't think it was a slip up at all. He said it twice.

However, I still believe Hunter will start.

 

[ricko654321]

I don't think it was a slip up at all. He said it twice.

However, I still believe Hunter will start.

well right - that "slip up" or not would indicate that his intention is to start Hunter. as TJ is not a young QB by college standards, and has prior game experience.

 

[hdhntr1]

Did Fitz tip his hand here??

View embedded media

On pros and cons of starting out with a tough game:

"Disadvantage: having a young quarterback ... whoever starts."

Would he say a fifth-year senior is young?

Game time and/or starter age

 

[SmellyCat]

well right - that "slip up" or not would indicate that his intention is to start Hunter. as TJ is not a young QB by college standards, and has prior game experience.

So does Hunter.

I honestly think he said it like any older person would say it - they're BOTH "young" men.

 

[corbi296]

Except in the Rose Bowl for decades.

When there are two teams that go up against each other that both have outstanding defenses and running games, then the one with a superior passing game will likely win. I don't think I am going out on a limb in saying that ~90% of the time having an outstanding defense and running game will win you the game.

 

[Styre]

All this talk of a strong running game is glossing over the fact that NU's rushing offense was dreadful last year, ranking 118th nationally in yards per game and 125th in yards per carry.

 

[SmellyCat]

All this talk of a strong running game is glossing over the fact that NU's rushing offense was dreadful last year, ranking 118th nationally in yards per game and 125th in yards per carry.

I'm not saying that other schools aren't affected the same way NU is, but this is just my annual complaint that sack yardage is counted against rushing statistics.

 

[Styre]

I'm not saying that other schools aren't affected the same way NU is, but this is just my annual complaint that sack yardage is counted against rushing statistics.

This is true, and it skews NU's stats downward a bit because we were 93rd nationally in preventing sacks, allowing 2.6 sacks per game. But as you say, it affects every school to some degree.

 

[SmellyCat]

Thorson officially had -110 yards rushing last year and still ran for nine TDs. His last three years produced the comical numbers of 262 "rush attempts" for 11 net yards and 22 rushing touchdowns.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

All this talk of a strong running game is glossing over the fact that NU's rushing offense was dreadful last year, ranking 118th nationally in yards per game and 125th in yards per carry.

Look up the info post-Bowser. The couple games after Larkin medical DQd were awful.

 

[Bwm57]

Look up the info post-Bowser. The couple games after he medical DQd were awful.

Yes, there is no way you can include the timeframe between Bowser and Larkin to judge the rushing game last year.

 

[phatcat]

Did Fitz tip his hand here??

View embedded media

On pros and cons of starting out with a tough game:

"Disadvantage: having a young quarterback ... whoever starts."

Would he say a fifth-year senior is young?

Heck Fitz is young compared to me.. Hank is young compared to some of you

 

[SmellyCat]

Yes, there is no way you can include the timeframe between Bowser and Larkin to judge the rushing game last year.

And that's the way I like it! Let others think that the NU rushing offense was terrible last year. It was fine by the point we needed it to be fine.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Yes, there is no way you can include the timeframe between Bowser and Larkin to judge the rushing game last year.

Thanks for clarifying. Awful initial post from me.

 

[Styre]

Look up the info post-Bowser. The couple games after Larkin medical DQd were awful.

Using the 8 games from Rutgers on when Bowser got the bulk of the carries, NU averaged 148.8 rushing yards per game and 3.6 yards per carry. Over the entire season those stats rank 87th and 108th nationally, respectively.