Except Marty is not one dimensional. He showed that in a limited sample size against Minnesota and Illinois. If that’s not enough, look back at his HS stats where he put up video game type passing stats.
Cats land grad transfer QB Peyton Ramsey
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Except Marty is not one dimensional. He showed that in a limited sample size against Minnesota and Illinois. If that’s not enough, look back at his HS stats where he put up video game type passing stats.
Fitz openly said in his press conference that they couldn’t/wouldn’t play that scheme full time given the potential for QB injuries, it was used exclusively because it was the last game of the year and gave us the best chance to win. That said, Marty at least flashed a couple high-level passes that day.
I suspect he is still well behind Ramsey and Johnson, more likely competing with Green and Smith for the third spot on the depth chart.
Quickest route to more wins is a competent field Goal kicker.
Agree, but I think some of this might have due to the fact that the defense was called upon too often to come back out on the field after the offense went 3-and-out.
Coming out of spring, let's see if Fitz can figure out a depth chart here. If things are still cloudy then it just indicates that nobody has separated from the island of nothing wow. With 7 QB's it stands to reason that this new cat will be number 1 if he can grasp the offense. Good thing for him is that the new offense is new for everyone, even TJ Green. But I stand by my comments that he will be number 1 and maybe Green number 2. Greenstein also believes that and he goes to alot of practices and obviously sees the same issues with HJ as he reported last year before the first game. It may be unfair to label HJ another bust like Tony Stauss but he just had no clue last year and zero confidence. Not sure if his confidence is ruined or shot, but obviously he has the tools to shine over any of the other 6 QB's. Hope you are right though WB.
I don't think you understand things as good as you think. That said, if I lied in anything in my post then I certainly welcome some fashion of righteous rebuke. Otherwise, you are spreading false witness, right? lol
New Cat likely won't be in spring practice. He hasn't completed his undergrad work at IU yet.......
WB, your take on Coach Anderson is among the most discouraging posts to ever hit WR. I had been very hopeful that he would build a stronger OL at NU right away.
I still hope he's got some coaching skills that NU didn't have before he arrived. He's surely got the credentials.
Can't some of the under-performance be attributed to just the lack of talent? NU's recruiting needs improvement, but especially recruiting OL. You must like the looks of the latest OL recruits, including an elusive 4-star. Anderson recruited these players.
I'm also hoping that what he teaches just takes time to show up on the field. The OL seemed stronger in the Illinois game.
Coach Anderson's best quote went something like, "The ability of the OL on a football team pretty much tells you how good the whole team is." I think he knows his squad needs improvement.
HJ never had a fair chance to succeed last season because of McCall. One of the best arms ever at NU and he's not allowed to pass. You'd have to look long and hard to find a more predictable OC, and this predictability must have compromised the OL's ability to succeed. McCall nearly always ran the first two downs into the LOS. NU's opponents knew this and defended it well. This nearly always resulted in 3rd and long, and then NU's opponents knew to expect a pass and brought pressure. Coach Jake will likely pass once in a while on 1st and 2nd down, which will keep the opponents' D wondering what's coming.
I still hope he's got some coaching skills that NU didn't have before he arrived. He's surely got the credentials.
Can't some of the under-performance be attributed to just the lack of talent? NU's recruiting needs improvement, but especially recruiting OL. You must like the looks of the latest OL recruits, including an elusive 4-star. Anderson recruited these players.
I'm also hoping that what he teaches just takes time to show up on the field. The OL seemed stronger in the Illinois game.
Coach Anderson's best quote went something like, "The ability of the OL on a football team pretty much tells you how good the whole team is." I think he knows his squad needs improvement.
HJ never had a fair chance to succeed last season because of McCall. One of the best arms ever at NU and he's not allowed to pass. You'd have to look long and hard to find a more predictable OC, and this predictability must have compromised the OL's ability to succeed. McCall nearly always ran the first two downs into the LOS. NU's opponents knew this and defended it well. This nearly always resulted in 3rd and long, and then NU's opponents knew to expect a pass and brought pressure. Coach Jake will likely pass once in a while on 1st and 2nd down, which will keep the opponents' D wondering what's coming.
I just call it like I see it... and what I observed throughout 2019 were serious problems across the LOS by virtually every player on NU's 2-deep OL roster. If a coach has one or two players who constantly miss blocks or gets flagged with the false start or holding penalty because he got overwhelmed physically or plain messed-up mentally, then I'd give that coach a pass especially in his inaugural season as a fundamental football technique teacher. But when virtually every OL position struggles with blocking breakdowns of every stripe augmented by constant pre and post-snap penalties from the first game through the 2nd last game (with the lone exception being final 2019 grapple against arch-rival Ill-Annoy where the majority of those previous gaffes suddenly & dramatically disappeared), then the only conclusion to be made is that the problem is more systemic, which carries with it causal failures in communication between player & coach. And what I observed via my field glasses regarding overall field play was a universal breakdown in blocking fundamentals by many OL personnel who possess the size, strength, talent and the mental capacity to execute their craft at a B1G level throughout most of last fall's season... but they didn't. And unfortunately, be it fair or unfair when assessing the responsible party, the onus for such frequent failures at all OL positions across the LOS rests with coaching. Such responsibility goes with the job and to this observer, Anderson simply didn't do the job - Period, End of Story.
Anderson has the reputation of developing and improving the level of talent in his OL charges throughout his coaching career, and I'm hoping for vast improvement in his entire stable of OL playmakers for this coming fall's campaign.
Anderson has the reputation of developing and improving the level of talent in his OL charges throughout his coaching career, and I'm hoping for vast improvement in his entire stable of OL playmakers for this coming fall's campaign.
In your opinion, How did the OL play last year compare to the OL play during Cushing’s last year? Would you attribute the breakdowns as spillover from poor technique and lack of overall development experienced during the Cushing era or do you think Anderson had enough time with those kids to correct those issues? Did the insertion of Stovall and the run focused game plan make that much of a difference to explain the improvement in play against Illinois?
So if the more or less concensus is the OL sucked, why, with 4 returning starters and the same OL coach, are most posters optimistic about next season? Anyone positive about the OL play? Although I don't recall the specifics, I believe there were several favorable season performance stats the coaches were emphasizing.
I tell you... if HJ does beat out Ramsey, then I bet that is a very good sign about how far he has come.
Not sure what to think about Anderson other than I was disappointed in the communication of the 'unit play'. To be sure, I stopped watching the madness after about the 6th game of the year but what I witnessed was not anything athletic, but rather mental. They simply played awful as a unit and probably couldn't have done much worse if they just drew assignments in the grass or dirt. Looked like street play. Sad.
I think Slater is a very good tackle and he graded out as one of the best OL in the bigten. He probably would have been an even better Guard, but we have had trouble recruiting all along the line and at tightend. So he is stuck there at 6'3.
I think the OL was better as the year went on. And I also noticed as some previous posters that for whatever reason, HJ didn't seem to get the same pass protection. Maybe his fault, coincidence, scheme or the dopey OC.
We were down to a high school talent at QB that they continued to play, 4th string RB's, several of our best wideouts hurt, tightends were terrible at everything...quite honestly it was way too much to expect this mediocre OL talent to lead our offense to victories.
When Stovall came off injury and got back to 100% I thought he played well. i think He has a good future on the line somewhere. I wish we would have thrown a few more times to see Stovall pass protect, but did a real nice job at tackle with the run plays during that illinois game.
I think we will be better at OL and almost certainly deeper. Of course, we have to avoid major injuries at every position.
I think the OL was better as the year went on. And I also noticed as some previous posters that for whatever reason, HJ didn't seem to get the same pass protection. Maybe his fault, coincidence, scheme or the dopey OC.
We were down to a high school talent at QB that they continued to play, 4th string RB's, several of our best wideouts hurt, tightends were terrible at everything...quite honestly it was way too much to expect this mediocre OL talent to lead our offense to victories.
When Stovall came off injury and got back to 100% I thought he played well. i think He has a good future on the line somewhere. I wish we would have thrown a few more times to see Stovall pass protect, but did a real nice job at tackle with the run plays during that illinois game.
I think we will be better at OL and almost certainly deeper. Of course, we have to avoid major injuries at every position.
Slater is a pretty good tackle, potentially elite guard. That’s where he will be in the NFL. I would love to see someone step up to take his spot at LT, but not sure I see it happening.
We just nabbed a 5.2 rated WR who had offers from Harvard and Yale, but this 2 star is supposedly another diamond in the rough according to this board. Obviously settling on him this early in the recruiting suggest that he was a steal. That should help the QB's.
Ramsey is definitely an intriguing option at QB as he is an actual dual-threat QB who has proven it in B1G play.
Don't know if this would be an accurate comparison, but a bigger version of Danny - I would definitely take.
PR makes it 8 QBs on the roster.
This is why I had stated in the earlier discussion about Jimmy G, that the staff should have found a way to get him to Evanston (was kinda confounding to find out that Fitz was surprised that Jimmy didn't get an offer cuz he liked him) b/c the QB position is so important and if one finds a talented, promising prospect - you find a way to get him into the program.
The counter-argument was that there was enough QBs on the roster; well, I guess this time having 7 wasn't enough.
The thing about Marty is that w/ his size (6-3; 227), he's basically like the big, bruising short yardage back the 'Cats have usually lacked (Bowser is a physical runner, but at 215 lbs, he's not built like those big bruising backs).
Always wondered why McCall never (if he did, it was rare enough that I missed it) gave the ball to the SB (in a 2 SB formation) in short yardage situations (whether it be a hand-off or a direct snap)?
If you're not going to let the SB run w/ the ball (even occasionally) - then what's the point of the Super-back position? (Then they're just basically a TE.)
TWB's assessment of the O-line is eerily similar to that of Broncos O-line during Siemian's tenure and is a bit disheartening.
Hopefully, another year and some younger guys being more able to challenge for spots will improve things.
Don't know if this would be an accurate comparison, but a bigger version of Danny - I would definitely take.
PR makes it 8 QBs on the roster.
This is why I had stated in the earlier discussion about Jimmy G, that the staff should have found a way to get him to Evanston (was kinda confounding to find out that Fitz was surprised that Jimmy didn't get an offer cuz he liked him) b/c the QB position is so important and if one finds a talented, promising prospect - you find a way to get him into the program.
The counter-argument was that there was enough QBs on the roster; well, I guess this time having 7 wasn't enough.
The thing about Marty is that w/ his size (6-3; 227), he's basically like the big, bruising short yardage back the 'Cats have usually lacked (Bowser is a physical runner, but at 215 lbs, he's not built like those big bruising backs).
Always wondered why McCall never (if he did, it was rare enough that I missed it) gave the ball to the SB (in a 2 SB formation) in short yardage situations (whether it be a hand-off or a direct snap)?
If you're not going to let the SB run w/ the ball (even occasionally) - then what's the point of the Super-back position? (Then they're just basically a TE.)
TWB's assessment of the O-line is eerily similar to that of Broncos O-line during Siemian's tenure and is a bit disheartening.
Hopefully, another year and some younger guys being more able to challenge for spots will improve things.
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WTF. Do you even read these boards or just spew the same narrative over and over? Please point me to the effusive Diamond in the Rough praise.
How about we at least let the kid get on campus before we start degrading him as subpar? Your post is embarrassing for NU.
Oof: lots to unfold here but that seems a bit harsh.
I would suggest that the returning OL were still breaking bad habits taught by the prior coach - or not well taught. They also had to contend with incredibly predictable playcalling which makes their job so much harder. The bizarre thing about Cushing was that the OL would consistently improve within each season, but then reset at the start of each season from the same below average level.
I think it will take Anderson a few seasons to be truly gauged. I expect the OL to be much better this season in his second year and with 4 returning starters. However if Ramsey / Johnson / Marty / Green are still getting ransacked all season long then we’ll have our disappointing answer.
My point: give Anderson time. He had an impressive resume for a reason, including players who were drafted. It will take more than a few months to correct 12 years of systemically poor coaching. I only hope it doesn’t take as long for Coach Jake to make an impact.
True that the lack of any other power 5 offer is concerning and the minimum rivals rating as well, but maybe our new OC was already recruiting him and knows he is the needle in the haystack?
Mark Philmore, Kunle Patrick and others were 5.2. The most important thing is that our coaches think he is the type of player that can get us back out of the west division bottom. And they would know best.
No doubt Mr Fitzgerald is excited to nab this young man as part of his rebuilding of the program. But even though fans on here don't want to recognize his 'less than par' rating, and his lack of any power 5 offers (except Syracuse), I'm just being reasonable by saying that it simply is NOT impressive. Sure, let the young man on campus and let him suit up and see how much of a stud he is, but my perspective is only based on the rivals ratings and the offer competition (Yale, Harvard, Hofstra). Not saying I'm right but as a fan perspective and potential season ticket renewal, I'd be more excited to see 4 and 5 stars start off our recruiting cycle.
And yes, his location does suggest that our new OC knows his play very well. That's a plus.
Wonder if his offer was at least in part a play for Bennett Pitcher, the stud OT/TE prospect from the same school, or perhaps a result of our pursuit of him. The narrative I envision is we sent a coach to Deerfield to scout Pitcher, who saw Gray and thought he got game and clearly fits the academic profile too. Pitcher did retweet Gray’s commit pretty emphatically. I’d love a package deal!
Hate to break it to TWB, but Dante Scarnecchia would have had a major challenge with our OL.
You are moving the goal posts. You stated that Gray was a diamond in the rough according to this board. Please show me this sentiment. The most I saw was one poster call him a sleeper and that was on the pay board. In fairness to that poster, he called Gray a sleeper BEFORE he committed.
Now you are pontificating about his below par offer list. Who exactly disputed that? You are trying to paint a picture of this board making Gray out to be Amari Cooper and that is not true. We would all like to see every recruit have a dozen P5 offers.
I suggest we give the man a chance before we dismiss him because of below par offers. Fitz offered early in the cycle. This isn’t a 2 star in the staffs view, He isn’t a December filler where we need to fill holes. Why don’t we wait until the entire class is full and Senior seasons are complete to make an evaluation?
Ouch. A devastating critique of NU’s recruitment and OL coaching over the past years.....
Well, OK. Let’s say Rome wasn’t built in a day. But dramatic OL improvement is needed for 2020. As Fitz says, we will go as far as our OL will take us. Another year where NU does not go bowling would be devastating to the program; the glacial pace of 2021 recruiting may just be a one off, but might also be an ominous warning.
PS Maybe Fitz should try to lure Scarnecchia out of retirement for a brief coach the coaching stint....
IU guy here. Just occurred to me to check the NW scuttlebutt.
I assume most of you only got to see Peyton play a couple times over his career. You've got yourselves a good one.
Some observations:
1) the knock on him for most of his career was a lack of arm strength, or more specifically not having "zip" on the ball. Watching him in 2019, it seemed like the ball was getting to the target a lot faster than it had the previous two years. Partly could've been the OC doing something smart I don't understand with the play calls, but I doubt it. So I wouldn't worry about that, particularly because it's not like you all are going to running the air raid or something.
2) Good athlete who can make plays with his feet.
3) He's a double-tough SOB. Kid can take a classic butt-whipping and get back up to play.
4) Coach's kid, makes good decisions. Efficient. Maybe a little conservative with his throws sometimes (maybe because he knows his limitations), but he's not going to be an INT machine ever.
5) My favorite thing he does that I'm sure you all will enjoy is he has a great knack of when to throw in the hard count, get the D-Line to jump, and toss up a 40 yard 50-50 ball to your biggest receiver or catch a DB napping on a long post or seam route. He got a lot of yards pulling that stunt.
Overall, he's a true football player. Not going to "wow" you with superior ability in any particular area. But he comes out and plays well week-in week-out.
A lot of Hoosiers will be watching/rooting for NW & your new QB in 2020!
I assume most of you only got to see Peyton play a couple times over his career. You've got yourselves a good one.
Some observations:
1) the knock on him for most of his career was a lack of arm strength, or more specifically not having "zip" on the ball. Watching him in 2019, it seemed like the ball was getting to the target a lot faster than it had the previous two years. Partly could've been the OC doing something smart I don't understand with the play calls, but I doubt it. So I wouldn't worry about that, particularly because it's not like you all are going to running the air raid or something.
2) Good athlete who can make plays with his feet.
3) He's a double-tough SOB. Kid can take a classic butt-whipping and get back up to play.
4) Coach's kid, makes good decisions. Efficient. Maybe a little conservative with his throws sometimes (maybe because he knows his limitations), but he's not going to be an INT machine ever.
5) My favorite thing he does that I'm sure you all will enjoy is he has a great knack of when to throw in the hard count, get the D-Line to jump, and toss up a 40 yard 50-50 ball to your biggest receiver or catch a DB napping on a long post or seam route. He got a lot of yards pulling that stunt.
Overall, he's a true football player. Not going to "wow" you with superior ability in any particular area. But he comes out and plays well week-in week-out.
A lot of Hoosiers will be watching/rooting for NW & your new QB in 2020!
Good, because that will happen often behind the NU offensive line if last year was any indication......
Just maybe a recruit of his ranking should not be offered in March, especially the teams first recruit. Maybe December would be more justifiable.
Maybe we should give Anderson more than a few months to prove his mettle before trying to lure a 72 year-old NFL coach out of retirement?
Fitz allegedly had 30+ candidates to consider for the role and chose the guy who he thought was the best. Give the man some time dammit.
The Scarnecchia comment was, I admit, over the top. But, regardless of who the QB is, Coach Anderson’s unit needs to show significant improvement this upcoming season.
Because recruiting services evaluate talent better than our coaches? So the coaches should always check the rankings from Rivals, ESPN, 247 etc. before offering a kid? Rather than trust their own evaluation of film, personal workouts, direct conversations with the recruit, and discussion with their coaches? Yep, sounds like a smart recruiting strategy to me.
CGC, your comment re. Scarnecchia underscores that when it comes to insightful college football analysis, you are a complete south end of a north bound horse. My critique of Anderson's effectiveness as a teacher & communicator whose primary deliverable is improved field play by every player in his stable was and still is totally warranted. He simply did not deliver the goods in 2019 - and he has size, strength & B1G level talent in those OL players he is mentoring, so he's not dealing with an empty kit bag. I truly believe that if Mr. Anderson took an honest self assessment/evaluation of his 2019 job based on results, he would conclude that he needs to do better - as in MUCH better. And I'm certain that he is gonna work his fanny off to do so in 2020. Understand one thing... NU's OL went from the least penalized unit in 2018 within the entirety of Division 1A Power 5 programs - including the Big Dog collegiate programs like the Abalamas, the BuckNuts, the Wisky's, the LSUs, The GAs & the Clemsons, to name just a few - to one of the most penalized OL squads in 2019... Anderson's first as primary mentor of Fitz' OL. End-of-the-season results like that are commonly referred-to as regression. Fitz brought Anderson into the NU coaching ranks to set a high bar & drive his OL squad to reach and surpass the height of that bar week-in & week-out. Anderson is no rummy-dummy and knows that he's got to deliver the goods this fall or NU isn't going anywhere in 2020, least of all as a contender for the B1G's West Division Championship.
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You’re either out of your mind or have been hitting the bottle too much. COACH Anderson had two B1G caliber OL on his roster last season. I never expected the negative impact the losses of Butler, Hance and Doles would have had on the OL. The performance against Illinois and the fact COACH Anderson was able to transform those five into any semblance of a B1G OL was nothing short of miraculous in my book. I’m hoping things will improve in 2020 as COACH Anderson has another year under his belt and an influx of young talent. I look for our OL to be a real strength of the team in the next 2-3 seasons.
Um, ok, if you want to claim that Coach Anderson was a miracle worker then fine. What I saw was a dysfunctional unit and it almost made me want to bring back the previous coach. Other OL coaches have had less to work with and didnt get 4 QBs crushed.
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