Thorson has started 11 games now and I am not seeing the progression that I would expect between game 1 and 11. I am concerned that he is not developing into a better passer. He is barely a credible threat to pass. I am not sure if it is because the receivers cannot get separation or if the blame falls on the coaches for not figuring out a way to get him in a position to be successful (call a slant pattern or use the middle of the field once in a while). It is a shame that offense can't take some of the pressure off the defense.
Thorson's Development
- Thread starter ajr938
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We are forgetting how good UW's defense is. They had a great defensive game plan and the players to execute it. They had a shadow on CT and would not let him run. They forced every run to the inside and brought their linebackers up in the second half to stuff the middle. They played most of the game in a zone trying to take advantage of CT's tendency to throw into coverage and have their players in position for interceptions.
Our OC reacted to this by taking what they gave us inside in the first half. He refused to take the bait and throw into their zone in the second so they shut us down. I wish CT was ready to pick a zone defense apart but he is not there yet.
Their DC did a great job. But they lost and we won.
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I've said this before and it remains true. You can't tell on TV but we have NO receivers open pretty much ever.
Well he was 9 of 20 for 60 yards. 3ypa. Threw into double coverage at least 3 times that I seen and missed 2 wide open guys. I know he was under pressure but gotta get better qb play
Can live with him missing guys but can't force balls into double coverage he just isn't good enough to do that
Mcall could call quicker pass (slants to help him out with the pressure) but don't for some odd reason.
The play that I kept wanting to see in the second half was a quick hitter over the middle to the superback heading down the field rather than across it. With their linebackers so close to the LOS, it appeared that it should be a simple toss and catch for big yards. Watching on television, I could not see the movement of the safeties after the snap so maybe they were closing it up.
McCall was brutal today! He could not have been any more predictable then he was.
Understood but he was utterly predictable. Jackson run Jackson run Thorson incomplete. His play calling almost cost the Cats a win and to do that to that defense would have been criminal. You can be conservative but for cryin out loud vary it a little!
Prior to this game, in 10 games, opponents made it into the WIS red zone all of 17 times. That is a very good D and luckily ours were their match
When is anybody going to realize that McCall game plans according to what his boss tells him to game plan? And my remarks are not directed at you or anyone else in particular but this constant harping about McCall is just ignoring the 200lb former player in the room.
Imagine following exchange, McCall says to Fitz on any Monday, "Hey coach I want to throw the ball about 70% of the time each and every week." Fitz responds, "Sure thing Mick, you're the boss so just surprise me, okay?" Reality?
UW did a great job of controlling the edges and forcing us inside. It will be interesting to see if UI does the same and if so how we adapt(or not). U of I has a couple really good Defensive players.....a safety and linebacker in particular. I am thinking we will have a little more time in the pocket. For Thorsons development I kind of agree. He seems to be developing some bad habits.....never climbing the pocket, leaving too early and is usually predictable . he just takes off to the right.
There were former players on FB saying it's time for him to go. He's been remarkably awful this season and we are winning despite him and not because of him. We're in year 10 of this staff and we have the players. There is no excuse to be as bad as we are on the offensive side of the ball.
While not necessarily ver batim, I bet that's almost exactly how it goes.
With -0- coordinator experience, I bet Fitz let's Mick formulate the game plan and then objects/interjects as needed. I bet Fitz is very much about letting McCall set it up.
Yeah, it worked today - barely. But hardly a good recipe in general. This "playing not to lose" business is exasperating. I will concede, though, that opening things up a bit would be greatly aided by having receivers who could reliably gain a bit of separation, giving Thorson a viable option. Looking forward to seeing if Lees and/or Green will provide a bit of that.
All of I know is out of 125 qualifing fbs QBs thorson is 114th in QB rating
It's just a good thing Wisconsins turnovers were largely on their side of the field
Do you realize how easily slant patterns are picked off for pick-6's by good LB's? Throwing slants against Schobert and Beigel (both NFL-caliber LBs) would have handed UW the game. We almost had one picked today. We picked off two slants ourselves! Thorson is not ready right now to throw slants against good defenses. This was a game of possession and field position, we did a nice job capitalizing on turnovers to set up good field position except we need to make our FG opportunities.
And he's also 9-2 because he does not try to do too much. He's 9-2 because STATS ARE FOR LOSERS! He played a good game today! Sheesh!
I appreciated this in the one live game I've been to. Either it is the design of the routes, the receivers running them or he lack of time from the pass rush, but Thorson seems to rarely have any options. It's not as if he is throwing inaccurate balls, forcing it or throwing many INTs. That gives me hope that if we get some WR to step up - and maybe some better pass plays from McCall - Thorson will be just fine.
He's 9-2 because of the defense. We are 9-2 in spite of our offense and particularly our passing offense, or lack thereof to be more accurate.
No, the wide receivers are talented, they are not getting coached
We'd be about 6-5 or worse without Thorson, or do you forget the Stanford, PSU and Nebraska games. At Nebraska, Thorson accounted for 90% of our offense.
Add Wisconsin to the list of games in which he played well. No fumbles or interceptions. Excellent game considering the circumstances.
That was the plan. Control the ball, don't turn it over, when in doubt, run the ball. Very predictable. It was part of a winning game plan.
Well since ya wanna play the if game. If it wasn't for the defense the cats would be lucky to have a win
I'm NOT playing the "if" game at all! You are! I'm talking reality WE ARE 9-2 with Thorson at QB! Thorson managed the game and did not turn the ball over once. UW turned the ball over 5 times, including 2 picks on short slant-like routes. Thorson has done a good job limiting his mistakes and winning football games like the Stanford game, Nebraska game, and today's game.
You guys would have bitched about Steve Schnur in 1995.
Stats are for losers. Typical excuse for an athlete that is bad!!!! Seems to me that college athletes are drafted largely based on their stats.
NW can live with thorson this year cause the defense is bad ass. Just can't wait till next year when the 2 qb recruits that r coming get to compete for his spot cause if he doesn't improve he will be on the bench
Except we have a young QB, an average line, and limited WR's. He's been remarkably awful except for the fact that we're 9-2, winning every game we've had a chance to win.
Limiting his mistakes. OMG. The coaching staff limits the passing play calls so he doesn't make mistakes Here's a stat for u 3 yards per pass attempt. TERRIBLE. That's why he don't make mistakes he don't throw the ball more than 5 yards
He had nothing todo with the win today. JJ and the defense won this game
9 of 20 for 60 yards bad
Where he normally makes up for his passing numbers running the football (which he does really well). There's a positive for you. But he only had 7 yards rushing today. So don't give us he had a good game because it wasn't
Honestly I would like him to move to a TE position. I think he could be really good in that role
UW has two stand-out defensive players (I don't want to look up their names right now). One of them appeared to be assigned to seal the edge on one side while the other appeared to be assigned to contain CT on the other. Because we have both CT and JJ in the backfield, we have accounted for their two best players. If CT is not a running threat, then they have a spare great player to put anywhere they wish. Probably charging into our backfield and disrupting plays even worse.
So, UW has a great defense and had a great game plan. We played incredibly conservatively and did not turn the ball over.
We won.
Yes. A 210lb TE would get it done in the Big Ten. Please.
He's a freshman. Let him grow. He's going to be a good one. Has he cost us a game? No. Has he won us a game? Yeah, Nebraska, Ball State and Stanford spring to mind. 9-2 with a very inexperienced starting QB is well above par. Now we have Illinois, then bowl practices then he has a full spring ball as the starter. I'm expecting him to make big strides before his sophomore year.
What you mean would have Watched him. And he was good at what he was. A game manager
Lol. I think Cookie is a closet Illini fan and we are taking the bait. 3 weeks of slamming Thorson. Suggesting he become a TE is in the running for most ridiculous post of the season and that is saying a lot. I said it before, I'll say it again, Clayton will leave NU ( not NW closet Illini fan) with more wins than any QB in school history.
In 95 he was a game manager. He was more in 96. With Bates as a weapon, he stretched the field very well.
He didn't fumble or throw any picks today. That's ALL we needed from him, plus the 60 yards passing and 7 net yards rushing he got to to get us some important first downs.
Stats are for losers! We got the win and Thorson was a big part of this win!
Stats are for losers has nothing to do with any particular player! Sheesh, you're clueless, but perhaps understanding comes from seeing huge stats heroes lose games! Stave threw for over 220 yards with some beautiful passes in the second half, but ultimately what did him in was he didn't take care of the ball like Thorson did!
60 yards, zero turnovers >>>>>> 220 yards and 2 interceptions that resulted in 10 points for NU!
We're 9-2 and you're bitching!!! Yup! Clueless.
And who's going to play QB? We only have Alviti right now, and there's a reason he doesn't see the field. Good heavens and Thorson is a freshman who won the Stanford, Nebraska, PSU, and now the Wisconsin game for us! HE'S A RSFRESHMAN! Basanez was horrible as a sophomore as a passer! Should we have moved Baz to TE too? How about Kafka? He was not as good as Thorson at the same point in his career. Should we have moved him to TE? Except for the trick play near the goal line, this was a great win for Fitz and our OC and DC coaches! Gerry DiNardo was effusive with his praise for the program and he rarely compliments the Cats! But he doesn't know as much as you do about running a college football team, right?
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