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Are we going to get an Accurate Passing QB from the Portal?

[4QUOTE="JonnyV, post: 4849991, member: 6286"]
The fumbles are my big concern with AM...and can we keep him or any QB on the field an entire season with all the hits they take.
In 7 games the season AM had 7 fumbles and 3 INT's. In 2019 he had 8 fumbles and 9 INT's. In 2018 he had 12 fumbles and 8 INT's. Does anyone see a pattern here? Is this all caused by poor O-line play? If he can't learn to hang onto the ball he shouldn't be starting imo. Giving that many drive killers and/or turning the ball over simply isn't going to produce a lot of winning football imo.
[/QUOTE]
I wish I could remember the specifics but I can't so I'll preface this by saying it's not an absolute fact. However I believe at least one fumble was due to a bad snap. Two fumbles he was hit blind side in throwing motion when a defensive guy went untouched and I believe another was a running back exchange.
 
I think just like many of our issues, there's a bunch of things mixed together that created the problem.

- Adrian is accurate, but is he accurate downfield, I don't know
- New OC we celebrated TEs getting first reads, is the offense designed to not go downfield as much?
- We've started and played about a dozen receivers this year, is he not comfortable?
- Could our OL not protect him to get to that read?

I just don't know. I think we need some consistent OL play and WRs before it's a QB issue for me.


I think my main issues with not getting a transfer QB are two things:

1) AM is hurt. A lot. He's been injured every season he's played for us. He missed his senior season of HS due to injury. With LM likely leaving don't we want someone besides AM in the QB room that has played a down of college football? What if Smothers gets hurt or doesn't pan out? I could go on and on with the ???? related to AM but I don't want to just beat up on the kid. Seems like we are resting our 2021 season on the slimmest of hopes at QB.

2) From what I have observed AM's vision sucks. I don't see practices or have any inside knowledge only what I see in games. From my experience with another sport(soccer), you can't teach vision. A kid either has a mental model of where everyone is on the field is and where they will be in a split second, or he doesn't. Maybe football is different or I'm wrong and there's other issues, I don't know, I only know what I see. Vision is very important for the guy distributing the ball. That kind of thing seems like it puts a cap on AM's upside
 
I don't choose to look at it as "blame". I think the offense as a whole has opportunities to improve. I do think the O Line has the potential to get better. I also think the WR's can do much better getting open. If you have 5 seconds (which I don't believe was frequently the case) to read the fact that none of your WR's have separation, what are you supposed to do?

Does AM have opportunities, absolutely. As do the OL, as do the TE's and WR's, as do the play callers.
And yet there is a very vocal fan base that specifically try to blame our offensive problems on AM and even state we will never win with him because he is not a D1 qb.
 
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In 7 games the season AM had 7 fumbles and 3 INT's. In 2019 he had 8 fumbles and 9 INT's. In 2018 he had 12 fumbles and 8 INT's. Does anyone see a pattern here? Is this all caused by poor O-line play? If he can't learn to hang onto the ball he shouldn't be starting imo. Giving that many drive killers and/or turning the ball over simply isn't going to produce a lot of winning football imo.
I wish I could remember the specifics but I can't so I'll preface this by saying it's not an absolute fact. However I believe at least one fumble was due to a bad snap. Two fumbles he was hit blind side in throwing motion when a defensive guy went untouched and I believe another was a running back exchange.
[/QUOTE]
Perhaps some of fumbles weren't totally on AM but there is certainly a pattern to his not taking care of the ball imo. Also when the ratio of passing TD's to INT's is almost 1 to 1 (4tds 3 ints) something needs to be fixed. If Frost and company are satisfied with AM's production then so be it. We'll just have wait and judge the results in 2021 assuming he's the starter which I'm sure he will be.
 



***
I think that there are more question that need to be asked about the "passing game" than the ones you asked above:

1. Does Scott's offense ask too much of most college QB's in terms of reading the defense.
Answer: I think its yes.
2. What is the point of the "passing game"? By this I mean is it a horizontal game, a replacement for running (swing passes, WR screens) or a vertical passing game ( down the field, 15-30 yard plays).
Answer: Neither. :(. It is supposed to by a chunk play, down the field offense but it only has the component players for the horizontal game and they have not performed that game well enough to consistently move the chains.
3. does the "passing game" have complimentary plays?
Any good offense has complimentary plays, meaning that if you have a passing play that works and the defense adjusts to try and take that away, DONU's offense has a "complimentary play" (running or passing" to takes advantage of that defensive adjustment.
Answer: Other than the QB running play and maybe the Jet sweep, I have not detected "complimentary plays" Have you ***. If not, why not as this is the sign of a good OC scheming to consistently beat a defense with the "passing game" by being one step ahead and helping his QB.
4. It would appear that DONU "passing game" is based on a pocket passing attack. Why, when its clear to all the Big TEN DCs that DONU is blessed with QBs that are run/pass QBs not pocket passers? IF you were DONU's OC, why wouldn't you threat the opposing defense by: a) being run heavy to force single coverage against your WR/TE, b) roll your QB out, making him a run threat and moving away from pressure and giving him easier reads of the defense, c) run occasional option with option pass to TE to make the defense honor that part of your game and use the skills of your QB room to their maximum as opposed to taking a dual threat QB and making him a pro style QB?
Answer: stubborn commitment of staff to original offensive concepts is all I can come up with.

I just can't understand the failure to the staff to look at the players they have, especially the QB room because this is the single component that could flip them from losing to winning season, and play to the strength of these players and not their weaknesses.

Say what you will but a QB like the AM of the last 6 games of 2018 leads DONU to a winning season in 2019 and 2020, you can not deny it :).

GBR
I'll also say the last 6 games of 2018 had izigbo and morgan. I'm guessing we win in 19 and 20 with them too
 
Also, we replaced AM during the season because he was so bad and he only go the starting job back because LM was so bad and we're like "Oh yeah this is our guy for 2021."? I don't know man I'd sure like to have some other option.
 
I think just like many of our issues, there's a bunch of things mixed together that created the problem.

- Adrian is accurate, but is he accurate downfield, I don't know
- New OC we celebrated TEs getting first reads, is the offense designed to not go downfield as much?
- We've started and played about a dozen receivers this year, is he not comfortable?
- Could our OL not protect him to get to that read?

I just don't know. I think we need some consistent OL play and WRs before it's a QB issue for me.
I agree with needing OL play and WR play before we blame AM. Here is my problem with the fans blaming our offensive woes on AM. I get it that they want an effective offense but I think there are some intelligent fans burying the heads in the sand wanting a quick fix.... Or blame....for the offense because it's easier and more comfortable believing someone in the transfer portal will miraculously resolve our blocking, receiving, running back, special teams and defensive 3rd down completion percentage s.
 
I agree with needing OL play and WR play before we blame AM. Here is my problem with the fans blaming our offensive woes on AM. I get it that they want an effective offense but I think there are some intelligent fans burying the heads in the sand wanting a quick fix.... Or blame....for the offense because it's easier and more comfortable believing someone in the transfer portal will miraculously resolve our blocking, receiving, running back, special teams and defensive 3rd down completion percentage s.
At the end of the day fans of any team are first and foremost people. By nature there are those that go through life "half full" or "half empty". I try very had to choose half full. I'm also trying hard to remember these are young men that are developing athletically and mentally.

I'm not an idiot and I do understand not every athlete is a D1 athlete and that not every kid on NU's roster should start for a P5 program. We need to be able to discuss that while not "attacking" players.

Finally, I'm a believer in AM. I think he can get NU where they are hoping to go.
 



In 7 games the season AM had 7 fumbles and 3 INT's. In 2019 he had 8 fumbles and 9 INT's. In 2018 he had 12 fumbles and 8 INT's. Does anyone see a pattern here? Is this all caused by poor O-line play? If he can't learn to hang onto the ball he shouldn't be starting imo. Giving that many drive killers and/or turning the ball over simply isn't going to produce a lot of winning football imo.
I wish I could remember the specifics but I can't so I'll preface this by saying it's not an absolute fact. However I believe at least one fumble was due to a bad snap. Two fumbles he was hit blind side in throwing motion when a defensive guy went untouched and I believe another was a running back exchange.
[/QUOTE]
And one he literally landed on the top of his head. Definitely not all his fault but as you say he needs to do better.
 
Here's hoping AM can start hitting longer passes, make some TD throws and stretch the field. If he's unable to do so I'm afraid the offense is not going improve enough to at least have a .500 season. He also MUST stop fumbling when running with the ball. His turnovers are absolute killers and if not able to correct those issues he shouldn't be our starting QB. 4 TD passes with 3 INT's in 7 games is simply not going to produce winning football.

AM needs to be in RB drills.
 
In fairness to AM what did he have to throw to. Against OSU two of the three starting receivers were walkons. The play caller and OC did not set this team up for success. The walkons knew the plays and blocked well but no separation, no guys who can go up and win 50-50 balls. People forget how SM won those battles. A QB has to have confidence in his receivers. If HCSF cannot figure it out his successor despite the transfers will inherent untapped talent at WR.
 
Probably close to top 5 yardage too with no line
Funny sure could of sworn there was a line out there would love to see him play with no lineman. Please do tell what game the lineman didn’t block or wasn’t on the field so he could get the yards.
 



Funny sure could of sworn there was a line out there would love to see him play with no lineman. Please do tell what game the lineman didn’t block or wasn’t on the field so he could get the yards.
The line did struggle a lot this year though. Penalties and the lack of a consistent run game put us behind on most drives. That is a offense killer. Rather see second and 6 than second and 15. They where young but whiffed a few times also. Honestly I thought Adrian should have done a better job seeing the pressure as it wasn’t usually his blind side. The line will be better next year I believe. Lots of young dudes on there.
 
The line did struggle a lot this year though. Penalties and the lack of a consistent run game put us behind on most drives. That is a offense killer. Rather see second and 6 than second and 15. They where young but whiffed a few times also. Honestly I thought Adrian should have done a better job seeing the pressure as it wasn’t usually his blind side. The line will be better next year I believe. Lots of young dudes on there.
The line will be better but they don’t make the reads for am or make his arm more accurate. They also don’t make him fumble the ball or throw ints. The offense as a hole was terrible from am to the line. Hard to hold people accountable when the captain is making huge mistakes as well and that is the biggest problem in my eyes. Your leader has to be as perfect as he can be and turning the ball over isn’t being as Perfect as you can be. Especially when your Turing it over three or more times a game. Most average qbs don’t turn the ball over like am did.
 

The line will be better but they don’t make the reads for am or make his arm more accurate. They also don’t make him fumble the ball or throw ints. The offense as a hole was terrible from am to the line. Hard to hold people accountable when the captain is making huge mistakes as well and that is the biggest problem in my eyes. Your leader has to be as perfect as he can be and turning the ball over isn’t being as Perfect as you can be. Especially when your Turing it over three or more times a game. Most average qbs don’t turn the ball over like am did.
I don’t disagree and really was hoping they could find someone to come in snd compete with AM. As it is I believe Frost will pull him and insert Smothers if he struggles. He pulled him this year. When it was apparent Luke wasn’t the answer they went back to AM.
 

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