Nick Fitzgerald's incompletions

[Bulldogg31]

A lot has been made lately about Nick's "accuracy issues". On Saturday Nick was 18/26. Here is a listing of the incomplete passes:

1. 1Q 6:31 missed Donald Gray a little high, but could have been caught. I'd bet a dollar Donald told Nick "my bad" during film study today.

2. 2Q 10:11 thrown slightly behind wide open Jamal Couch on crossing route. Couch got both hands on it. Could have been caught but Fitz needs to lead him a step. Not a good throw.

3. 2Q 6:59 threw well behind Jordan Thomas who was open, cutting in front of a safety who was in zone coverage. Could have been picked off. Not a good throw.

4. 2Q 3:57 missed wide open Farrod Green when Green fell down. Looked like pass was on target had Green kept running. Should have been caught for easy 6 pts and 24 yards.

5. 2Q 1:22 Missed a wide open Myles on a post route. Underthrow, even though Myles still managed to get both hands on it. A better throw is easy 6 and 40 yards.

6. 3Q 3:34 good throw to Nick Gibson who has ball stripped by defender. Could have been ruled a fumble.

7. 3Q 2:11 Fitzgerald flushed from pocket and tries to toss one to Farrod Green. Ball batted down by KY.

8. 3Q 0:56 overthrow to Donald Gray who had a step on defender. 1-on-1 coverage, a better throw would have been 6 pts and 40 yards.

So a couple of bad throws, but could have easily been 22 of 26.
Not a bad day for a kid in his 3rd year playing QB.

 

[57stratdawg]

Fitz missed a post route to someone (I’m assuming it was Gray, #8 above) that would have been a big play TD. Think it was the first play after a turnover around midfield. After the throw Gray kind of threw his hands up, because Fitz either missed his target by 20 yards or threw the wrong route.

Anyway, it’s tough to ask Fitz to be a bulldozer on 3rd and 2 then drop a dime on 1st and 10.

 

[patdog]

Anyway, it’s tough to ask Fitz to be a bulldozer on 3rd and 2 then drop a dime on 1st and 10.

Andre Ware made this same point during the game after a pass Nick missed on. He had run the ball the play before and Ware talked about how hard it is to be an accurate passer right after you've fought for yardage and taken a couple of shots like that.

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

Andre Ware made this same point during the game after a pass Nick missed on. He had run the ball the play before and Ware talked about how hard it is to be an accurate passer right after you've fought for yardage and taken a couple of shots like that.

I thought that was the reason Keyton came in for a couple of plays in the first half. Just to give Fitz a breather because he was running a lot that drive. Dan has talked about that issue before and maybe this is one way he is dealing with it.

 

[Bulldogg31]

Possibly. He missed one earlier to Reggie Todd (I believe) but the play was nullified due to a penalty on KY. (Roughing the passer)

 

[Bulldogg31]

The very next play would have been Keytaon's first TD but was stopped due to a false start on Reese. If you watch the replay it is blocked absolutely perfectly. Not sure KY would have even gotten a finger on him.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

It’s his 4th year at state

 

[KurtRambis4]

I thought he

came in the first time bc of Fitz's helmet coming off?

Sidenote: they really need to change that rule to where if it's (helmet) on properly, and ripped off by a defender, there's no penalty. It's really dumb, how it currently is.

 

[Bulldogg31]

It’s his 4th year at state

True, counting his redshirt year.

My point is that he didn't really play QB in high school. I think he only threw 55 passes his entire career before getting to State.

Most starting QB's in CFB grew up going to camps, playing 7-on-7, and actually playing QB in games against live competition.

Fitz was as raw as it gets when Mullen got him and he's come a long way.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

came in the first time bc of Fitz's helmet coming off?

Sidenote: they really need to change that rule to where if it's (helmet) on properly, and ripped off by a defender, there's no penalty. It's really dumb, how it currently is.

I’ve been thinking the same. It’s getting old quick.

 

[TheStateUofMS]

Then he said, "Fitz is going to be a 55% passer his whole career at Miss St."

If he can get to 60% next year.....wooly

 

[Dawgzilla]

True, counting his redshirt year.

My point is that he didn't really play QB in high school. I think he only threw 55 passes his entire career before getting to State.

Most starting QB's in CFB grew up going to camps, playing 7-on-7, and actually playing QB in games against live competition.

Fitz was as raw as it gets when Mullen got him and he's come a long way.

Nick played 7-on-7, as a QB, and his team was pretty good. Not sure if he went to any prestigious QB camps when he was in high school. I'm just tired of hearing about his lack of experience....he does not have a tremendous amount of live game experience, but he has been in our program for almost 4 full years (he came to State and participated in bowl practice after his HS Senior season.

That said, he played much better against UK than he played the 3 previous games. He is just inconsistent and streaky. He tends to throw the ball high and behind his receivers, and he really should be much better at throwing the deep ball. And it seems like at least once per game he has a total WTF pass that bounces well short or just goes to no one.

 

[HumpDawgy]

I'm waiting on a post from Fitz's mom telling us every time he pissed on the toilet seat.

 

[Dawgzilla]

came in the first time bc of Fitz's helmet coming off?

Sidenote: they really need to change that rule to where if it's (helmet) on properly, and ripped off by a defender, there's no penalty. It's really dumb, how it currently is.

If the helmet comes off due to a penalty, then the player can stay in the game. So if there is a facemask call, or hands to the face, or a targeting/helmet to helmet hit, and the player's helmet comes off as a result of the penalty, then he can stay in the game.

On the play that Fitz lost his helmet, I really think the refs could have called a facemask (facemask applies to grabbing any opening of the helmet, like the ear hole, or grabbing the bottom rim of the helmet). I just think the refs didn't see it.

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

came in the first time bc of Fitz's helmet coming off?

Sidenote: they really need to change that rule to where if it's (helmet) on properly, and ripped off by a defender, there's no penalty. It's really dumb, how it currently is.

Oh I didn't see that. I though they were giving Fitz a breather. I'll go back and look tonight.

 

[thf24]

came in the first time bc of Fitz's helmet coming off?

Sidenote: they really need to change that rule to where if it's (helmet) on properly, and ripped off by a defender, there's no penalty. It's really dumb, how it currently is.

I'd like to see them review plays in which a helmet comes off and assess penalties if it was due to the defender. I think it happens a lot more than what's noticed.

 

[Hankp22]

For me, it isn't so much the stats

As I watch Fitz continue to grow as a QB, I'm looking for awareness and comfort in the pocket. For example, the first two passes of the game, Fitz throws a strike from the pocket to Myles after using his eyes to fake a bubble screen. The next play, he rolled right and threw strike on a line to get 7 yards. He threw darts on those two passes and made it look so easy. That's what I'm looking for. It isn't necessarily the completetions...it's the confidence behind the throw and management of the situation.

Point being with that, he had a comfort level in the pocket Saturday. He may have missed on a few but he is getting closer. At this point, I don't think I'd trade him for any one quarterback in the league. He is beginning to look like a quarterback that is athletic as opposed to an athlete playing quarterback. He really is beginning to remind me of Matt Jones from Arkansas a while back. But I think his upside is higher. His ability to manage the game is light years ahead of this time a year ago. Those two red zone turnovers against BYU may have been somewhat of a good thing in an odd way. And as he gets more comfortable in that role, I look for the stats to increase.

 

[Dogariffic]

He missed a few but give him time in the pocket and he will be at 60% or above. Still learning but his game showed improvement in check downs to me.... this year and this game ,but again he had time to do that.

 

[Sutterkane]

If that's the case then Fitz needs to start sliding and stop taking direct hits. We need to give it to the backs for power runs like that. Hell, put another back in there for either a lead blocking fullback or an additional option on the play unless Fitz reads a commit from the D that shows he can get 20 yards untouched.

We need a QB on every play, it does us no good to have someone who can pick up 3rd and 2 by lowering their head if it means we have a gamble on 1st and 10 if a pass play is called.

 

[KingBarkus]

Two points.

It amazes me how strong Fitz is. He is deceptively fast, but when he gets to the 5 yard line, he powers into the endzone. I've seen him bowl over smaller dbacks, but he takes on linebackers too. He can get through small creases too. I hate to see guys diving at his legs as I see a sprained ankle or knee waiting to happen.

Fitz needs to adjust his throws to his receivers. It's easy to overthrow Green on the pass over the top when Green does not have the speed a normal WR has. It's part of the difficulty of playing QB. You get pounded on a run the previous play, then play action to an open Green down the seam, or hit a deep ball to a streaking WR.

 

[Wizard of bulldogery]

the crossing route to Couch was way behind him. don't fault a guy that has a 7 foot wingspan for getting 2 hands on the ball when it whas thrown behind his butt 60mph. That was all on nick and he left him out to dry. That's a good way to get a WR hurt is forcing him to make a play by turning completely around to try and catch a ball when he was wide open. He is Setting it up for the person in that middle zone to blast him. He rarely hits those guys on target where they can catch it in stride. he needs to throw it 3 steps not force them to stop or stop and completely turn around to get hands on the ball to keep from the safety making an INT. When he gets to that level he will be a good QB. he can't throw the touch pass and he regularly hits the short route RBs in stride. throws it behind them or low into the ground or high where they have to jump. These passes are supposed to be short and easy and designed for them to catch on the run. He's a bad A mofo running the ball. Zero faults there, he makes an occasional bad read, but no one is perfect.

 

[maroonmania]

He missed a few but give him time in the pocket and he will be at 60% or above. Still learning but his game showed improvement in check downs to me.... this year and this game ,but again he had time to do that.

Plus, there are one or two his passes per game that are a touch high that would not be high if we had any WRs taller than 5'10".

 

[The_Pylon]

#4, to Green

from my perspective, was that the pass was overthrown and Green saw it like that too, tried to catch up to it and fell trying to get after it. He was wide open for a TD and it was overthrown. He'll make that throw before the season is over.

A lot has been made lately about Nick's "accuracy issues". On Saturday Nick was 18/26. Here is a listing of the incomplete passes:

1. 1Q 6:31 missed Donald Gray a little high, but could have been caught. I'd bet a dollar Donald told Nick "my bad" during film study today.

2. 2Q 10:11 thrown slightly behind wide open Jamal Couch on crossing route. Couch got both hands on it. Could have been caught but Fitz needs to lead him a step. Not a good throw.

3. 2Q 6:59 threw well behind Jordan Thomas who was open, cutting in front of a safety who was in zone coverage. Could have been picked off. Not a good throw.

4. 2Q 3:57 missed wide open Farrod Green when Green fell down. Looked like pass was on target had Green kept running. Should have been caught for easy 6 pts and 24 yards.

5. 2Q 1:22 Missed a wide open Myles on a post route. Underthrow, even though Myles still managed to get both hands on it. A better throw is easy 6 and 40 yards.

6. 3Q 3:34 good throw to Nick Gibson who has ball stripped by defender. Could have been ruled a fumble.

7. 3Q 2:11 Fitzgerald flushed from pocket and tries to toss one to Farrod Green. Ball batted down by KY.

8. 3Q 0:56 overthrow to Donald Gray who had a step on defender. 1-on-1 coverage, a better throw would have been 6 pts and 40 yards.

So a couple of bad throws, but could have easily been 22 of 26.
Not a bad day for a kid in his 3rd year playing QB.