Poll: Starting QB--Lonergan or Surace?

[Knight Shift]

There have been discussions in random threads. The season is approaching. Who starts after game 3- think that they will both have a chance in first 3 games, and then Kirk/Greg will pick one.

Don't be swayed by social media. Interesting reply on X:

 

[Knight Shift]

I debated about Ashenfelder in the poll, and someone voted for him. Have heard some positive things about him.

AJ-in the system for several years. Have heard nothing but positives. But limited game experience.

Lonergan- impressive stats for 2-10 BC; but BC analyst and other identified problems in his game.

 

[Kbe4]

What ? No love for Rocco Rainone ?

 

[DHajekRC1984]

Ask me after game 3. I want to see both play first.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Loyalty and playbook
Lonergan before mid year

 

[yesrutgers01]

Greg will have his starter before game one and unless he gets hurt- no changes in game 3. even if we are in 3 blowouts- the 2nd guy may get in for 2 series total but told to just hand it off.

 

[RU#1fan]

If Longeran started the first 3 games and we switch to Surace in Game 4 we had a bad start to the season.

 

[satnom]

Best qb by end of camp who is accurate, makes good decisions, can spread the ball, strong deep shot capability, can run 5 yds for a first down, can create off script, is not a statue in the pocket and can make plays when the game is on the line.

Whoever coaches [and players] think that is should start season but not necessarily have to finish the season. Don’t care who it is.

GO RU

 

[PiscatawayMike]

I am pulling for Surace, but I think Lonergan will be the starter if both are equal at the end of camp.

Schiano will go with Lonergan because of his in-game experience.

 

[HeavenUniversity]

Bert Kossup

 

[Tango Two]

Bert Kossup

🫤

 

[Knight Shift]

 

[Anon1753410373]

Figure it will be announced game week.

 

[Knight Shift]

 

[RUnotentertained]

I’d go with Corey Valentine or Tylin Oden

 

[RUinBoston]

What ? No love for Rocco Rainone ?

In NJ if you have someone named Rocco on your roster you have to start them, that is literally a state law.

 

[RU Jeep]

Scary to go with a guy who has essentially never played CFB. But LFG !!

 

[Kbe4]

I am pulling for Surace, but I think Lonergan will be the starter if both are equal at the end of camp.

Schiano will go with Lonergan because of his in-game experience.

Well, that certainly was some experience Lonergan got last season at Boston College.
Those two wins must have taught him a lot.

 

[RU#1fan]

I’d go with Corey Valentine or Tylin Oden

I’ll go with Al’s Heisman Trophy candidate: QB Wimsatt

 

[MADHAT1]

Give Chad Schwenk the chance he didn't get in 2001

 

[RUPete90]

Have no idea. Who has seen enough here to make any kind of an informed prediction?

 

[MADHAT1]

Have no idea. Who has seen enough here to make any kind of an informed prediction?

He knows

 

[RUPete90]

He knows

That’s about as accurate as you can get. But if I want to go out on an ill-informed whim, I will say AJ since he has been in Kirk’s system for a couple of years.

 

[RULoyal]

He knows

Not too long ago, I made a Carnac reference in a group and got a lot of blank stares. Felt a bit old.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Not too long ago, I made a Carnac reference in a group and got a lot of blank stares. Felt a bit old.

Hard to believe how far late night has fallen since that time.

 

[mdk02]

Hard to believe how far late night has fallen since that time.

Agreed. Has gone totally political. Carson wasn't like that at all. Made fun of all sides.

 

[Bagarocks]

Agreed. Has gone totally political. Carson wasn't like that at all. Made fun of all sides.

Carson was entertaining... Period!

 

[MADHAT1]

Carson was entertaining... Period!

But who did he chose:

Lonergan or Surace?​

 

[Knight Shift]

 

[Knight Shift]

 

[RUTGERS95]

this is the year that Greg needs to let Kirk open the offense as much as possible. ball security isn't going to win us games to the degree that Greg needs. We need to fix the perception of the program badly

 

[Knight Shift]

this is the year that Greg needs to let Kirk open the offense as much as possible. ball security isn't going to win us games to the degree that Greg needs. We need to fix the perception of the program badly

Granted, the Big Ten Huddle guy who did that short podcast and graphic is not a Rutgers fan, but it is quite well-known throughout the conference by coaches, players and fans of other programs that Greg's major MO is to play it safe-the ball is the program.

Was watching the Louisville Miami game from last year over the weekend in which Louisville defeated #2 Miami. Brohm ran several creative, trick plays to get the win-in the post game interview, he indicated he had one or two other plays in the playbook. He did similar things at Purdue-just let it fly.

"MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- — Louisville tried a little bit of everything. A fake field goal. Having three different players taking snaps from center. A reverse that wasn’t a reverse."

 

[RUTGERS95]

Granted, the Big Ten Huddle guy who did that short podcast and graphic is not a Rutgers fan, but it is quite well-known throughout the conference by coaches, players and fans of other programs that Greg's major MO is to play it safe-the ball is the program.

Was watching the Louisville Miami game from last year over the weekend in which Louisville defeated #2 Miami. Brohm ran several creative, trick plays to get the win-in the post game interview, he indicated he had one or two other plays in the playbook. He did similar things at Purdue-just let it fly.

"MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- — Louisville tried a little bit of everything. A fake field goal. Having three different players taking snaps from center. A reverse that wasn’t a reverse."

no doubt and I'm sure they talk to various people at the practices (at least 1) etc....

my view is the poll is more emotional than common sense if I'm being honest (fully appreciate the playbook but starting an unknown vs a known product that has good production is puzzling). Experience is important and the offense needs to push the ball down range and score this year to offset any defensive issues. On paper, this defense isn't good, new coaches with no experience with most of the players or opponents cannot be understated. Playing ball control means we'll lose games we could win, we need win and just go barnbusters on offense as much as possible. we absolutely need to turn the narrative

 

[Knight Shift]

no doubt and I'm sure they talk to various people at the practices (at least 1) etc....

my view is the poll is more emotional than common sense if I'm being honest (fully appreciate the playbook but begging or an unknown vs a known product that has good production is puzzling). Experience is important and the offense needs to push the ball down range and score this year to offset any defensive issues. On paper, this defense isn't good, new coaches with no experience with most of the players or opponents cannot be understated. Playing ball control means we'll lose games we could win, we need win and just go barnbusters on offense as much as possible. we absolutely need to turn the narrative

It's a cup half empty/half full for each of Surace and Lonergan.
Lonergan
+has P4 game experience-plus.
-But he was also erratic in later games (arguable if it was him or a bad supporting case). minus.
-Not familiar with Kirk C's offense. minus

Surace
+Familiar with Kirk C's offense. plus
+Maybe duplicate- but has been in the program for 3 years and has established relationships with Duff and Raymond. plus
-Very little game experience. minus

Tendencies to play it safe aside, I think the commentator in the podcast is correct that it is Surace's job to lose. Who knows, maybe Surace is so comfortable in the system of Kirk C, he may be more able to let it fly than Lonergan. Time will tell.

 

[RUgal]

Why would Surace be seen as a safer bet than Lonergan? One has experience in the system, one has experience on game days. Is the former really so much safer than the latter? I like Jon Rhoades - he’s generally supportive of Rutgers - but it seemed to me he was tying himself in knots trying to make his case!

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

It's a cup half empty/half full for each of Surace and Lonergan.
Lonergan
+has P4 game experience-plus.
-But he was also erratic in later games (arguable if it was him or a bad supporting case). minus.
-Not familiar with Kirk C's offense. minus

Surace
+Familiar with Kirk C's offense. plus
+Maybe duplicate- but has been in the program for 3 years and has established relationships with Duff and Raymond. plus
-Very little game experience. minus

Tendencies to play it safe aside, I think the commentator in the podcast is correct that it is Surace's job to lose. Who knows, maybe Surace is so comfortable in the system of Kirk C, he may be more able to let it fly than Lonergan. Time will tell.

I don’t know. My read on the Duff situation was the opposite of what your saying. The TKR podcasts and others made it seem like his return was contingent on us picking up a proven insurance policy for Surace. It wasn’t stated outright that Duff didn’t have confidence in AJ but that was my “read between the tea leaves” interpretation of how we ended up picking up someone at Lonergan’s level. I know BC wasn’t good, but if the plan was really for him to be there just in case AJ disappointed or got hurt, this is by far the “best ever” intended back up we’ve ever secured. Lonergan was 100% good enough to start “somewhere” so we either paid him a ton of money to simply ride our bench that he couldn’t turn down (even midmajor QB starters make a good pay), or he was told coming in he’d have a good chance of landing the role.

This is not a Rettig situation where we brought in someone who was rated highly as an incoming frosh but failed to earn PT at his previous stop.

 

[Knight Shift]

Why would Surace be seen as a safer bet than Lonergan? One has experience in the system, one has experience on game days. Is the former really so much safer than the latter? I like Jon Rhoades - he’s generally supportive of Rutgers - but it seemed to me he was tying himself in knots trying to make his case!

IDK- think familiarity with the system gives a great chance at playing it safe.
The BC game on September 11 sets up to be interesting as to whether Lonergan will see significant playing time as either the starter or for certain packages/plays.

I don’t know. My read on the Duff situation was the opposite of what your saying. The TKR podcasts and others made it seem like his return was contingent on us picking up a proven insurance policy for Surace. It wasn’t stated outright that Duff didn’t have confidence in AJ but that was my “read between the tea leaves” interpretation of how we ended up picking up someone at Lonergan’s level. I know BC wasn’t good, but if the plan was really for him to be there just in case AJ disappointed or got hurt, this is by far the “best ever” intended back up we’ve ever secured. Lonergan was 100% good enough to start “somewhere” so we either paid him a ton of money to simply ride our bench that he couldn’t turn down (even midmajor QB starters make a good pay), or he was told coming in he’d have a good chance of landing the role.

This is not a Rettig situation where we brought in someone who was rated highly as an incoming frosh but failed to earn PT at his previous stop.

Good points. But get ready for the #FreeLonergan and/or #FreeAJ posts to fly as soon as the starter is named and makes his first mistake!

 

[RU#1fan]

this is the year that Greg needs to let Kirk open the offense as much as possible. ball security isn't going to win us games to the degree that Greg needs. We need to fix the perception of the program badly

This. I hope I am totally wrong but I think the Defense will only be marginally better based on the current lack of B1G talent. If Greg does not let Kirk open up the playbook if not he might be gone next season.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

IDK- think familiarity with the system gives a great chance at playing it safe.
The BC game on September 11 sets up to be interesting as to whether Lonergan will see significant playing time as either the starter or for certain packages/plays.


Good points. But get ready for the #FreeLonergan and/or #FreeAJ posts to fly as soon as the starter is named and makes his first mistake!

Yes - for sure. I guess where I’m coming from is I definitely do not think AJ entered the offseason with anywhere near the latitude GW had. If he’s the guy, it means he clearly outperformed Lonergan which would be great news of course.

 

[RUTGERS95]

It's a cup half empty/half full for each of Surace and Lonergan.
Lonergan
+has P4 game experience-plus.
-But he was also erratic in later games (arguable if it was him or a bad supporting case). minus.
-Not familiar with Kirk C's offense. minus

Surace
+Familiar with Kirk C's offense. plus
+Maybe duplicate- but has been in the program for 3 years and has established relationships with Duff and Raymond. plus
-Very little game experience. minus

Tendencies to play it safe aside, I think the commentator in the podcast is correct that it is Surace's job to lose. Who knows, maybe Surace is so comfortable in the system of Kirk C, he may be more able to let it fly than Lonergan. Time will tell.

agree, sorry if that didn't come across as they are right there which is my issue.
I do not see a successful season playing it the Greg way is my view. Even though we've finished ahead of numerous programs past several years, people still think MD is light years ahead of Rutgers. Perception needs to change drastically and the 3yrds and cloud of dust for a field goal isn't gonna cut it