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Can we stop with this noise

M

messageboardsuperhero

Redshirt
Sep 9, 2012
2,803
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About a QB competition? Fitz is a fifth year senior and has been really good for two years as a starter in the SEC. I love Keytaon and his future, but if Fitz had put up the passing stats that Keytaon did the last two games, he would have been criticized for it. Fitz is the starter next year- assuming he comes back healthy.

I do think there will be a package or two for both of them to be in at the same time though...
 
5

5049

Redshirt
Dec 3, 2017
700
0
0
You are the only one I have seen mention a competition. Even the mention of it is asinine.
 
M

Msubulldogfan1

Freshman
Sep 12, 2013
8,835
80
48
Like HD6 said, Fitzgerald is the starter, but to think there’s not going to be a mild competition this summer and fall is pretty naive.
 
P

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
61,290
32,988
113
No more than there's a "competition" at all 22 positions every year. Fitz is the starter and Thompson is the backup.
 
Chesusdog

Chesusdog

All-American
May 2, 2006
5,201
5,688
113
I'm not calling for an open competition and I think that a healthy Fitz gives us the best chance to win. Also he's 100% bought into the State culture and you can't put a price on that. However, we should consider the fact that we have a new coach, new staff, and a new system. These guys are gonna do their job and evaluate the players they have and see who should starting for themselves, not basing everything blindly on the decisions of the previous regime or the fact that one guy is a senior and the other a sophomore.
 
M

Msubulldogfan1

Freshman
Sep 12, 2013
8,835
80
48
patdog said:
No more than there's a "competition" at all 22 positions every year. Fitz is the starter and Thompson is the backup.
Click to expand...

More like there’s a “competition” at all 22 positions since there’s a new coach, and he has openly stated it doesn’t matter what year a player is, the best players will start.
 
P

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
61,290
32,988
113
That all sounds nice in theoretical world. There may be a "competition" for all 22 positions, but for the majority of them there's a clear heavy favorite to win and QB is one of those positions.
 
R

RocketDawg

All-Conference
Oct 21, 2011
20,472
3,111
113
I don't think there's any question that Fitz will start and play all year unless he's hurt again, but Key is a better backup than Fitz was, and better than Dak was. I can only imagine how good he'll be in '19 when it's "his" team.
 
B

blacklistedbully

All-Conference
Sep 8, 2008
4,253
1,056
113
There is no way in hell CoJoMo is going to disregard the experience, leadership and other intangibles Fitz brings. Beyond that, if Fitz comes back 100%, he is a better QB now than KT. He reads defenses better, runs better, etc.

As Fitz has said himself, KT is way ahead of where Fitz was at the same point of his career, but that does not mean he is better now...just that he has a great chance to be by 2019.

Fitz will continue to lead our team and mentor KT. Only way Fitz loses job is if he takes a big step backwards. Don't see that happening with a guy like Fitz.
 
D

Dawgzilla

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
5,406
0
0
RocketDawg said:
I don't think there's any question that Fitz will start and play all year unless he's hurt again, but Key is a better backup than Fitz was, and better than Dak was. I can only imagine how good he'll be in '19 when it's "his" team.
Click to expand...

I actually do have a question. What if Key is just much more accurate throwing the deep ball that is a key component of Moorhead's offense? I'm not saying he is more accurate, or that Fitz cannot learn to be more accurate, I'm just saying what if Fitz does not improve and KT is way better at it -- Does Moorhead consider shaking things up?

Regardless, I think KT will get a lot of playing time next year. I expect Fitz to be the starter, but Thompson will play.
 
E

esplanade91

Redshirt
Dec 9, 2010
5,656
0
0
If Nick comes back healthy he deserves to have his job back. You shouldn't lose your starting position due to injury.

However, I think he's reached his ceiling in the passing game and has 0% chance of a future in the NFL at QB. Being a new offense that plays more to the passing game actually kind of benefits the guy who hasn't been in the system for 4/5 years, and in this case the guy with less experience actually has more of a passing pedigree. I would not be upset or question one bit a scenario where he moves to WR or TE ala Matt Jones 1 year early. He'd be a nightmare at WR/TE and wildcat package QB.

But that isn't going to happen and this is all speaking hypothetically. I'll be very interested to see how Moorhead picks up where Dan left off, which was blindly playing upperclassmen and/or not necessarily the most gifted players for one reason or another, QB or non.
 
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J

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
15,263
5,801
113
Msubulldogfan1 said:
More like there’s a “competition” at all 22 positions since there’s a new coach, and he has openly stated it doesn’t matter what year a player is, the best players will start.
Click to expand...

There is a competition but no controversy.

Fitz is and will be the starter barring injury or some massive off-field problem rearing its head.
 
D

Dawgzilla

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
5,406
0
0
esplanade91 said:
If Nick comes back healthy he deserves to have his job back. You shouldn't lose your starting position due to injury.

However, I think he's reached his ceiling in the passing game and has 0% chance of a future in the NFL at QB. Being a new offense that plays more to the passing game actually kind of benefits the guy who hasn't been in the system for 4/5 years, and in this case the guy with less experience actually has more of a passing pedigree. I would not be upset or question one bit a scenario where he moves to WR or TE ala Matt Jones 1 year early. He'd be a nightmare at WR/TE and wildcat package QB.

But that isn't going to happen and this is all speaking hypothetically. I'll be very interested to see how Moorhead picks up where Dan left off, which was blindly playing upperclassmen and/or not necessarily the most gifted players for one reason or another, QB or non.
Click to expand...

I mentioned this very scenario earlier this season, back when Mullins was still our coach. People were bemoaning our lack of receivers for next season, and I mentioned we already have a tall, fast, experienced WR with great hands on our roster. I seriously doubt this happens, of course, but I would like to think that Moorhead is willing to put our athletes in the best positions for the team to be successful. Plus, if Nick wants a shot at the NFL, it certainly won't be as a QB.
 
D

Dawgzilla

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
5,406
0
0
patdog said:
So there's no chance a new coach could help him get better? That's ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Obviously, Fitz can improve as a passer, but if "the QB Whisperer" couldn't get him to improve after 4 years, it is hard to be optimistic that a new coach will make much improvement in less than a year. We'll see. But he will never be consistent enough to be an NFL QB.
 
E

engie

Sophomore
May 29, 2011
10,764
106
63
You know what's going to make him better? Guys that can go up and get his "overthrows" and run under them when going deep. Or better yet -- just catch it when it hits them in the hands.
 
E

esplanade91

Redshirt
Dec 9, 2010
5,656
0
0
patdog said:
So there's no chance a new coach could help him get better? That's ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I'm a big fan of change, and I think it especially benefits guys like Fitz who *I* think reached their peak as it was, having Dan as playcaller in a one trick pony offense. But I don't think, just my opinion, even having fresh eyes on him will do anything to significantly increase his completion percentage or errant throws into triple coverage. He will be our starter in 2018 and his attempts and YPG will undoubtedly go up, but that will be a product of the offense and not because of personal improvement. 100% recovery or not, he misses the entire spring instillation and won't get practice reps from his new QB coach. It's so much to ask for to then say "increase your completion percentage by 10 points and improve your TD to INT ratio".

Dak who DID make the jump worked every day of the off season to do it. And he's a once in a generation player.

Dawgzilla said:
I mentioned this very scenario earlier this season, back when Mullins was still our coach. People were bemoaning our lack of receivers for next season, and I mentioned we already have a tall, fast, experienced WR with great hands on our roster. I seriously doubt this happens, of course, but I would like to think that Moorhead is willing to put our athletes in the best positions for the team to be successful. Plus, if Nick wants a shot at the NFL, it certainly won't be as a QB.
Click to expand...
This is the part of the pro game that I wish existed in college athletics, people get WAY too attached to players as is. I don't care who starts at QB as long as we win. I think Fitz gives us the best chance to win, so I want him to be QB. If our resident experts we pay a ton of money to coach at MSU determine in August that Thompson doesn't put us in a position to lose games that Fitz would win, I'd hope that they'd shift Nick to a skill position he'll be exclusively tried out at the next level. It's a win-win for the team and his personal stock, and call me crazy but I think he'd be a mid-round pick at WR in 2019.

I have no agenda in this, it's just a fun hypothetical to talk about. I remember being devastated that Wes Carroll transferred out because of competition from Tyson Lee. Now we're discussing a true sophomore unseating a record holder.
 
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57stratdawg

57stratdawg

Heisman
Dec 1, 2004
148,779
24,661
113
Thread Hijack - did Fitz's passing living up to your expectations in 2017?

His final numbers were:
56% Comp
148 Yard / game
15 TDs
11 Ints
 
E

esplanade91

Redshirt
Dec 9, 2010
5,656
0
0
57stratdawg said:
Thread Hijack - did Fitz's passing living up to your expectations in 2017?

His final numbers were:
56% Comp
148 Yard / game
15 TDs
11 Ints
Click to expand...

No. Which is why I think it's at least worth an off season light-hearted discussion, regardless of how little of a chance I think it will actually happen.

I'd also like to see State's rushing yards minus his YoY, too. We improved across the line and Williams improved, and by default I thought he'd have a great passing year with less pressure.
 
M

Msubulldogfan1

Freshman
Sep 12, 2013
8,835
80
48
engie said:
You know what's going to make him better? Guys that can go up and get his "overthrows" and run under them when going deep. Or better yet -- just catch it when it hits them in the hands.
Click to expand...
Very good points. He should look ALOT better with new and improved WRs
 
M

Msubulldogfan1

Freshman
Sep 12, 2013
8,835
80
48
57stratdawg said:
Thread Hijack - did Fitz's passing living up to your expectations in 2017?

His final numbers were:
56% Comp
148 Yard / game
15 TDs
11 Ints
Click to expand...

That’s actually about what I expected.

With these new WRs, I would hope that % can sneak up to 60, and a little better TD/int ratio.
 
S

shotgunDawg

Redshirt
Nov 13, 2011
2,035
0
0
I believe many of you guys pay too much attention to stats & not enough attention to ingredients.

I also believe that Fitz should be the no question starter, but that doesn't mean that also don't believe that Keytaon has quicker feet, more touch, more accuracy, & a quicker release than Fitz.

If this were an open competition I believe Keytaon would stand a solid chance of beating Fitz out & my opinion has absolutely nothing to do with what either player's stats were.
 
J

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
15,263
5,801
113
Msubulldogfan1 said:
That’s actually about what I expected.

With these new WRs, I would hope that % can sneak up to 60, and a little better TD/int ratio.
Click to expand...

Stat wise, that certainly isn't lighting the world on fire, but he would have had to be a great passer to put up good numbers with our receiving corp (especially with the injuries) and even then, the better stats likely would have come from doing well against the weaker competition. It probably wouldn't have moved the needle that much in the three games we needed it.
 
B

Big Sheep81

Freshman
Feb 24, 2008
2,135
56
48
Fitz can smoke Keytaon in a straight up run. And, he is bigger and stronger. Keytaon will be the man in 2019.
 
T

tcdog70

Junior
Sep 24, 2012
1,409
269
83
engie said:
You know what's going to make him better? Guys that can go up and get his "overthrows" and run under them when going deep. Or better yet -- just catch it when it hits them in the hands.
Click to expand...


thank you for pointing this out. Our new WRs have just made Fitz a 65% completion QB. Plus Joe will help Him improve also.
 
D

Dawgzilla

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
5,406
0
0
Not even close to my expectations, particularly in the big games. In preseason, Mullen talked about the need to get his completion percentage up above 60%. And that is way too many INTs. The games I went to he had open guys, but kept trying to force the ball over to Gray. He also throws some unacceptably poor passes at times...I mean passes that are way off target or bounce well short of the receiver. And he couldn't get his deep throws on target at all, even when we had guys wide open (the LSU game being the one exception that I remember). Better receivers will help him, but he has to improve his touch, accuracy, and decision making as well.
 
DawgatAuburn

DawgatAuburn

All-Conference
Apr 25, 2006
11,189
2,316
113
If it makes you feel any better, some Auburn people are pining for the same thing, and their freshman didn't even play in the bowl game.
 
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