C34's 2013 position review and look ahead- the QB's

[Coach34]

QB's

2013 settled the offseason debate about whether we should go ahead and replace Russell with Prescott. State has found it's dynamic QB it has been looking for in Dakota Prescott. How lucky is Dan Mullen to have coached a once in a coaching career guy like Tebow- only to get another young man in the same mold like Prescott at State? Prescott had a solid transition year this 1st season. He was inconsistent throwing the ball early in the season- which was partly due to his young WR corps. Prescott set the school record for rushing by a QB. I give him a A+ for dealing with personal grief, injury, and being the ultimate leader. I give him a B- throwing the football. He got better throughout the year and the sky is the limit in 2014.

Tyler Russell had a nightmare 2013. Concussion in Game 1 followed by a simply better player taking his job. Tyler played on with class and dignity and took the field through the season when called upon. He played big vs UPig while a little banged up to help us win a big game. Grade C

Damien Williams showed everybody he was more than last minute signee to fill out a class. Kid has a bright future. For a 3rd string true freshman, I give him an A-.

Moving forward:

Prescott is the unquestioned leader of this football team. Him leading the way throwing blocks on a long run by Robinson just shows the type of player he is. But there is going to be a helluva battle to be his back-up. Williams is solid and will get nothing but better. Freshman Nick Fitzgerald has already been practicing and has opened some eyes. A coach that watched some bowl practices told me "Fitz is a better runner than Prescott- right now. But he needs 2 years worth of work on passing mechanics. He's got a cannon- Mullen is going to have to teach him to use it"
Freshman Elijah Staley joins this group in the Summer. He is a Cam Newton clone. We'll see is he can live up to the potential he has once he begins practice.

Future is bright at this position.

[MSUDawg4Life]

Agree that there's going to be one heck of a battle for the backup spot next year. Can't wait to see how it unfolds.

[BrunswickDawg]

Can't wait to see how those GA players develop!
Think about this - according to the post game notes sheet produced by the Ath. Dept., Chris Relf holds our single season record for Completion % at 60%. Look at what Dan and the staff did to develop a kid that probably would not have played at any other SEC school at the time. See what they were able to do with our current 3, and then think about how these kids will develop. We are entering the golden age of MSU football - we just need to really keep building and pulling in the same direction.

[BeastMan]

QB looks unbelievable going forward. I wouldn't trade our 4 QBs in 2014 for any other 4 in the SEC. Auburn's are really good but I'll go with us. You really can make an argument that Dak is the top returning QB in the SEC. The argument would come down to Nick Marshall, Dak, and Bo Wallace. Marshall is a bit faster but I don't think he's has as high a true QB ceiling. Wallace had over 3,700 yards last year but there is no way I'd rather have him leading my team than Dak. Maty Mauk was good too but I don't think he belongs in the convo preseason.

[Coach34]

The BearSharks are all up in arms over everybody saying Dakota > Wallace. This thread from the Rant is hilarious:

http://www.secrant.com/rant/p/47279026/Prescott-voted-better-than-Bo.aspx

I've had a few LSU tell me they wish they had Prescott as their QB next year. Gave Merlinzzz credit for stealing one from Lester.

[NCDawg]

Not that I have any confidence in SCOUT ratings, but does anybody know why they rated Fitzgerald as only a 2 star? I assume it's because they show only Middle TN and State offered him a scholarship.

[BrunswickDawg]

Fitz is a 2* because he played wide receiver as a Junior and played for a team that does not throw more than 5-7 passes a game on average.

[FlabLoser]

QB's

2013 settled the offseason debate about whether we should go ahead and replace Russell with Prescott. State has found it's dynamic QB it has been looking for in Dakota Prescott. How lucky is Dan Mullen to have coached a once in a coaching career guy like Tebow- only to get another young man in the same mold like Prescott at State? Prescott had a solid transition year this 1st season. He was inconsistent throwing the ball early in the season- which was partly due to his young WR corps. Prescott set the school record for rushing by a QB. I give him a A+ for dealing with personal grief, injury, and being the ultimate leader. I give him a B- throwing the football. He got better throughout the year and the sky is the limit in 2014.

Tyler Russell had a nightmare 2013. Concussion in Game 1 followed by a simply better player taking his job. Tyler played on with class and dignity and took the field through the season when called upon. He played big vs UPig while a little banged up to help us win a big game. Grade C

Damien Williams showed everybody he was more than last minute signee to fill out a class. Kid has a bright future. For a 3rd string true freshman, I give him an A-.

Moving forward:

Prescott is the unquestioned leader of this football team. Him leading the way throwing blocks on a long run by Robinson just shows the type of player he is. But there is going to be a helluva battle to be his back-up. Williams is solid and will get nothing but better. Freshman Nick Fitzgerald has already been practicing and has opened some eyes. A coach that watched some bowl practices told me "Fitz is a better runner than Prescott- right now. But he needs 2 years worth of work on passing mechanics. He's got a cannon- Mullen is going to have to teach him to use it"
Freshman Elijah Staley joins this group in the Summer. He is a Cam Newton clone. We'll see is he can live up to the potential he has once he begins practice.

Future is bright at this position.


Now there's an understatement. You older dawgs know full well that for decades State has lacked good QBs and/or the staff and system to develop them. Even when we've had great teams, the QB was the weakest link on the offense. In '99, one of our best years ever, Kirk Herbstreet said on national TV that MSU is "only a QB away" from being a major player.

That. Has. Changed.

Every single QB on our roster plus Elijah Staley who will soon be on our roster is going to be better than every QB that that proceeded them at MSU. Maybe, *maybe*, Don Smith is better than some of those guys, but that's it. Name a former MSU QB that is better than Dak. Better than what we appear we have in Staley, Fitz, and Williams? Maybe Don Smith. Maybe. Otherwise, fugetabouit.

Finally at long last, we've got the players.

And we've got the staff to develop them. Look at what Mullen did with Chris Relf. This guy was a 2* I think with no interest from any other schools. He was terrible under Croom. Then Mullen gets here and shapes him up into a nice QB who got us to 10 wins. Just wait till you see what Mullen does with the QBs we have now.

Dak has come along through some good development too. In his first couple spring games, he was a turnover machine. Not any more. He is a great runner and a decent passer. And I think his passing is only going to get better.

I think we are better at QB than anywhere else on the offense. And that's saying considering our great history at RB and the stable of good guys we have there.

Hail damn State!

[RougeDawg]

Speaking of developing QB's, I sat next to one that Mullen also made serviceable, at the game Tuesday. Tyson Lee and his gf/wife(?) sat next to us during the game. He played well the one year under Mullen ad hours have had us bowling that year.

[starkvegasdawg]

The BearSharks are all up in arms over everybody saying Dakota > Wallace. This thread from the Rant is hilarious:

http://www.secrant.com/rant/p/47279026/Prescott-voted-better-than-Bo.aspx

I've had a few LSU tell me they wish they had Prescott as their QB next year. Gave Merlinzzz credit for stealing one from Lester.

Here was my favorite quote from that thread:
(well, it was so disgusting that I wouldn't want to offend Flab)

Also interesting to see a few posts later where one of them said that TSUN also had a better WR, OL, and RB corp. WR I may give then the edge...this year. OL could be a spirited debate although I am not sure of any first round picks they have on their line. We have one for us. RB - Sweet mercy that is not even a contest. All TSUN has at RB is a few people they stuck in their from other positions and FR that didn't do squat. I remember reading on Nafoom how badly they wanted a big bruising back. Someone along the lines of JRob or Shump. Hmmm....who do they play for again?

[NCDawg]

Here was my favorite quote from that thread:


Not being prudish, but you could forego the first part of that thread before Flab edits your post.

[ShotgunDawg]

What dumb argument between Bo and Dak. You could line up 20 NFL scouts in a room and ask them what player they would take and all 20 will say Dak.

If we were picking backyard football teams and Dak and Bo were the last two players left to be taken, everyone would take Dak.

Of course Dak's stats weren't as good as Bo's. Dak clearly improved greatly as the season progressed, Mullen took the training wheels off, and our receivers had little to no experience when the season started.

Lets look at each player's tool set:

Size: Dak = 6'2" 230 Bo = 6'4" 209 Advantage, Dak with a 20 pound advantage. Especially in the running game.

Speed: Dak by a long shot

Strength: Dak by a long shot

Arm Strength: Dak by a sizable amount

Accuracy: Close to equal, for now. Bo isn't going to get much better and Dak could drastically improve here.

Quicker release: Dak has a short compact release and Bo winds up.

Agility: Dak has the advantage, but Bo is more elusive than people give him credit for.

Better athlete: If we were playing a racketball game or basketball game, you would choose Dak every time.

Leadership: Clearly Dak

So... I supposed to believe that the guy that is bigger, faster, stronger, a better athlete, with more arm strength, more leadership abilities, better mechanics, and equal arm strength isn't as good as the QB he is being compared to.

From a scouting perspective, this isn't even a debate. Dak is clearly the more superior player and the player that every other school in the country would take over Bo Wallace.

I would love to ask Freeze in private which one he would take.

[preachermatt83]

I think Fitz will be very successful at State... but not at QB. If things go as they should Dak Prescott(tebow 2.0) will dominate and then hand the torch to Staley(Cam 2.0) and of the 2 one of them will win the SEC and will be top 5 in Heisman voting. I really believe that.

[Barking 13]

Not being prudish, but you could forego the first part of that thread.

Yeah, that was pretty graphic..... but an unnerving visual, nonetheless.... ;)

[Barking 13]

What dumb argument between Bo and Dak. You could line up 20 NFL scouts in a room and ask them what player they would take and all 20 will say Dak.

If we were picking backyard football teams and Dak and Bo were the last two players left to be taken, everyone would take Dak.

Of course Dak's stats weren't as good as Bo's. Dak clearly improved greatly as the season progressed, Mullen took the training wheels off, and our receivers had little to no experience when the season started.

Lets look at each player's tool set:

Size: Dak = 6'2" 230 Bo = 6'4" 209 Advantage, Dak with a 20 pound advantage. Especially in the running game.

Speed: Dak by a long shot

Strength: Dak by a long shot

Arm Strength: Dak by a sizable amount

Accuracy: Close to equal, for now. Bo isn't going to get much better and Dak could drastically improve here.

Quicker release: Dak has a short compact release and Bo winds up.

Agility: Dak has the advantage, but Bo is more elusive than people give him credit for.

Better athlete: If we were playing a racketball game or basketball game, you would choose Dak every time.

Leadership: Clearly Dak

So... I supposed to believe that the guy that is bigger, faster, stronger, a better athlete, with more arm strength, more leadership abilities, better mechanics, and equal arm strength isn't as good as the QB he is being compared to.

From a scouting perspective, this isn't even a debate. Dak is clearly the more superior player and the player that every other school in the country would take over Bo Wallace.

and as the girls say, much better looking, too....

[justwin]

Disagree. Deck was stacked against Tyler his entire career from accompanying personnel usage, PLaycalling, etc. They're both good but Tyler did things that a MSU qb has never done before...tremendous passing and leadership. He had one slightly above avg wr in 5 years in Bump.

The future is bright though w the 4 coming back. It will be nice to see Dak excel in a more simplified qb run offense.


[B]QB's[/
followed by a simply better player taking his job.

[drunkernhelldawg]

I'm excited as hell to have Dak at quarterback. We should have a great season coming up. And what a great finish in Memphis My only argument is that Tyler deserves an A for the way the played when he was on the field but more importantly for the way he put our team first as Dak took over at qb. I would like to know the basis for giving him a C. When he wasn't injured, he performed well, and his performance at practice and on the sideline is better than any other I can think of. So I'm changing Tyler's grade to A. If you have a good reason for changing it back to C, come on with it.

[blacklistedbully]

Couple of things that have been ignored in that thread:

Wallace's passing numbers are greatly inflated by the endless bubble-screens. I'd venture to say the vast majority of his passing yards are due to the WR's YAC, much more so than DP.

DP has done what he has on MUCH less experience. He has far less than a full season of starting compared to 2 full seasons for Wallace. BW has attempted 805 passes in his career, compared to 296 for DP. BW has 274 career rushing attempts compared to 166 for Dak. anybody with 1/2-a-brain realizes DP should experience a great deal of growth and improvement as the undisputed starter next year. I'd imagine his growth path from this year to next we be expected to far exceed the growth of BW from his 2nd full year to his 3rd. BW has already nearly peaked. DP hasn't.

[blacklistedbully]

Flab, I love our stable, but to answer your question, John Bond was a DAMN good one before he got the shit beat outta him. Also Sleepy Robinson & Wayne Madkin.

Not saying that DP won't be better, but those guy were very, very good too.

[Barking 13]

Flab, I love our stable, but to answer your question, John Bond was a DAMN good one before he got the shit beat outta him.

at "The Club"?***

[Coach34]

Disagree. Deck was stacked against Tyler his entire career from accompanying personnel usage, PLaycalling, etc. They're both good but Tyler did things that a MSU qb has never done before.

Meh. Russell beat one team with a winning record- Middle Tenn State.

Prescott is a better all-around QB. Prescott is doing things at QB we have never had before also. He set the rushing record by a QB. He also accounted for 25 TD's this year while sharing time and missing games for injury. In 2012 for Russell- he accounted for 26 TD's playing the whole season at QB.

[blacklistedbully]

at "The Club"?***

No, talking about the beating he took from SEC defenses running the Wingbone for us.

[maroonmania]

Now there's an understatement. You older dawgs know full well that for decades State has lacked good QBs and/or the staff and system to develop them. Even when we've had great teams, the QB was the weakest link on the offense. In '99, one of our best years ever, Kirk Herbstreet said on national TV that MSU is "only a QB away" from being a major player.

That. Has. Changed.

Every single QB on our roster plus Elijah Staley who will soon be on our roster is going to be better than every QB that that proceeded them at MSU. Maybe, *maybe*, Don Smith is better than some of those guys, but that's it. Name a former MSU QB that is better than Dak. Better than what we appear we have in Staley, Fitz, and Williams? Maybe Don Smith. Maybe. Otherwise, fugetabouit.

Finally at long last, we've got the players.

And we've got the staff to develop them. Look at what Mullen did with Chris Relf. This guy was a 2* I think with no interest from any other schools. He was terrible under Croom. Then Mullen gets here and shapes him up into a nice QB who got us to 10 wins. Just wait till you see what Mullen does with the QBs we have now.

Dak has come along through some good development too. In his first couple spring games, he was a turnover machine. Not any more. He is a great runner and a decent passer. And I think his passing is only going to get better.

I think we are better at QB than anywhere else on the offense. And that's saying considering our great history at RB and the stable of good guys we have there.

Hail damn State!

Well, I've seen enough of Dak to agree that, if he stays healthy over the next 2 years, then he, without question, has the talent and toolset to be the greatest QB who has ever played at MSU, hands down. Now as far as Williams, Fitz and Staley its all just conjecture right now on what they will become or not become. Of that group we've only actually seen Williams on the field and he was solid for a true freshman. He didn't wow me by any means but I was pleasantly surprised he played as well as he did given he was a late pickup as a backup to Sandberg in our last recruiting class. He did make a good run in OT of the Arkansas game to win that one and he kept us in the game against OM until Dak came in. I don't personally think Williams has the potential Dak does but I would love to be proven wrong. I do think the 2 QB signees this year are definitely in the mold of what Mullen wants to work with.

[Dawgowar]

at "The Club"?***

LOL - I remember that. Also the fear of Parrenton (SP?) EVER playing.

For my money Don Smith was the gold standard in MSU QB's to date. I would love to see what he could do with this offense and Mullen's coaching.

[blacklistedbully]

Didn't Bond hold one SEC record until Matt whatshisname at Arky s few years ago, and another that was finally eclipsed by Tebow?

[justwin]

the program is at a point where they beat all crempuffs and lower level SEC teams so beating MTSU or any of the other wins this year and last are all the same. It's how we play against the better teams that matter as that's where the program needs to go.

So, the measuring stick is how we fare vs LSU, Bama, USC, etc. In those games, Tyler played very well against all of those teams as early as his freshman year w/o any help from personnel usage from Mullen, dropped TD passes, fumbles, etc. Had Tyler had any help in the games that matter in 2012, we probably win 3 of the 5 losses. If you're still unconvinced, visualize for a moment by substituting Perk's carries last year for Robinson...ya know the guy you love who always fall forwards, breaks tackles, etc and tell me we don't smoke tsun, nwestern, and probably beat LSU. It's funny how Miles & Saban & Spurrier have no qualms about playing the biggest RBs they have with their QBs yet with Tyler, this is a foreign concept to Dan. Perk underperforming is on Mullen too, not Perk.

Is Dak good, sure he's a fantastic running QB....the best we've ever had. Running QBs don't last and when the times get tough in big games, the offense get's timid and everything turns into a QB run right, left, or up the middle which is easier to stop. Look at Relf in 2011 and Dak this year on how running QBs falter after the abuse you take in the SEC. So, what happens is a running QB cleans up against the weaker teams like Rice, but the surrounding cast doesn't get the seasoning they need for the bigger games. Do you really think that some of the runs that Perk and Dak had vs Rice would work vs LSU/Bama/USC with as much success? My hunch is on occasion, but for the most part..no. If Dan wasn't so insistent on running Tyler in 2013, he would've never had the injuries he suffered.

Also, if you're going to sum TDs, don't forget to give Tyler some credit for Perk's 2012 rushing TDs and the TDs Dak scored when they pulled Tyler in the redzone in 2012.

My only point in all of this is that you can't say that Dak is a better QB than Tyler b/c Tyler was never put in a position to fully utilize his skills. He never had the luxury of turning around and handing it to a guy who could get him some yards or some semi-decent WRs to match his skill set.

Dak is a better "all-around" QB for "MSU" b/c Dan doesn't (still learning hopefully) know how to use the skill positions properly that surround the QB.




Meh. Russell beat one team with a winning record- Middle Tenn State.

Prescott is a better all-around QB. Prescott is doing things at QB we have never had before also. He set the rushing record by a QB. He also accounted for 25 TD's this year while sharing time and missing games for injury. In 2012 for Russell- he accounted for 26 TD's playing the whole season at QB.