Per Rosebowl on OOB......

[ShotgunDawg]

Fitz is expected to be named the starter.

Not sure if he made move in the past few weeks or what, but I think it's good news that we are going to have a legitimate dual threat at QB. This gives the offense another explosive factor that it simply wouldn't have with Williams.

I have more optimism about the ceiling of our team with Fitz at QB

[Liverpooldawg]

Fitz is expected to be named the starter.

Not sure if he made move in the past few weeks or what, but I think it's good news that we are going to have a legitimate dual threat at QB. This gives the offense another explosive factor that it simply wouldn't have with Williams.

I have more optimism about the ceiling of our team with Fitz at QB

Why more optimism with him? This is a serious question with no ulterior motives. I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion one way or another, esp in comparison to the other two.

[GreenheadDawg]

Why more optimism with him? This is a serious question with no ulterior motives. I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion one way or another, esp in comparison to the other two.

I have more optimism that he has separated himself. We haven't seen much of him but I've seen enough of Williams to know we wouldn't win many games with him. Great bulldog and played his ass off to keep us in the game when Dak was hurt but he's not an SEC QB

[msstate7]

Why more optimism with him? This is a serious question with no ulterior motives. I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion one way or another, esp in comparison to the other two.

Williams got tainted by not performing well vs om as a true freshman and not being ideal size imo

[MStateDawg]

Why more optimism with him? This is a serious question with no ulterior motives. I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion one way or another, esp in comparison to the other two.

Fitz & Williams have similar passing abilities. Fitz is an exponentially better runner. Tiano needs another year.

[ShotgunDawg]

Why more optimism with him? This is a serious question with no ulterior motives. I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion one way or another, esp in comparison to the other two.

Because he's the fastest QB that we've had since Mullen has been at MSU &, at heart, we are a zone read, spread option team. Additionally, Nick has a big arm with allows us to play action off the zone read or QB draw & throw it deep where we happen to have more speed at WR than we've had since Mullen has been here.

Williams is probably more advanced in the medium & short range passing game, but we need a play maker at QB & Fitz provides that. Now, that being said, he may be a Jeremy Johnson clone & completely not be able to see the field. That's what we'll have to find out.

[DownwardDawg]

Why more optimism with him? This is a serious question with no ulterior motives. I haven't seen enough of him to have an opinion one way or another, esp in comparison to the other two.

He's by far the best running QB Mullen has had. He also throws the ball 1,000 times more accurate than Relf did. He has a very strong arm also and has a very nice touch on the long ball. He played a pretty damn good bit last year. His performances last year should have given everyone plenty of opportunities to see what he will look like.
I had Bama and Auburn fans telling me last year that they would love to have him.

[HoopsDawg]

I let you guys know the starting lineups about a week ago. Fitz stepped it up the 2nd scrimmage. The team is now looking at him as the starter. We will see how he handles this week in practice. Then USA game should be a good confidence builder b/c they aren't very good.

[maroonmania]

Williams got tainted by not performing well vs om as a true freshman and not being ideal size imo

I actually think his relatively poor 2014 performances early in the season when rotating with Dak is what left a negative view of him in the minds of most MSU fans. And, just being honest, he doesn't have the stature you would normally see in an SEC QB.

[Liverpooldawg]

He's by far the best running QB Mullen has had. He also throws the ball 1,000 times more accurate than Relf did. He has a very strong arm also and has a very nice touch on the long ball. He played a pretty damn good bit last year. His performances last year should have given everyone plenty of opportunities to see what he will look like.
I had Bama and Auburn fans telling me last year that they would love to have him.
I saw him play last year multiple times. He looked decent enough when he was in. I hope y'all are right and you very well may be. How he performs in a game when it's still in doubt will be the acid test. I wouldn't write Williams off just yet. Given the situations he found himself in he did ok two years ago. I'd like to see if he has progressed any. The other one we know nothing about really. I suspect we will see all three that first game. I do agree we need to settle in a starter very early on though. I'm not a fan of a two QB system.

[BrunswickDawg]

He's by far the best running QB Mullen has had. He also throws the ball 1,000 times more accurate than Relf did. He has a very strong arm also and has a very nice touch on the long ball. He played a pretty damn good bit last year. His performances last year should have given everyone plenty of opportunities to see what he will look like.
I had Bama and Auburn fans telling me last year that they would love to have him.

Just going to leave these nuggets here:

Honestly though, I think he has the tools to compete after a RS year. I could see Nick thriving with Shump and someone like Holloway out of the backfield. It would be a very Mullen at UF style O with Nick at QB. I am not saying he is Tebow - but he would be very good in that type offensive. – Brunswick Dawg, This Week in GA QB Commits 9/27/13

I've watched a lot of GA HS football, and I think both these guys have the goods. They are raw, and unseasoned but are both tremendous ATHLETES - something we always seem a little short on. Having seen Nick play, and from everyone I have talked to in coastal GA, they all say the same thing - Nick has "IT" and is the type kid that wants to lead and the team just gravitates to him. Everyone also says we are getting a big steal. No one at all is worried about his arm, or reads, or lack of passing stats. The words "perfect fit for Dan Mullen's system" come up in every conversation. - Brunswick Dawg, This Week in GA QB Commits 11.15.13

[Leroy Jenkins]

Williams got tainted by not performing well vs om as a true freshman and not being ideal size imo

Williams is not thought of as a running QB, not a good fit for the system. Dosent mean he can't play QB. Marino probably wouldn't look great in the style we play.
Talent wise... Williams is 3rd.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

I actually think his relatively poor 2014 performances early in the season when rotating with Dak is what left a negative view of him in the minds of most MSU fans. And, just being honest, he doesn't have the stature you would normally see in an SEC QB.

This...he couldn't get the team lined correctly and couldn't get a play off without incident.

[Johnson85]

Williams got tainted by not performing well vs om as a true freshman and not being ideal size imo

Was anybody really complaining about how he performed against UM as a true freshman? He performed great as a true freshman compared to any realistic expectations. People got down on him watching him play as a true sophomore the next year. That's still probably unfair, as true sophomore year is still way to early to write off a QB but I think people were expecting the kind of jump you typically see between a third and fourth year QB and in limited action, it didn't look like he had improved any.

[bulldawg28]

Fitz puts me in the mind of Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield with his running ability. Hopefully he'll relax and allow his athletic skillset come through.

[maroonmania]

Was anybody really complaining about how he performed against UM as a true freshman? He performed great as a true freshman compared to any realistic expectations. People got down on him watching him play as a true sophomore the next year. That's still probably unfair, as true sophomore year is still way to early to write off a QB but I think people were expecting the kind of jump you typically see between a third and fourth year QB and in limited action, it didn't look like he had improved any.

Great?? I mean I realize people didn't have much expectations for him playing that game as a true freshman but I would not term his performance as "great" by any means. In the 3+ quarters he played we scored 7 points off a 35 yard drive after a Wallace INT if memory serves. He threw a terrible INT to the UNM safety himself right before Dak came in the fourth. I would say he held his own but he was far from great even in terms of expectations for a true freshman in that game.

[dparker]

I'm just glad that they settled on someone so they can focus and not split reps.

[RiverCityDawg]

Was anybody really complaining about how he performed against UM as a true freshman? He performed great as a true freshman compared to any realistic expectations. People got down on him watching him play as a true sophomore the next year. That's still probably unfair, as true sophomore year is still way to early to write off a QB but I think people were expecting the kind of jump you typically see between a third and fourth year QB and in limited action, it didn't look like he had improved any.

I agree with this, combined with the facts of him being a late lowly recruited signee we took from USM and him not looking the part of a QB (right or wrong). Secondarily to those reasons, I also think him never doing interviews has kept people from knowing him better. It's easier to dismiss a guy you've never seen talk. You want to see leadership qualities out of a QB and he hasn't taken the opportunity to convey that.

[TrapGame]

This...he couldn't get the team lined correctly and couldn't get a play off without incident.

Yeah, he looked like a true freshman that had never played a down of college bowl. Not good for a guy that helped navigate us in the EB the year before.

[tcdog70]

Fitz is Relf but a better passer who is faster. Quit worrying about our QBs. Dan will have us a QB that can play. I think we can win with all 3. i also think we will be run Heavy at the Qb position. I think all 3 will play and play well. The fact that we will go back to a running QB will also make our running backs better. The fact that we will be a running offense will allow man coverage on Ross or Gray, thus they will burn someone's ass deep.

[Really Clark?]

Not saying Williams didn't look bad running the offense but it seemed it was mainly the UAB game (I think) not every game he played. Threw for over 60% and 3 TD 0 INT in 2014. I like Fitz better, think he is overall a better fit but we haven't seen Williams in over a year lead an offense. It is just possible he might have gotten a little better. Just maybe.

[JoseBrown]

I've been for Fitz and damn glad to hear he will get the start. John Bond called it 3 weeks ago on the radio. It's got nothing to do with Williams, for me he's been a non-factor. Mullen has had Fitz for two + years now, and he has all the tools to be a Mullen QB. I've been looking forward to see what Mullen gets out of him since last season ended. I've always thought Mullen would decide between Fitz and Staley, then groom Tiano behind him. The good thing about Williams is he knows the offense and wanted to stay at State. If we lose 2 QB's now Williams will be able to step right in.

[Johnson85]

Great?? I mean I realize people didn't have much expectations for him playing that game as a true freshman but I would not term his performance as "great" by any means. In the 3+ quarters he played we scored 7 points off a 35 yard drive after a Wallace INT if memory serves. He threw a terrible INT to the UNM safety himself right before Dak came in the fourth. I would say he held his own but he was far from great even in terms of expectations for a true freshman in that game.

He came in against Arkansas and scored to finish off the game. He played 3 quarters against a good defense in the egg bowl and managed the game well enough that he didnt' lose it for us. And it's not like he was managing the game for some loaded team. We went 6-6 largely because of our defense. Again, it depends on what your expectations are for a true freshman QB, but I think finish off a SEC game in OT for a win, and not lose the SEC game he started is pretty great for a true freshman. I am I guess basing expectations on a non-blue chip recruit, but even for blue chip recruits, that would be better than a lot of them perform as a true freshman.

[Political Hack]

Fitz is the closest thing Mullen has had to Alex Smith since Alex Smith. The intangibles are the question. His physical tools are not.

[mstatefan91]

Fitz is the closest thing Mullen has had to Alex Smith since Alex Smith. The intangibles are the question. His physical tools are not.

Pretty much this. If Fitz isn't the starter then there is some stuff going on in the background.

[GTHOM]

Thank you Dan...Thank you

[JoseBrown]

Yep. My thoughts as well...