Fitz is taking the next step

[Sacrifice]

I rewatched the game last night and I?ve been noticing something about Fitz, especially the last 2 weeks. He?s getting better with his ball placement and quicker going through his progressions.
I actually think Saturday was one of Fitz?s best passing games as far as accuracy. I know he was 14 of 25 but if you rewatch the game, he had 5 straight up drops. What was different this time is these were not passes that were high or behind the receivers, these were passes that were well placed balls that hit the receivers right in the hands. He really didn?t have but about 2 maybe 3 bad passes the entire game.
He?s also getting better with his deep passes. Early in the season he was missing receivers by yards on balls over 20 yards, then it was feet, last week it was inches and Saturday we attempted 2 passes over 20 yards and they both should have been caught. The int on the throw to Jackson and the Dedrick Thomas pass, that pass hit Dedrick in the palm of both his hands.
He?s also not staring down receivers like he was earlier in the season. About the only time you see that now is when the play is designed to go to a single receiver or he?s made a presnap read. He?s going through his progressions much quicker now. You can see it in his head movement on the pass plays.

Last but not least he looks so much more comfortable now, almost like a field general. You can see he?s more comfortable and confident running the offense.
I Don?t know but I?ve got a feeling it?s all gonna come together Saturday night!

[TXDawg]

The pick six was not an accurate throw. Granted, it was only off by about 18", but at that distance and in that situation, it's a HUGE miss.

[thf24]

I mostly agree, but I don't think it's going to translate to a big passing performance Saturday. It won't be on Fitz but rather the receivers. Playing as timid as our corps has done through a lot of this year is a great invitation to get mugged all game by physical DB's, and I'm expecting Saban to take advantage of this just like UGA and Auburn did.

[Sacrifice]

The pick six was not an accurate throw. Granted, it was only off by about 18", but at that distance and in that situation, it's a HUGE miss.
I?ve rewatched that play about 20 times. At first I thought Fitz just held it to long but after rewatching it, that was a designed pass to Todd all the way, the DB just made a great break on the ball. That play started out looking like an rpo but after the first read Fitz never turned his head to look up field to run, it was meant for Todd the whole time. The pass was on the money just the db made a great break on it.

[Sacrifice]

I mostly agree, but I don't think it's going to translate to a big passing performance Saturday. It won't be on Fitz but rather the receivers. Playing as timid as our corps has done through a lot of this year is a great invitation to get mugged all game by physical DB's, and I'm expecting Saban to take advantage of this just like UGA and Auburn did.
I agree, I?m hoping that Fitz throwing a better placed ball will allow receivers to make bigger plays in the passing game. At some point our receivers have got to nutt the F up!

[TrapGame]

Fizt is going to look pretty damn good against Arkansas and Cheater U but he's gonna look pretty mediocre against Bama.

[BrunswickDawg]

I think are correct. Definite improvement, but still needs some work. I think Fitz will graduate this December, and that will set him up for his Masters Program in QB just like Dak had (online classes, minimum hours, etc).

I watched the first half at lunch today. As much grief as that half caused, the game should have been a quick blow out. We moved the ball well and had a few play call break downs that kept us from being up 21-3 or more before the pick 6. 1) On the first drive our red zone calls were shit resulting in the FG; 2) The 4th and 1 call was bad - they knew what was coming - quick bubble screen gets that first down. The Pick six was part Fitz, big part on the defensive play. Those 3 plays broke down our rhythm and kept it close for a while.

[MaroonFlounder]

I’m afraid when Bama shuts the run game down, it will become a crimson interception party.

[Sacrifice]

Go ahead and mark me down as saying Fitz will have a better day passing than Mond and Etling did against Bama. I know they will blanket our receivers but hell who doesn?t, UMass was all over our receivers, we should be used to it by now. What worries me the most is what happened to us in 14 against Bama. Mullen runs Dak up the middle for almost a full 3 quarters then in the 4th we start passing the ball and start scoring.

[TXDawg]

I?ve rewatched that play about 20 times. At first I thought Fitz just held it to long but after rewatching it, that was a designed pass to Todd all the way, the DB just made a great break on the ball. That play started out looking like an rpo but after the first read Fitz never turned his head to look up field to run, it was meant for Todd the whole time. The pass was on the money just the db made a great break on it.

I agree that it was a designed pass, but the throw was not on target. He threw it to Todd's back (inside) shoulder. If he throws it in front of him (to the outside shoulder), the DB doesn't have a chance to make that play.

[Sacrifice]

I agree that it was a designed pass, but the throw was not on target. He threw it to Todd's back (inside) shoulder. If he throws it in front of him (to the outside shoulder), the DB doesn't have a chance to make that play.
We?ll just have to agree to disagree, that ball was gonna hit Todd between the 2&0. I know what your saying about it being more to his outside shoulder but about the only way that ball is not picked off is if Fitz sales it over his head or throws it in the ground.

[TXDawg]

We?ll just have to agree to disagree, that ball was gonna hit Todd between the 2&0. I know what your saying about it being more to his outside shoulder but about the only way that ball is not picked off is if Fitz sales it over his head or throws it in the ground.

Here's what Matt Wyatt had to say about the play (start at 3:10):

https://www.facebook.com/RadioWyatt/videos/1990637954484701/

[chef dixon]

I think his biggest issue is even if he's going through more reads he's still not making the best throw available half the time. I feel like it's instinctual and he just doesn't have it despite playing a lot of college football to this point. Wide outs definitely are a struggle, but if he doesn't improve passing next season then we will be no better than we are this season. How good we are next year is on him.

[Tbonewannabe]

I think are correct. Definite improvement, but still needs some work. I think Fitz will graduate this December, and that will set him up for his Masters Program in QB just like Dak had (online classes, minimum hours, etc).

I watched the first half at lunch today. As much grief as that half caused, the game should have been a quick blow out. We moved the ball well and had a few play call break downs that kept us from being up 21-3 or more before the pick 6. 1) On the first drive our red zone calls were shit resulting in the FG; 2) The 4th and 1 call was bad - they knew what was coming - quick bubble screen gets that first down. The Pick six was part Fitz, big part on the defensive play. Those 3 plays broke down our rhythm and kept it close for a while.

Mullen seemed to think that the DB was just a great player making a great play. UMass has some talented players. I wish we had the Welker clone and we have a good shot against at least AU. That guy was the fastest guy on the field for either team and the TE is a future draft pick also according to the announcers.

[Homedawg]

Go ahead and mark me down as saying Fitz will have a better day passing than Mond and Etling did against Bama. I know they will blanket our receivers but hell who doesn?t, UMass was all over our receivers, we should be used to it by now. What worries me the most is what happened to us in 14 against Bama. Mullen runs Dak up the middle for almost a full 3 quarters then in the 4th we start passing the ball and start scoring.

If He ran him up the middle for 3 quarters how in the world did he throw those red zone ints????

[Maroonthirteen]

I think the biggest challenge for Fitz this game will be between the ears. He seemed to be very rattled vs UGA. I hope he can calm himself and be confident. He is going to have to make his reads under a lot of pressure. If he does, it will be a close game. He has the physical ability.