Gardner Minshew

[HaggardDawg]

This may have been discussed before but I keep hearing from people that "Minshew was so underrated coming out high school...everybody missed on this kid". Hindsight is obviously 20/20, so my question is WAS he underrated or was he just a late bloomer that would have been impossible to project? Is he just a product of the system up there?

I watched him several times in high school and he was a good high school QB, but he didn't blow you away. In high school, it's usually very obvious who the D1 talent is and he never struck me as that. Much like the current Brandon QB they offered.

[Cooterpoot]

Didn’t fit Mullen’s system.

[ShotgunDawg]

This may have been discussed before but I keep hearing from people that "Minshew was so underrated coming out high school...everybody missed on this kid". Hindsight is obviously 20/20, so my question is WAS he underrated or was he just a late bloomer that would have been impossible to project? Is he just a product of the system up there?

I watched him several times in high school and he was a good high school QB, but he didn't blow you away. In high school, it's usually very obvious who the D1 talent is and he never struck me as that. Much like the current Brandon QB they offered.

Nobody whiffed on him.

He is an air raid QB that ended up with the perfect coach for his skill set. Personally, I don't think he's a good enough athlete to be a good SEC QB. I think he would've been decent at a blue blood that could protect him, but I would not have worked at most SEC schools.

[fader2103]

I agree with Shotgun he is a system qb that flourished with Leach. Think Timmy Chang and Hawaii.

[Spiderman]

This may have been discussed before but I keep hearing from people that "Minshew was so underrated coming out high school...everybody missed on this kid". Hindsight is obviously 20/20, so my question is WAS he underrated or was he just a late bloomer that would have been impossible to project? Is he just a product of the system up there?

I watched him several times in high school and he was a good high school QB, but he didn't blow you away. In high school, it's usually very obvious who the D1 talent is and he never struck me as that. Much like the current Brandon QB they offered.

Of the Big 3 in Mississippi, Southern whiffed. OM probably should have offered. He wouldn't have fit Mullen, so you can't say Mullen missed.

Southern was idiotic not signing him. He fit their system to a tee.

[TUSK]

I've never been happier for Bammer to lose a commitment...

That dude was a joy to watch, this year...

[Pit Bull]

This may have been discussed before but I keep hearing from people that "Minshew was so underrated coming out high school...everybody missed on this kid". Hindsight is obviously 20/20, so my question is WAS he underrated or was he just a late bloomer that would have been impossible to project? Is he just a product of the system up there?

I watched him several times in high school and he was a good high school QB, but he didn't blow you away. In high school, it's usually very obvious who the D1 talent is and he never struck me as that. Much like the current Brandon QB they offered.

Don't know.....what could be said about Walter Payton and Jerry Rice. Did everybody miss on them so bad that only a SWAC school would take them? I really dont know.

[maroonmania]

Didn’t fit Mullen’s system.

Agree, though I think he might have done well in Moorhead's system. Throws the ball really well and can run a little though he didn't do much running under Leach. Seems he is more of what Moorhead is looking for than a guy like Fitz who is way more of a runner than passer.

[parabrave]

Don't know.....what could be said about Walter Payton and Jerry Rice. Did everybody miss on them so bad that only a SWAC school would take them? I really dont know.

Back then JState was producing NFL talent left and right and you didn't have the scouting services like you have had for the last 15 years. You had to know the HS coaches or visaversa to get noticed or live near the school.

[Bothrops]

Minshew was made for the Pac-12, or Big 12. Tyler Russell would have excelled out there as well.

[LC Dawg]

Don't know.....what could be said about Walter Payton and Jerry Rice. Did everybody miss on them so bad that only a SWAC school would take them? I really dont know.

Rice was a little bit of an unknown playing at a small school and not having the camps they have today. Payton was a badass and he may have gone to a larger school if one really pushed him but JSU was churning out NFL players back then and he wanted to go there. Payton being black can't be overlooked as SEC schools were still pretty racist during that time period. He actually was in high school when Mississippi integrated and moved to Columbia High his junior year.

[Todd4State]

Didn’t fit Mullen’s system.


One of the things I disliked about Dan's system. You have to have a certain type of QB.


Of the Big 3 in Mississippi, Southern whiffed. OM probably should have offered. He wouldn't have fit Mullen, so you can't say Mullen missed.

Southern was idiotic not signing him. He fit their system to a tee.


I agree with this. In hindsight I wish Joe had gone after him when he was a grad transfer but I totally understand why he didn't. We maybe could have gotten Nick a medical redshirt for this year which would have allowed him time to develop in Joe's system but again I understand why we didn't do that.


Don't know.....what could be said about Walter Payton and Jerry Rice. Did everybody miss on them so bad that only a SWAC school would take them? I really dont know.


Totally different era. MSU integrated in either 69 or 70 in football. Payton graduated from JSU in 1974. I think Ole Miss first integrated in football in 1974. My years may be off a little bit but I'm in the ballpark. The SWAC was a legit football league in the 1970's but integration ended their heyday. Rice was probably more of a miss but I think part of it was us running the wish/wingbone and part of it was Emory not being a very good recruiter. Both are probably at least known recruits in today's era of camps and internet recruiting where everyone has a HUDL video.


Rice was a little bit of an unknown playing at a small school and not having the camps they have today. Payton was a badass and he may have gone to a larger school if one really pushed him but JSU was churning out NFL players back then and he wanted to go there. Payton being black can't be overlooked as SEC schools were still pretty racist during that time period. He actually was in high school when Mississippi integrated and moved to Columbia High his junior year.


This is true.

[Todd4State]

Minshew was made for the Pac-12, or Big 12. Tyler Russell would have excelled out there as well.

Tyler would have done better under Joe as well probably.

[Dawg61]

Minshew is a good QB that got put into the right position because Leach is smart enough to recognize what he needs. Someone like Dylan Favre would probably be really good under Leach. That's what Minshew is. Dylan Favre with maybe a little less douche.

[BuckyIsAB****]

This may have been discussed before but I keep hearing from people that "Minshew was so underrated coming out high school...everybody missed on this kid". Hindsight is obviously 20/20, so my question is WAS he underrated or was he just a late bloomer that would have been impossible to project? Is he just a product of the system up there?

I watched him several times in high school and he was a good high school QB, but he didn't blow you away. In high school, it's usually very obvious who the D1 talent is and he never struck me as that. Much like the current Brandon QB they offered.

He was the best passer in the state, just like the current Brandon QB. They both have been running what Moorhead and Leach want to do since they were in 7th/8th grade.

Maybe you should rethink what D1 talent is, its not about height weight and how far you can throw it every single time

[BuckyIsAB****]

Minshew is a good QB that got put into the right position because Leach is smart enough to recognize what he needs. Someone like Dylan Favre would probably be really good under Leach. That's what Minshew is. Dylan Favre with maybe a little less douche.

To even compare those 2 people shows you dont know a lot about either one. Not your fault but Gardner and him aint in the same league on or off the field

[BuckyIsAB****]

Of the Big 3 in Mississippi, Southern whiffed. OM probably should have offered. He wouldn't have fit Mullen, so you can't say Mullen missed.

Southern was idiotic not signing him. He fit their system to a tee.

USM regrets it to this day. I promise you Moorhead wouldve taken him if he could do it over again

[BuckyIsAB****]

Not to pile on but he was going to go to Tennessee but they picked a transfer QB from Stanford.

Jeremy Pruitt might regret that decision for the rest of his life, I'd imagine the big boys at UT havent forgotten it either after watching Minshew tear it up. He is better than anyone UT has

[Dawg61]

To even compare those 2 people shows you dont know a lot about either one. Not your fault but Gardner and him aint in the same league on or off the field

2018 Minshew is miles better than Favre but the thread is about him coming outta high school isn't it? I think it's a fair comparison. I think Leach deserves a lot of credit for identifying the type of QB he needs from all the way across the country.