Hope for Next Year's Offense

[ShotgunDawg]

John Ledyard's scouting report on Fitz.

My biggest fear though is that KT couldn't beat him out & apparently looked far worse at practice.


https://i.imgur.com/SuUKmIj.jpg

[DownwardDawg]

Yeah, I’m very concerned about the QB position because of what you alluded to. I hope Key can make it happen. Or Mayden.

[Lord McBuckethead]

My thoughts on this are a bit different. First, you always have to go through a 3 game stint where a QB gets consistent starting experience before they start looking like the QB they are going to be. Some come out the first game and start to impress immediately. Others it takes a couple games to adjust to game speed. Some fail and it is time for a change. Some excel. I believe if KT started every game last year, we end the year with the same record, we win the bowl game instead of lose it, and we would be ready to take the next step starting this year. KT threw the ball all over the field in high school. After a short adjustment time period, KT will get in the groove again. The guy has had 2 years of college football coaching on reading defenses, making throws, and a full year in this offense. He will be fine.

[ShotgunDawg]

My thoughts on this are a bit different. First, you always have to go through a 3 game stint where a QB gets consistent starting experience before they start looking like the QB they are going to be. Some come out the first game and start to impress immediately. Others it takes a couple games to adjust to game speed. Some fail and it is time for a change. Some excel. I believe if KT started every game last year, we end the year with the same record, we win the bowl game instead of lose it, and we would be ready to take the next step starting this year. KT threw the ball all over the field in high school. After a short adjustment time period, KT will get in the groove again. The guy has had 2 years of college football coaching on reading defenses, making throws, and a full year in this offense. He will be fine.

I don't disagree, but from many observers, Fitz looked far superior to KT in practice last year.

I think some of that can be chalked up to Fitz simply focusing more due to being the starter while KT knew he was the backup & may have coasted a little, but can all of it be chalked up to that?

[Todd4State]

I don't disagree, but from many observers, Fitz looked far superior to KT in practice last year.

I think some of that can be chalked up to Fitz simply focusing more due to being the starter while KT knew he was the backup & may have coasted a little, but can all of it be chalked up to that?

The only thing I disagreed with was about him not having the arm to test tight windows. He tested them too much for my liking.

I think the stuff about Key was BS from MSU to protect Fitz and prevent a QB controversy because of Fitz being the face of the program and coming off of an injury and all of that. Did Key look lost when he played other than one brief series against A&M? No.

This is just like Aeries not knowing the playbook as well as Holloway. And then Holloway gets hurt and all of a sudden Aeris is this student of the game all of a sudden in one week. It's a way for MSU to protect players because no one other than those at practice know the true truth no matter who their sources are. And I'm sure that the coaches are at times instructed to spread that info if asked.

[Todd4State]

My thoughts on this are a bit different. First, you always have to go through a 3 game stint where a QB gets consistent starting experience before they start looking like the QB they are going to be. Some come out the first game and start to impress immediately. Others it takes a couple games to adjust to game speed. Some fail and it is time for a change. Some excel. I believe if KT started every game last year, we end the year with the same record, we win the bowl game instead of lose it, and we would be ready to take the next step starting this year. KT threw the ball all over the field in high school. After a short adjustment time period, KT will get in the groove again. The guy has had 2 years of college football coaching on reading defenses, making throws, and a full year in this offense. He will be fine.

I agree with this.

And after reading that scouting report where are all the people saying it's all Joe's fault and not Fitz?

[RiverCityDawg]

I think the stuff about Key was BS from MSU to protect Fitz and prevent a QB controversy because of Fitz being the face of the program and coming off of an injury and all of that. Did Key look lost when he played other than one brief series against A&M? No.

This is just like Aeries not knowing the playbook as well as Holloway. It's a way for MSU to protect players because no one other than those at practice know the true truth no matter who their sources are. And I'm sure that the coaches are at times instructed to spread that info if asked.

While I do think the coaches believed it was in the best interest of the team to err on the side of the senior captain and avoid a controversy, I'm not buying a deliberate cover up or misinformation campaign to avoid it. Aside from the fact that it's conspiracy-ish, non-coaches who were at practice have all reported that Fitz was far and away the better guy in practice last year. Media types such as Matt Wyatt, Paul Jones, Steve, etc plus fans with access, high school coaches etc agreed.

KT didn't look lost against SFA, but against weaker competition Fitz looked like friggin Tom Brady. Fitz looked as great as we've ever seen him against ULL then turned around and looked like garbage for two games in a row. How would KT have looked against good teams, we don't know but at least with Fitz we found out that the results against bad teams in no way reflected the results we got against good teams.

None of this means KT can't be better in year 2 under Moorhead after another offseason, another spring, another summer and another fall camp now that he's the guy, it just means Fitz was ahead last year. I don't think we have to deny that or come up with outlandish explanations to also be hopeful that the offense will improve with KT. We just have to see it happen against a good team to believe it will happen, either way.

[Ari Gold]

I will say this about KT and won’t say anymore about this
KT has the ability to beat teams that Fitz couldn’t and give us a much higher ceiling than Fitz. No knock on Fitz he was very good at what he was skilled at .. KTs upside is much higher than Fitz

Reguatding playing time last year There is a good reason why KT didn’t go more reps last year and it... I am not going to go into why and a few on this board also know why.

Bottom line on KT he is a winner .. he is a very good kid . He is a leader
He threw for a shit ton of yards at a big time classification in LA
He has been in the system for a year now
It’s his team
He will have the locker room ( which I’m not sure Fitz ever had during his time here, again not all his fault) and this is HUGE
The weapons around him should be much improved.

And I would love for everyone to shove it up Bo Bounds ass when this team out preforms what the “little brother Finbaum” thinks ..

[Covercorner2]

I think Nick was a really good practice player, it just didn't translate on the field. Hence why Joe was a little caught off guard with how much difficulty we had being productive on offense. He looks the part, has a big arm, etc., which can make you look good in a practice environment, but doesn't necessarily make you a great quarterback.

One the flip side, Key seems to be a bit of a "gamer." Every time he has game experience he excels, while it may not always be pretty in practice.

[BrunswickDawg]

I agree with this.

And after reading that scouting report where are all the people saying it's all Joe's fault and not Fitz?

I think a lot of people got blinded by Dak making such a huge progression between his Jr and Sr years and believed that that type of progression should now be standard, therefore Fitz should be able to repeat it. People also liked to believe that Dak came out of nowhere as a QB (ignoring that he was a 2 year starter in HS and threw for 5000 yards and 66 TDs), therefore Fitz who really came out of nowhere should be able to do the same (ignoring that he had thrown 76 passes for 778 yards and 12 TD in a triple option offense). Nick hit his ceiling, and that's ok. Doesn't mean he didn't work hard. Doesn't mean he failed. Doesn't mean he isn't a great Dawg. Just means, like most of the people on the planet, he didn't have the tools and the experience to become an elite college or NFL QB. Nick may be the least experienced, relatively successful SEC QB of the past 20 years.

[KOdawg1]

Yeah nick looks great throwing to his receivers with air as the defense. Put a cornerback in front of them and everything goes to crap.

We'll see on KT. He's a good leader and a competitor. That's a good foundation to build on.

[tcdog70]

with all that being said--Nick passed pretty well when he had Bear-Ross and Lewis as His receivers. just how in the Hell did we beat The Aggies three years in a row and Fitz was kryptonite to the Rebs and The Hogs. According to the scouting report He should have lost every game. Enough dogging Nick--let's hope Key will continue putting Us in bowl Game. I think He will be very good.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Nick Fitzgerald got better after LSU. He went back to pre LSU nick for the bowl. Idk the reasons why but he had a grasp of the offense then he reverted back to an athlete not a QB.

Fitz went from running a wing T to one read if its not there throw it away or run to an option of where the ball can go on every single play. Thats tough and he just struggled with it. KT cant be any worse.

All of you hoping for Shrader are going to be disappointed this year bc he aint ready. KT is the guy. I actually think Rogers is the best fit for this offense out of anything we have right now, and he isnt even signed

[Political Hack]

NFL scouting reports are largely meaningless at the college level. If you read that you'd think Fitz had zero production where as in reality he was one of the most productive QBs in the history of the SEC.

[Really Clark?]

Can someone posts Dak’s predraft analysis for comparison...not saying he is similar to Dak in upside or ability or intangibles but you could copy and past several of the same talking points from Kiper, PFF, etc. about Dak.

[Dawgfan61]

Nick has shortcomings sure, but I laughed at the scouting report when it said Fitz wasn't even that great of an athlete. Sure he gained the most rushing yards by a QB in the SEC without being a good athlete. Thats just complete and utter bull crap.

[Dawgfan61]

Here is same author's assessment of Dak:

https://draftwire.usatoday.com/2015/12/24/everything-you-need-to-know-about-2016-nfl-draft-prospect-dak-prescott/

[Dawgtini]

and here is the opinion from combine:
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/nick-fitzgerald?id=32194649-5447-3386-b5e9-1d4bf0877782

[yjnkdawg]

The only thing I disagreed with was about him not having the arm to test tight windows. He tested them too much for my liking.

I think the stuff about Key was BS from MSU to protect Fitz and prevent a QB controversy because of Fitz being the face of the program and coming off of an injury and all of that. Did Key look lost when he played other than one brief series against A&M? No.

This is just like Aeries not knowing the playbook as well as Holloway. And then Holloway gets hurt and all of a sudden Aeris is this student of the game all of a sudden in one week. It's a way for MSU to protect players because no one other than those at practice know the true truth no matter who their sources are. And I'm sure that the coaches are at times instructed to spread that info if asked.

I Agree 100%

[yjnkdawg]

and here is the opinion from combine:
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/nick-fitzgerald?id=32194649-5447-3386-b5e9-1d4bf0877782



And when you look at the Weaknesses, everybody should be able to see why JoeMo had to water down his offensive play calling.

[TrapGame]

B/c this is KT's second year in the system I have higher hopes than I did at the end of last season. After the first few games people may start wondering why Joe didn't play him a lot more last season.

[Lord McBuckethead]

B/c this is KT's second year in the system I have higher hopes than I did at the end of last season. After the first few games people may start wondering why Joe didn't play him a lot more last season.

Exactly. I will revisit this thread after 6 games next year. I think 4 games is what I think it will take for KT to get up to speed.

[Political Hack]

People quickly forget what KT did in his last start. And now he's a year+ better. Ari is right. His upside is much, much higher than Fitz. And let's not forget that the kid won a LOT in high school.

[Todd4State]

While I do think the coaches believed it was in the best interest of the team to err on the side of the senior captain and avoid a controversy, I'm not buying a deliberate cover up or misinformation campaign to avoid it. Aside from the fact that it's conspiracy-ish, non-coaches who were at practice have all reported that Fitz was far and away the better guy in practice last year. Media types such as Matt Wyatt, Paul Jones, Steve, etc plus fans with access, high school coaches etc agreed.

KT didn't look lost against SFA, but against weaker competition Fitz looked like friggin Tom Brady. Fitz looked as great as we've ever seen him against ULL then turned around and looked like garbage for two games in a row. How would KT have looked against good teams, we don't know but at least with Fitz we found out that the results against bad teams in no way reflected the results we got against good teams.

None of this means KT can't be better in year 2 under Moorhead after another offseason, another spring, another summer and another fall camp now that he's the guy, it just means Fitz was ahead last year. I don't think we have to deny that or come up with outlandish explanations to also be hopeful that the offense will improve with KT. We just have to see it happen against a good team to believe it will happen, either way.

The media types get their information from MSU or coaches from MSU. It is what it is and to be honest I think starting Fitz was what was in the best interests for MSU.

[Maroonthirteen]

I know some here are expecting national championships. But... facts are...KT performed well vs OM in 2017. He performed well in the Gator Bowl. He played well vs SFA. KT will be better than many of the QBs we have trotted out there in the past. State will be just fine with kT as the QB.

[MaroonFlounder]

I know some here are expecting national championships. But... facts are...KT performed well vs OM in 2017. He performed well in the Gator Bowl. He played well vs SFA. KT will be better than many of the QBs we have trotted out there in the past. State will be just fine with kT as the QB.

As much as I want to see KT ball out....Mayden's arm is better. It's just a matter of receivers getting used to a lefty

[Lord McBuckethead]

As much as I want to see KT ball out....Mayden's arm is better. It's just a matter of receivers getting used to a lefty

Haven't seen enough on Mayden to know. Hope you are right. I hope we have 3 qualiry guys there next year and allow Shrader to redshirt.

[BhamDawg205]

I agree with this.

And after reading that scouting report where are all the people saying it's all Joe's fault and not Fitz?

It's Joe's fault he couldn't find any meaningful reps for KT. Or see Aries was the complete back, KH should have been change of pace.

[Todd4State]

It's Joe's fault he couldn't find any meaningful reps for KT. Or see Aries was the complete back, KH should have been change of pace.

I disagree. Name a tangible situation in a SEC game (because Key played in the OOC games) where it would have made sense to bring Key in. No one else in college football changes starting QB's like they're just a regular position. I also think that the best way for us to get production from a running back standpoint was to have Aeris and Kylin share the load. Joe should have made Nick hand it off more than he did.

[BhamDawg205]

I disagree. Name a tangible situation in a SEC game (because Key played in the OOC games) where it would have made sense to bring Key in. No one else in college football changes starting QB's like they're just a regular position. I also think that the best way for us to get production from a running back standpoint was to have Aeris and Kylin share the load. Joe should have made Nick hand it off more than he did.

LSU game Nick played like crap and was hurt... Key red shirt was burned, so he could have finished that game. Jo offense was a pass 1st offense to set everything else up. And what was KH weakness? I not saying AW carry 60-50% but we all saw the difference between the two in passing situations. The way Nick chose or was forced by defenses to hold on to the ball negated KH's running. But KH pass blocking limitation stood out. Nick trusted AW to pick up his blocks, which helped his confidence in the pocket.

[bulldawg28]

As much as I want to see KT ball out....Mayden's arm is better. It's just a matter of receivers getting used to a lefty

Catching a football from a lefty is not an adjustment. It's velocity that WR's make things difficult.

[gravedigger]

Yeah, I’m very concerned about the QB position because of what you alluded to. I hope Key can make it happen. Or Mayden.

I'm feeling Mayden. Just a feeling though.

[gravedigger]

According to a pro scout, this is what Nick needs to overcome. Joe didnt have a chance to change much of this in spring with the injury and the fall practices. I still say most of it is mental and Nick can overcome it with the right coach. He's a great competitor and tough as nails.

Just wish our fanbase had been more 'realistic' about Nick going into the senior year.

Weaknesses
Production and consistency went from bad to worse as a passer during his career
Finished with more rushing attempts than passing completions
Lacks accuracy to be trusted to consistently complete the simple throw
Fastball pitcher who hasn't learned to vary velocity when needed
Highest completion percentage as a starter was only 55.6 in 2017
Strides into a stiff front leg, causing some inconsistencies with aim
Is his own worst enemy with poor decision-making
Defaults to careless, off-balance throws with traffic in his face
Fails to recognize viable one-on-one opportunities on the outside
Struggles to recognize and walk away from an ill-fated read
Slow release allows defenders to peel off clearing routes and jump underneath.

[bluelightstar]

Keytaon will be the starter.

[DanDority]

Guys, when I was told point blank from a former coach who now coaches at FSU that Dak was better and should've been the QB in the Gator Bowl in 2012, but was passed over by a senior who was less talented. It starts to make sense. Plus Fitz had a chance for the rushing record.

[Maroonthirteen]

Haven't seen enough on Mayden to know. Hope you are right. I hope we have 3 qualiry guys there next year and allow Shrader to redshirt.

From limited action, Mayden looks like a big fast physical guy. I’d like to see more of him too. Maybe the maroon and white game with reveal a little More about him.

[BrunswickDawg]

Guys, when I was told point blank from a former coach who now coaches at FSU that Dak was better and should've been the QB in the Gator Bowl in 2012, but was passed over by a senior who was less talented. It starts to make sense. Plus Fitz had a chance for the rushing record.

We were going to live and die with Fitz no matter what last year. When you have a multi-year starter, face of the program type, the only way they come out is if QB2 is a proven quantity who just flat out beats out the SR. Imagine the controversy if Joe had rolled with KT after we lost at Kentucky the way we did, then he loses against UF. You spend all season with that kind of distraction in the locker room?? It's a quick way to tank a whole season. We saw how big of an impact that locker room split had in 2016 when Danny Two Gloves was indecisive about Fitz vs. D Will. The only mistake I think Joe made in the situation was not limiting KT to 4 games to gain a redshirt for him. But, I suspect that Joe gave KT the option and he said he would play - that's what gamers do. And I think KT is similar to Dak and Fitz that way - they want to be on the field and doing everything they can.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I disagree. Name a tangible situation in a SEC game (because Key played in the OOC games) where it would have made sense to bring Key in. No one else in college football changes starting QB's like they're just a regular position. I also think that the best way for us to get production from a running back standpoint was to have Aeris and Kylin share the load. Joe should have made Nick hand it off more than he did.

Maybe in the few games where we were blanked on the scoreboard in SEC play. Couldn't have hurt considering we couldn't move the ball.

[BuckyIsAB****]

As much as I want to see KT ball out....Mayden's arm is better. It's just a matter of receivers getting used to a lefty

Mayden has never thrown a pass in a game

[BuckyIsAB****]

It's Joe's fault he couldn't find any meaningful reps for KT. Or see Aries was the complete back, KH should have been change of pace.

As bad as Fitz looked vs LSU and Iowa I would have been ok with KT getting some reps but between those 2 games Fitz played well and was a big reason why we improved on offense.

[QuadrupleOption]

As bad as Fitz looked vs LSU and Iowa I would have been ok with KT getting some reps but between those 2 games Fitz played well and was a big reason why we improved on offense.

Fitz was REALLY up and down in the bowl game. He'd do something bone-headed then follow it up with a good series. Our WR play certainly didn't help him any that's for sure.

[QuadrupleOption]

I know some here are expecting national championships. But... facts are...KT performed well vs OM in 2017. He performed well in the Gator Bowl. He played well vs SFA. KT will be better than many of the QBs we have trotted out there in the past. State will be just fine with kT as the QB.

I'm going to have to disagree here. Moorhead's offense is predicated on the QB being a great passer. KT is not a great passer. Or at least he hasn't shown that yet.

He had 3 TOs against OM in 2017 and completed less than 50% of his passes (13/27).
He had a great game running against Louisville but completed 11/20 for 127 yards and an Int. I'll give him a mulligan on this because I'm pretty sure the gameplan was to run it down their throats and we did.
Against SFA he threw for 5 TDs but again his completion percentage was terrible (13/31).

Now, I'm not saying he can't get better but he's going to have to significantly improve his completion percentage or this offense is going to struggle mightily again this season.

[bluelightstar]

As bad as Fitz looked vs LSU and Iowa I would have been ok with KT getting some reps but between those 2 games Fitz played well and was a big reason why we improved on offense.

You could argue ? many did ? that we just started playing against garbage defenses and secondaries. Let?s remember that it was during this stretch that Fitz didn?t even see the wide open primary receiver on a flea flicker. The point is that we almost can?t be worse in the passing game. KT will be fine.

[MaroonFlounder]

Mayden has never thrown a pass in a game

Not that it matters much, but you would be incorrect. Check the SFA game stats.

[BhamDawg205]

As bad as Fitz looked vs LSU and Iowa I would have been ok with KT getting some reps but between those 2 games Fitz played well and was a big reason why we improved on offense.

I agree Fits played better and battled through... But He also hurt us with his inability to pre read defenses. Whether it was not knowing where to throw or when to hand it off, some say it was selfish play calling holding on to the ball. I lean 60/40 selfish/defenses forcing him to. Not saying KT would have been better, but don't recall many saying KT didn't know where to go with the ball or running when he should have handed it off. I do remember KT in the area and wishing he had better mechanics. Fitz will be missed for his warrior attitude, but we have 3 that fits the future better.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I'm going to have to disagree here. Moorhead's offense is predicated on the QB being a great passer. KT is not a great passer. Or at least he hasn't shown that yet.

He had 3 TOs against OM in 2017 and completed less than 50% of his passes (13/27).
He had a great game running against Louisville but completed 11/20 for 127 yards and an Int. I'll give him a mulligan on this because I'm pretty sure the gameplan was to run it down their throats and we did.
Against SFA he threw for 5 TDs but again his completion percentage was terrible (13/31).

Now, I'm not saying he can't get better but he's going to have to significantly improve his completion percentage or this offense is going to struggle mightily again this season.

The QB doesn't have to be a great passer for the offense to work. Case in point Trace McSorley 57.9% completion his 1st year in Moorhead system. What the QB does have to do is hit those big plays when they present themselves. There's going to be 4-5 deep balls a game where you're going to have a chance to score. The QB has to connect on 2-3 of those.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Not that it matters much, but you would be incorrect. Check the SFA game stats.

Ok. A pass or two against a FCS team. He isnt ready. Neither is Shrader. We are KT or bust

[BuckyIsAB****]

You could argue ? many did ? that we just started playing against garbage defenses and secondaries. Let?s remember that it was during this stretch that Fitz didn?t even see the wide open primary receiver on a flea flicker. The point is that we almost can?t be worse in the passing game. KT will be fine.

I agree it cant be any worse. Which is what I was trying to say. I expect KT to be better bc he at least ran some sort of a passing game all his life. Fitz was truly an athlete playing QB. We havent seen anything close to what Moorhead really wants to do

[BuckyIsAB****]

The QB doesn't have to be a great passer for the offense to work. Case in point Trace McSorley 57.9% completion his 1st year in Moorhead system. What the QB does have to do is hit those big plays when they present themselves. There's going to be 4-5 deep balls a game where you're going to have a chance to score. The QB has to connect on 2-3 of those.

And he has to be able to read it and get the ball where its supposed to go. Every play the ball can go a few different places. Those that think Moorhead is air raid are off. This offense is extremely QB dependent, more than any other we have ever seen. But its not Mike Leach

[Sacrifice]

I stopped reading after the "Don't think he has the arm to test tight windows" comment.

[MaroonFlounder]

Ok. A pass or two against a FCS team. He isnt ready. Neither is Shrader. We are KT or bust

Not that it matters considering we have the absolute worst receivers in the SEC.

[bulldawg28]

Not that it matters considering we have the absolute worst receivers in the SEC.

Not all WR's can catch rocket missiles.

[BhamDawg205]

Not all WR's can catch rocket missiles.

Need to put all the WRs on the Jerry Rice plan... I'm sure there are a few brick laying projects are Starkvegas

[Jarius]

So far, KT has been Fitzgerald lite. I hope he gets better passing the ball. We need him to be. Every article from spring practice that I've read from his teammates says that he has made the biggest jump on the team throughout the offseason. KT also says that he knows the offense "1000 times better" than he did last year. Not having to think and reads being automatic is key in this offense (as it is in most offenses). When we played crappy teams, Fitz had all day to make reads. That sped up against good defenses and he simply could not do it. Hopefully that will help us out with KT going forward since he has extra time in the system.

[Todd4State]

So far, KT has been Fitzgerald lite. I hope he gets better passing the ball. We need him to be. Every article from spring practice that I've read from his teammates says that he has made the biggest jump on the team throughout the offseason.

I like that KT has better touch on his passes than Fitzgerald and seems to make the reads better when running the option. That in and of itself will make the offense better. More than anything he just needs to get his throwing mechanics more consistent.

[Jarius]

I like that KT has better touch on his passes than Fitzgerald and seems to make the reads better when running the option. That in and of itself will make the offense better. More than anything he just needs to get his throwing mechanics more consistent.

I agree with that. He has much more upside as a passer and it is great to hear the players talk about the jump he has made. However, as of last year and the year before, he was no better of a passer than Fitz. That's ok because he was a true freshman and true sophomore. This should be the year we see a decent size jump.

[TrapGame]

So far, KT has been Fitzgerald lite. I hope he gets better passing the ball. We need him to be. Every article from spring practice that I've read from his teammates says that he has made the biggest jump on the team throughout the offseason. KT also says that he knows the offense "1000 times better" than he did last year. Not having to think and reads being automatic is key in this offense (as it is in most offenses). When we played crappy teams, Fitz had all day to make reads. That sped up against good defenses and he simply could not do it. Hopefully that will help us out with KT going forward since he has extra time in the system.

This is what I like to hear coming from the players. If KT has made that turn with this offense we might have a pretty damn good season.

[BhamDawg205]

This is what I like to hear coming from the players. If KT has made that turn with this offense we might have a pretty damn good season.

I like KTs upside... Just hope the coaches can push the right buttons so practice translates to real game. I hope our QBs and QB coach both show development. Because I think inexperience at that coaching spot showed last year.

[Tbonewannabe]

So far, KT has been Fitzgerald lite. I hope he gets better passing the ball. We need him to be. Every article from spring practice that I've read from his teammates says that he has made the biggest jump on the team throughout the offseason. KT also says that he knows the offense "1000 times better" than he did last year. Not having to think and reads being automatic is key in this offense (as it is in most offenses). When we played crappy teams, Fitz had all day to make reads. That sped up against good defenses and he simply could not do it. Hopefully that will help us out with KT going forward since he has extra time in the system.

This was exactly our problem. UK, UF, LSU, and Bama all had one thing in common, great Dline and pass rushing LBs. Everyone of those teams has a pass rusher that will go in the first round just like Sweat. We wrecked other teams offenses but everyone just expected Fitz to not be affected. Fitz at the end of the day didn't go through his progressions fast enough or froze and just tried to run. Maybe Moorhead's offense just asked too much of Fitz since Mullen's offense was so simple. You saw Mullen dumb down his offense from Dak in 2015 to Fitz in 2017. Mullen tried to run the same offense in 2016 as he did with Dak and it got us to 5 wins. He had to simplify it for Fitz's skill set and was successful in 2017. Moorhead should have seen it but with Fitz out all of Spring and Summer, he was behind the 8 ball to begin with.

[justwin]

John Ledyard's scouting report on Fitz.

My biggest fear though is that KT couldn't beat him out & apparently looked far worse at practice.


https://i.imgur.com/SuUKmIj.jpg

Joe was in a tough spot. 1st year coach, you don't sit a returning 5th year sr qb coming off a gruesome injury. Despite the generous scouting report above, you just cant sit him. In hindsight, Joe shouldve started Key week 2 after coming off SEC POY and relegated Fitz to specialty packages. The biggest problem with our O last year was Fitz and he's gone. Look, Fitz is a good guy I'm sure, was tough and took shots for our team, got stats, and peaked at what you get with a running qb ~ 8 wins.

But make no mistake, the last 3 years were our opportunity to take a step in the SECW advantage with stellar D, consistently good recruiting, coming off Dak and Fitz didn't capitalize. Fitz just didn't, whether it not being a leader, extra work, etc, he just didn't. We were 23-16 last 3 years and should've been more like 28-11. Most of that is on Fitz not distributing, being a leader.

[justwin]

My thoughts on this are a bit different. First, you always have to go through a 3 game stint where a QB gets consistent starting experience before they start looking like the QB they are going to be. Some come out the first game and start to impress immediately. Others it takes a couple games to adjust to game speed. Some fail and it is time for a change. Some excel. I believe if KT started every game last year, we end the year with the same record, we win the bowl game instead of lose it, and we would be ready to take the next step starting this year. KT threw the ball all over the field in high school. After a short adjustment time period, KT will get in the groove again. The guy has had 2 years of college football coaching on reading defenses, making throws, and a full year in this offense. He will be fine.

I think we beat UK, LSU, Iowa had Key started whole year.

[justwin]

We were going to live and die with Fitz no matter what last year. When you have a multi-year starter, face of the program type, the only way they come out is if QB2 is a proven quantity who just flat out beats out the SR. Imagine the controversy if Joe had rolled with KT after we lost at Kentucky the way we did, then he loses against UF. You spend all season with that kind of distraction in the locker room?? It's a quick way to tank a whole season. We saw how big of an impact that locker room split had in 2016 when Danny Two Gloves was indecisive about Fitz vs. D Will. The only mistake I think Joe made in the situation was not limiting KT to 4 games to gain a redshirt for him. But, I suspect that Joe gave KT the option and he said he would play - that's what gamers do. And I think KT is similar to Dak and Fitz that way - they want to be on the field and doing everything they can.

dead spot on.. Joe will never have hanging over him what he had hanging over him in year 1 with Fitz coming back.

That being said, I think we are about to have offensive revolution under Joe. Finally, we have a coach who wants the RB to carry the ball coupled with a systematic, intentional downfield passing attack. Those two things in unison have NEVER happened @ MSU.