Now That it is Over, What is Nick Fitzgerald's Legacy At MSU?

[OSCAR]

Was thinking about this while watching the Rose Bowl & Haskins throw touch pass after touch pass that we haven't seen since Dak's SR year & hopefully see again soon (Really makes it clear what he dreadfully lack):

Here are some thoughts:

- First off, we will probably have a much greater perspective on Fitz's legacy 5 years from now than we do right now. We have to see if MSU has a new normal at QB or if things will regress back to where they were before Dak. In 5 years, will we see Fitz as just ok due to the type of QB play we are getting or will we long for the Fitz days?

- To me, determining Fitz's legacy come down completely on whether you are comparing him to past MSU QBs or if you are comparing him to Dak or the standard necessary to compete for the SEC West. Compared to past MSU QBs, Fitz is undeniably a top 5 QB in school history. Compared to the standard necessary to compete for the West, I'm not sure I've ever been more frustrated with a QB, due to knowing that he just didn't have the type of accuracy, instincts, pocket presence, or touch necessary to beat good defenses.

- He'll obviously go down with great stats that should stand that test of time, but I'm not sure I've ever seen an MSU reach his ceiling so early. Did Nick ever improve from his Sophomore year on?

- When all is said & done, he sets many QB rushing records, MSU scoring records, etc but also was suspended for the first game of his SR year, & had a pretty mediocre SEC & overall record in games where he started. What type of leader was he?

Overall, the Fitz era was good, but frustrating. Good in that the overall body of work was pretty good & the team went to bowls all 3 years, but frustrating in that you knew he was just too limited in the passing & processing parts of the game to lead MSU anything more that just being an OK team. For me, Fitz will go down as a really good football player & just an average QB. Football is a structured sport in which QBs MUST be able to perform certain skill sets if the team is going to succeed at a high level & he just didn't have those skills.

-

He will go down as the greatest NFL TE to ever wear Maroon and White.

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Some great comments in this thread. I think each of us knew what we had with Fitz from his first spring game until now. He is an athlete playing QB, we have seen many at MSU. But every year we held out hope that his passing game would catch up with with his great running game but it never did. In fact, I believe it regressed somewhat over the last couple of years. I don't see Fitz making the cut on an NFL team but it could happen. Good luck to him and thanks for being a dawg.

[Goldendawg]

Anyone remember the spring game where Nick threw 4 ints and many said we just had very good DB's and poor receivers. Well that didn't really tell the tale later. I appreciate all the good things he did for us and wish him the best with that NFL type QB coach he is working with b4 the draft.

[TimberBeast]

First - Fitz is one of my favorite MSU players ever.

I think Fitz is emblematic of all the good and bad of the Dan Mullen Era. Fitz is a talented athlete who was a project from the start. In any other SEC program he probably never sees the field as a starter at QB. It is a damn miracle that Dan was able to take a kid who basically learned to play QB the summer before his SR year in high school and make him a serviceable QB in the SEC. The problem with that is that if Mullen had been able to recruit worth a shit on offense we wouldn't have had to rely on a kid like that to begin with. Nick is a warrior with a limited skill set and no amount of work or coaching could get past those limited skills.

Very well said. He was a warrior and I hate that he didn?t have a single receiver that could catch a football.

[Matty Dispatch]

One of the best QBs in MSU history

Without question.

In each of his 3 years as a starter, he was finished with one less win than Dak. Dak was 7-6, 10-3 & 9-4. Fitz was 6-7, 9-4, 8-5.

Considering he was an afterthought in recruiting, it was supposed to be Staley after Dak, he took the reigns and was prolific by MSU record book standards.

[Saltydog]

Now, considering MSU's football history, 21 wins as a starting QB is pretty doggone good and certainly ranks up there with the best of them in the program's history.

[ShotgunDawg]

Now, considering MSU's football history, 21 wins as a starting QB is pretty doggone good and certainly ranks up there with the best of them in the program's history.

Agree. What you think about his legacy come down completely to whether you are comparing him to past MSU QBs or comparing him to the QB you want.

[BrunswickDawg]

I've thought about this a little more because there have been some good takes in this thread.

We were spoiled as a fanbase because of the progression Dak made from year 3 to year 5, and we put similar expectations on Fitz. Fitz isn't Dak. In fact, Fitz isn't like any other modern P5 QB I can think of. Name me another modern college QB who had thrown less than 100 passes in game situations before becoming a starter. Not passes in college - passes in his life. I saw him play high school ball. Their offense was archaic. What passes they threw were incredibly simple. Why? Because they had a WR who had never played the position playing QB. I don't think people really understand how incredibly difficult it is to literally learn to play QB in college - let alone learning it on the field in the SEC West. And yet, he was able become arguably one of our best QB's in history. It's insane to even think about.

Think about it like this - imaging picking up a golf club for the first time in your life today. You are a good athlete - maybe played baseball - so the basics of the swing and what to do come pretty natural to you. You take lessons on the range for about 2 months and then spend 15 weeks playing 1 round a week with lessons every day for a couple of hours. Your strength is booming the ball off the tee. Like 375-395, occasionally 410-415. But, everything else is erratic. You have big potential though, and the Head Pro at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center says "move here, we have world class courses, facilities, and trainers. You can learn from Davis Love, Zach Johnson, and Matt Kuchar and I'll teach you to be a scratch golfer." You spend 2 years doing that and the pro says, "Davis Love is retiring. Go play the Masters, and if you make the cut, you get his spot on the Tour." Somehow, you make the cut, and get handed Davis Love's spot on the tour. You compete against guys who were prodigies. Literally guys who picked up a club at 2, and have been training 20 years for the spot you have. No matter what you do over the next 3 years your play on tour is inconsistent. You still boom drives. But, your putting is like Happy Gilmore. There are some courses where your style plays to your advantages and you finish top ten, but in majors you miss the cut. And not just a little. Bad. Real bad. Like 100 bad. Sometimes it makes you stubborn, because you know you can do it. You "Tin Cup" holes because of it. You may even be a little arrogant about golf - because you've only been playing a few years and are better than most people who have played their whole lives. Through it all, you will never be Davis Love though. You took his spot, but he was just better. Most of the guys you play against are just better. And that's ok.

That's outlandish - but it is the only comparison I can come up with. Nick is our Happy Gilmore. He's our Tin Cup. He's the guy who wasn't supposed to be here, yet here he is. We get so lost in the stats, the wins and loses, that we lose sight of what an actual incredible story the kid is. And who knows, he might not be done yet. It's something we should embrace instead of looking for every way we can to discount and denigrate it.

[Bully13]

Recuperating from the most dastardly injury and then sticking it up shitbirds ass uhGAIN.

[phatdog]

Couldn't read a defense.

[lastmajordog]

skull****** UNM 2 out of 3 yEARS........

[tcdog70]

He's not a 5 tool talent though.

He's more like a pitcher threw 98 but was in & out of the strike zone & lacked consistency. Watch 5 min of Haskins for Ohio State & it's clear how inadequate Fitz' throwing ability was for this offense to take the next step. Has absolutely no ability to drop the ball in different layers of the defense

Dude, come on put Haskins in our offense with our sunbelt WRs, and he won't be as good as Fitz. Wonder what Fitz could do with Urban as a coach with OSU talent. I know he would have been hell on wheels.

[Cooterpoot]

Fitz is in no way close to as good as Haskins. Not in the same universe.

[Cooterpoot]

Now, considering MSU's football history, 21 wins as a starting QB is pretty doggone good and certainly ranks up there with the best of them in the program's history.

12 games weren?t played by most of our QBs either. Certainly not an extra OOC patsy at home.

[msstate7]

Dude, come on put Haskins in our offense with our sunbelt WRs, and he won't be as good as Fitz. Wonder what Fitz could do with Urban as a coach with OSU talent. I know he would have been hell on wheels.

You lost your mind? Haskins is a very good qb. He might be the first qb taken

[Bothrops]

This game doesn't hurt Fitz' legacy in the long term. He is the SEC rushing king and may hold that title for a while, possibly a long time. He was all Dawg, so he's good. I wish him the best in whatever he decides to do, and hope he comes back and visits a lot.

[ckDOG]

Fitz is an athlete, not a quarterback. He put up shit passing numbers (under both staffs) bc he isn't a good decision maker or passer. Sure he has a rocket arm but that means nothing for production. His athleticism allowed him put up sick yards per play and his lack of being able to throw allowed him to pad the totals bc why would you expect him to throw a ton when everyone knows he can't.

So I'll remember him for what he was...a damn good runner.

[tcdog70]

You lost your mind? Haskins is a very good qb. He might be the first qb taken

so you think Haskins would look like the same QB at MSU as He does at OSU? Nick at OSU and he would have been very successful. Nick has never had players around Him that Haskins has. if we were chosing up sides with equal talent -I'll take Nick and we will run it down your throat--but it won't be with an RPO offense.

put Haskins in the SEC at MSU with Our sunbelt wrs and see how good he looks.

[msstate7]

so you think Haskins would look like the same QB at MSU as He does at OSU? Nick at OSU and he would have been very successful. Nick has never had players around Him that Haskins has. if we were chosing up sides with equal talent -I'll take Nick and we will run it down your throat--but it won't be with an RPO offense.

put Haskins in the SEC at MSU with Our sunbelt wrs and see how good he looks.

So you think the jags should take fitz at #4 over Haskins?

[Maroonthirteen]

So you think the jags should take fitz at #4 over Haskins?

Surely someone tells Fitz. His nfl future is at TE or WR.