Blade article

[Falconfreak90]

kdog - yeah there is good reason for optimism. I knew from his first start at Troy in 2010 that we had a special QB. He made good reads, had good pocket presence with a bad line and scrambled well, again with a bad line. If it weren't for the shoulder injury a few games later I think he would have had an outstanding season, but he played the second two thirds of the season with a painful throwing shoulder. A big factor in this success was he had to fight off Hurley, Pankratz, Pagel, and Watkins to win the job.

In 2011 he took a big, big step forward. Good chemistry with Jorden and Cooper was a huge part of that. Also, this was after a QB battle with Hurley. He had a bit of a slump late in the season but ended the season at UB on a very, very high note.

2012 he definitely took a step back. Three factors ... one, we didn't need to pass as much to win and that certainly is part of why he threw for half as many TDs. Two, new receivers everywhere. Three, he didn't have to win the job. There was no threat after 2011 with Schilz's finish and Hurley's transfer of Matt Johnson or anyone else starting at QB.

As I put in an above post ... he's got QB competition, a good line, a good running game to keep pressure off the passing game, and a very good returning set of receivers. All the factors are there. My full expectation is he is going to respond to the competition and the questions of his leadership by having an outstanding season and leaving the program on a high note as a truly great QB and leader.

I tend to agree with Mark. I've seen Matt at his best and not so best and I also remember his first game at Troy...he looked like a JR on the field that night. He's had his highs and lows...

His leadership has been questioned and how does he respond? I think he is laser focused on this year. It's his last chance to show why he was the #5 rated QB in the nation not going to a bcs school out of HS...He was headed to Kansas State before coming to BG.

We'll find out in 22 days,, 23 hours and 30 minutes...

[kdog27]

MarkL, it's difficult to respond without repeating things that myself and others have said a dozen times but here goes anyway.

I remember leaving that game in Troy thinking we have a heck of a future at the QB position. Trouble is he never played all that much better and he has often looked worse than that day. The first 4 games of 2011 he looked like a possible all MAC player. He has had a decent game here and there since but the majority of the time he is rather inept in the red zone, throws too many interceptions, and his completion percentage has been borderline bad all 3 seasons. It would be different if he brought something else to the table but he might pick up a first down with his feet once every three games.

I don't see the evidence that he is suddenly going to be a great leader. It's not like there is a huge unknown with Schilz. We have quite a large sample size and it doesn't do much for me.

Look I hope you guys are right and you point back to this and be like "I told ya so".

[Flipper]

If he was the same QB in 2012 as he was in 2011...we win the east. His completion % was right at 60% and his TD INT ratio was right at 2/1 and he had over 3000 yds passing. He took a big step back last year...no question about it, but if he can duplicate 2011 for us this year, we win the east and maybe the MAC.

[kdog27]

I would be OK with that.

[mscarn]

In today's college football you simply can't have a game-manager and expect to win championships. Our running game/defense formula took us as far as we could go last year and we hit the ceiling.

The receivers aren't blameless in this either. The route-running, seperation and catching must improve considerably.

[Dayons_Den]

In today's college football you simply can't have a game-manager and expect to win championships. Our running game/defense formula took us as far as we could go last year and we hit the ceiling.

The receivers aren't blameless in this either. The route-running, seperation and catching must improve considerably.

Nick Saban disagrees.

[mscarn]

In today's college football you simply can't have a game-manager and expect to win championships. Our running game/defense formula took us as far as we could go last year and we hit the ceiling.

The receivers aren't blameless in this either. The route-running, seperation and catching must improve considerably.

Nick Saban disagrees.

You sure? McCarron's TD/INT ratio was something like 30/3 and he's talked about opening up the offense even more this year. Alabama is also an outlier in a number of other respects.

[jpfalcon09]

In today's college football you simply can't have a game-manager and expect to win championships. Our running game/defense formula took us as far as we could go last year and we hit the ceiling.

The receivers aren't blameless in this either. The route-running, seperation and catching must improve considerably.

Nick Saban disagrees.

You sure? McCarron's TD/INT ratio was something like 30/3 and he's talked about opening up the offense even more this year. Alabama is also an outlier in a number of other respects.

A program like Alabama can afford to have a "game manager" type QB and still be successful. Any MAC team needs to have a QB that's able to both understand game situations and also take some gambles and not be scared to open things up. If Schilz needs any "inspiration", he should look at Keith Wenning at Ball State as a type of QB he could mold himself after.

[Flipper]

I think it's a bit much to say Schilz cost us any games last year himself...but I do think he could have been better in our two conference losses and that might have made a difference. He sure as hell didn't let Dri Archer run for 240 on us....but he did have a couple of bad INT's and some ugly throws that day.

[kdog27]

Alabama isn't a great comparison because they have better athletes at virtually every poistion than their opponents. They can win championships that way. McElroy was a game manager. AJ McCarron might have been a a game manager early in his career but he clearly has not been since the 2011 BCS title.

Like someone else said on this or another thread I think we saw the ceiling of game management at the QB position. Our defense can win games against lowly FBS teams but teams that have the talent and speed to beat us outside the tackles (ie. Toledo, VT, Kent, bowl game) can put up 25+ points a game. Our offense had a hard time matching that.

Plus game managers should throw very few interceptions IMO.

[kdog27]

I think it's a bit much to say Schilz cost us any games last year himself...but I do think he could have been better in our two conference losses and that might have made a difference. He sure as hell didn't let Dri Archer run for 240 on us....but he did have a couple of bad INT's and some ugly throws that day.

I agree. However, I think a better QB wins us the Kent and SJSU games. Hopefully him and Johnson our turning heads as we speak.

[mscarn]

College Football Live (on ESPNU after getting bumped for Little League freakin' baseball) displayed a graphic showing the best recent quarterback TD/INT ratios.

Omar Jacobs' 2004 season was second, ahead of McCarron and behind only Kellen Moore of Boise State.