Starting Quarterback

[rich1122]

Coaches saw Spring Practice, Day after Day, Play after Play. It’s what we pay them for.

Had to fish or cut bait. They cut bait.

 

[Buffett10]

No need to take shots at the kid. Did his best he could with the talent we had on O. Wish him well and move on

Can we stop calling a 23 yr old man a kid?

 

[Slick]

This thread reminds me of a thread on the men's basketball board around this same time 2 years ago. "DC will have lots of trouble playing cause he only played in a weak state division. He should have gone away to a better basketball school." We all know how that turned out. Let's give the kids we have in the QB room a chance to prove themselves one way or the other.

You make to much sense to post on the boneyard.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

I think some of us will be pleasantly surprised when Evers starts playing QB. I know it's easy to be skeptical given all that UConn football fans have been through but I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, which perhaps leads to ACC (preferred) or B12.

 

[Patman]

I think some of us will be pleasantly surprised when Evers starts playing QB. I know it's easy to be skeptical given all that UConn football fans have been through but I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, which perhaps leads to ACC (preferred) or B12.

The part where people are talking about his work ethic has me worried. Hopefully he's learned he can't just come here and big man it.

Ultimately if we have WRs I think a lot of things open up and while things are frustrating none of our qbs are quite as bad as we fear

 

[ktuck911]

The part where people are talking about his work ethic has me worried. Hopefully he's learned he can't just come here and big man it.

Ultimately if we have WRs I think a lot of things open up and while things are frustrating none of our qbs are quite as bad as we fear

What I'm encouraged about is this young man's foundation at home. Maybe, just maybe things fall into place for him up here in Storrs CT. Seems like humility might have finally set in for him. Hoping tis the case and he takes where we need to go (up)...

 

[How Sway?!]

Can we stop calling a 23 yr old man a kid?

Okay, he's a young man. Still a bush league move to take shots at someone who by all accounts was a great teammate and representative for the school and gave us the best QB play we had for the last 5 years

 

[Waquoit]

Zion was turrible in the bowl game. I didn't want to see him under center again.

 

[Bubba1957]

Zion was turrible in the bowl game. I didn't want to see him under center again.

This is the absolute truth. The OC protected him all year rarely being asked to go downfield. He lost the starting job fair and square just like TR did this year. Good luck to both but both were given a chance and neither proved that were the man.

 

[huskymedic]

-> “At (previous stops), they had a number of guys and it probably wasn’t the most ideal fit for what his skill-set is,” Basil said. “That’s just the world of football. Getting an opportunity to play and have an offense that fits what you do well, I think that’s what existed there at UConn from my conversations with Nick and his family. He loved Coach (Jim) Mora and the staff he’s put together there, the university and the culture that exists there. When he went up there and visited, he really felt at home.” <-

-> “He’s always had to prove himself,” Basil said. “I’m excited, I think he has a great opportunity at UConn, in a situation that’s going to be great for him, in terms of the faith coaches have in him. That’s all he needs, a chance to get in a rhythm and learn and get some consistency. I think he’s going to do big things there.” <-

 

[ktuck911]

The only thing that Zion Turner has in common with Doug Flutie is being undersized.

That's a little unfair. I liked Zion's attitude and desire to win. He seems to be a fine young man. But he didn't show one per cent of Doub Flutie's talent.

Neither did the overall talent of our football team. Flutie had a little better supporting cast IIRC

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Zion was turrible in the bowl game. I didn't want to see him under center again.

one of the marks for the Charlton era, was that quarterbacks didn’t seem to improve. As I recall..it seemed like Zion regressed the more he played.

 

[gars44]

The thing with a lot of these guys is they commit to big name programs and in some ways it is just luck as to whether they get a real chance because Oklahoma, Florida, Ohio State, Michigan… they probably recruit 4-5 guys/year. And now with the portal coaches sort of figure why bother developing a freshman if we can just hire somebody with experience from another place. Even though it was pre-portal, we got Zach Fraser from Notre Dame I think he was one of 5 freshman qbs or something. It’s worse now. I wonder if it might make sense to do it the other way now with the portal. Sign out of high school with a g5 or mid tier P4, have a better shot at getting playing time and if you are really good go that a big time program through the portal. He was never going to be the starter at Wisconsin. They brought in the kid from Miami. If he wins the job it gives Welliver a year to develop and even if he leaves next year we have a replacement. My concern has been that we Tim Boyle him and he never quite develops properly.

This is a brilliant idea. Start out at some school where you can play and learn and then move up.

 

[AllHusky]

The part where people are talking about his work ethic has me worried. Hopefully he's learned he can't just come here and big man it.

Ultimately if we have WRs I think a lot of things open up and while things are frustrating none of our qbs are quite as bad as we fear

I'd like to read that, where did you find the work ethic comment? Thanks.

 

[uconnyankee]

Can we stop calling a 23 yr old man a kid?

23 is a kid

 

[Patman]

I'd like to read that, where did you find the work ethic comment? Thanks.

I forget, one of the other threads

edit:

2024 UConn Football Commit - Nick Evers (Flower Mound, Texas)

Gotta take the chance. Roberson made good progress with not many open guys. I wish him well. Fighting through the injury etc. he deserves some thanks. I was hoping that he would separate himself. Whatever they saw during spring made them think otherwise. There was zero progression that’s...

the-boneyard.com

I admit I'm relying on this post.

 

[Kembafan]

From the athletic on 2/19, on the Wisconsin QB situation…

Which Wisconsin players could break out this spring? Rising young Badgers to watch

Breakout players emerge every spring, and Year 2 under Luke Fickell figures to be no different. Here are the Badgers to watch.

theathletic.com

QB Nick Evers (redshirt sophomore)​

The quarterback pecking order likely features Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke as the starter and Braedyn Locke as the backup. But no quarterback on the roster possesses the combination of arm strength and athleticism that Evers has. Those two traits were on display during brief stretches of open practices last spring and into the preseason. What has held Evers back since his arrival as a transfer from Oklahoma is his ability to translate what he learns from the playbook onto the field. With a full year at Wisconsin under his belt, can he push for snaps or be a part of a package of plays that utilizes his unique skill set?

 

[huskymedic]

From the athletic on 2/19, on the Wisconsin QB situation…

Which Wisconsin players could break out this spring? Rising young Badgers to watch

Breakout players emerge every spring, and Year 2 under Luke Fickell figures to be no different. Here are the Badgers to watch.

theathletic.com

QB Nick Evers (redshirt sophomore)​

The quarterback pecking order likely features Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke as the starter and Braedyn Locke as the backup. But no quarterback on the roster possesses the combination of arm strength and athleticism that Evers has. Those two traits were on display during brief stretches of open practices last spring and into the preseason. What has held Evers back since his arrival as a transfer from Oklahoma is his ability to translate what he learns from the playbook onto the field. With a full year at Wisconsin under his belt, can he push for snaps or be a part of a package of plays that utilizes his unique skill set?

Similar read here… talent is there - not sure it’s as much a lack of “work ethic” ding as much as it is a kid drinking from a firehose w/ limited CFB QB reps w/ new team/new scheme. Amore’s article above seems to point to him knowing what he needs to do moving forward.

BadgerBlitz - An ‘exciting’ athlete, Nick Evers is learning the subtleties of playing QB

MADISON - After a slow start in Madison, Nick Evers must master the finer points of Phil Longo's offense.

wisconsin.rivals.com

-> “Coach Longo was pretty up front about it, he said he was probably gonna bring in someone that’s older than me,” Evers told BadgerBlitz.com. “That really wasn’t an issue for me…My biggest thing wasn’t playing time. My biggest thing was seeking someone that can develop me and help me be the best quarterback, leader and best man possible. Coach Longo checks all those boxes.”

In small glimpses this spring, Evers has flashed brilliance. He loves to use his feet to escape the pocket, and is dynamic when doing so. He’s eager to take off and run, and he’s shown that he can get to the second level of a defense in a hurry. On top of that, the ball flies out of his hand almost effortlessly. With a flick of his wrist, it’s 40 or 50 yards downfield, over the top of the defense.

“Nick is exciting athletically,” Longo agreed. “He might be the best athlete in the room.”

So what’s restricting this specimen of a quarterback to limited QB3 reps?

“On my board, it says ‘knowledge equals reps,’’’ Longo said plainly. “What he’s working on right now, and we just met one-on-one yesterday, is getting to a point where he understands what’s going on out there in the pass game from a protection standpoint. In the run game, when do we change some things or make a check or throw an RPO…those types of things he’s still on the learning curve with, and that’s why he’s had fewer reps.”

“So the better he understands the system, the more we’ll see him out there.”<-

 

[rich1122]

I'd like to read that, where did you find the work ethic comment? Thanks.

Haven’t seen that anywhere. Coach said that he improved but was behind upper class men

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Similar read here… talent is there - not sure it’s as much a lack of “work ethic” ding as much as it is a kid drinking from a firehose w/ limited CFB QB reps w/ new team/new scheme. Amore’s article above seems to point to him knowing what he needs to do moving forward.

BadgerBlitz - An ‘exciting’ athlete, Nick Evers is learning the subtleties of playing QB

MADISON - After a slow start in Madison, Nick Evers must master the finer points of Phil Longo's offense.

wisconsin.rivals.com

-> “Coach Longo was pretty up front about it, he said he was probably gonna bring in someone that’s older than me,” Evers told BadgerBlitz.com. “That really wasn’t an issue for me…My biggest thing wasn’t playing time. My biggest thing was seeking someone that can develop me and help me be the best quarterback, leader and best man possible. Coach Longo checks all those boxes.”

In small glimpses this spring, Evers has flashed brilliance. He loves to use his feet to escape the pocket, and is dynamic when doing so. He’s eager to take off and run, and he’s shown that he can get to the second level of a defense in a hurry. On top of that, the ball flies out of his hand almost effortlessly. With a flick of his wrist, it’s 40 or 50 yards downfield, over the top of the defense.

“Nick is exciting athletically,” Longo agreed. “He might be the best athlete in the room.”

So what’s restricting this specimen of a quarterback to limited QB3 reps?

“On my board, it says ‘knowledge equals reps,’’’ Longo said plainly. “What he’s working on right now, and we just met one-on-one yesterday, is getting to a point where he understands what’s going on out there in the pass game from a protection standpoint. In the run game, when do we change some things or make a check or throw an RPO…those types of things he’s still on the learning curve with, and that’s why he’s had fewer reps.”

“So the better he understands the system, the more we’ll see him out there.”<-

It reads like he has stuggled with the mental aspect of the game. i cant imagine being with a third program…and having to learn a new system in just a few months…is going to help him overcome his issue with matching athletic capability with the mental part of the game.

I would assume Sammis is going to have a simplified playbook..more of a Lashlee approach to the offense. Which isn’t a bad thing.

I really think this is the type of QB Mora likes. He knows the stress a running qb puts on the defense…let’s hope that Evers picks up the system quick and finds a home here.

 

[RSTuthill]

I think some of us will be pleasantly surprised when Evers starts playing QB. I know it's easy to be skeptical given all that UConn football fans have been through but I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, which perhaps leads to ACC (preferred) or B12.

Ah ... that light at the end of the tunnel. That proverbial light.

Sorry, I couldn't let that pass. From a fan thoroughly versed in Rule #1, no less! Next thing you know people will be predicting 8 wins this year.

But not to worry, I see your point and I am excited too. Even though I have my Curb Your Enthusiasm mode still activated.

 

[Patman]

It reads like he has stuggled with the mental aspect of the game. i cant imagine being with a third program…and having to learn a new system in just a few months…is going to help him overcome his issue with matching athletic capability with the mental part of the game.

I would assume Sammis is going to have a simplified playbook..more of a Lashlee approach to the offense. Which isn’t a bad thing.

I really think this is the type of QB Mora likes. He knows the stress a running qb puts on the defense…let’s hope that Evers picks up the system quick and finds a home here.

Having seen us get burned so often by runners over the last 20 years it would be nice to flip this script for a change. I know we've had some players with limited wheels but nothing quite gamebreaking or truly stressful on teams.

 

[huskyblooz]

I'm not at the practices.
But, IMHO, by the Blue-White 'scrimmage':
1. McDonald
2. Fagano
3. Wellinger
4. Roberson

Roberson was hurt by the rules. If a QB gets closed to touch, the play is over. Which takes away an elusive guy.
But, his throws (especially his last) were not D1 worthy.

Wellinger had the best throw of the day. has an impressive arm. But looks like he's moving in ski boots.

Fagano looked good on first drive. But, thats it.

McDonald seemed to be the victim of dropped balls by many WRs & TEs. Abyssmal outing for our receiving corps.
Sans Buckman.

 

[CCSUblue]

I'm not at the practices.
But, IMHO, by the Blue-White 'scrimmage':
1. McDonald
2. Fagano
3. Wellinger
4. Roberson

Roberson was hurt by the rules. If a QB gets closed to touch, the play is over. Which takes away an elusive guy.
But, his throws (especially his last) were not D1 worthy.

Wellinger had the best throw of the day. has an impressive arm. But looks like he's moving in ski boots.

Fagano looked good on first drive. But, thats it.

McDonald seemed to be the victim of dropped balls by many WRs & TEs. Abyssmal outing for our receiving corps.
Sans Buckman.

I hope Welliver is autocorrecting for you...

 

[ZooCougar]

I'm not at the practices.
But, IMHO, by the Blue-White 'scrimmage':
1. McDonald
2. Fagano
3. Wellinger
4. Roberson

Roberson was hurt by the rules. If a QB gets closed to touch, the play is over. Which takes away an elusive guy.
But, his throws (especially his last) were not D1 worthy.

Wellinger had the best throw of the day. has an impressive arm. But looks like he's moving in ski boots.

Fagano looked good on first drive. But, thats it.

McDonald seemed to be the victim of dropped balls by many WRs & TEs. Abyssmal outing for our receiving corps.
Sans Buckman.

The depth chart I saw at the other place:

Evers
Fagnano
Welliver

FWIW