Possible portal targets

[CONN78SEJ]

He was not “that good” at ND. I would still love to land him and he is an upgrade. Check out ND forums, they are not sad to see him go and that is an understatement. His nerd number stats are terrible too. I think he graded out as the 90th beat QB last year with PFF.

His playing style and running ability reminds me of Casey Cochran, and I’d say he is a slightly better passer.

 

[metsfan2323]

He was not “that good” at ND. I would still love to land him and he is an upgrade. Check out ND forums, they are not sad to see him go and that is an understatement. His nerd number stats are terrible too. I think he graded out as the 90th beat QB last year with PFF.

LOL, it's not surprising that the spoiled with riches ND fanbase would rationalize his leaving as not a big deal. Phluck the ND fanbase! No doubt he wants to go somewhere where he will be appreciated.

His last game versus USC he was 23-26 for 318 yards, 3 TD and 1 Int. 65% completion percentage on the season. He's an accurate passer who can go through a progression quickly and he hasn't come close to peaking as a player. Think Casey Cochran with a better arm. He would be a massive upgrade for us.

 

[runner11]

LOL, it's not surprising that the spoiled with riches ND fanbase would rationalize his leaving as not a big deal. Phluck the ND fanbase! No doubt he wants to go somewhere where he will be appreciated.

His last game versus USC he was 23-26 for 318 yards, 3 TD and 1 Int. 65% completion percentage on the season. He's an accurate passer who can go through a progression quickly. Think Casey Cochran with a better arm. He would be a game changer for us.

Just be honest

 

[UConnJim]

His PFF grade and the grades of many freshmen FBS QB’s this year should be below that of Zion Turner when you consider that Turner received scores of offers ( I think around 8 or 9) from many P5 teams. Though it doesn’t mean Morehead isn’t better than Turner right now.

There is a big difference in experience between Morehead and Turner. Morehead is a redshirt freshman and he actually played in 2 games last year. Turner was a true freshman who was not an early enrollee who was thrown into the QB position in late August. Maybe Morehead develops into a really good QB, but coaches are not going to bet their careers on a QB who may develop into a good QB.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

There is a big difference in experience between Morehead and Turner. Morehead is a redshirt freshman and he actually played in 2 games last year. Turner was a true freshman who was not an early enrollee who was thrown into the QB position in late August. Maybe Morehead develops into a really good QB, but coaches are not going to bet their careers on a QB who may develop into a good QB.

I don’t know he was a redshirt.

 

[SubbaBub]

His stats look good. If you look at PFF grades, Pyne was rated #98 QB with a PFF grade of 69.1. Remember, this was his 3rd year at Notre Dame. Turner, a true freshman, was ranked #145 with a grade of 57.9.

69 > 145, not to mention their are only 130 or so FBS programs. Meaning our starter was worse than backups and FCS QB's.

If the standard is a winning program then yoi can't allow that kind of performance Tyler Phommachanh go unchallenged by outside options.

The other thing we have to offer is a friendly schedule with just enough tough games to put together some good game film. A stud QB that takes a 6-6 UConn to 10-2 will get a combine invite.

 

[metsfan2323]

Here's Pyne's season in a nutshell. Very impressive:

Pyne started 10 games this season for the 8-4 Fighting Irish, leading the team to an 8-2 record. His 4-1 record against Top 25 teams was the best by a Notre Dame quarterback in the last 10 years, per Thamel.

Notre Dame inserted Pyne as the starter following the team's upset loss to Marshall. He immediately provided a spark and threw for 2,021 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 64.6 percent of his passes and ranking 20th in the nation in individual quarterback efficiency.

 

[SubbaBub]

Here's Pyne's season in a nutshell. Very impressive:

Pyne started 10 games this season for the 8-4 Fighting Irish, leading the team to an 8-2 record. His 4-1 record against Top 25 teams was the best by a Notre Dame quarterback in the last 10 years, per Thamel.

Notre Dame inserted Pyne as the starter following the team's upset loss to Marshall. He immediately provided a spark and threw for 2,021 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 64.6 percent of his passes and ranking 20th in the nation in individual quarterback efficiency.

If the HC, OC, OL, WR corps and running game all remain or get better, we have to be an attractive option for a higher caliber QB looking for immediate playing time. If I'm a portal prospect, I look most closely to what the OL looks like.

The only thing we don't have is a P5 schedule, but any QB we're after would not be guaranteed to win a competition at a winning P5 program like they would here.

 

[businesslawyer]

As to Pyne, even for the Boneyard this is a stupid discussion. Notre Dame’s standard for a QB being good means he is good for a ranked team’s QB. At the minimum. We haven’t come near an average P-5 QB for an entire season since Dan Orlovsky left. Pyne would be a mammoth upgrade for us from what we had this year or any year in the recent past. (I’m not predicting what ZT will be next year — I’m only comparing to what we’ve had.)

 

[UConnJim]

69 > 145, not to mention their are only 130 or so FBS programs. Meaning our starter was worse than backups and FCS QB's.

If the standard is a winning program then yoi can't allow that kind of performance Tyler Phommachanh go unchallenged by outside options.

The other thing we have to offer is a friendly schedule with just enough tough games to put together some good game film. A stud QB that takes a 6-6 UConn to 10-2 will get a combine invite.

No FCS QBs in the ratings, but your point is valid that Turner was rated below many FBS QBs and backups. Don't get me wrong, in the portal era, you try to upgrade every position every year including QB. So, if Pyne wants to come to UConn, you take him just like you would take any college QB that has demonstrated decent performance. That said, Turner was a true freshman QB that was was missing most of his offensive weapons due to injuries.

Compare Zion's true freshman year with Dan Orlovsky's true freshman year:

Dan O: 10 games, 128 for 269, 47.6%, 1379 yards, 5.1 yards per attempt, 9 TDs, 11 Int., rating: 93.5

Zion Turner: 12 games, 140/231, 60.6%, 1245 yards, 5.4 yards per attempt, 9 TDs, 7 Int., rating: 112.7

And Zion played a tougher schedule than Dan O.

 

[Sportsman5]

No FCS QBs in the ratings, but your point is valid that Turner was rated below many FBS QBs and backups. Don't get me wrong, in the portal era, you try to upgrade every position every year including QB. So, if Pyne wants to come to UConn, you take him just like you would take any college QB that has demonstrated decent performance. That said, Turner was a true freshman QB that was was missing most of his offensive weapons due to injuries.

Compare Zion's true freshman year with Dan Orlovsky's true freshman year:

Dan O: 10 games, 128 for 269, 47.6%, 1379 yards, 5.1 yards per attempt, 9 TDs, 11 Int., rating: 93.5

Zion Turner: 12 games, 140/231, 60.6%, 1245 yards, 5.4 yards per attempt, 9 TDs, 7 Int., rating: 112.7

And Zion played a tougher schedule than Dan O.

I think most fans are aware that Turner had lots of things working against him and will likely improve a lot in the off-season. However, he would have to become substantially better just to be as good as Pyne was last year. There's no guarantee that he will make a large improvement and also Pyne is likely to improve as well now that he has lots of game film to analyze his play and improve on the mistakes. The bottom line is that most good football programs have a minimum of 2 quarterbacks that are viable starters. UConn the last 10 years has had none. The staff is trying to have 2-3 guys who could be FBS starters battling for the top position at QB and then have a legit backup so the offense is still effective if there is a major injury to the starter.

 

[SubbaBub]

No FCS QBs in the ratings, but your point is valid that Turner was rated below many FBS QBs and backups. Don't get me wrong, in the portal era, you try to upgrade every position every year including QB. So, if Pyne wants to come to UConn, you take him just like you would take any college QB that has demonstrated decent performance. That said, Turner was a true freshman QB that was was missing most of his offensive weapons due to injuries.

Compare Zion's true freshman year with Dan Orlovsky's true freshman year:

Dan O: 10 games, 128 for 269, 47.6%, 1379 yards, 5.1 yards per attempt, 9 TDs, 11 Int., rating: 93.5

Zion Turner: 12 games, 140/231, 60.6%, 1245 yards, 5.4 yards per attempt, 9 TDs, 7 Int., rating: 112.7

And Zion played a tougher schedule than Dan O.

It's a different game now. Those numbers don't translate for me. DanO was also on a transitioning 1AA team, which then was worse than FCS is now.

Also, our weapons were good enough to carry ZT this season. If ZT has half the mentality that Mora claims, he will get better but there are a ton of red flags that say he won't get better enough to meet the standard. Go get a guy who has done it and let ZT beat him out. I don't see TR or anyone else on the roster as a good enough test.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

As to Pyne, even for the Boneyard this is a stupid discussion. Notre Dame’s standard for a QB being good means he is good for a ranked team’s QB. At the minimum. We haven’t come near an average P-5 QB for an entire season since Dan Orlovsky left. Pyne would be a mammoth upgrade for us from what we had this year or any year in the recent past. (I’m not predicting what ZT will be next year — I’m only comparing to what we’ve had.)

It’s a few years ago but Zach Frazier comes to mind including his transfer from ND to Storrs. Also Tyler Lorenzen and Tim Boyle come to mind, although Boyle didn’t really seem to hit his stride as a QB until he left UConn.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

No FCS QBs in the ratings, but your point is valid that Turner was rated below many FBS QBs and backups. Don't get me wrong, in the portal era, you try to upgrade every position every year including QB. So, if Pyne wants to come to UConn, you take him just like you would take any college QB that has demonstrated decent performance. That said, Turner was a true freshman QB that was was missing most of his offensive weapons due to injuries.

Compare Zion's true freshman year with Dan Orlovsky's true freshman year:

Dan O: 10 games, 128 for 269, 47.6%, 1379 yards, 5.1 yards per attempt, 9 TDs, 11 Int., rating: 93.5

Zion Turner: 12 games, 140/231, 60.6%, 1245 yards, 5.4 yards per attempt, 9 TDs, 7 Int., rating: 112.7

And Zion played a tougher schedule than Dan O.

Nice post Jim, very hard to argue your point.

 

[businesslawyer]

It’s a few years ago but Zach Frazier comes to mind including his transfer from ND to Storrs. Also Tyler Lorenzen and Tim Boyle come to mind, although Boyle didn’t really seem to hit his stride as a QB until he left UConn.

Not one of those played at a level for UConn near what Pyne played at this season. Boyle didn’t play at a level which Pyne played at in high school.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Nebraska players entering the portal.

True freshman safety from New Jersey is one of those leaving.

InsideNebraska - Jaeden Gould among three more Huskers who enter transfer portal

The Nebraska football program saw more players hit the transfer portal on Friday.

nebraska.rivals.com

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Not one of those played at a level for UConn near what Pyne played at this season. Boyle didn’t play at a level which Pyne played at in high school.

Oh of course counselor, Boyle was awful in high school too. Only thing Xavier High School did while Boyle was QB at Xavier was win 30 games in a row, dominate the CIAC playoffs, and finish #1 in the state poll two years in a row. Nothing against Pyne, he was a terrific player also in high school, I know that first hand, and he has had a much better college career, but to denigrate one of the states best HS athletes in years, just to make a stupid and iffy point is pretty bad.

 

[Waquoit]

Looks like a lot of good mini golf in Myrtle Beach.

 

[HuskiesFan1014]

Just booked an AirBNB penthouse condo on the ocean. Driving down with Jarhead (maybe i can get him back on the BY) Saturday thru Tuesday. Nothing like an impromptu getaway.
Damn, it feels good to be bowling again! I retired just in time!

 

[businesslawyer]

I

Oh of course counselor, Boyle was awful in high school too. Only thing Xavier High School did while Boyle was QB at Xavier was win 30 games in a row, dominate the CIAC playoffs, and finish #1 in the state poll two years in a row. Nothing against Pyne, he was a terrific player also in high school, I know that first hand, and he has had a much better college career, but to denigrate one of the states best HS athletes in years, just to make a stupid and iffy point is pretty bad.

wasnt knocking Boyle in high school. Didn’t mention Boyle in high school. Did mention Boyle in college where the record speaks for itself

 

[huskymedic]

Looks like Jurkovec is coming to Pitt to be with OC Frank Cignetti again (Phil's only good season at BC). Slovis is xferring out. Slovis has a great arm, but lousy decision making.

 

[noeynox]

 

[JohnFSilver]

LOL, it's not surprising that the spoiled with riches ND fanbase would rationalize his leaving as not a big deal. Phluck the ND fanbase! No doubt he wants to go somewhere where he will be appreciated.

His last game versus USC he was 23-26 for 318 yards, 3 TD and 1 Int. 65% completion percentage on the season. He's an accurate passer who can go through a progression quickly and he hasn't come close to peaking as a player. Think Casey Cochran with a better arm. He would be a massive upgrade for us.

Not that good? The PFF grades are getting out of hand. 22 TDs, 6 INTs and 2200 yards but he stinks?

I get wanting someone more explosive as a runner at the position, but let’s calm down on the PFF grades. I find them ridiculous at times.

 

[uconnfan68]

I wasnt knocking Boyle in high school. Didn’t mention Boyle in high school. Did mention Boyle in college where the record speaks for itself

What happened to him at UConn bordered on criminal. Threw him to the wolves as a freshman.

 

[storrsroars]

If I'm scooping an insider by 28 hours, that guy ain't an insider, lol.