QB Talk - The Bobcat Nation (2024)

I think the performance of our QB position behind Tommy is probably the most important factor in determining if the 2024 Cats make it back to Frisco.

If I’m Vigen, my gameplan is to play multiple QBs. I don’t know that it looks exactly like last year in how we used Chambers, but at a minimum there needs to be development of our other QBs, in meaningful games when the bullets are flying. People might disagree, but IMO this is the ONLY way to develop that depth and know what we have if and when Tommy has to leave the game. Do we have another Tommy Mellott, Travis Lulay, DeNarius McGhee, Dakota Prukop on the roster? Who knows.

I’m somewhat torn on whether I’d do this in the first game, because IMO that game is incredibly important in terms of getting the #1 or #2 seed at the end of the year…. But definitely I’m going this route in every game after that. If we’re as good as we think we are, and we should be, there is no reason we can’t win our games with backup QBs coming in for 2 or 3 series’… even if it’s mainly for designed QB run plays.

I agree on the New Mexico game.....do whatever to get that W.

There should be a lot of snaps for the backup(s) in the non-conference schedule.

Based on past years, there should also be snaps available against Idaho State and Northern Colorado.......

When I say snaps, I mean with the other 1's........not just the 2's and 3's.

I think that the backup will be Reed and I think that he will end up playing a similar number of snaps to Chambers, just in different allotments. Rather than rotating him during games, I think he will enter games in relief when the Cats are up. As has been mentioned, you've got games against Utah Tech, Maine, Mercyhurst, Idaho State, and Northern Colorado.

What's nice is that those are 5 of the first 6 opponents. So Reed, if it's him, can get a lot of game reps early and have that development under his belt in the case that he's needed later in the year.

Lord Vigo wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 1:08 pm

I think that the backup will be Reed and I think that he will end up playing a similar number of snaps to Chambers, just in different allotments. Rather than rotating him during games, I think he will enter games in relief when the Cats are up. As has been mentioned, you've got games against Utah Tech, Maine, Mercyhurst, Idaho State, and Northern Colorado.

What's nice is that those are 5 of the first 6 opponents. So Reed, if it's him, can get a lot of game reps early and have that development under his belt in the case that he's needed later in the year.

I'd love to see Reed, or whomever QB2 is, getting most of the 2nd half drives in at least 4 of those game you mentioned, running the real offense. Not coming in to start Q4 and handing off or keeping the ball and running the rest of the game.

TomCat88 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 2:22 pm

I think defense is the No. 1 key to success this season for MSU. QB position, obviously, is huge for any team but MSU has Mellott and three good backups at this point, so I don't see that as being a huge issue.

I agree about defense and somewhat disagree on backup QB. I think it's a pretty darn big question mark but it is for most teams at this level so we're really no different than any of the other 3 main contenders, other than perhaps Tommy's playing style. But I think we have major questions at all 3 levels of the defense, whether because of lack of depth in general, injuries, etc.

GoldstoneCat wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 5:21 pm

TomCat88 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 2:22 pm

I think defense is the No. 1 key to success this season for MSU. QB position, obviously, is huge for any team but MSU has Mellott and three good backups at this point, so I don't see that as being a huge issue.

I agree about defense and somewhat disagree on backup QB. I think it's a pretty darn big question mark but it is for most teams at this level so we're really no different than any of the other 3 main contenders, other than perhaps Tommy's playing style. But I think we have major questions at all 3 levels of the defense, whether because of lack of depth in general, injuries, etc.

I guess I just remember when there would be two good QBs in the entire conference, then 1 or 2 okay QBs. Over the last 20 years it seems like there's such a high value on QBs that they're all over the place. Last year, MSU had two good QBs, UM had a good one, SAC had a good one, Idaho had a good one, then PSU, UCD, and EW had okay QBs. MSU's (no one) not going to have the 1-2 combo that it had last year ever again. Maybe it'll be a think in 20 years.

Just watching Reed last year and Austin the year before, it just seems like MSU has had and continues to have good QBs coming up through the ranks. I don't think MSU is pigeon-holed into running just one style of offense, so while Reed, Wilson, Duchien aren't carbon copies of Mellott they are, from what I can tell, capable of maintaining a pretty good offense. Can they make plays and make plays when they need to make plays, is probably the bigger question. But that's true for everyone until they get on the field.

TomCat88 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 8:08 pm

People are so enamored with quarterbacks that they forget that many teams go far and even win championships without good quarterbacks. Just look at all the FBS, FCS, NFL title contenders over the years. It’s a huge list. Then there’s the list of great quarterbacks that didn’t win championships.

Like who?

TomCat88 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 8:08 pm

People are so enamored with quarterbacks that they forget that many teams go far and even win championships without good quarterbacks. Just look at all the FBS, FCS, NFL title contenders over the years. It’s a huge list. Then there’s the list of great quarterbacks that didn’t win championships.

A huge list? I can think of Nick Foles, and he caught a massive hot streak. I guess somebody could argue one of the Alabama QB’s, but we aren’t as far above our peers as those teams were talent wise.

gtapp wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 9:42 pm

At a QB Club meeting Vigen mentioned that Reed can do things Tommy and Sean cannot do. He did not elaborate but I took it to mean a better passer.

We've seen 30 passes from Jordan Reed in game situations and I'm pretty sure zero of those were with the first team offense in the game. The coaches have seen thousands of passes from him in practices and workouts, so I suspect he's significantly more capable of winning games as the starter if needed than some here appear to be giving him credit for. That said, I'm sure we all hope that #4 starts all 16 games next year.

BelligerentBobcat wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 9:00 pm

TomCat88 wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 8:08 pm

People are so enamored with quarterbacks that they forget that many teams go far and even win championships without good quarterbacks. Just look at all the FBS, FCS, NFL title contenders over the years. It’s a huge list. Then there’s the list of great quarterbacks that didn’t win championships.

A huge list? I can think of Nick Foles, and he caught a massive hot streak. I guess somebody could argue one of the Alabama QB’s, but we aren’t as far above our peers as those teams were talent wise.

Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer, mark Rypien, Jeff Hostetler, Doug Williams, Jim Plunkett all won superbowl.

I doubt many even remember half these guys:
Chris Weinke
Josh Heupel
Ken Dorsey
Tee Martin*
Matt Mauck
Chris Leak
Matt Flynn
Greg McElroy
Craig Krenzel
All won FBS titles.
*won the year after Peyton Manning left after not winning one.

gtapp wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 18, 2024 9:42 pm

At a QB Club meeting Vigen mentioned that Reed can do things Tommy and Sean cannot do. He did not elaborate but I took it to mean a better passer.

See/find open receivers is one thing he probably does better. Goes through his progressions. Throw more multiple types of passes. A few possible things