CFB Championship

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Re: CFB Championship

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Mothman wrote: Congratulations, Steve!

If they could have avoided a few careless mistakes, I think the final score would have been even more lopsided. Nevertheless, it was a heck of a performance. Others may have a different take but to me, that was a classic example of a game won at the line of scrimmage. I thought Ohio State outplayed Oregon at the point of attack, especially on offense. The Buckeyes o-line just took over that game (and Zeke was incredible). It was impressive!
You are exactly right Jim. Up front is where the Buckeyes took control after they settled down and got things rolling the right way. Before the game I was apprehensive, but I was confident that they could match the Ducks and if successful running and continue to pound it, they would emerge victorious.
It would be remiss if the defense was not mentioned here. Time after time they stopped Mariota on 3rd down. Sure he got his, but it seemed it was not in the fashion in which Oregon is used to. Especially tempo wise, once the Silver Bullets settled down and played out of their minds once again. It was phenomenal. Thank You. :thumbsup:
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Re: CFB Championship

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I want to preface this statement with saying that I only watched 5 College games this year.

That said, I can't imagine why everyone loves Mariota this much. Maybe I'm looking at this too simplistically, but I imagine that if the Vikings defense gave our QB 4 turnovers and he only managed 20 total points, the fans would be calling for his head. Mariota has always struck me as the product of his system and tonight really confirmed that in my mind.

At the very least, I certainly wouldn't use a draft pick on him as some members were suggesting earlier in the year, not even if he dropped to us in the second round. Shoot, I'd rather trade a pick for RGIII than draft Mariota.

This isn't to say that Mariota is utter garbage, but I'm certainly much happier that we have Teddy.
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Re: CFB Championship

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The Breeze wrote: I got caught up in the moment :wink:

Zeke is special though.
Wonder if he could declare for the draft. He certainly looks ready. Only RB I would want more, is Gordon.
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Re: CFB Championship

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DKSweets wrote:I want to preface this statement with saying that I only watched 5 College games this year.

That said, I can't imagine why everyone loves Mariota this much. Maybe I'm looking at this too simplistically, but I imagine that if the Vikings defense gave our QB 4 turnovers and he only managed 20 total points, the fans would be calling for his head. Mariota has always struck me as the product of his system and tonight really confirmed that in my mind.

At the very least, I certainly wouldn't use a draft pick on him as some members were suggesting earlier in the year, not even if he dropped to us in the second round. Shoot, I'd rather trade a pick for RGIII than draft Mariota.

This isn't to say that Mariota is utter garbage, but I'm certainly much happier that we have Teddy.
I agree. I think he's good, but not top pick/qb material. People compare him to Wilson. He isn't even close. More like a lightweight version of Kap. I am so glad we got teddy. I prefer the pocket Qbs that can move, but only as a last resort.
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Re: CFB Championship

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DKSweets wrote:I want to preface this statement with saying that I only watched 5 College games this year.

That said, I can't imagine why everyone loves Mariota this much. Maybe I'm looking at this too simplistically, but I imagine that if the Vikings defense gave our QB 4 turnovers and he only managed 20 total points, the fans would be calling for his head. Mariota has always struck me as the product of his system and tonight really confirmed that in my mind.

At the very least, I certainly wouldn't use a draft pick on him as some members were suggesting earlier in the year, not even if he dropped to us in the second round. Shoot, I'd rather trade a pick for RGIII than draft Mariota.

This isn't to say that Mariota is utter garbage, but I'm certainly much happier that we have Teddy.
It's hard to judge him if you just watched one game. He was actually pretty efficient in the championship game (24 of 37 attempts for 333 yards, two touchdowns and one interception despite at least two dropped third down passes). It's hard to argue with his body of work as a whole. He posted a 68% completion to go with 4,454 pass yards, 42 passing touchdowns, 4 INTs, 770 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, and a receiving score this year. With Mariota at the helm, the Ducks averaged 45.4 points/game, which was #4 in the nation. He won just about every award a college player can win this season. He can succeed inside and outside the pocket and has a lot more touch on the ball than, say, Kaep. I don't think he'll have a stellar rookie campaign if he's asked to start right away, but he can play.

That said, I'd much rather take Bridgewater now after seeing his growth over the last five games than the possibility of what Mariota could be (perhaps I'm just a nervous Nelly). I think Teddy is better from the pocket than Mariota at this stage in their careers, which is essential. Mariota's athleticism and arm are far superior to Teddy, though. He's intelligent, makes good decisions and proven to be very accurate throughout his career (completed 69% of his passes as a redshirt freshman, for example).

As an aside pet peeve (not against you), but I always get a little frustrated when analysts say a player is a "product of the system" like that's a negative thing. The kid did exactly what he was asked to do at the highest level available to him. Sorry, it's just something that bugs me.
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Re: CFB Championship

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dead_poet wrote:It's hard to judge him if you just watched one game. He was actually pretty efficient in the championship game (24 of 37 attempts for 333 yards, two touchdowns and one interception despite at least two dropped third down passes). It's hard to argue with his body of work as a whole. He posted a 68% completion to go with 4,454 pass yards, 42 passing touchdowns, 4 INTs, 770 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, and a receiving score this year. With Mariota at the helm, the Ducks averaged 45.4 points/game, which was #4 in the nation. He won just about every award a college player can win this season. He can succeed inside and outside the pocket and has a lot more touch on the ball than, say, Kaep. I don't think he'll have a stellar rookie campaign if he's asked to start right away, but he can play.

That said, I'd much rather take Bridgewater now after seeing his growth over the last five games than the possibility of what Mariota could be (perhaps I'm just a nervous Nelly). I think Teddy is better from the pocket than Mariota at this stage in their careers, which is essential. Mariota's athleticism and arm are far superior to Teddy, though. He's intelligent, makes good decisions and proven to be very accurate throughout his career (completed 69% of his passes as a redshirt freshman, for example).

As an aside pet peeve (not against you), but I always get a little frustrated when analysts say a player is a "product of the system" like that's a negative thing. The kid did exactly what he was asked to do at the highest level available to him. Sorry, it's just something that bugs me.
Good post. I feel the same way about the "product of the system" stuff.

Mariota's a terrific football player. I don't think he's ready to start right away in the NFL and if he's fortunate, enough pro teams will have doubts about him that he'll fall away from the "desperate for a QB" teams near the top of the draft and end up with a team that can bring him along behind the scenes for a while. I seriously doubt that's going to happen but I think it would be better for him since there are some skills he'll need to develop further to reach his full potential as a pro.

I believe Bridgewater's growth over the last 5 games has been somewhat exaggerated but there was growth and he probably came into the league more pro-ready than Mariota. He's definitely better prepared to start now than Mariota is likely to be as a rookie. That said, I sure wouldn't complain if the Vikings made the unorthodox move of adding Mariota to their roster. I know it's not going to happen and I know it would be controversial (perhaps too controversial) but at this point, I'm starting to adopt a very different view of how teams should approach the QB position, and depth chart, in the NFL. Given the rookie salary cap, the way NFL rules have changed to favor the passing game, the obvious connection between good QB play and winning, etc., I'm now of the mind that a team should be as deep and talented at that position as possible, especially after watching the Vikes for the past decade. I realize it's a minefield, especially considering the potential chaos and controversy that could surround a team with two first round QBs on it's roster, but the potential benefits seem obvious. There's a high level of confidence in Bridgewater. He's established himself as the starter in the minds of his coach and many fans. If Mariota miraculously ended up on the Vikings roster, he'd give the Vikes a gifted talent to groom as a backup/Plan B for Bridgewater and potential trade bait down the road if it turned out he just wasn't needed.

I know it sounds crazy to most fans and I'm not going expend a lot of energy discussing it or defending it because there's almost no chance it would happen. However, I do think it's time to start considering backup QB one of the most important positions on an NFL team and I can think of far worse ideas than hoarding talent at the game's most vital position. Mariota's almost certainly not a realistic option for the Vikes but I do hope they take the idea of drafting and developing a "Plan B' QB very seriously.
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Re: CFB Championship

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I absolutely agree about the backup QB. Don';t care who it is, but he should be a good player.
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Re: CFB Championship

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The Breeze wrote:I absolutely agree about the backup QB. Don't care who it is, but he should be a good player.
I'm glad I'm not alone on that. :) Putting Mariota in that position is basically "pie in the sky" thinking but the position has become vitally important and I want to see the Vikings treat it that way.
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Re: CFB Championship

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dead_poet wrote: It's hard to judge him if you just watched one game. He was actually pretty efficient in the championship game (24 of 37 attempts for 333 yards, two touchdowns and one interception despite at least two dropped third down passes). It's hard to argue with his body of work as a whole. He posted a 68% completion to go with 4,454 pass yards, 42 passing touchdowns, 4 INTs, 770 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, and a receiving score this year. With Mariota at the helm, the Ducks averaged 45.4 points/game, which was #4 in the nation. He won just about every award a college player can win this season. He can succeed inside and outside the pocket and has a lot more touch on the ball than, say, Kaep. I don't think he'll have a stellar rookie campaign if he's asked to start right away, but he can play.

That said, I'd much rather take Bridgewater now after seeing his growth over the last five games than the possibility of what Mariota could be (perhaps I'm just a nervous Nelly). I think Teddy is better from the pocket than Mariota at this stage in their careers, which is essential. Mariota's athleticism and arm are far superior to Teddy, though. He's intelligent, makes good decisions and proven to be very accurate throughout his career (completed 69% of his passes as a redshirt freshman, for example).

As an aside pet peeve (not against you), but I always get a little frustrated when analysts say a player is a "product of the system" like that's a negative thing. The kid did exactly what he was asked to do at the highest level available to him. Sorry, it's just something that bugs me.
Let me put it this way: You cite Mariota's 5224 yards, 57 TDs, and 4 turnovers, and those are very good. But Colt Brennan put up 5915 yards, 63 TDs, and 12 turnovers in 2006 (at a time when Hawaii was putting up silly numbers) and didn't get close to cutting it in the NFL. I'm not taking anything away from either of their college careers, because they did what they were supposed to do. That said, it doesn't mean I'm overly impressed with them as a player...I'm mostly impressed with the collective team. I want to make clear, I'm not criticizing his heisman trophy, I'm discussing his draft stock and I think being a product of their system is a valid talking point when discussing how they will translate to the NFL.

To further my point, RGIII put up similar numbers in his final year at Baylor, has every ounce of the athleticism, is a gritty competitor, and could be had for a much cheaper price. When the discussion of drafting Mariota came up, Jim floated the idea that the Vikings should keep a pipeline of talented QBs behind their starter in case one (namely, Teddy) doesn't work out and/or gets injured. I think spending anything more than a third round pick on Mariota would be a ridiculous gamble when there are players who I think offer similar upside for much cheaper.
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Re: CFB Championship

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I've been wanting to see the depth at the QB position for a few seasons now. I don't think it's a guy you get in the first round unless you have an established team with some good depth (Rodgers/Favre for example)...so Mariota would be out of the question. But I notice Belichick always has a guy in waiting....I mean that's how Brady got his job. If the guy doesn't see the field before his rookie contract is up and is worth a good pick you can trade him.

Oregon didn't lose because of the system they play. They got beat because they got handled at the line of scrimmage on offense and defense. That's were games are won and lost.

I'm of the mind that Mariota is sharp enough to learn any system given the proper coaching and time. And there is something to be said about the difficulty of the system at Oregon and to what heights he has taken it to. The speed at which the QB has to make reads and decisions and go through progressions is amped up. Oregon simply couldn't run the ball or stop the OSU pass rush with any effectiveness. They also had a RB as their 3rd wideout....but it is what it is.

I also think RGIII is/was a really good QB. He took the team from DC to the playoffs his rookie season before getting broken. I think his situation was mishandled by Shanahan in a big way...especially considering what they gave up to draft him. But their o-line hasn't been worth a darn since Gibbs' glory days...which is the problem with most of these bottom feeding teams who need QBs desperately. Now RG looks shell shocked and lost out there....just like that front office. Colt McCoy actually played very well for them this season....maybe it's just taken him awhile to get acclimated to the prostyle. Funny how no one pans out in Cleveland...eh?

If I was one of those teams with a shot at the top two QBs and wound up with Mariota, I would sign a guy like Ponder to start for at least one season.

Winston is more likely good to go his rookie year.

I sure like the stable of QBs Ohio State has.

This draft will be interesting....as usual
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Re: CFB Championship

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Mothman wrote:I know it sounds crazy to most fans and I'm not going expend a lot of energy discussing it or defending it because there's almost no chance it would happen. However, I do think it's time to start considering backup QB one of the most important positions on an NFL team and I can think of far worse ideas than hoarding talent at the game's most vital position. Mariota's almost certainly not a realistic option for the Vikes but I do hope they take the idea of drafting and developing a "Plan B' QB very seriously.
This is an interesting topic that may deserve it's own thread. It's the offseason so I don't mind discussing the merits of such a strategy. However it will take me quite a bit of convincing that the team should use such a valuable resource on a first-round QB when we just drafted one the year before that is showing promise of being the long-term starter. I think there's probably a happy medium between doing that and drafting the John David Booty's of the world.

Right now I can't imagine bypassing, say, a top-tier receiver that you hope will start and be a producer for a long time for a guy you may be grooming to be a very good backup, if needed. Worst-case you "waste" a first-rounder on a guy that never throws a pass for you in five years (clearly thanks to Teddy's amazing progression as a top-10 QB and Favreian reputation that never misses a game...I'm speaking from my optimistic future here) and leaves via free agency. Though I suppose, Jim, you're rightfully QB gun-shy and not quite as optimistic about Teddy, which is fair. Therefore are you thinking the "best-case" could be that Teddy pulls an RGIII and either gets injured or takes a step back so it's good to have Mariota-insurance as a guy that can make important spot-starts or even surge ahead after he pulls a Tom Brady, entering for an injured Bridgewater and dominates? IF that were to come to fruition, then it'd look like incredible foresight on Rick's part.

I simply have a hard time breaking the conventional thinking that you draft a guy in the first round to not only start, but be an impact starter for a long time. There's the distinct possibility that you draft Mariota or Winston in the first round and they never play a snap for the duration of their five years. If I'm a GM, I just don't take that chance.

But, as I mentioned above, I think I do take a QB sooner rather than later. If Cardale Jones declares, maybe you take him in the 4th or Hundley a round earlier. Petty is interesting as well as a mid-round guy. Is it just me or is there more of a dropoff from the top two guys this year and everyone else? I know you're preaching depth, and I agree, but when you have so many holes for starters it's hard to want to spend a high draft pick on what could be perceived as potential "luxury insurance" rather than filling holes that are a necessity. It's certainly an interesting perspective and I look forward to further discussion on the topic.
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Re: CFB Championship

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dead_poet wrote: This is an interesting topic that may deserve it's own thread. It's the offseason so I don't mind discussing the merits of such a strategy. However it will take me quite a bit of convincing that the team should use such a valuable resource on a first-round QB when we just drafted one the year before that is showing promise of being the long-term starter. I think there's probably a happy medium between doing that and drafting the John David Booty's of the world.

Right now I can't imagine bypassing, say, a top-tier receiver that you hope will start and be a producer for a long time for a guy you may be grooming to be a very good backup, if needed. Worst-case you "waste" a first-rounder on a guy that never throws a pass for you in five years (clearly thanks to Teddy's amazing progression as a top-10 QB and Favreian reputation that never misses a game...I'm speaking from my optimistic future here) and leaves via free agency. Though I suppose, Jim, you're rightfully QB gun-shy and not quite as optimistic about Teddy, which is fair. Therefore are you thinking the "best-case" could be that Teddy pulls an RGIII and either gets injured or takes a step back so it's good to have Mariota-insurance as a guy that can make important spot-starts or even surge ahead after he pulls a Tom Brady, entering for an injured Bridgewater and dominates? IF that were to come to fruition, then it'd look like incredible foresight on Rick's part.

I simply have a hard time breaking the conventional thinking that you draft a guy in the first round to not only start, but be an impact starter for a long time. There's the distinct possibility that you draft Mariota or Winston in the first round and they never play a snap for the duration of their five years. If I'm a GM, I just don't take that chance.

But, as I mentioned above, I think I do take a QB sooner rather than later. If Cardale Jones declares, maybe you take him in the 4th or Hundley a round earlier. Petty is interesting as well as a mid-round guy. Is it just me or is there more of a dropoff from the top two guys this year and everyone else? I know you're preaching depth, and I agree, but when you have so many holes for starters it's hard to want to spend a high draft pick on what could be perceived as potential "luxury insurance" rather than filling holes that are a necessity. It's certainly an interesting perspective and I look forward to further discussion on the topic.
It's an interesting topic to me.

I don't think you want two first rd QBs....but if you already have that first rounder I think the backup position is worth a quality pick in rds 3-4.



I like Petty and Conner Halliday.
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Re: CFB Championship

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DKSweets wrote:Let me put it this way: You cite Mariota's 5224 yards, 57 TDs, and 4 turnovers, and those are very good. But Colt Brennan put up 5915 yards, 63 TDs, and 12 turnovers in 2006 (at a time when Hawaii was putting up silly numbers) and didn't get close to cutting it in the NFL. I'm not taking anything away from either of their college careers, because they did what they were supposed to do. That said, it doesn't mean I'm overly impressed with them as a player...I'm mostly impressed with the collective team. I want to make clear, I'm not criticizing his heisman trophy, I'm discussing his draft stock and I think being a product of their system is a valid talking point when discussing how they will translate to the NFL.
That's valid and I think you used and interesting example with Colt and Hawaii. First off, the two offenses are not exactly the same. From what I understand, run-and-shoot is a theoretical orientation...an overall offensive ideology. Spread offense is a play ideology. It can change game to game based on what the opponents defensive tendencies show.

Additionally, if I understand correctly, the "spread" is an offense philosophy or offensive formation that is designed to take advantage of the length and width of the field by spreading the offensive line and adding more receivers...QB is typically in the shotgun. Almost every major football power uses it to some extent, but not all spread teams are the same, or even remotely similar- A team like Oregon spreads the field to execute power-running football, Washington state spreads the field to throw almost every down, and Baylor has a balanced approach.

Run and Shoot is an spread offense based vertical routes, with or without motion to expose whether the coverage is man or zone. They also look to see how many defenders are in the box, and would run if the numbers were favorable. Run and shoot can use many plays but one that unique is a play where three receivers run vertical routes and one receiver runs up the seam with the option to break the route off into any number of routes depending on a post-snap read of a certain defender- often the flat defender.

In Hawaii's run-and-shoot, for example, there was far less rushing. Hawaii only ran the ball 298 times in 2006. Oregon had 644 attempts this year.

I guess what I'm saying is it's not exactly apples-to-apples comparison between the two systems. Therefore you can't accurately compare Brennan to Mariota within them.

Their overall makeups and playing styles are also not very similar. While both were accurate, that's about where the similarities end. Colt's arm is nowhere that of Mariota's. He was also 25 entering the league and had an awkward delivery. Mariota's strength, size and athleticism are far superior to Colt's. There's a big reason why Mariota will be a R1 QB and Brennan lasted to the 6th round. They're distinctly different players and Mariota offers significantly more upside as a prospect.
To further my point, RGIII put up similar numbers in his final year at Baylor, has every ounce of the athleticism, is a gritty competitor, and could be had for a much cheaper price. When the discussion of drafting Mariota came up, Jim floated the idea that the Vikings should keep a pipeline of talented QBs behind their starter in case one (namely, Teddy) doesn't work out and/or gets injured. I think spending anything more than a third round pick on Mariota would be a ridiculous gamble when there are players who I think offer similar upside for much cheaper.
Well, he had every ounce of the athleticism. I'm not sure he's at or ever will be at the same level he was (mentally or physically) as when he entered the league after the injury. That said, sure, I'd love RGIII as the #2 QB, but that'd never happen for a lot of reasons, obviously.
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