Pat Forde's 25 Most Intriguing QB's / Gardner listed at 12
Yahoo! Link. So yeah.
But I do enjoy Pat Forde from time to time. The list seems okay at best. The top four are pretty much media driven. The fifth is because the guy (Tommy Rees) can be anywhere from A.J. McCarron to a train wreck.
Outside of my biased opinion, I think DG should be a little higher up on the list. He is mostly an unknown commodity. A guy who had one hell of a 5-game stretch to start his career. (http://mgoblog.com/content/devin-gardner-and-quarterback-holy-grail-0)
Regardless, Gardner is number one in my heart!
August 12th, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^
Pat Forde? Lol
August 12th, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^
August 12th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^
I just thought the article would help kickstart a conversation about some QB's of interest. It's quite laughable a player like A.J. McCarron is so highly rated. How can a player be intriguing if they clearly maxed out their potential?
But on the other side, are you intrigued by the like of Braxton Miller, Martinez, Rees, etc. and how big of a jump they are able to make this season? Have they plateaued yet, or is Miller about to take a jump to the next level where by the end of the season, we could have trouble stopping a guy like that.
August 12th, 2013 at 1:18 PM ^
I think a guy like Martinez is in the same category at McCarron. Does anyone think that he's going to have a dramatically better senior year than he had as a junior? I'm more intrigued by a guy like Colter and can he really get Northwestern to compete for a conference title?
August 12th, 2013 at 6:17 PM ^
T-Mart didn't have a horrible junior year. From 2011 he increased his Comp % by 5, threw for almost 800 more yards, and threw 23 TDs to 12 INTs.
He had a few bad games (UCLA, MSU, and Iowa), but he had about 60% completion and 150+ yards in Big Ten play.
That defense just isn't good. Not much Martinez can do when your defense gives up 36, 63, and 70 points
August 12th, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^
not sure if pointy head or hair...
August 12th, 2013 at 3:05 PM ^
August 12th, 2013 at 3:08 PM ^
August 12th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
My next diary entry might be "Six Reasons Pat Forde is a Nincompoop". I should have enough material by Sept 1.
August 12th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^
In other words, you don't think Forde finds him "intriguing" enough?
These lists are fun reads, but zero analysis of them is appropriate.
August 12th, 2013 at 1:43 PM ^
Like, "Oh, yeah, Martinez is still playing." And, "Lane Kiffin's job is on the line and he doesn't know who his QB is? Pass the popcorn." Etc.
A lot of this fluff stuff isn't aimed at people who refresh mgoblog multiple times a day or watch both replays of the UM-NW game last night. Which I did, by the way.
August 12th, 2013 at 4:42 PM ^
August 12th, 2013 at 1:03 PM ^
Here's probably all you need to read to know about the quality of this article:
12. Devin Gardner, Michigan. The Denard Robinson Era is finally over, and while it was a lot of fun, it ultimately was a limited venture. That's why the Wolverines began transitioning to Gardner last season and will hand him complete control of a more versatile and balanced offense this season. Gardner's polished passing skills should mesh well with the preferred offense of coordinator Al Borges. There is a lot of youth surrounding Gardner, but it helps to have All-America left tackle Taylor Lewan watching his back.
Transition to Gardner was because of Denard's injury, no? Not to Pat Forde.
August 12th, 2013 at 1:30 PM ^
August 12th, 2013 at 1:28 PM ^
Wow. Reading that would make one think that the transition to Gardner was because there was some sort of contractual expiration date (graduation aside) on Denard Robinson or something.
As for the rest of the list, number 16 is apparently whoever wins the job at USC, so the Trojans at least earn a placeholder status on the list.
August 12th, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
Because the list is "Most Intriguing," I think Miller should certainly be high on the list because of how well he played at times (and how poorly he played at times) and Meyer's past success in year 2's. How Manziel plays after a Heisman Trophy season and a an off-season under the microscope is probably the most intriguing in my mind. I am not sure why McCarron is intriguing as I suspect that he will be extremely consistent again this year. Because of his inconsistent play, Rees is definitely intriguing and I am interested to see how Mariota develops after a very good season. Gardner would definitely round out my top 5 of most intriguing because, well, it's UM and I want to see how good he is. I don't think this is a bad list but I think he got away from the definition of "intriguing" at times.
August 12th, 2013 at 9:48 PM ^
The problem with Alabama is that they are replacing a good chunk of their offensive line -
Chance Warmack OG #10 pick overall
D.J. Fluker OT #11 pick overall
Barrett Jones OG #113 pick overall
Insert comment about "Alabama doesn't replace, they just reload...." but there are a few questions for the Tide as they enter this season. I think this makes an interesting season to see how how McCarron fares without a few All Americans watching his back.
August 12th, 2013 at 2:49 PM ^
Am I the only one who thinks McCarron is slightly overrated? Not that I think he is bad, but he seems to me to be a game-manager-type a la Brian Griese. I think he just lets the defense and running game take over while not making a mistake. I think if you swapped him out with another QB on a different team, Bama still wins two championships and McCarron isn't leading that team to the National Championship. Who knows? Maybe I'm alone and he ends up having the most prolific career of any NFL QB.
August 12th, 2013 at 3:04 PM ^
August 12th, 2013 at 3:06 PM ^
You are not alone. I am at least in the same boat. Alabama's team would be just as good with A.J. McCarron's girlfriend in there.
And they would be a hell of a lot better looking might I add.
August 12th, 2013 at 3:36 PM ^
Let's put it this way: if Andrew Luck and AJ McCarron were both the same age, came out the same year, and McCarron still had his two, potentially three title rings to Luck's zero, I'd still take Luck every day of the week.
August 12th, 2013 at 10:01 PM ^
While no one would call Griese an incredible athlete, he had to be more than a game manager in 1997. As great as it was, the '97 team wasn't littered with great players on in the offensive skill spots. Tai Streets was good, but he wasn't an Amani Toomer or David Terrell (his predecessor and successor). Chris Howard wasn't a Wheatley or Anthony Thomas. Woodson was amazing as a dual threat, but only played a few downs a game on offense.
My sense is that McCarron is good, but that he relies on outstanding skill players like TJ Yeldon to do some of the heavy lifting.
August 13th, 2013 at 12:24 AM ^
I don't think I'm underrating Griese. You don't win a national championship with anything less than a good or great college quarterback. My point is that when you have the #1 defense and a great running game, you just have to make some good throws and not turn the ball over.
This is all just a reaction to them talking about AJ McCarron doing something that no other quarterback has done, which, to me, seems kind of meaningless when you consider Bama's style of football.
August 12th, 2013 at 3:02 PM ^
Surprisingly, Pat Forde does not make it on my list of 25 best sports writers. He did however place above #12 on my list of most annoying sports personalities.
August 12th, 2013 at 3:09 PM ^
just a winning quarterback who gets the job done without great fanfare. And that makes him about as exciting as Joe Flacco coming out of the University of Delaware, that other school with wings on their helmets, who won a Super Bowl. Sort of like Griese and Brady in that regard.
I think Tommy Rees is a better passer than McCarron. But I don't think Rees would have led the Crimson Tide to a national championship.
August 12th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^
if you've never read it, go read BHGP's Fordy-Yard Dash
http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2008/9/17/615876/bhgp-presents-fordy-yard-d
Help Me...
...break my addiction to Yanni (11) fan-fiction!
August 12th, 2013 at 3:50 PM ^
.. The "Denard Robinson Era" was some terrible time for all of us. While I think that Devin's ceiling is higher (especially as a passer), I'm not sure I'm super thrilled at the way he presents Denard's importance to this program.
August 12th, 2013 at 5:28 PM ^
August 13th, 2013 at 10:27 AM ^
Whenever I think of Pat Forde I just imagine a really Southern-dapper gentleman oogling 20-something girls on college campuses under the guise of looking for "Dashettes." But I guess the fact that he could pull his eyes up from chest level and comment on how good Gardner will be is something.