Under previous ND coaches, our QBs seemed to regress, but not anymore. What do you think?
It seems like Freeman and Denbrock have been able to raise the level of the QB play throughout the season. (Some of your might disagree.) Although CJ didn't have his best game, the growth from game one has been significant. Leonard improved significantly into the playoffs - I would argue, mainly because Denbrock transitioned the offense towards his strengths. Obviously, the play calling at times is infuriating, but I do see a huge QB growth happening compared to yesteryear.
Previous posts were mentioning the highly rated QBs who struggled at ND or regressed in the past and the list is long:
Pyne
Wimbush
Golson
Kiser
Zaire
Jurkovec
Crist
Hendrix
Kiel
Replies to: Under previous ND coaches, our QBs seemed to regress, but not anymore. What do you think?
I'm glad you didn't mention what's-his-name.
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I would love to hear Matt LaFluer's experience at ND. He turned into a great offensive mind. Wonder
what could have been if he would have stayed at ND more than one year with Golson. What were his thoughts of Kelly at the time?
Golson's decline was all on Golson himself
Missing a whole year in 2013 killed off a lot of crucial development that would have happened that year. In 2012, Golson was asked to simply protect the ball, and not lose the game.
It's one thing to play the game in minimum risk mode. It's another thing to take command of the field, and make the higher risk throws with confidence.
In 2014, after a year of inactivity, Golson was asked to take command. Had he played in 2013, transitioning from a conservative role to a commanding one, I truly believe he would have been one of Brian Kelly's best quarterbacks. Alas, he lost his mojo in the 2nd half of the season when the going got tough, and he didn't know how to pull himself together.
If Matt LeFleur were working with Golson without that year of inactivity, I think he could have helped guide him through those tougher times. It's much easier to put the finishing touches on a polished mind.
Since he was only here for a single year, it's difficult to say whether or not he would have been a great QB coach here, but the way Malik Zaire played in the Music City Bowl, along with that good game against Texas in 2015, along with how Deshone Kizer turned out when being forced to play in the 2nd game of 2015, makes me believe that LeFleur had some positive impact on the guys.
My guess is that LeFluer always wanted the NFL. His stop at ND was always going to be brief
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"He who shall not be named"
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Carr needs to quickly learn when to throw it away and not force a play.
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i think Hartman regressed. Riley didn’t improve as a passer.
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If Leonard hadn't improved as a passer, we couldn't have won a playoff game. His beginning at ND was
very ineffective as a passer (NIU was an good example). Leonard became a more effective passer after Freeman's comments that we need to "call plays that the QB can make". There was a switch toward less out routes and more crossing routes, screens, TE passes and the passing game was efficient enough to beat top 10 teams. The offense really never opened up fully until the second half of the championship game, when we saw Riley air it out to Greathouse. I wish that would have been a part of the offense earlier in the year.
I see similarities with CJ.... games one and two, the passing game was very conservative and when they opened up the offense, we saw his try talent. I hope that aggressiveness stays and doesn't revert back when we play a tough playoff team.
Absolutely right. Denbrock even admitted...
that without Leonard dressing for spring practice, it took some time during the season to really understand what he could do. Denbrock's play calling did change to use Leonard's strengths as the season moved along