The Zeb era is over

[OrygunBison]

I watched NDSU's first game and that's who I "saw" when I saw this new fellow for NDSU. (Mertens was more mobile.)

This says you have a QB that started for VA Tech at Notre Dame. That begs the question ... why not him?
https://gobison.com/sports/football/...atterson/14475

The scuttlebutt on Mertens, as well as the video and stats from HS, was that he was mobile but that never really played out at NDSU, likely because Bohl had no back up plan for him getting injured. The reason that I compare Zeb with him is that they both got rattled with game stress. NM just had more practice being totally out of his element. He DID throw a decent ball when not pressured at all.

Stauss, at least in my memory, was actually a pretty good QB but just got beat out by a legend. That year is a little foggy for me so I might not have that right.

[56BISON73]

The scuttlebutt on Mertens, as well as the video and stats from HS, was that he was mobile but that never really played out at NDSU, likely because Bohl had no back up plan for him getting injured. The reason that I compare Zeb with him is that they both got rattled with game stress. NM just had more practice being totally out of his element. He DID throw a decent ball when not pressured at all.

Stauss, at least in my memory, was actually a pretty good QB but just got beat out by a legend. That year is a little foggy for me so I might not have that right.

Mertens wasnt allowed to be the QB he was as stated in your post. It was a terrible position for him to be in. But he toughed it out.

[OrygunBison]

Mertens wasnt allowed to be the QB he was as stated in your post. It was a terrible position for him to be in. But he toughed it out.

Yeah, I've actually always felt bad about him. Perhaps if they would have let him run more, he would have been in his element and not so damn rattled for 60 minutes every Saturday.

Bohl learned an incredibly valuable lesson about QB recruiting those 2 years. I don't think the situation we have now is even remotely the same thing. It is more akin to what major FBS teams deal with when their star players leave early and they need to backfill out of schedule. In theory, we're in very good company with our problem. We just haven't figured out how to solve it yet.

[oldmantutters]

Mertens was a damn good guy. Had a few classes with him and he was super humble and nice.

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[X-Factor]

The scuttlebutt on Mertens, as well as the video and stats from HS, was that he was mobile but that never really played out at NDSU, likely because Bohl had no back up plan for him getting injured. The reason that I compare Zeb with him is that they both got rattled with game stress. NM just had more practice being totally out of his element. He DID throw a decent ball when not pressured at all.

Stauss, at least in my memory, was actually a pretty good QB but just got beat out by a legend. That year is a little foggy for me so I might not have that right.

Kind of. He had a good first year (03). But he was benched in '04 for throwing more INTs that went in the opponents endzone than I could ever remember. Sideline passes like Zeb threw on Saturday still give me chills from that first half of '04 season before Walker righted the ship.

[gabisonfan]

Zeb can probably execute plays with time, but he isn't a playmaker. Unless there are more opportunities for quick strikes it appears the game is to fast for him to be successful. QB's today need to be quick in adapting to a play not going as drawn up. Hopefully, they are working to change the plan or the player.

[El_Chapo]

this MO FO put over 300 yards vs Oklahoma.

the fact that Entz/Roehl wont put him in the shotgun and throw 30 times is BEYOND ME

you as coaches KNEW WHAT YOU HAD for 2+ years with Zeb.

either put up or shut up

[ByeSonBusiness]

this MO FO put over 300 yards vs Oklahoma.

the fact that Entz/Roehl wont put him in the shotgun and throw 30 times is BEYOND ME

you as coaches KNEW WHAT YOU HAD for 2+ years with Zeb.

either put up or shut up

Lol a lot of guys can put up 300 on Oklahoma.

We will see what he does from here on out though.

[PlrbrBison]

this MO FO put over 300 yards vs Oklahoma.

the fact that Entz/Roehl wont put him in the shotgun and throw 30 times is BEYOND ME

you as coaches KNEW WHAT YOU HAD for 2+ years with Zeb.

either put up or shut up

You know what - not stereotypical Bison footnumball, but we've got what we've got and this looks like the way to use our quarterback if he's gonna be our quarterback. Use our little RBs as receivers so Watson doesn't have to be the target.

[Professor Chaos]

this MO FO put over 300 yards vs Oklahoma.

the fact that Entz/Roehl wont put him in the shotgun and throw 30 times is BEYOND ME

you as coaches KNEW WHAT YOU HAD for 2+ years with Zeb.

either put up or shut up

So after watching Zeb throw the ball these last 2 games your solution is to throw more???

Either Zeb regressed since his time at Iowa St or Oklahoma had an all-time awful defense that year. I see poor footwork and slowness both mentally and physically with very little pocket awareness. Hedberg/Roehl need to break him down and build him back up and that's tough to do with a 5th year senior nor is it something you should have to do with a 5th year senior.

The best thing they can do for him is figure out how to operate a traditional power run game again.... they've been spoiled by having QBs who are supremely gifted athletically and they need to figure out how to run the ball again without one. It's not impossible. They did it during the Walker years and they did it to an extent during the Jensen years as well.