Iowa QB Situation Remains Mystery

Leave it to KF to overcomplicate what seems obvious to literally everyone else... It just sucks the move hadn't already been made. Imagine if Sullivan had been taking all the 1st team reps since August.. They wasted so much time and practice reps getting him coached up on Lesters O and timing with teammates.
 
Not a Kirk apologist and I also believe Sullivan should get the chance to start this week - BUT, we have seen Sullivan make a couple of really poor decisions when things break down. He's made some ill-advised attempts to throw a pass when he should secure it and eat the loss, etc. I'm hopeful that part of that was due to the fact that he was pressing because he felt he had to make a play while he was in the game because he likely wouldn't get in again for some time. Perhaps if he knows that he is the starter for the entire game, that desperation won't be as great. If you've been around this team for any time, you saw something similar with Stanzi/Christianson and Beathard/Rudock. One was the slow but stable "smart" quarterback and the other was a loose cannon (if you were to listen to the coaching staff). But those loose cannons are gamers. They give the extra effort like throwing a block downfield after completing a pass. Looking forward to at least seeing what he brings to the table.
 
One concern with a running QB is he will slowly get banged up if not completely knocked out with an injury. So if Sullivan takes over full time, you will still need a backup ready to go, which is a role that Cade can fill.

Looking ahead to next year, if Sullivan is the starter, it might be interesting to have another running QB back him up. Lianez can probably fill that role as backup, and could even be used to relieve Sullivan in certain spots, the same way the backup RB's are used now to relieve Kaleb Johnson.
 
Flamingo1 said:
Not a Kirk apologist and I also believe Sullivan should get the chance to start this week - BUT, we have seen Sullivan make a couple of really poor decisions when things break down. He's made some ill-advised attempts to throw a pass when he should secure it and eat the loss, etc. I'm hopeful that part of that was due to the fact that he was pressing because he felt he had to make a play while he was in the game because he likely wouldn't get in again for some time. Perhaps if he knows that he is the starter for the entire game, that desperation won't be as great. If you've been around this team for any time, you saw something similar with Stanzi/Christianson and Beathard/Rudock. One was the slow but stable "smart" quarterback and the other was a loose cannon (if you were to listen to the coaching staff). But those loose cannons are gamers. They give the extra effort like throwing a block downfield after completing a pass. Looking forward to at least seeing what he brings to the table.
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I have some thoughts on your post...

1) Sullivan's QB skills aren't the best thing he brings to this team. How people can't get that through their heads is baffling.

Brendan Sullivan opens the field up and completely changes defenses' plans and abilities. You heard it from Kaleb Johnson's mouth in the post game...they asked him what changed from the time he was getting devoured in an 8 man box to the time he ran for over 100 yards and 3 TDs and he answered that the field was more open, lineman could block one on one, and he had holes open up where he could get to the next level and use his feet. Johnson is the best player on this team by light years. But if he doesn't have anywhere to run what do you want him to do??? Sullivan allows him the space to get where he can use his skills instead of collapsing 3 yards behind the LOS because teams know CM can't make even simple passes once he gets pressured.

Cade McNamara checks his first read, if it's not there the pocket is by then collapsing and he has two choices, neither of which is good. a. turtle up and bear hug that ball so you don't fumble it when you inevitably get sacked, or 2. make a really dumb throw into man coverage. Which is double bad because he struggles to even hit wide open receivers when he's not pressured.

How can you think about a couple ill-advised passes and not give even a little bit of credence to the way his being out their allows our best player to do his job?

B) Sullivan electrifies this team and electrifies Kinnick. You know how many years since Ricky/Drew/CJ we've had QBs who soiled their underoos at the first sign of "oh shit?" You could see it on the team when he came in and started turning sacks into 7 yard gains, throwing blocks out in FRONT of the ball carrier, chirping the other team when he got trucked out of bounds...the rest of the team was juiced and it changed the whole environment in that stadium, both on the field and in the stands. It was a total breath of fresh air and felt like the good old days when we had badasses for quarterbacks.

Those are things the trinity of RDC did when they were here and it's what this team needs. CJ Beathard in 2016 was completely beat to shit and running on pure adrenaline by the end of the year but he never once got scared and he just kept on taking the punishment and putting yards in the book.

We need moxie. We need another Rick/Drew/CJ. QBs who are really nice guys, super smart, and great locker room dudes aren't enough. Nate, Spencer, and Cade are great guys and good leaders I have no doubt. But they don't have that dawg in 'em. WE NEED A DAWG. Period.

When it comes to quarterbacks and other true leaders of teams, ask your self this...which group would you rather go into armed, real-life military combat with??? Actual bullets flying and bombs exploding...

Are you going in there with Rudock, Nate, Petras, and McNamara, or are you going int with Drew, Ricky, CJ, and Sullivan?

I'm not asking you who you want to be your son's football coach or marry your daughter, or manage your retirement investments...I'm asking which of those two groups are you gonna go to war with and try to survive? Stats or not there's your answer.
 
To juxtapose Fry's lengthy (and well-thought out rant), I will just say that I do not blame KF for not declaring a starter now. Why let Wisky know which one of these two vastly different QBs will be starting? And, like us, the Wisky coaches probably know that KF is stubborn and blind enough to start CM, so they will have to prepare for both.

I will, however, reign down boos from my couch if CM trots out for the opening series. Its beyond obvious who should be playing.
 
Fryowa said:
I have some thoughts on your post...

1) Sullivan's QB skills aren't the best thing he brings to this team. How people can't get that through their heads is baffling.

Brendan Sullivan opens the field up and completely changes defenses' plans and abilities. You heard it from Kaleb Johnson's mouth in the post game...they asked him what changed from the time he was getting devoured in an 8 man box to the time he ran for over 10 yards and 3 TDs and he answered that the field was more open, lineman could block one on one, and he had holes open up where he could get to the next level and use his feet. Johnson is the best player on this team by light years. But if he doesn't have anywhere to run what do you want him to do??? Sullivan allows him the space to get where he can use his skills instead of collapsing 3 yards behind the LOS because teams know CM can't make even simple passes once he gets pressured.

Cade McNamara checks his first read, if it's not there the pocket is by then collapsing and he has two choices, neither of which is good. a. turtle up and bear hug that ball so you don't fumble it when you inevitably get sacked, or 2. make a really dumb throw into man coverage. Which is double bad because he struggles to even hit wide open receivers when he's not pressured.

How can you think about a couple ill-advised passes and not give even a little bit of credence to the way his being out their allows our best player to do his job?

B) Sullivan electrifies this team and electrifies Kinnick. You know how many years since Ricky/Drew/CJ we've had QBs who soiled their underoos at the first sign of "oh shit?" You could see it on the team when he came in and started turning sacks into 7 yard gains, throwing blocks out in FRONT of the ball carrier, chirping the other team when he got trucked out of bounds...the rest of the team was juiced and it changed the whole environment in that stadium, both on the field and in the stands. It was a total breath of fresh air and felt like the good old days when we had badasses for quarterbacks.

Those are things the trinity of RDC did when they were here and it's what this team needs. CJ Beathard in 2016 was completely beat to shit and running on pure adrenaline by the end of the year but he never once got scared and he just kept on taking the punishment and putting yards in the book.

We need moxie. We need another Rick/Drew/CJ. QBs who are really nice guys, super smart, and great locker room dudes aren't enough. Nate, Spencer, and Cade are great guys and good leaders I have no doubt. But they don't have that dawg in 'em. WE NEED A DAWG. Period.

When it comes to quarterbacks and other true leaders of teams, ask your self this...which group would you rather go into armed, real-life military combat with??? Actual bullets flying and bombs exploding...

Are you going in there with Rudock, Nate, Petras, and McNamara, or are you going int with Drew, Ricky, CJ, and Sullivan?

I'm not asking you who you want to be your son's football coach or marry your daughter, or manage your retirement investments...I'm asking which of those two groups are you gonna go to war with and try to survive? Stats or not there's your answer.
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We’ve needed a Dog since Beathard. How the staff can’t see that obvious fact is baffling. I’ll consult for $500 per hour if they’d like, though.
 
You could make an argument by not naming a starting QB makes Wisconsin's preparation more difficult. At this point in the year Wisconsin has seen ground and pound, and RPO offenses. So playing both is well understood.
 
99topdawg said:
Well, if the depth chart that was just released is accurate, our question has been answered.

Sully #1, Marco #2, and, I'm guessing, Cade is injured.
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Cade did take a hell of a shot on that throw he drew the roughing the passer on. But he came back in that next drive to throw the pick 6... Nothing was obvious to me anyway on what was maybe hurting him. Coulda been back/ribs who knows. Maybe he hit his head on turf hard to say. Regardless it sucks it came to that for him.

But man I'm glad Sully gets all the 1st team reps the rest of this week and hopefully the yr. That just needed to happen
 
This is actually smart. Don’t give Wisconsin a leg up in scouting. Let them devote time to game planning for 2 qbs. In his gut KF knows who he’s going with.
 
99topdawg said:
Well, if the depth chart that was just released is accurate, our question has been answered.

Sully #1, Marco #2, and, I'm guessing, Cade is injured.
Click to expand...
Whatever his shortcomings in play this year, by all accounts CM is a good kid and been a good team player. If KF needs to exaggerate an injury as a basis to drop him from the depth chart altogether, I don't have an issue with showing him some dignity by citing to an injury.
 
Fryowa said:
I have some thoughts on your post...

1) Sullivan's QB skills aren't the best thing he brings to this team. How people can't get that through their heads is baffling.

Brendan Sullivan opens the field up and completely changes defenses' plans and abilities. You heard it from Kaleb Johnson's mouth in the post game...they asked him what changed from the time he was getting devoured in an 8 man box to the time he ran for over 10 yards and 3 TDs and he answered that the field was more open, lineman could block one on one, and he had holes open up where he could get to the next level and use his feet. Johnson is the best player on this team by light years. But if he doesn't have anywhere to run what do you want him to do??? Sullivan allows him the space to get where he can use his skills instead of collapsing 3 yards behind the LOS because teams know CM can't make even simple passes once he gets pressured.

Cade McNamara checks his first read, if it's not there the pocket is by then collapsing and he has two choices, neither of which is good. a. turtle up and bear hug that ball so you don't fumble it when you inevitably get sacked, or 2. make a really dumb throw into man coverage. Which is double bad because he struggles to even hit wide open receivers when he's not pressured.

How can you think about a couple ill-advised passes and not give even a little bit of credence to the way his being out their allows our best player to do his job?

B) Sullivan electrifies this team and electrifies Kinnick. You know how many years since Ricky/Drew/CJ we've had QBs who soiled their underoos at the first sign of "oh shit?" You could see it on the team when he came in and started turning sacks into 7 yard gains, throwing blocks out in FRONT of the ball carrier, chirping the other team when he got trucked out of bounds...the rest of the team was juiced and it changed the whole environment in that stadium, both on the field and in the stands. It was a total breath of fresh air and felt like the good old days when we had badasses for quarterbacks.

Those are things the trinity of RDC did when they were here and it's what this team needs. CJ Beathard in 2016 was completely beat to shit and running on pure adrenaline by the end of the year but he never once got scared and he just kept on taking the punishment and putting yards in the book.

We need moxie. We need another Rick/Drew/CJ. QBs who are really nice guys, super smart, and great locker room dudes aren't enough. Nate, Spencer, and Cade are great guys and good leaders I have no doubt. But they don't have that dawg in 'em. WE NEED A DAWG. Period.

When it comes to quarterbacks and other true leaders of teams, ask your self this...which group would you rather go into armed, real-life military combat with??? Actual bullets flying and bombs exploding...

Are you going in there with Rudock, Nate, Petras, and McNamara, or are you going int with Drew, Ricky, CJ, and Sullivan?

I'm not asking you who you want to be your son's football coach or marry your daughter, or manage your retirement investments...I'm asking which of those two groups are you gonna go to war with and try to survive? Stats or not there's your answer.
Click to expand...

Agree
 
Hawkfnntn said:
Cade did take a hell of a shot on that throw he drew the roughing the passer on. But he came back in that next drive to throw the pick 6... Nothing was obvious to me anyway on what was maybe hurting him. Coulda been back/ribs who knows. Maybe he hit his head on turf hard to say. Regardless it sucks it came to that for him.

But man I'm glad Sully gets all the 1st team reps the rest of this week and hopefully the yr. That just needed to happen
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KF mentioned him taking "a couple of shots", but also said he got hurt on the play he threw the pick-6. So, I think it was that one, more than the roughing the passer play.
 
CP87 said:
KF mentioned him taking "a couple of shots", but also said he got hurt on the play he threw the pick-6. So, I think it was that one, more than the roughing the passer play.
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Was it a case of temporary blindness or a seizure in his throwing hand?
 
The way Cade threw that wounded duck on that roughing the passer play, it made me wonder if he was already hurt before that play ever started.

In fact I wonder if he was already hurt before the NW game even started. There was something weird about how the coaches already had a plan for Sullivan to come in. Maybe they figured they woukd let Cade try to go, and if he just couldn't play, then pull him for Sullivan.

Kinda like in 2021 when Petras started against NW, and when it was clear he could not throw, he got pulled for Padilla.
 
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CP87 said:
KF mentioned him taking "a couple of shots", but also said he got hurt on the play he threw the pick-6. So, I think it was that one, more than the roughing the passer play.
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Cade has been trying his hardest to compete

He is not the one who chooses the starting QB

He has been hampered by his injuries, and can't/should not run the ball

As has been mentioned, Sully opens the offense up considerably, and provides Johnson much
more room to operate
 
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