FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[MiacMan]

My time at UST overlapped with Nick Ambrassas (walk-on at the U of M transfer) and my time in high school overlapped with Brooks Bollinger, starter for the University of Wisconsin and NFL player.

I consider Nick a good friend and a phenomenal DIII quarterback, but seeing Brooks up close for two years of HS was something else.

I think Nick's arm was every bit as good as Brooks's, so I can't pinpoint it, but I think just from a sheer athleticism and strength perspective was where the difference lied. To the untrained eye, maybe it was a coin flip.

Oddly enough, for two years of HS Brooks split time with Joe Wilson, who ended up being UND's QB. That was an embarrassment of riches my HS may never see again. Our coach had a tough call to make, and Joe Wilson ended up making it for him by transferring to the HS across town.

Bench

I actually know both of these gentlemen you speak of. I can tell you Brooks is one of these guys that is good at everything he does. He is a scratch golfer that wins the long drive contest nearly every year at our CDH benefit Golf tourney. My brother coached Nick at Bethlehem Academy and then Nick lived in the basement of my brother's home when he went to Arlington HS. Small world. How's he doing these days?

Great job in Chicago. Travels the world with his wife. Not too many guys I know have it as good as Nick.

Good for him. He was nice young man when I knew him.

[MiacMan]

All

On the conversation of Gopher Quarterbacks, has there ever in the history of the Gopher program been a QB that has gone on to be a starter at QB in the NFL?

[SagatagSam]

All

On the conversation of Gopher Quarterbacks, has there ever in the history of the Gopher program been a QB that has gone on to be a starter at QB in the NFL?

*Crickets*

[SagatagSam]

All

On the conversation of Gopher Quarterbacks, has there ever in the history of the Gopher program been a QB that has gone on to be a starter at QB in the NFL?

Tony Dungy and Sandy Stephens were pretty good. Though I don't think either started QB in the NFL.

Dungy was an emergency QB for the Steelers. Stephens played QB in the CFL for a year or two.

[MiacMan]

All

On the conversation of Gopher Quarterbacks, has there ever in the history of the Gopher program been a QB that has gone on to be a starter at QB in the NFL?

*Crickets*

The only possibility I can come up with is Sandy Stephens,but was he even a QB? and did he start in the NFL?

[OzJohnnie]

All

On the conversation of Gopher Quarterbacks, has there ever in the history of the Gopher program been a QB that has gone on to be a starter at QB in the NFL?

Bobby Cox, drafted by the 1957 LA Rams, didh't make the roster.
John Hankinson, drafted by the 1965 Vikings, didn't make the roster.
Craig Curry, drafted by the 1972 Dolphins, didn't make the roster.

And that is the total number of Gopher QB's drafted to the NFL.

Dungy was undrafted but picked up to play defense for the Steelers.  When Bradshaw and Kruczek both when down in a game in '77 against the Oilers, Dungy played quarterback.  In that game he achieved the rare distinction (and not again achieved since) of both making and throwing an interception in the same game.

(Wikipedia is your friend)

[sjusection105]

All

On the conversation of Gopher Quarterbacks, has there ever in the history of the Gopher program been a QB that has gone on to be a starter at QB in the NFL?

Bobby Cox, drafted by the 1957 LA Rams, didh't make the roster.
John Hankinson, drafted by the 1965 Vikings, didn't make the roster.
Craig Curry, drafted by the 1972 Dolphins, didn't make the roster.

And that is the total number of Gopher QB's drafted to the NFL.

So talent drought woudn't be an understatement.......

[MiacMan]

All

On the conversation of Gopher Quarterbacks, has there ever in the history of the Gopher program been a QB that has gone on to be a starter at QB in the NFL?

Bobby Cox, drafted by the 1957 LA Rams, didh't make the roster.
John Hankinson, drafted by the 1965 Vikings, didn't make the roster.
Craig Curry, drafted by the 1972 Dolphins, didn't make the roster.

And that is the total number of Gopher QB's drafted to the NFL.

Dungy was undrafted but picked up to play defense for the Steelers.  When Bradshaw and Kruczek both when down in a game in '77 against the Oilers, Dungy played quarterback.  In that game he achieved the rare distinction (and not again achieved since) of both making and throwing an interception in the same game.

(Wikipedia is your friend)

I love it OZ!

[OldAuggie]

No question OldAuggie. I'm fully aware Roste wasn't next man up on the depth chart before he left. I also think it's a little humorous to hear people talk about Perra as if he was in a battle for the starting role at the U.

But just to be invited to walk-on (or be a preferred walk on) at a D1 school requires legit skill. There's a reason these guys weren't scholarship players to begin with. There's also a reason they got the chance to be a part of FBS programs and other kids don't. Roste, Perra, and Eerdman were all exceptional HS QB's. Not quite good enough to warrant FBS scholarships (not sure what kind of FCS or DII offers they had), but very talented all the same.

As we've seen over the past few years, when those kinds of players, whether they are QB's or a LB like Seth Mathis make their way to the D3 level, they can be really dominant.

On a similar note, PJ was waxing eloquent about this walkon program he's trying to build (I think it's gonna be a major uphill battle given the U's other challenges.) But he was talking about Walk-ons and preferred walk-ons and gray shirts, all of which I'm familiar with. But then he was talking about 'Maroon Shirts' and I was lost. What on earth is a 'Maroon Shirt'? Is that a common type thing I'm just not familiar with or is PJ rowing the boat in some super new, sneaky creative way??

The Maroon shirt is probably PJ's version of a grey shirt. Sort of like a red shirt but usually due to academics or the availability of scholarships in the respective year class.  He grey shirted one for sure last year, Logan Richter from Perham and I am sure he will do more of it in the future. Possibly Peter Udiobok, the brother of the SJU RB. Other kids from WI might be grey shirts; one from St.Croix Falls a D lineman. It is a fluid situation until signing day I think.

Perra>Croft  passing.
Croft> Perra rushing.

QB has been a problem for ever it seems. A commit for 2019, Jacob Clark from TX might change that trend.

Another similar situation is Gopher Offensive linemen drafted by the NFL and it is a long drought, back to Mason's days. Mark Setterstrom and Greg Eslinger are the last drafted O linemen and they were drafted back in 2006!

NFL Scouts at Gopher games and practices say that Donnell Greene will be drafted this coming year and end the drought. 

[jamtod]

The Maroon shirt is probably PJ's version of a grey shirt. Sort of like a red shirt but usually due to academics or the availability of scholarships in the respective year class.  He grey shirted one for sure last year, Logan Richter from Perham and I am sure he will do more of it in the future. Possibly Peter Udiobok, the brother of the SJU RB. Other kids from WI might be grey shirts; one from St.Croix Falls a D lineman. It is a fluid situation until signing day I think.

Perra>Croft  passing.
Croft> Perra rushing.

QB has been a problem for ever it seems. A commit for 2019, Jacob Clark from TX might change that trend.

Pure arm strength and passing talent, yes.
I'm not so sure on the decision making side of things. It's one of the most frustrating aspects of the game. You've got a QB with all the physical tools and then he takes some big hits (or faces pressure or whatever other factors) and it all goes out the window.

[Redtooth]

Pat's question on the cover page about which team that didn't make the playoffs, should have....could have been written; Which team that didn't make the playoffs would have had the best chance to do damage in the playoffs?  Easy answer from me would be UST.  They would have destroyed the entire East bracket...likely in the finals of the Mount Union bracket...would have won several games (match up specific) in the UWW bracket and likely would have been the 3rd best team in the UHMB/SJU bracket.

Biggest difference in the development of Parra this season was the lack of a second back to spell Parks...when the UST offense has really clicked in the last couple years there has been a steady flow of healthy backs with fresh legs and varied running styles; Roberts, Trettel, Parks..etc.  Without that level of versatility, running a pure Power offensive scheme is difficult (particularly from behind).  Keep in mind, they run a style very similar to what has led to 6 titles in 7 seasons at NDSU....Glenn will recruit to fill this void I have no doubt.....Quality QBs are much harder to find today and those that are good are fiercely fought over at all levels of college football.

The issue of roster sizes was discussed extensively after last season....the successful teams in the MIAC (UST, SJU and Bethel) have larger teams 120-180...in the middle (Concordia and GAC) will have 100-120, while the teams that struggle (the rest) will have 60-80....the teams at the top, stay at the top because they are able to use their depth to develop players over time and use the playoffs to add weeks of skills development to their players.  Normal regular seasons are 10 games; last year's UST senior class played 52 games over their 4 seasons....they are playing a full season more than the non-playoff teams....that is a lot of reps, practice, time together as a team, time for coaches to coach and develop players.

The teams that struggle would like to limit the rosters of the better teams...arguing those players that would be unable to be on the rosters of the better/bigger teams would naturally select the next tier of teams down....a sort of trickle down economics theory of recruiting.  There are several problems with this solution; biggest being that all these students are paying tuition for school and to arbitrarily impose a policy that would hamper a school's ability to enroll students is unsupportable.

Recruiting really comes down to which coaches can create a vision of a successful football program that compliments and supports a prospective student athlete's academic needs in a location that fits what a kid is comfortable with.  Some do this well, some don't....some schools are attractive, some aren't.....some teams win, some don't.

[hazzben]

Any idea when MIAC Awards get announced?

My Picks:

COY: Fasching SJU (I'd love to say Coach J here, since we were .500 last year, but SJU is humming and unbeaten)
MVP: Erdman SJU
Stam: Kilgore BU

[jamtod]

Pat's question on the cover page about which team that didn't make the playoffs, should have....could have been written; Which team that didn't make the playoffs would have had the best chance to do damage in the playoffs?  Easy answer from me would be UST.  They would have destroyed the entire East bracket...likely in the finals of the Mount Union bracket...would have won several games (match up specific) in the UWW bracket and likely would have been the 3rd best team in the UHMB/SJU bracket.

Biggest difference in the development of Parra this season was the lack of a second back to spell Parks...when the UST offense has really clicked in the last couple years there has been a steady flow of healthy backs with fresh legs and varied running styles; Roberts, Trettel, Parks..etc.  Without that level of versatility, running a pure Power offensive scheme is difficult (particularly from behind).  Keep in mind, they run a style very similar to what has led to 6 titles in 7 seasons at NDSU....Glenn will recruit to fill this void I have no doubt.....Quality QBs are much harder to find today and those that are good are fiercely fought over at all levels of college football.

I felt like we had this this year mostly with Tom Loeffler, we just didn't have the trust in the guys for it to really develop or the creativity in the offensive scheme to take advantage of it. Loeffler had a different style and ran well when he saw action. Not as high YPC (compared to Parks at 8.4, higher for most of the season) but 6.0 isn't bad. I also liked what I saw out of Stephen Wagner and Nick Rice when they got carries, as well as a few fershman RBs that saw action.

[jamtod]

Any idea when MIAC Awards get announced?

My Picks:

COY: Fasching SJU (I'd love to say Coach J here, since we were .500 last year, but SJU is humming and unbeaten)
MVP: Erdman SJU
Stam: Kilgore BU

I think Johnson would be a great pick for COY, really getting that Bethel program up and running. Roste was a great difference maker, but Bethel seemed to be improved all over the field.

[MiacMan]

Any idea when MIAC Awards get announced?

My Picks:

COY: Fasching SJU (I'd love to say Coach J here, since we were .500 last year, but SJU is humming and unbeaten)
MVP: Erdman SJU
Stam: Kilgore BU

Hazz,

I'll be shocked if your picks are not 100% correct!