Prediction on starting QB next fall...
- Thread starter How_did_this_happen?
- Start date
If we don't enlist a grad transfer, I believe its going to be one of the 3 that were competing last spring. In the end, I have a feeling it will be Tinsley. Cooper may need a little more time to really soak in the Air Raid playbook and learn to execute the offense with Minshew-like commandability.
We should all be hoping for Cooper or Cruz. I’d love to have a stellar freshman with hype for the next 4 years. Until we have some stability. The media will pick us close to last in the North and we won’t see top 25 pre-season polls. Which all means that we’ll have to wait until conference play to break into the top 25. Not good if we want to make a run and gain interest from prospects.
Gage Gubrud....WSU football twitter just followed him...LOL
I do think it will be another grad transfer. Then Cooper or Cruz will take over the following year.
I do think it will be another grad transfer. Then Cooper or Cruz will take over the following year.
My money is on Cooper. We'll know a lot more after the upcoming spring game but last year, Leach made it very clear that Cooper was the QB of the future based on snaps as a true freshman. I'll be happy if Tinsley or Gordon is good enough to stave him off. I'm also curious about the comment that Cooper will never start if he doesn't start this year. It would be interesting to hear the logic behind it.
EDIT: I would be absolutely blown away if Cruz were to come in and start. If anything, Leach's tendency to stick with upperclassman starters is the only reason why I think Cooper isn't a lock. I can't envision a scenario where Cruz would play at all this year.
EDIT: I would be absolutely blown away if Cruz were to come in and start. If anything, Leach's tendency to stick with upperclassman starters is the only reason why I think Cooper isn't a lock. I can't envision a scenario where Cruz would play at all this year.
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You are correct on the internet!
I used to not care about pre season rankings. They matter. Coaches dont just recruit in season. They recruit year round. Being able to talk about hope and having a top team coming back ranked highly matters. Its one more line of BS to tell kids that seperates you from the other teams in your conference.
I agree with your post for the most part but want to point out one thing. ESPN already pegged us as #13 heading into next year. Hard to believe that the media and polls don’t follow suit.
Especially when the Pac 12 media comes out picking us our usual #5 in the North. Maybe the preseason hype pushes us to #4 over Cal this year.
In general I haven't really cared. I figured they undervalue Leach coupled with plenty of teams in the Pac 12 won't living up to their hype. Therefore we will end up much higher than expectations. However, you are correct. Pre-season rankings do matter.
It wouldn't matter if some rag predicted WSU at 55th in the nation. So, how do preseason rankings matter when some predicted WSU below Oregon State this year?
Preseason rankings are huge if you have aspirations for the playoff. Outside of that? Their only impact is to determine how much publicity you get during the season and if you value that. If you are a Top 25 team, you are significantly more likely to get some air time. That matters....at least some.
In the grand scheme I was saying I really don't care until the end of the year. In recruiting I agree with Biggs that preseason hype does matter. I guess we will see whether finishing Top 10 and these early preseason Top 25 rankings have an impact with recruiting as things play out.
Unless the NCAA gives him another year, it's not going to be Gubrud. He's played his 4 years...and too much in 2018 to qualify for the new redshirt rule. And I don't see anything to suggest that he's likely to get that extra year. Interesting idea though.
The kid from Buffalo looked interesting, but since he's going pro I'm expecting we'll go with what's on the roster. Hard to see lightning striking twice anyway.
I don't think Cruz gets the reins immediately. Leach doesn't play freshman QBs unless he doesn't have a choice. Tinsley probably has a slight edge, and Leach's historical preference for upperclassmen favors him or Gordon. I expect Cooper to push hard though, and since Tinsley & Gordon weren't able to separate last fall we might see a short leash in the non-conference games.
Assuming he doesn't finish spring ahead of Cooper, Neville won't be on the roster next fall. With a freshman in front of him and a highly touted one coming in, the writing on the wall says he's not going to play here.
Mik...is that you??
Haha, I got that!
Seriously though, compare his tape, stats (all 4 years), size/physique, athleticism, arm strength, and accuracy to past 4 star QB's and it's easy to see IMO. He's ahead of each one of those areas when you compare them to past 4 stars, and even Cammon Cooper who was a solid 4 star.
I think he's going to be a good one for us.
Neville did not suit up this season that I am aware of.....The Cougs normally suited up five (5) QB's and they were Minshew, Tinsley, Gordon, Cooper and Bledsoe.
If Gordon can improve his accuracy, I suspect he'll get the job. He has a much stronger arm than Tinsley. The great unknown here is Cooper. If he quickens his decision making, he has all the tools to win the job - accuracy, arm strength, and the kind of mobility that reduces sacks from 44 one year to 13 the next. Whoever wins the job must have the Minshew factor.
50% Tinsley
35% Gordon
15% Cooper
0% Cruz, Neville, Bledsoe, Hurts, any other TBD QB.
35% Gordon
15% Cooper
0% Cruz, Neville, Bledsoe, Hurts, any other TBD QB.
Tinsley. I thought he looked solid in last years spring game and thought he'd have a great tear before The Stash showed up.
Safe money is on Tinsley. He's less talented than the competition, but he makes better decisions. Cooper and Gordon will push, and Gordon will certainly get time if Tinsley struggles. Neville isn't really in the equation. I'd love to see Cooper grab the job and force Leach to give it to him, but short of him doing that one of the seniors will be starting come September. After that, who knows? At least the defense is gradually reaching the point where it will allow our QBs a fair amount of growing space, unlike the pre-Grinch days where if the QB didn't set the world on fire we lost.
Agee with Loyal. This is about my feeling too. Would be pleasing if Cooper could surpass the two seniors but I do not expect that to happen. Cruz will redshirt.
Whoever is the QB, I don’t want to see another stiff in the pocket. We must have an athletic QB to have the success we saw this year.
