Choates Gordian Knot at QB...

[Hawks86]

“It’s great to see him smiling, laughing, throwing touchdowns, handing off the ball and making good reads,” said offensive lineman Lewis Kidd. “His level of play upped our level of play, upped the O-line’s level of play, upped the receivers’ level of play, upped the running backs’ level of play, and all of us started rising. Last game was a show of, once we get things clicking, we can be a dangerous team.”

https://montanasports.com/cat-griz/mont ... er-center/

[bobcat99]

Do we know for sure TA is out of his 'padded cast' and taking reps at QB this week?

I ask because in week 1 TA & TJ were listed as co-starters. I believe in week 2 & 3 a combination of TA/TR/TJ were listed as either co-starters or on the 2-deep. However in week 1 TA got all the snaps except 3 that TJ got. In week 2 TR got all the snaps with the exception of a few 3rd & short plays that TJ got. In week 3 TR got them all. My point being the depth chart and what is discussed throughout the week hasn't jived with who/what happens at QB on Saturday.

Coaches said he was getting the cast off and would practice at QB.

[Buckaroo Bonzi]

I think the one person who would like to see TR flat take command of the QB position the most is TA . Troy plays feisty,
Big Motor , that’s hard to let the game come to you at QB . Personally I like Troy at RB , just a phenomenal weapon on
Offense. But I think his heart is at LB. Good on Troy to play where the Coaches ask and the team needs him . Keep
Pushing and gaining confidence TR .

[rivercat]

At times.
McGhee could pass and run. Prukop could pass and run. Andersen can run and maybe pass. Rovig, at best, can pass. It’s like the old Little Caesars ads. Do you want a QB that can do one thing well? Or, a QB that can do two things well?
Andersen “might” be able to do both. We “know” Rovig can’t. Tell me I’m wrong.

I think you should consider this. A team that has a good passing qb who is not a good "runner" can still be have a good running game utilizing the rb's. In fact, this is the norm for a "balanced" offense.

However, if you have a good running qb who is not a good passer, you have a mostly one dimensional running team.

[codecat]

I don't know who will start this week and I don't think it's because Choate is some mind-game genius. I think he's genuinely conflicted. I love listening to the guy talk (knows how to fire up an audience) and he's hasn't been dealt the best hand at QB since he arrived (but he's been the dealer right?) but the coaching decisions at the QB position have been suspect. Stuck with Bruggeman too long (just waiting for Murray to turn 18?) and now going back and forth between the QB type he's been talking about since he arrived and an all-conference guy playing his 3rd best position.

I think whoever starts on Saturday, it's his job to lose. If the starter doesn't blow it against the worst team in the conference he'll keep starting and have a longer leash. Otherwise the other guy starts against EWU by default and this thread really blows up.

So much agree with these two statements: Its like he is caught between wanting to run the ball with results like he said he would do, but cannot do without a running QB, OR going to a more pro style QB with a passing game - His recruiting seems to match one of these two, but nobody that is both.

With regard to the hand he has been dealt, he has had his hand in everything that has happened, even Prokup who had his mentor (Cramsey) sent packing.

Tootle & Nuanez have a great segment on the Cats starting at about the 52:00 min mark:


Nuanez gives the history of Rovig's play since he was recruited which is pretty interesting, especially his play for his first fall camp in 2017, and then the poorer showing he had this past spring. This starts at about the 55:00 mark.

Colter talks about Choate and his indecision starting about the 59:00 mark and pretty much tells it like I see it too:

"They gotta stop screwing around with Troy Andersen. If Troy Andersen - it's a cute story - playing all these different spots or whatever. The guy is your best player - find a spot for him and get him on the field. If that's QB, so be it, but if its not, you gotta put him on the field...or, they are going to be another 5-6 team again-"

[onceacat]

Driscoll: that doesn’t fit what I said. It’s more like each guy has a bird in the hand, but Rovig’s other hand is empty while Andersen’s is behind his back.

Wrong issue. The question is more like: is Troy such an amazing QB that it makes sense to turn Tucker into a bench warmer. Troy can run & pass as a RB just like he can at QB. If Tucker starts, Troy still plays. But if Troy starts, Rovig sits on the bench.

Do we love troys arm so much that it’s worth sitting Rovig? Does Rovig even stick around next year if he gets benched in favor of playing Troy in Troys 3rd best position?

[ilovethecats]

At times.
McGhee could pass and run. Prukop could pass and run. Andersen can run and maybe pass. Rovig, at best, can pass. It’s like the old Little Caesars ads. Do you want a QB that can do one thing well? Or, a QB that can do two things well?
Andersen “might” be able to do both. We “know” Rovig can’t. Tell me I’m wrong.

I think you should consider this. A team that has a good passing qb who is not a good "runner" can still be have a good running game utilizing the rb's. In fact, this is the norm for a "balanced" offense.

However, if you have a good running qb who is not a good passer, you have a mostly one dimensional running team.

Excellent point.

[Cledus]

I can't believe this thread is still going. Troy Andersen may be the better overall qb, but Rovig by all indications is a better passer. The entire team, especially the offense, is better off with Rovig starting.

The past two years we would have been in some serious trouble if Murray were injured because the entire offense was tooled around him. If we start Andersen at qb then we have the same problem all over again if he gets hurt. Nobody else has the ability to run a one-dimensional offense.

[catatac]

I can't believe this thread is still going. Troy Andersen may be the better overall qb, but Rovig by all indications is a better passer. The entire team, especially the offense, is better off with Rovig starting.

The past two years we would have been in some serious trouble if Murray were injured because the entire offense was tooled around him. If we start Andersen at qb then we have the same problem all over again if he gets hurt. Nobody else has the ability to run a one-dimensional offense.

But, if TA starts Saturday, that tells me the coaches have their reasons though.

[catsrback76]

I can't believe this thread is still going. Troy Andersen may be the better overall qb, but Rovig by all indications is a better passer. The entire team, especially the offense, is better off with Rovig starting.

The past two years we would have been in some serious trouble if Murray were injured because the entire offense was tooled around him. If we start Andersen at qb then we have the same problem all over again if he gets hurt. Nobody else has the ability to run a one-dimensional offense.

But, if TA starts Saturday, that tells me the coaches have their reasons though.

The only thing that I would see as a possible reason for TA to start over TR is that TR has had another crisis of confidence and has vapour locked! It you sit TR this week, I would almost guarantee he might feel a bit "gutted" and maybe, just maybe vapour lock for the rest of the season...or beyond. Just a thought.

[bpcats20]

I don’t think Anderson can push the ball down the field which we need to be able to do if we want to do anything this year. Starting Anderson is asking for trouble.

[BleedingBLue]

I can't believe this thread is still going. Troy Andersen may be the better overall qb, but Rovig by all indications is a better passer. The entire team, especially the offense, is better off with Rovig starting.

The past two years we would have been in some serious trouble if Murray were injured because the entire offense was tooled around him. If we start Andersen at qb then we have the same problem all over again if he gets hurt. Nobody else has the ability to run a one-dimensional offense.

But, if TA starts Saturday, that tells me the coaches have their reasons though.

The only thing that I would see as a possible reason for TA to start over TR is that TR has had another crisis of confidence and has vapour locked! It you sit TR this week, I would almost guarantee he might feel a bit "gutted" and maybe, just maybe vapour lock for the rest of the season...or beyond. Just a thought.

This is exactly what I've been thinking all week. It doesn't matter who the opponent was. When a guy has as solid a game TR had, if you put him back on the bench you are just asking for a loss in confidence. Not something you want in a guy who was said to have been struggling with his confidence over the last year. It would be different if TA wasn't TA and QB was his main position. But as others have said he is way more valuable elsewhere. I will be scratching my head if TA starts on Saturday.

[lutecat]

I saw times last week where I thought TR should've run the ball. He dropped back. Good coverage. Pocket opens up and he could've run untouched for at least 10 yards and a first down. I think seeing that on film will help him run more when he should. TA had alot of times where he kept it and should've let the rb have the ball.

We need a "Troy knows" positions ala Bo knows...ect.

[TomCat88]

I can't believe this thread is still going. Troy Andersen may be the better overall qb, but Rovig by all indications is a better passer. The entire team, especially the offense, is better off with Rovig starting.

The past two years we would have been in some serious trouble if Murray were injured because the entire offense was tooled around him. If we start Andersen at qb then we have the same problem all over again if he gets hurt. Nobody else has the ability to run a one-dimensional offense.

But, if TA starts Saturday, that tells me the coaches have their reasons though.

The only thing that I would see as a possible reason for TA to start over TR is that TR has had another crisis of confidence and has vapour locked! It you sit TR this week, I would almost guarantee he might feel a bit "gutted" and maybe, just maybe vapour lock for the rest of the season...or beyond. Just a thought.

This is exactly what I've been thinking all week. It doesn't matter who the opponent was. When a guy has as solid a game TR had, if you put him back on the bench you are just asking for a loss in confidence. Not something you want in a guy who was said to have been struggling with his confidence over the last year. It would be different if TA wasn't TA and QB was his main position. But as others have said he is way more valuable elsewhere. I will be scratching my head if TA starts on Saturday.

I could see this confidence issue in a high school freshman, but not a college freshman. Speaking of Gordian Knots. If you think he’s this fragile, then you should want someone else at QB. I wouldn’t know, but I highly doubt he’s this feeble of mind. There have been players like this, but ... I would think that if he was going to lose his confidence, it would’ve happened in the first half vs SDSU. Maybe he knew he’d never get yanked in that game, so he had nothing to lose.

One thing I do know for sure is I’d never lobby for someone to be my starting QB if I thought he might be frail of mind.

[tetoncat]

How do we know TA can't push the ball down field. It didn't look like it was in the game plan we had for WIU. most here are comparing his first game to TR second. You need a strong backup so if TA won the competition, got hurt, backup has one poor game and one good game, starter is back, that doesn't win him spot and I think players understand that. IF that is what happens

[DriscollCat]

It seems like we went from appreciating the difficulty of this decision to being certain there is only one answer.

I definitely have an opinion that TR should come out, but there are clearly reasons that TA might be the guy, the main reason being, as Coach said, with TJ on the sidelines, "now you've got Troy and Tucker ... and either one of those guys is one play away from being the only guy". You can't keep TA off the field and that means that you are risking both of them every play if TR is on with him. I think I'd still do it, but it's still quite a conundrum.

We just don't know all of the details - what is Tucker's confidence like? Did he come in knowing he was just relief until TA gets back? Are Bauman and Beltran really definite no-go's (for now)? Is the team too divided under TR? In practice, does TA spin it better (some of you may know the answer to this, I've been to the spring and fall scrimmages and couldn't tell ya)?

As sure as some of us are with our opinion, we just need to practice some humility and remember that whatever decision Coach comes out with tomorrow is better informed than our opinion.

That being said - whatever the decision is, it needs to work. He should know better than us and that cuts both ways - we trust him with the team, and he is responsible for the outcome.

[ilovethecats]

I can't believe this thread is still going. Troy Andersen may be the better overall qb, but Rovig by all indications is a better passer. The entire team, especially the offense, is better off with Rovig starting.

The past two years we would have been in some serious trouble if Murray were injured because the entire offense was tooled around him. If we start Andersen at qb then we have the same problem all over again if he gets hurt. Nobody else has the ability to run a one-dimensional offense.

But, if TA starts Saturday, that tells me the coaches have their reasons though.

The only thing that I would see as a possible reason for TA to start over TR is that TR has had another crisis of confidence and has vapour locked! It you sit TR this week, I would almost guarantee he might feel a bit "gutted" and maybe, just maybe vapour lock for the rest of the season...or beyond. Just a thought.

This is exactly what I've been thinking all week. It doesn't matter who the opponent was. When a guy has as solid a game TR had, if you put him back on the bench you are just asking for a loss in confidence. Not something you want in a guy who was said to have been struggling with his confidence over the last year. It would be different if TA wasn't TA and QB was his main position. But as others have said he is way more valuable elsewhere. I will be scratching my head if TA starts on Saturday.

I could see this confidence issue in a high school freshman, but not a college freshman. Speaking of Gordian Knots. If you think he’s this fragile, then you should want someone else at QB. I wouldn’t know, but I highly doubt he’s this feeble of mind. There have been players like this, but ... I would think that if he was going to lose his confidence, it would’ve happened in the first half vs SDSU. Maybe he knew he’d never get yanked in that game, so he had nothing to lose.

One thing I do know for sure is I’d never lobby for someone to be my starting QB if I thought he might be frail of mind.

Again, so much of this is speculation so it’s tough to venture a guess of his state of mind. There’s been rumors of a lack of confidence. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s huddled up in the corner of the locker room cowering like a baby. Doesn’t mean he’s weak or meable. It could mean a plethora of things. What if he was just lacking a little confidence with the playbook? What if he wasn’t making the right reads and lost a little confidence in that area. Maybe he had to build up the confidence to control the huddle in college with older players opposed to how he controlled it in college?

I guess I’m just saying we hear “lacked confidence” and many of us translate that to a weak player mentally and that doesn’t look like the case. And with every game he gets under his belt that confidence will grow.

Man I can’t wait for tomorrow afternoon!

[Colter_Nuanez]

‪Bobcats, Vikings both remain undecided at QB entering Big Sky opener‬
‪https://skylinesportsmt.com/bobcats-vik ... y-opener/‬

Interesting comments from both sides here. Sounds like neither Choate nor Barnum love having multiple quarterbacks but both talk about the advantages of screwing with defenses if you do have 2.

[DriscollCat]

‪Bobcats, Vikings both remain undecided at QB entering Big Sky opener‬
‪https://skylinesportsmt.com/bobcats-vik ... y-opener/‬

Interesting comments from both sides here. Sounds like neither Choate nor Barnum love having multiple quarterbacks but both talk about the advantages of screwing with defenses if you do have 2.

Link doesn’t seem to be working.

[technoCat]

https://skylinesportsmt.com/bobcats-vik ... ky-opener/

As for the confidence question on Rovig, wasn't he hurt all of spring? I bring this up again because if you aren't feeling right, your confidence can go out the window real quick. And I personally don't feel that it would be that uncommon for a redshirt freshman to have some confidence issues, especially while in a open QB competition with a two year starter as dynamic as Murray. All I can say right now is that, in the games, he's looked like he is confident where to go with the ball. He needs to speed up to match the game a bit on some of them but he looks confident in the decision once he makes it. I thought that was an issue with Chris for his first two years as well.