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July 28, 2009

The Two QB System
By: Brian Abbe

  Besides the obvious opening of the brand new TCF Stadium on September 12, the biggest question on the minds of the Gopher faithful will be the QB situation. After watching MarQueis Gray put on a show at the Spring game, fans are anxious to see what the multi-faceted QB can do for the Gopher offense this fall. Some compare the situation to Ohio State last year with Terrelle Pryor and Todd Boeckman, which may or may not be warranted.

Most consider Gray to be the QB of the future. His athleticism adds another dynamic to the offense, which often lacked another option besides Eric Decker last fall. This is not to say that Adam Weber is a statue, but Gray appears to be more of a dual threat. Without question, Gray could immediately help the running game and potentially open up coverage downfield by forcing teams to spy him. However, given that he has yet to take a collegiate snap, it is a bit premature to anoint him as the clear cut starter on that premise alone. He is clearly not at Terrelle Pryor’s level, but the Gopher faithful are hoping he can supply something close to what Juice Williams has done for Illinois.

At the same time, Weber has never known the bench at any significant level of competition. He was a four year starter at Moundsview High School, just a short 15 minute drive north of the U of M campus. As a two year starter for the Maroon and Gold, he has proven to be a competent and effective performer at the very least. Some NFL scouts have claimed that he has the arm strength and athleticism to secure a roster spot on Sundays, whether it is as a undrafted free agent or a late round draft pick. To simply put a QB of that caliber with proven past performance on the bench is a difficult choice.

Ultimately, the Minnesota coaching will be scrutinized regardless of the moves they make with this duo. Perhaps the best approach should be to play the matchups. Some teams tend to struggle against a more athletic and mobile QB, and using Gray more at those times to exploit that weakness that would be ideal. By the same token, however, displacing Weber too much could disrupt the offense, so Tim Brewster and the staff would be well advised to keep him as the starter with a reasonable leash.