FSUFever gave us an exciting account of what could happen come the first of September. However, I have to take a different route as to what could happen during our opening game against Nevada. You see the problem I have is that I do not think our coach is going to play the quarterback that gives us the best chance to win games this season. I know many of you are avid Brandstater supporters and that makes complete sense since he is looked at as the next great Fresno State quarterback. Unfortunately I view Brandstater as another Pinegar. Before everyone decides to jump on my case for making this statement hear me out. First off Pinegar had great stats, I will not argue with that. Pinegar won numerous games in his career for the Dogs, I will give him that. Pinegar had a better winning percentage at state than most who come through here, I will even give him that. What Pinegar did not do is win games that would have put us over the top. What Pinegar did not do is take charge of the team when we needed him to do so. He helped us beat Virginia in the MPC bowl. Outside of that game can you think of another game that Pinegar came through with the game on the line? That is how I believe Brandstater will be for State. I believe he has the chance to be a good quarterback. On the other side of it he is not mobile. His short passing game is suspect at best. he hesitates to throw the ball when he shouldn't. He has an amazing offensive line that gives him nearly five seconds a play to throw, yet he still looks lost in the pocket. I just don't see him winning the games when we need him to make a big play. This leads me to Sean Norton.
Sean Norton has mobility. How many times have we as Bulldog fans watched a game with a quarterback such as Bradlee Van Pelt (from Colorado State) and wondered what it would be like to have a quarterback that could not only throw (Van Pelt could not throw for Colorado State) but could also run? Envision for a minute two defensive lineman breaking through the line and Norton manuevering out of the pressure to hit a wide open receiver ten yeards down field. In the scrimmage Norton had absolutely no protection yet he completed eight of eleven passes for one hundred yards and one touchdown. He threw one interception (and it was a bad one) but overall he out-performed Brandstater. The only question left is will Pat Hill do the same thing that he always does? Will he hold on to a quarterback and let him have free reign regardless of how bad he performs in the clutch? I don't know about you Bulldog fans but I am tired of seeing this team play their asses off only to have a quarterback throw all of their efforts away by making four ill advised passes a game. I believe Norton will be the one who makes the throws that count. If people want to point to height remember Ryan Dinwiddie. He stood 5'11 and is one of the most accomplished passers in NCAA history. Norton can do the very same for us, he just needs a shot in the end. As my boy MDG said yesterday "Fresno State is the nation's underdog this season. What could possibly be better than to go out and shock the world with an undersized parade all american quarterback?"
The answer: well quite honestly nothing.
1 comment:
Norton is a leader and a winner. I saw virtually all of his high school games from JV through varsity. You could tell when he went out on the field that he was in charge -- nothing loud -- he just exuded leadership and the other kids followed.
He also has that extra "sense" in the pocket of when to move and when to stand pat. In high school, while he got sacked now and then, he rarely got really smacked and usually was dragged since he got moving before the defenders could get a real line on him.
Yeah he's on the short side but that's easily overcome by structuring the play-calling around his strengths including his mobility and reading ability.
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