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Stephen Morris - The Regression

His numbers were inflated last year from the free plays that went for long TDs to Scott and Waters. The guy can make all the throws, but i think we're seeing the effects of 3 OCs in 4 years. He just doesn't seem comfy back there, and he doesn't look to run like he did as a freshman. Too much **** and balls; not enough brains.
 
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I think that's been his MO all along. Even last year in his good games, he went through periods of very inconsistent play. Against NC State, he was terrible for the 2nd quarter and almost the entire 3rd quarter, but was great in the 1st and 4th quarters. When he's really good, he sometimes makes you forget about how off he can be when things aren't going well. It can be frustrating watching him miss on the easy throws that keep drives alive. Until this year, I didn't think he make some of the terrible throws that guys like KW and Jacory made, but this season, when he's not on, not only is he inaccurate, but he's making the big mistake.

I think like a lot of people, I figured that with his hot finish to the year, a full spring practice, the rave reports from the Manning Camp, going his senior year, with the weapons around him, he would leave some of that inconsistency behind. Unfortunately, that's not been the case, and the ankle has clearly caused him to be even more inconsistent with his mechanics. Hopefully Coley is able, either through play-calling or on helping him improve his mechanics, to get more consistency from Morris. Unfortunately, I think we'll probably see much of the same - some periods of excellent performance and some periods of maddening inconsistency.

Jedi Master Cane said:
He's consistently inconsistent. Period.

Chucking a ball into heavy traffic when you've already cleared the tackle box and can easily throw the ball away has ZERO to do with his ankle.
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Its not Fisch or Coley. He's had 2 different OCs and yet he's got the same exact tendencies and problems. His inconsistency is maddening cause he makes the throws for 1 quarter and then seemingly goes into a shell unable to move the ball down the field with any consistency. His recent turnover problem I believe is partly his ankle physically limiting him and partly his brain thinking he can force it into coverage. Combine those two and you get lots of turnovers. Bottom line though, Morris has never moved the ball consistently down the field for more than 1 1/2 quarters in a game. The problem now is that he's not moving the ball and turning it over.
 
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OBLIVION said:
SteMo failures have nothing to do with who his OC is, or isn't. Nor does it have anything to do with some bogus *** injury.

Putting it in laymen terms. SteMo isn't that good.
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thank you for explaining why last year he threw interceptions at a much lower rate
 
we have allowed only 5 sacks all year I think one was on Williams....so the oline has done its job...

I really feel that if SM struggles in this game he will go down or hobble off is out and does not play the FSU game... OR he balls out and makes us all FOOLS..
I hope and pray for the latter....
 
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CANE said:
He's trying to make the big play all the time. Find the check downs or throw it away.
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This. Trying too hard to impress NFL scouts. I have seen countless guys open underneath only for Stephen to chuck it deep into double coverage ala Jacory.

His footwork has been awful as well. Too may bail out throws in the face of pressure which is why the ball sails on him.

Saw a stat on his third down production. 38% with 6 INTs after completing 58% last year with only one INT. I think most of his bail out throws have come on 3rd down when teams send the house. They will continue to do so until he shows he can make the right reads and stand in and complete the balls to our guys and not theirs.
 
Morris was clutch on that last drive. I think the game was a fluke. I mean other than last Thursday he had 4 picks this year about half way through the season. That would put him on pace for same as last year. The game was an outlier and he won't have a game like that again
 
Cane44 said:
imo, he's turned into a robot QB. He use to be kind of a ball'er, getting first downs with his feet if need be (he's a decent athlete with speed)... Now, he wont extend any play with his legs, to either buy some more passing time to other WR's, or to take off. He throws to whatever the play was called, whether there is triple coverage or just launches it out of bounds. I think he's fallen into a conservative/overthinking hole, instead of hanging loose and just balling out.
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this, he throws to whatever receiver the play calls for, even if said receiver has 5 guys draped around him, I have completely lost confidence in him and would rather see Ryan in there because he actually manages the game and the play, he uses his brain and does not depend on his big gun because he don't have one. Neither did KD, nor Gino, **** nobody had a big arm except Jimbo
 
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Texxcane said:
Cane44 said:
imo, he's turned into a robot QB. He use to be kind of a ball'er, getting first downs with his feet if need be (he's a decent athlete with speed)... Now, he wont extend any play with his legs, to either buy some more passing time to other WR's, or to take off. He throws to whatever the play was called, whether there is triple coverage or just launches it out of bounds. I think he's fallen into a conservative/overthinking hole, instead of hanging loose and just balling out.
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this, he throws to whatever receiver the play calls for, even if said receiver has 5 guys draped around him, I have completely lost confidence in him and would rather see Ryan in there because he actually manages the game and the play, he uses his brain and does not depend on his big gun because he don't have one. Neither did KD, nor Gino, **** nobody had a big arm except Jimbo
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T thought Vinny had a big arm as well.
 
Texxcane said:
Cane44 said:
imo, he's turned into a robot QB. He use to be kind of a ball'er, getting first downs with his feet if need be (he's a decent athlete with speed)... Now, he wont extend any play with his legs, to either buy some more passing time to other WR's, or to take off. He throws to whatever the play was called, whether there is triple coverage or just launches it out of bounds. I think he's fallen into a conservative/overthinking hole, instead of hanging loose and just balling out.
Click to expand...

this, he throws to whatever receiver the play calls for, even if said receiver has 5 guys draped around him, I have completely lost confidence in him and would rather see Ryan in there because he actually manages the game and the play, he uses his brain and does not depend on his big gun because he don't have one. Neither did KD, nor Gino, **** nobody had a big arm except Jimbo
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What have you seen from Ryan that makes you think he can manage a game better than Stephen? His two drives against usf and savannah state?

Everyone relax there's a rreasonnfl scouts have noticed Morris. He just had a bad game
 
LuCane said:
Fisch is an interesting answer. I think he had something to do with Morris' (and Harris') results in that he protected them through play calling. However, Morris is a senior QB who has a ton of starts. Coley really can't afford to protect him and I wouldn't expect him to do so. If we have to for FSU and VTech, no bueno.
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this...there's a reason why he's now an NFL OC
 
OBLIVION said:
SteMo failures have nothing to do with who his OC is, or isn't. Nor does it have anything to do with some bogus *** injury.

Putting it in laymen terms. SteMo isn't that good.
Click to expand...

I disagree. I think Fisch is just that good. Coley may also be good, but there has to be an adjustment time to a new coordinator. It sucks that we can't seem to have any continuity with the OC's. I think that would help a lot.
 
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NateDogg said:
LuCane said:
Fisch is an interesting answer. I think he had something to do with Morris' (and Harris') results in that he protected them through play calling. However, Morris is a senior QB who has a ton of starts. Coley really can't afford to protect him and I wouldn't expect him to do so. If we have to for FSU and VTech, no bueno.
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this...there's a reason why he's now an NFL OC
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Not too sure if being a NFL/OC for Jacksonville is resume enhancer.
 
1) I agree in the grand scheme of things S. Morris isn't an elite QB. he can get hot for stretches of his career, he will get cold for stretches of his career. Let's hope he gets hot for the next 4 weeks.

2) Ankle injury is throwing off his mechanic which were one of his weakness' to begin with.

3) Ego, His reaction to the Coley drops in the FAU game set the tone for the season. He doesn't seem to be in control of his emotions as he was last year. And it's causing him to try to do too much. He's one multi pick game from going full on Jacory.

4) Johnny Manziel, is S.Morris trying to be like Johnny? make all the plays, get all the credit for throwing up lucky prays into double and triple coverage after running out of the pocket?
 
If you've ever had a deep bone bruise you know it takes seemingly forever to heal, and changes your courage to take a hit on it. Easy to do the armchair dismissal of it, but its way more nasty than just stings the nostrils.

Take the facets of his play (tends to be erratic, stares, but hangs in the pocket under heat) & couple that with a stance that is bone deep tender all together in a game, and you get the UNC Morris version. Healthy you get the 600 yard pistol version.
 
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I keep telling people that Morris has always struggled with intermediate throws but has always been forgiven because he has an elite deep ball. Defensive coordinators have realized that Morris struggles with touch passes as he tends to throw relatively high. Also his judgment is way off once you get him to roll out because it is a high percent chance of an incompletion/interception. What Coley needs to do is get Morris more acquainted with throwing to his tight ends, preferably Clive Walford, ****, get Sandland involved. This will cause defenses to be more honest with their coverage in the middle of the field where Morris tends to struggle.
 
I doubt this has anything to do with the OC as Morris has always been inconsistent. Last year when he was at his best (GT, NC State) there were still quarters and long stretches in those game where he didn't look good.

The only thing regression we are seeing is with the int's and that's probably due to him believing all the hype and just forcing things. Even with the int's though, last year may have actually been a fluke. He had a TD/INT ratio of 7/11 going into last year.
 
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