What do you think is Stephen Morris's ceiling?

[Awsi Dooger]

I can't see it. To look forward I always like to look back. Morris sat behind Jacory Harris. That's got to be a red flag. And the greatest improvement in a college quarterback is typically between the second and third year in the program. Morris has already been there. The arrow from this point will likely flatten out.

Besides, when an NFL team ventures into the red zone, what are they going to expect Morris to do? He's not natural within the pocket or on roll outs. His accuracy is below par for that league and his midrange touch is awful. His anticipation is poor.

Morris is a fine college quarterback, with so much open space. He's extremely dangerous from 40-50 yards out in ANY league, given his arm. He's also more relaxed on plays beginning in the middle of the field. For whatever reason he's tense in the red zone and against higher caliber of opposition.

The Florida game will send his stock in one direction or the other. They are going to be more physical than us all over the field, blowing up plays. If Morris is patient enough and creates more touchdowns than I expect, maybe I'm wrong about him.

At this point I'd estimate 4th or 5th round on merit. But all it takes is one team to get a bug for him earlier.

 

[datdude81]

He can go as far as his mind and will can allow him...its funny he is a 3* recruit was the 3rd or 4th runner up that we wanted in his recruiting and he landed a scholly and the rest is history

 

[TheMatador]

I think at best a 3rd rounder. The amount of balls that should be picked off is a ton. He does not have good vision or decision making. Accuracy can get better with practice but decision making rarely does. It's something you are born with.

Now, that's got to be one of the most ignorant statements I have seen in quite some time. "The amount of balls that should be picked off is a ton." What's the basis for saying that? How many passes did he throw last year? 421. How many did he have picked off? 7. Freakin 7!

Is 7 a ton? Out of 421 thrown? That's one pick every sixty throws?

Now, Jacory Harris was known for throwing interceptions. In his best year, 2008, he threw 7, but that was out of 194 throws!

In what I guess was his best year, 2011, Jacory was picked 9 times, but that was out of only 300 throws.

By contrast, Morris has never thrown for double-digit interceptions, but Harris did. Morris' worst year was his worst, when he threw 9 interceptions, but he was green and has improved greatly.

For Morris to throw a "ton" of interceptions, he would have to regress significantly. What makes you think that is likely?

Last year, I understand that Golden asked Fisch to open up the offense and score more, because the defense was weak and he felt that the only way to win was to score as much as possible. Suppose they play better defense in '13, and Morris can rely more on Duke's running and a lower risk passing attack?

I cannot understand your statement, because it is not based on anything he did last year, and suggests you really don't know what you're talking about.

Here's his stats, according to ESPN:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/player/_/id/501142/stephen-morris

 

[TheMatador]

Slow. Like the Mummy out there (the old skool, Karloff mummy). Easy to sack (goes down like marvis Frazier a lot)

He only got sacked 17 times in 421 attempts. For comparison, AJ McCarron was sacked 22 times in 314 attempts.

what exactly does "attempts" mean here? plays that they were pressured, passing plays, or what?

just curious, i think it can make a big difference in the validity of the stat

That's pass attempts. There are probably better ways to phrase that. After all, a sack wouldn't really count as a pass attempt. Dropback would be the proper measure if we had access to that stat.

But the point is that Morris threw the ball a lot more than McCarron and was still sacked less.

You should add the sacks, and any rushing attempts (he rarely ran as a designed play, but scrambled for positive yardage) and then you get the truer number of dropbacks to pass. It would probably be over 450. That's a very good percentage of sacks, and what's even more impressive is his small number of interceptions.

Actually, I checked Morris' rushing attempts for 2012, and I see 51, which includes both positive plays and lost yardage, so I assume they include sacks in the rushing attempts. That's 51 on top of 421, so it's 472 times he probably dropped back to pass. I'm assuming there were very few designed runs for Morris, although there might have been a few. I don't think that's a lot of sacks for almost 500 designed passing attempts.

I've already addressed the interceptions. He didn't throw for as high a completion percentage as McCarron, and didn't throw as few interceptions, but who had a better surrounding cast?

 

[TheMatador]

If he shows up in the UiF and FSU games this year, and displays the ability to consistently hit the 15 yard out and hit guys on the slant in stride, there is no limit to what he could do. No one had Ryan Nassib as a high rounder until this season.

People here just love to dog Morris for whatever reason...110 schools would GLADLY trade us their QB for him.

Miami fans dog everything and everybody. I've never seen anything like Miami fans. Biggest bunch of spoiled brats in the history of the world. They think they have a God-given right to the best of everything, including a yearly national championship.

 

[TheMatador]

Slow. Like the Mummy out there (the old skool, Karloff mummy). Easy to sack (goes down like marvis Frazier a lot)

He only got sacked 17 times in 421 attempts. For comparison, AJ McCarron was sacked 22 times in 314 attempts.

what exactly does "attempts" mean here? plays that they were pressured, passing plays, or what?

just curious, i think it can make a big difference in the validity of the stat

That's pass attempts. There are probably better ways to phrase that. After all, a sack wouldn't really count as a pass attempt. Dropback would be the proper measure if we had access to that stat.

But the point is that Morris threw the ball a lot more than McCarron and was still sacked less.

You should add the sacks, and any rushing attempts (he rarely ran as a designed play, but scrambled for positive yardage) and then you get the truer number of dropbacks to pass. It would probably be over 450. That's a very good percentage of sacks, and what's even more impressive is his small number of interceptions.

Actually, I checked Morris' rushing attempts for 2012, and I see 51, which includes both positive plays and lost yardage, so I assume they include sacks in the rushing attempts. That's 51 on top of 421, so it's 472 times he probably dropped back to pass. I'm assuming there were very few designed runs for Morris, although there might have been a few. I don't think that's a lot of sacks for almost 500 designed passing attempts.

I've already addressed the interceptions. He didn't throw for as high a completion percentage as McCarron, and didn't throw as few interceptions, but who had a better surrounding cast?

Check Coley's interview on QAM in another thread and how he assesses Morris, including accuracy. Check his comparison to E.J. Manual. I don't think Coley would agree with the negative post about throwing a "ton of interceptions."

 

[Larry]

Too much can happen between now and next year's draft. At this time of the year, there are always guys that you never hear from again as top prospects once the pads go on and there are guys that come out of nowhere to be drafted at the top of round one.

He's got a giant arm and will look good during the pre-draft process. But he's got a lot to work on. If they looked at his junior tape, they'd tear it apart. With that said, the Manning Passing Academy will be good for him when it comes to getting on the chalk board and soaking up what the Manning's spit out. I wouldn't take too much from the results of the camp though and the buzz that comes from it...Matt Barkley and Tyler Bray were heralded during last year's and players like Matt Simms and Taylor Potts have been big hits at the MPA.

 

[gongorad]

Gruden on ESPN is trying to make chicken salad with chicken **** right now on these qb specials/interviews. Morris can be a 1st rounder with another big season...

 

[Jassid82]

Morris made some NFL type throws today. I'm not gonna count him out if he has another big year. **** look at geno smith! If he can be a top 10-15 pick why can't Morris be a early-mid 2nd rounder maybe late first? Not THAT much of a difference between the two if u ask me.

 

[Cash]

**** I have stayed away from this thread for a while just to see what idiots would jump on here. Morris is a **** good QB. Is he perfect, **** no but he's making huge strides with his reads and is progressing into that elite level. He made some reads yesterday that you're supposed to make but about 99% of D1 QB's don't make. His ball placement was for the most part VERY good. Some folks on here need to go back to playing PS3. You have no f'ing clue what you're talking about.

 

[Canesfan1899]

**** I have stayed away from this thread for a while just to see what idiots would jump on here. Morris is a **** good QB. Is he perfect, **** no but he's making huge strides with his reads and is progressing into that elite level. He made some reads yesterday that you're supposed to make but about 99% of D1 QB's don't make. His ball placement was for the most part VERY good. Some folks on here need to go back to playing PS3. You have no f'ing clue what you're talking about.

Agree with all this, and he's probably got one of the strongest arms of any QB's coming out. As he continues to develop the mental side of things his potential is through the rough. And he's coming from a pro-style offense with a lot of experience under center which will put him ahead of a lot of kids that played exclusively in the spread.

 

[rudebuddha]

If he shows up in the UiF and FSU games this year, and displays the ability to consistently hit the 15 yard out and hit guys on the slant in stride, there is no limit to what he could do. No one had Ryan Nassib as a high rounder until this season.

People here just love to dog Morris for whatever reason...110 schools would GLADLY trade us their QB for him.

Miami fans dog everything and everybody. I've never seen anything like Miami fans. Biggest bunch of spoiled brats in the history of the world. They think they have a God-given right to the best of everything, including a yearly national championship.

It's a Cane Thing. Even We don't understand it.

 

[Stingarov]

I can't see it. To look forward I always like to look back. Morris sat behind Jacory Harris. That's got to be a red flag. And the greatest improvement in a college quarterback is typically between the second and third year in the program. Morris has already been there. The arrow from this point will likely flatten out.

LOL. Stopped reading at "I can't see it."

 

[Canesfan1899]

I can't see it. To look forward I always like to look back. Morris sat behind Jacory Harris. That's got to be a red flag. And the greatest improvement in a college quarterback is typically between the second and third year in the program. Morris has already been there. The arrow from this point will likely flatten out.

LOL. Stopped reading at "I can't see it."

Yeah dude doesn't get QB's.

 

[DMoney]

I can't see it. To look forward I always like to look back. Morris sat behind Jacory Harris. That's got to be a red flag. And the greatest improvement in a college quarterback is typically between the second and third year in the program. Morris has already been there. The arrow from this point will likely flatten out.

LOL. Stopped reading at "I can't see it."

Yeah dude doesn't get QB's.

Awsi Dooger is one of the most knowledgeable guys on here. Always enjoy his perspective, whether or not I agree with it.

BTW- he slightly amended his take on Morris after seeing his performance yesterday.

 

[Cash]

DMoney maybe I'm mistaken but isn't Awsi the guy who started that USC thread a few months ago & basically admitted he was a USC fan? I believe someone mentioned USC because MT was visiting. I personally don't care if he is beyond the fact I think Kiffin is a horrible coach & a liar but I was very suspicious of his comments. Maybe I'm mistaken & if I am then I apologize.

 

[Cans4life]

I could see him making a Carson Palmer type of jump in his Senior year.

 

[DMoney]

DMoney maybe I'm mistaken but isn't Awsi the guy who started that USC thread a few months ago & basically admitted he was a USC fan? I believe someone mentioned USC because MT was visiting. I personally don't care if he is beyond the fact I think Kiffin is a horrible coach & a liar but I was very suspicious of his comments. Maybe I'm mistaken & if I am then I apologize.

Same guy. I believe he's also a Vegas sharp of some kind. Very knowledgeable in all sports. He had a ton of old Miami games on YouTube from 1983 on, so I don't think there's any doubt he's a Canes fan.

 

[UMFarArcher]

I can't see it. To look forward I always like to look back. Morris sat behind Jacory Harris. That's got to be a red flag. And the greatest improvement in a college quarterback is typically between the second and third year in the program. Morris has already been there. The arrow from this point will likely flatten out.

Besides, when an NFL team ventures into the red zone, what are they going to expect Morris to do? He's not natural within the pocket or on roll outs. His accuracy is below par for that league and his midrange touch is awful. His anticipation is poor.

Morris is a fine college quarterback, with so much open space. He's extremely dangerous from 40-50 yards out in ANY league, given his arm. He's also more relaxed on plays beginning in the middle of the field. For whatever reason he's tense in the red zone and against higher caliber of opposition.

The Florida game will send his stock in one direction or the other. They are going to be more physical than us all over the field, blowing up plays. If Morris is patient enough and creates more touchdowns than I expect, maybe I'm wrong about him.

At this point I'd estimate 4th or 5th round on merit. But all it takes is one team to get a bug for him earlier.

Your "red flag" was because Morris sat behind Harris?

I'd suggest you dig a bit deeper into the reasoning behind that. It wasn't based entirely on talent and capability. Being the analyst and discerning gentleman you seem to be, you can figure it out. And when you do, it's entirely possible that this no longer becomes the red flag you currently see flying.

 

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

Pro scouts will nut themselves over his arm and his athleticism. He's mobile enough to roll the pocket and he can make every throw on the football field, which makes him dynamic. He's got some size at 6'2, 215ish which helps him. He does not have great pocket awareness or anticipation. He makes a lot of throws he shouldn't just because he can bullet a pass into a window (ala Jay Cutler). I would like to sit in on one of those X's and O's meetings to see how he grasps offensive concepts.

My completely irrelevent, unprofessional scouting report:
Ht: 6'2, Wt: 215 (per Miami website lol)
Record of 9-7 as a starter
4,868 yards, 28 Td, 18 Int , 57.8% completion
Size: B
Arm Strength: A+
Accuracy: B-
Anticipation: C
Pocket presence: C
Touch: C-
Decision making: C
Athleticism: C+
Consistency: B-

If I were a GM, 3 or 4th round unless he just ****es all over the ACC this year and leads us to a BCS game.

You need a job brah?