Making the CFB Playoff With an Inexperienced QB?

[FishDuck Article]

Recently, we looked at quarterbacks returning who had good starting experience, and what the prospects were for their teams in this article right here. It makes sense to look at the other national programs, and note who has some experience to lead their team or very little. Even Mr. FishDuck took a short break from his fun at PinUp-Casino to ...

Making the CFB Playoff With an Inexperienced QB? | FishDuck

FISHDUCK.COM

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Recently, we looked at quarterbacks returning who had good starting experience, and what the prospects were for their teams in this article...

[30Duck]

Allar is returning at Penn State, but with the weapons at PSU, just Sayin at osu2 and Moore at Oregon look to have a lot more weapons to get the ball to. Down in the SEC, this is the most pressure Alabama has had since before Saban got there. Roll Tide isn't in the Way Too Early Top 5's, maybe not even Top10's, and they're looking for revenge against Oklahoma & Vandy? The rematch between Texas & Georgia? Another in the line of tough games for the Dawgs & the toughest test for the Longhorns. 

 

The schedule won't be too much again in 2025, but what will Indiana do with a new QB, and that other team from Indiana will have a new QB too.

[Jon Joseph]

 

Thanks again, Mr. Editor! Without you I'd be fisching without a line.

[mikethehiker]

Inexperienced QBs benefit from a lot of on-field leadership around them and we lost a ton of leadership from last season.  For those reasons, I have tempered expectations for the 2025 season with hopes of making the playoff.

 

This is not a championship or bust season, but I'm actually looking forward to it.  This is our first real chance to see all Lanning's high school recruits (I include Donte Moore here - he originally committed to Oregon) lead this team.  We'll finally get to see what all this 4 and 5 star talent can do and how well our coaches can develop that talent.

 

Getting at least one playoff win would be a tremendous step forward in 2025 for a younger Duck team learning to gel.

[Charles Fischer]

Fantastic research as usual Jon, and I love the wordplay.  I also suspect that just as Oregon fans have no idea how good Moore is, neither does anyone else.  Thus not as much love as usual, but you would think if we did NOT take a portal QB...it says a ton about the confidence the coaching staff has Dante Moore.

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

 

2025 QB Battles to Keep an Eye On -

 

 

Predicting who will win the biggest quarterback battles in college football for 2025

SATURDAYBLITZ.COM

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As we look ahead to the 2025 college football season, several powerhouse programs find themselves at a crossroads, with many facing uncertainty at the quarterb

[Nevada Dawg]

Nice article Jon.  A couple of comments:

 

Watch out for Sayin at OSU. The guy is extremely accurate flinging the football and, if anything, may be better than Will Howard (experience be damned) at hitting those talented receivers at OSU. A lot will ride on the skills of the OC at designing an offense that plays to his strengths however.

 

I don't like the metric of rating teams based on returning production. To use the Georgia Bulldawgs , for example, they lose a bunch on offense including Carson Beck and four offensive linemen. But even with an inexperienced Gunnar Stockton, they replaced the pass-dropping WR corps with upgrades from the transfer portal and incoming freshmen that are very talented. I expect the offense to be more productive than they were this last year and the defense to be...well a Georgia defense. 

 

Bama will find a way to be very competitive with the talent in the QB room. They always do.

 

Boy do I have my fingers crossed for the rapid development of Dante Moore. Being THE GUY in Spring and Summer camps gives us reason for hope. Go Ducks!!

 

 

[Notalot]

Where the 2025 Ducks peak depends on the QB play in my mind. Ball security, execution under pressure, and pocket presence coupled with leadership will determine the outcomes and record.

 

I have confidence in the other position groups and the skills of the individual players.

[30Duck]

On 3/7/2025 at 10:31 PM, Nevada Dawg said:

 

I don't like the metric of rating teams based on returning production. To use the Georgia Bulldawgs , for example,

Or, what if we use Purdue as an example? It wouldn't look good This metric doesn't have any room for improvement, and even if Purdue returns all the starters, it's not a reach to believe they'd be better next season.

 

On 3/7/2025 at 10:31 PM, Nevada Dawg said:

Watch out for Sayin at OSU. The guy is extremely accurate flinging the football and, if anything, may be better than Will Howard (experience be damned)

What I'm thinking too, Sayin's athleticism might have had him getting to the ground a split-second faster than Howard.

[Jon Joseph]

 

ND and 30: I agree that returning production alone means very little. I like to break the numbers down by position.

 

Julian Sayin has three quality WRs returning to TOSU. And TOSU also added a TE who was very productive at Purdue. TOSU has to replace two starters at offensive tackle but has the center and guard position well covered. The RB position will likely see a fall off, but the RB from West Virginia from the portal will help Ohio State at RB.

 

Texas lost all of its top receivers, and the Longhorns have to replace four starters on the O-line. Texas has two top RBs returning. 

 

When evaluating returning production and potential replacements, this is the kind of detail I prefer.

 

 

How Ohio State’s 2025 Roster Stacks Up at Every Position Following NFL Draft, Transfer Portal Deadlines

WWW.ELEVENWARRIORS.COM

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With the deadlines to enter the NFL draft and the transfer portal now passed, we take a look at what Ohio State’s 2025 roster will look like entering the spring.

 

On the O-side of the ball, I like what Julian Sayin has returning compared to what Archie Manning has returning. And their first round matchup should be very interesting. 

 

Also, when looking at returning production, it's important to see how a program has recruited recently.  You know that UGA has many Blue Chip recruits ready to step up. UGA and Ohio State have a history of successfully reloading. Texas in the SEC? The Longhorns' in-conference schedule in the SEC is one of the easiest, but Texas is on the road at Florida and Georgia, and A&M and Oklahoma, or any SEC team, can bite you, especially on the road, including Kentucky, and old rival Arkansas will battle in Austin.

 

I am a schedule maven. UGA has warm up games at home vs. Marshall and Austin Peay before playing Tennessee in Knoxville. 

 

Oregon has a lot to replace, but the Ducks will have a significant roster advantage in the first four games, Montana State, Oklahoma State, at Northwestern, and Oregon State before traveling to Penn State.

 

The preseason polls love Texas, but there are as many as four games on the schedule that Texas could lose, including the game at Ohio State.

 

Is it August 30 yet?

 

[Charles Fischer]

On 3/8/2025 at 10:34 AM, Jon Joseph said:

I am a schedule maven.

 

[Nevada Dawg]

On 3/8/2025 at 10:34 AM, Jon Joseph said:

he preseason polls love Texas, but there are as many as four games on the schedule that Texas could lose, including the game at Ohio State.

 

Is it August 30 yet?

 

I couldn't agree more. I think the love of Texas stems in large part from the feeling (completely unfounded in my opinion) that Arch Manning will step up and play like a Heisman contender from day 1. I wonder who he will be throwing he ball to or handing off to for that matter. Texas does have talented dudes, but as of yet unproven ones. If the pre-season over/under for wins on the Horns is 10.5, I will be tempted to bet the under.