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QB Justin Zwick (B1G Champion, National Champion)

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DC, I hope you are right but I have a nagging feeling that the reason why he was shut down is because there was no running game to support him. Smith gave this offense a new dimension. Don't forget he was the leading rusher in the UM game.

Zwick has not impressed other than in that half. His throws have not been great. He has been wooden. Perhaps that was because he was instructed to play that way and stay in the pocket, but I have deep doubts about his ability and confidence. Justin Time has been anything but.

Let's hope that Zwick does really blow our socks off. But, he's gonna have to be more mobile to do that. He's got some things in his favor. The O-line jelled and the D got it back together against UM. So, there is hope.
 
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DC - I'll take it one step further. I think a fully healthy Zwick will not be as bad as he was in NCState, Wisconsin or Iowa. He did take some big hits at NC State and was never the same during and after that game. But this is the big opportunity Zwick needs.

A few good things to look for.

#1 - The offensive line has improved along with an emergence of a FB and freshman RB. While they are still not up to OSU standards, they are better.

#2 - Some say the best growth for a QB is to play and then sit. Since they have played they now watch the game at a different level. Or think of it this way, the first half of the year was all of the garbage time he has missed from the previous year. Hopefully with the time sitting, things are opening up on what to do, where to throw, and how to do it.

#3 - Ginn has improved. In the early games Ginn was not finishing off his routes right. Hopefully the emergence of Ginn the WR had less to do with Troy playing high school with him being able to makeup for misroutes.

#4 - Tony Gonzalez has come on the scene as the #3 WR. He somehow gets open deep, and I feel Zwick still throws the deep ball better.


Hopefully this all allows Zwick to have his best game of the year and to bring him back into fan favor. Because Zwick has to realize, this game is not just about getting him a leg up on Smith for spring. But also to keep himself ahead of Boeckman on the depth chart for Spring.
 
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I'm pretty optimistic as well, and agree with a lot of what you guys have said. You don't get the accolades that Zwick got, and then get snapped up by a program like Ohio State, if you aren't any good. He's got plenty of talent, I think he just got more pressure (due to O-line problems) than a green QB could handle.

Someone mentioned that sitting a starting QB can be most beneficial- definately; going into this year, he was the man, and then he got replaced. He's had half a year to get healthy, watch the team, and practice. You've got to think that JZ's looking to redeem himself. Obviously, he's looking to play well for the team, but I think that it's got to be personal as well.

Look for a much-improved Zwick in San Antonio, behind a much improved O-line.
 
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This is two reasons why Troy Smith fucked his team

#1 They game planned for the spread offense and Now they have like 2-3 practices to get ZWick and the standard offense ready.

#2 We looked awesome in the spread offense and our players were getting used to it. Now they have to go back to the old offense with a QB that hasn't played in 5 games

Things to hang our hats on

We have the best overall special teams in the country

Our O-line has improved

Our young receivers have improved

The defense has improved


We can win but Zwick needs to play flawless.
 
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I'd imagine that Santonio is smiling deep down right now because Zwick hooked up with him a lot early on this season.

I think that you will see a very different Justin Zwick. A Zwick who has seen the dark side, and a guy who is playing to get his job back. Some times a player will become comfortable with their position and not play as well as they could simply because they know that their job is not in jeopardy. I think that this was the situation with Zwick earlier this season. Justin is a kid that builds off of his self confidence, if he is confident, he will play lights out. I think that Zwick will play very well in the Alamo bowl, just call it a hunch. I'd even be willing to put down the rest of my minimal V-Cash to back it up. Here are a few reasons why.

1) He has had a nagging set of injuries from early this season which have healed

2) The offensive line has improved dramatically

3) We have had a 2nd and 3rd receiver emerge

4) He has gone from the golden boy to the goat. A guy who is used to being at the top does not stay down long. This is his shot. It could be his last shot, and he knows that he has to make the most of it.
 
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Has the O line improved dramatically?

The fact that Smith had 145 yards rushing in the UM game tells me that there were some serious breakdowns where Smith made something out of nothing. I can remember two or three called QB draws, the rest were breakdowns.
 
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I just hope he is able to throw a spiral in the game, and his throws be on target. I really liked watching Zwick at the beginning of the year, but then all of sudden he was not able to throw the ball very well. I hope it had something to do with his shoulder and now he will be able to show what he is capable of.
 
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About Zwick's throwing sprials... He got the piss knowcked out of him in those 6 games. Part of it was lack of protection, part was him just not feeling the pressure. I'm guessing that has a lot to do with it (sweaty palms against cinci notwithstanding... :) )

Bottom line for me is, I'm not sure which QB is better... or better for the team. All I know is that JZ will be our man one week from today, and I'll be behind him 100%--just as I was with Troy, and Justin before that, and Craig/Scott, and Belli... OK, maybe that's taking things a bit too far :wink:
 
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brutus2002 said:
#1 They game planned for the spread offense and Now they have like 2-3 practices to get ZWick and the standard offense ready.
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I disagree with this... I think Zwick is much more comfortable and confident in the spread.. remember his offense in high school was based out of the shotgun, right?

Is he as good a fit as Troy was (and is), no... does this mean we have to abandon the offense we saw towards the end of the season and run Ross up the left gaurd's ass... Hell no.. Zwick will be fine.
 
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I think its a huge advantage for Zwick to have this game in a dome...he didn't seem to deal well with weather...as long as he holds onto the ball, he should just throw it nice and deep and let our WRs outrun coverage...one of Zwick's big problems was that he was underthrowing or throwing the ball too low, lets hope he gets this corrected
 
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ntd said:
I think its a huge advantage for Zwick to have this game in a dome...he didn't seem to deal well with weather...as long as he holds onto the ball, he should just throw it nice and deep and let our WRs outrun coverage...one of Zwick's big problems was that he was underthrowing or throwing the ball too low, lets hope he gets this corrected
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Or way to high. Don't you remember the Wisky game when he had all them balls sail over the recievers heads. I really hope that he has his confidence back and can shine in this game.
 
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brutus2002 said:
#1 They game planned for the spread offense and Now they have like 2-3 practices to get ZWick and the standard offense ready.
Click to expand...
Actually Zwick saw plenty of shotgun formations when he played earlier in the year. Plus he was always known as the better passer, so you would assume a spread formation would be heaven for him.

Now the only drawback is the option packages and straight QB draws we saw against Purdue & Michigan will have to be scaled back. But I do hope they keep Ginn in that back slot position and work some plays that Zwick can handle that can work the same as option... like mis-direction handoff pitch backs to Ginn on reverse action.
 
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You've got to think that JZ's looking to redeem himself. Obviously, he's looking to play well for the team, but I think that it's got to be personal as well.
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This is what scares me the most. I hope JZ doesn't come out "swinging" too hard and do more harm than good because he's trying to prove himself. If he stays calm and does his job instead of trying to do it all i think we will be okay.
 
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