Probably not, but TT? No question. He is a Paul Horning type of guy. Very rare.

We could beat EWU but I don't think they have the talent to beat the OOC powers like JMU, NDSU etc yet. But you could have a lucky day.

Judging by which players are in the highlights, this is a freakin' young team. I presume we'll naturally get better over the years just by experience alone.

Yeah. Would probably have to be a day where a lot goes right, get a little lucky and those teams are off their games a bit.

I can't remember the specifics of how we actually looked in the game am going off the box score for the 2019 game. But we were only down 20-16 and forced NDST to punt three times and got the ball back with the chance to take the lead. We went 10 plays for 37 yards before punting and then went 11 plays for 61 yards including a 1st and goal from the NDST 4 but threw a pick on 3rd down. And that was the 16-0 year with Trey Lance at QB. And the previous year we were one stop against EWU from hosting a FCS Semifinal game.

We're close enough that pulling off an upset isn't a ridiculous proposition.

I was at the NDSU game. Devon King jumped a route and had a sure pick 6 late in the game. Something he would have done 9 times out of 10. The Ags had more total offense (>400 yards) than the Bizzzzon. But alas, it’s the final score that counts. Many folks told me “you guys have a real good team” …. I think they were a bit surprised.

300 yards of total offense and less than 30 points isn’t going to beat the top tier. Last year EWU lit us up with nearly 600 yards. We need that explosive offense to take these guys out.

I actually think TT would open more holes in their poor defense.. Aggles would have longer possessions and thus a shorter amount of time on the field for EWU's offense. I am not sure their defense has played against a QB like him.

I'd like to see TT pass more, he threw for a gazillion yards in HS. He apparently said something to Dunning like, "I can do more than run. I can play QB."

We played some Very up tempo Offense at times w JM, typically to start the game - SJ State, San Diego State. Not sure why we lost that, no KD, opposition has our film, ??

. JM game vs Weber would have been a different game without the crazy play by the Weber quarterback handing the ball off to the turf. They are solid everywhere but don’t blow you away with eye popping talent. I think they might be easier to beat than Eastern WA.
I think the biggest improvement needed is in defense. We are a bend but not break kind of defense, we have to evolve that to less bend. The style we played in the last quarter against Idaho with more pressure is the direction to go.

Excellent teams keep their foot on the gas for 60 minutes. It seems like we are routinely willing to give up on drives at the end of the half and come back to have anemic 3rd quarter before turning the heat back on in the 4th.

Three or four hand offs to UG don't produce uptempo, which I would think works to our advantage. How about UG, quick slant, screen, TT insert (use him, or not), jet sweep, dink over the middle ... or go deep.

Second and 2? Go deep. Keep them honest.

agreed. UG is a great player, but if he runs into a brick wall on first, why run the same play on second hoping for a different result? Too many predictable third and longs. I often hear “the run will open up the pass.” From the cheap seats I see the opposite, that if you have TEs or WRs who need double coverage to contain and you threaten to use them at will, somebody has a wide lane for a run.

Right now TT needs just enough passing attempts to keep defenses guessing. I don't know how good he is as a passer, but if he only runs defenses will figure out how to stop him.

I read early on that TT has the unique ability to pass effectively without having to use the seams to grip the ball. If so, that should at least make for a super quick release.

I agree 100%. And enough to be in the flow, confident.

I would really like to see TT fake the swing to Gilliam (Idaho swarmed that) pull back and let it rip down the field, or hit someone in the area of the converging LB/safety. He’s looking more comfortable throwing.

Going back in time to see what recruiters thought about TT. Here is an article where his coach talks about the not using laces. The quote is by his high school coach Kyle Biggs

Tompkins doesn't look like your traditional quarterback. He doesn't throw like one, either. Unlike 99.9% of QB's, he doesn't even grip the ball by the laces.

“We have fought that forever," says Tod. "I don't get it. Every coach doesn't get it. You know, like, ‘you don't use the laces? How do you throw the ball?’”

Biggs, a former star high school quarterback himself, adds,“It's weird. It's just weird, like, I've never seen it. I can't explain it. I mean you do it in short yardage stuff and you know you can get away with throwing a hitch or a slant. But you know he's putting 15 yard dig routes on the line with no laces and it's just...I can’t explain it.”

https://kmph.com/sports/local-sports/central-qb-trent-tompkins-will-go-down-in-history-as-one-of-valleys-greatest

….and then there is Carson Crawford - does he even have 1 incomplete pass? High School quarterback, throws a beautiful and accurate ball, and is fast……ok, maybe not a human highlight reel like TT, and he is only 5’10”. I think the reason that TT can throw without the laces Is partly due to wearing gloves that provide a better grip. The one thing he hasn’t done yet is mid- to deep throws. I think if I were a coach and the Ags had a comfortable lead, I would put him in for those kind of reps.

I guess they know what TT can and can’t throw from practice. My belief is if he can’t make most of the throws he would already be a safety. Way back in the sixties there were quarterbacks like Billy Kilmer and Joe Kapp who didn’t throw the prettiest passes but could get the ball there. Kilmer was about Tompkins size.

EWU not invincible this year.

Squeaked out a win over WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, 62 - 56.

Beat Montana 34 - 28, at home.

Lost to Weber, 35 - 34, at home.

Can we start by not beating ourselves?

Don't run a kick back from the end zone with 5 guys bearing down on you.

Yes, case in point.

If one was "Showtime", they'd be at U$C...not on the UC Davis Aggie Football Roster.

There have only been a few transcendent athletes at the FCS level, the last one I recall was EWU's Taiwan Jones...who could've given any FBS player a run for his money in terms of pure speed.

Watching Barriere play quarterback is coming close to that scenario...kid's a natural playmaker.

Barriere (sp?) is amazing. EWU becomes beatable when he leaves.

RB David Johnson - UNI
WR Jerry Rice - Mississippi Valley State
WR Terrell Owens - Tennessee-Chattanooga
RB Brian Westbrook - Villanova
QB Carson Wentz - NDSU
WR Cooper Kupp - EWU

Who are some others

Hell, Ken O'Brien was a killer!

I'm not sure he was transcendent, but Ramses Barden was absurd for Poly.

Last two years combined at Poly, he had 124 rec for 2724 yds (yes, that's 22.0 yards per reception) and 36 TD in 22 games for a team that ran the triple option (i.e. QB wasn't the best at passing). He reminded me of the FCS version of Calvin Johnson (played at Georgia Tech when they ran the triple option). Barden was 6'-6" and couldn't be covered.

In the 2007 game, their QB was 10-15 for 264 yds and 4 TDs. He caught 5 of those passes for 173 yards and 3 TDs.

Ended up getting picked in the 3rd round by the Giants. Imagine that kind of an athlete with a QB who could actually throw.

Only played 1 year in FCS with Marshall (second year they moved up to FBS) but Randy Moss is absolutely a transcendent FCS athlete.

78 rec, 1709 yds (21.9 yds per rec) and 28 TDs in 15 games. They went 15-0, won every game by at least 14 points and beat Montana by 20 in the title game.

Marshall moved up to FBS the next year and he was actually better: 13 games, 96 rec, 1820 yds, 26 TDs. There was a reason he was originally signed by Notre Dame before going to Florida State.

I swear that guy played 8 years at Poly (along with Asa Jackson)! He was the best opponent I saw at Aggie Stadium, Vernon Adams and Josh Johnson close behind.

Rich Martini had similar NFL numbers, and added 2 TD catches.

Was trying to find his UCD stats. Looked in our record book and he doesn't show up on any type of stats list. He's in there as he played, was drafted and got elected to the UCD HOF.

Kind of hilarious he actually got drafted by the NFL. Maybe some of our more seasoned posters can shed some light on that.