The oddest thing about the Damien Williams "hype"

treeddeep

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Jun 7, 2013
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Is that he's not really even the quarterback of the future (is he?). He really impressed me but there's nothing he can do to win the starting job this year or next. In all likely hood he will only be our starting quarterback for one year. And by that time we will have two quarterbacks (Staley, Fitzgerald) that have put in time too. No real point to this thread I guess, just really amped for Thursday.
 

engie

Freshman
May 29, 2011
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What has he done to prove that he isn't the QB of the future? He's looked WAY ahead of schedule in practically every opportunity he's been given. It's hilarious to me that people are crowning incoming freshmen above him that were no more highly-recruited than he was...
 

coach66

Junior
Mar 5, 2009
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Honestly, unless Dak changes his style some he is going to find it difficult to

make it through a season uninjured in Mullen's preferred system of running the QB a bunch. We need two to three QB's that can play the Mullen game and who can all get serious minutes, at least two so I think Damien is in good shape for a lot of playing time next year.
 

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
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I wouldn't count on Staley or Fitzgerald beating him out. Not saying one of them won't, but based on what I've seen from Williams, I like him.
 

AlCoDog

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Well he is getting a hell of an opportunity isn't he? Why would any State fan not hope he comes out and does what happened the last time a little known #14 played an Egg Bowl in Starkville and commenced to butthole ripping? would be nice to have another young confident, and experienced QB going into the spring.

I don't kow if he can play well an entire game or not, but I know we will be forced to call the better offensive game plan with him in the game.
 

treeddeep

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What has he done to prove that he isn't the QB of the future? He's looked WAY ahead of schedule in practically every opportunity he's been given. It's hilarious to me that people are crowning incoming freshmen above him that were no more highly-recruited than he was...

Who crowned an incoming freshman? By the time it's Williams turn to start both of those QBs will be Juniors or RsSoph. No one is crowned, I'm just putting the QB situation in perspective.
 

ugabully

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Feb 10, 2012
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Yeah, I don't know, but I think Damien has proven that he can play at this level as well as most MSU quarterbacks and neither Staley not Fitgerald have for obvious reasons.

I'm also reserving judgment about Staley with the whole getting kicked off the high school team thing. I hope he turns out to be a great young man with an idiot of a high school coach. But a lot of guys play for idiot high school coaches and manage to make it through with their teams. I'm just worried about general ego problems, I guess; we'll see.
 

57stratdawg

Heisman
Dec 1, 2004
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Yeah - had that conversation the other day. The QB power is an awesome thing in Sept and Oct, but it wears guys out by November. Relf got hurt in 2012 and it cost us.

I don't know what the answer is besides having two or three bodies. The play where Dak got hurt has probably been ran with the same amount of contact 50 times this year with him.
 

UpTheMiddlex3Punt

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May 28, 2007
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Some people here were wanting Dak to start day 1. It's amazing how now that we have a true freshman who absolutely has to play that we back off on hype.
 

TBone.sixpack

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Feb 2, 2011
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I just went back and looked at his offer list and it shows Nebraska and Kansas State. Are those real? I thought he was headed to Southern?

He has his work cut out for him Thursday. I'm pulling for him but the ST and D will need to play almost perfect. It's a lot to ask for your first start.
 

jakldawg

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May 1, 2006
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Get it right, people

He's the backup's backup. My mind is having a hard time comprehending how incredible this actually makes him (I mean, since Dak's heroics won the Imaginary Egg Bowl last year, the sky is the limit).
 

coach66

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Mar 5, 2009
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I have some USM buddies that were devestated when he flipped. He was their #1

recruit and would have started for them this year. I'm telling you all again this guy can play.
 

Philly Dawg

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Oct 6, 2012
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I'm not sure that "hype" is the right word to describe what is more accurately "pleasant surprise" that a third string true freshmen is able to come in to a game and not completely suck. Its pretty clear that this guy is in the mix for the future. Whether he'll ever be the starter depends on things like injuries and how he and other guys progress.
 

TBone.sixpack

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I agree that he has some tools but he will need a ton of help Thursday night. I'm not as optimistic as many here are. These are cases I am most happy to be wrong though!
 

engie

Freshman
May 29, 2011
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I just went back and looked at his offer list and it shows Nebraska and Kansas State. Are those real? I thought he was headed to Southern?

He has his work cut out for him Thursday. I'm pulling for him but the ST and D will need to play almost perfect. It's a lot to ask for your first start.

Yes, they were real. He even took an OV to Nebraska -- just wasn't ultimately going that far from home.
 

Sutterkane

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Jan 23, 2007
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The anti-Mullen crowd is building him up so they can blame Mullen for his mistakes when he makes them.
 

engie

Freshman
May 29, 2011
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The anti-Mullen crowd is building him up so they can blame Mullen for his mistakes when he makes them.

Yep, it's a grand conspiracy of MSU fans that secretly are wanting to lose the Egg Bowl so they can blame Mullen**
 

Sutterkane

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Jan 23, 2007
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Not exactly, but it's no different than blaming Mullen for Dak's turnovers in the Carolina loss.
 

coach66

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Well, I played QB and I have watched a lot of QB's and I can tell you he will

give us a chance to win if our defense tackles in space.
 

IBleedMaroonDawg

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Dawg1976

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make it through a season uninjured in Mullen's preferred system of running the QB a bunch. We need two to three QB's that can play the Mullen game and who can all get serious minutes, at least two so I think Damien is in good shape for a lot of playing time next year.

You are right. You need 2 qb's that can run the spread. Odds are....one will get banged up and miss some games.
 

Strike.sixpack

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Oct 18, 2013
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You sure? My memory was that they were not committable offers and I didn't recall an OV to either Nebraska or K State. Scout is not showing one to either or articles about an OV. With K State I know it was a situation of possibly him being their second QB since they already had one QB committed but they went with another guy that was higher rated and taller.
 

mcdawg22

Heisman
Sep 18, 2004
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He was 0-5 at Bama, and didn't make a throw more than 3 yards past the line of scrimmage. He has done nothing to make me doubt him and certainly put an incoming freshman ahead of him, but I don't see what he's done to put him WAY ahead of schedule. He does look very comfortable in the read option however.
 

msstate7

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Nov 27, 2008
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He was 0-5 at Bama, and didn't make a throw more than 3 yards past the line of scrimmage. He has done nothing to make me doubt him and certainly put an incoming freshman ahead of him, but I don't see what he's done to put him WAY ahead of schedule. He does look very comfortable in the read option however.

And I thought Wilson dropped a 20 yard dart that should've been a td. Guess I'm wrong though bc he "didnt make a throw more than 3 yards... "
 

mcdawg22

Heisman
Sep 18, 2004
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I'm sorry I misstated. No throw more than 3 yards down the field against Arkansas, and yes the throw Wilson dropped was a well thrown BB. I am not doubting the guy, I hope he is the second coming of Russell Wilson, I just haven't seen anything in the passing department that shows him being incredibly ahead of the curve.
 

Strike.sixpack

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Yeah your right he made two good throws that series. His first series looked 3rd string freshman bad though. That was the biggest positive in the Bama game for him to come back and make a couple of good throws. A little help from Wilson and his confidence goes way up. For me though, you can see potential but the sample size is just too small right now. One great run that hopefully gives him a boost. Otherwise he has been 20 rushes for 47 yards for all the other rushes during the year. You can see him thinking a lot of times but with that run it was follow JRob. And with that it looked like Josh turned around to say "you coming" during the run. Lol
 

msstate7

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If you're being critical of a 3rd string freshman's first series against bama when he never thought he would even play, you're probably being too critical.
 

Strike.sixpack

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No. Not being critical at all. That's what they normally look like in that situation. Was glad he took a step the very next series. That showed a glimpse toward at least his mental make up. But he is a 3rd string freshman. The thought that he will just come in and perform better for an entire game than a 5th year Senior is a reach. Hope he continues to improve and has a great game Thursday. His performance bar should actually be pretty low considering what he may have to step into though. Heck right now I will take him not turning the ball over no more than once on Thursday. Plays well enough his confidence doesn't get shaken. But no matter how he plays Thursday you won't hear me down him. Just think there are too many thinking he's the best option even if Tyler is good to go. That's a lot for a true freshman no matter if his game fits better than Tyler's. Would be a great story though if he did lead the team to victory. First start, final game of the year against your rival, the back-up back-up leads them to victory. Great story on national TV.
 

engie

Freshman
May 29, 2011
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You sure? My memory was that they were not committable offers and I didn't recall an OV to either Nebraska or K State. Scout is not showing one to either or articles about an OV. With K State I know it was a situation of possibly him being their second QB since they already had one QB committed but they went with another guy that was higher rated and taller.

He definitely went to a Nebraska game... In looking back according to the sites, it seems it was actually unofficial though...
 

engie

Freshman
May 29, 2011
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He was 0-5 at Bama, and didn't make a throw more than 3 yards past the line of scrimmage. He has done nothing to make me doubt him and certainly put an incoming freshman ahead of him, but I don't see what he's done to put him WAY ahead of schedule. He does look very comfortable in the read option however.

Should have been 4 of 5 with a TD pass in that game it looked to me like. The first 2 passes on his first drive were thrown slightly behind the receiver, but I remember them being catchable balls...
 

Strike.sixpack

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Yeah. I couldn't find an OV. He may have took an unofficial and I can't remember the Nebraska situation. I know they took one pretty good QB and keep thinking that the site guys were saying that neither offers were committable. I know that was the case for K State. They did want two, got a commit from a hs guy in the summer, then committed and signed a JUCO QB in December. So they were done at that point. Either way I liked him when we got him even if he was down the list. It really was a case of measurables I think. If he was taller he would have gotten several more BCS offers.
 

HD6

Sophomore
Apr 8, 2003
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Tyler Russell should have been 20 of 28 with 4 touchdowns and well over 300 yards Saturday, but for a couple of drops.
 

Machiavelli

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Mar 16, 2013
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If Williams can play the entire game and get a win, then neither Dak nor Tyler is in the same league as he is. I mean he has probably had less than 20 hours with the 1st team. I think he could give a few nice plays. But he will make a ton of mistakes. This is the biggest game of his life! He will feel the pressure from the crowd. And UM will throw the kitchen sink at him. Again if he can perform greatly for 48 minutes, with all that comes with the Egg Bowl ( our championship), then will be regarded as the best QB I've seen at MSU.
 

engie

Freshman
May 29, 2011
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If Williams can play the entire game and get a win, then neither Dak nor Tyler is in the same league as he is. I mean he has probably had less than 20 hours with the 1st team. I think he could give a few nice plays. But he will make a ton of mistakes. This is the biggest game of his life! He will feel the pressure from the crowd. And UM will throw the kitchen sink at him. Again if he can perform greatly for 48 minutes, with all that comes with the Egg Bowl ( our championship), then will be regarded as the best QB I've seen at MSU.

People respond to "pressure and adversity" in different ways. I feel like I know how Russell responds -- which is why I can't wait to see how Williams responds.
 

Strike.sixpack

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I can't find where he ever went to Nebraska for an unofficial visit either during the summer or to a game. According to the husker board, his offer wasn't official until Beck (OC) came to look at him during the spring. A lot of people thought he would get the official offer then and most really liked his film as well. By June they had offered the guy from California they ended up signing and he committed in July to them. He ended up with having ACL surgery in September but they stayed committed to him.

According to a Times Picayune article right before his visit to us:
"Williams attracted offers from Nebraska, Kansas State and TCU last summer, but those invitations were withdrawn after the schools received commitments from other quarterbacks."

That's what I've found so far regarding his offers and visits.
 
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msstate7

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Nov 27, 2008
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Not sure if I follow what this conversation is about. Does a committable offer from Nebraska determine whether Williams is worthy of play Thursday night or what?
 

Machiavelli

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People respond to "pressure and adversity" in different ways. I feel like I know how Russell responds -- which is why I can't wait to see how Williams responds.

Not convinced that I actually want to see it. The smart money says it could get ugly.