Nathan Rourke is one good year away from being one of Ohio's most successful QBs-and if he can win a MAC title this year, he'll just about be a lock for GOAT.

He's been running the ball the last 3 games like a man possessed, who doesn't want to go out on a losing note. "Get on my shoulders, boys, and let me carry you to the MACC game."

Broken ribs will do that to you.

+1
After the hit against Marshall, Tettleton ran a lot less.

2013 was also a clear evidence of the importance of the people around him. Without the excellent offensive lines of 2011-12 Tettleton was a lot less effective. Rourke has been blessed with three very good lines. This year it was a little worse at the beginning of the year, and Rourke got sacked and chased a lot (and was less effective), but the line continued to improve, and as it has, Rourke's productivity has soared. Rourkes QBR (which included runs as well as passes) was only 36.5 against Pitt, 22.0 against Louisiana, and 52.6 against Buffalo, but the last three games have been 75.9, 86.8, and 93.0.



I totally agree; Rourke has been a pleasure to watch. I love his attitude as well as his playmaking.

The fact that Keszei moved to WR tells me that either Mischler, or Kurtis Rourke, or both, are quite good. I will miss Rourke as well, but I think he will be followed by someone who will be good, too.

These are two different issues. Independently of any injury-related changes in his running, after The Brain Fart in Oxford (aka BFO) he clearly was a
different and not as effective QB. There was apparently a big mental component to his decline in effectiveness. Remember, the BFO was an attempt to run when he should have passed the ball out of the end zone.

QB’s don’t call the plays. I have to feel that we’re missing something here. I thought I remembered that TT had some kind of shoulder injury-not sure it was 2013 though.

First, his ribs weren't broken. He had an "undisclosed injury to his upper body." It was almost certainly a soft tissue injury, possibly to the cartilage around his rib cage. Whatever that injury was, it happened in the Marshall game, not against New Mexico State. He did finish against Marshall, but sat out the following week, against Norfolk State. The next two weeks, he had 7 carries for -2 yards against U.Mass and 4 carries for -2 against Buffalo. He did have 65 yards against Akron, but 30 of that was on one play, and then he had 14 yards against Miami. He was certainly not running to the same extent after the injury as before, even before the Miami game, but whether that was due to ongoing pain, or perhaps a fear of re-injury, I have no idea.

As far as linemen lost after 2012, Seniors lost were Skyler Allen, J.D. Bales, Eric Herman, and Vince Carlotta, along with Jordan Thompson. Also lost due to career ending injury were Bryce Dietz and Mark Smith, both of whom had started games previously.

I do agree with you that there was more to it. I believe that the abuse heaped on Tettleton after the Miami loss had a negative and long lasting effect on his attitude. I think he was well aware of the things being said about him, and I believe that the visceral hate that was posted after the Miami loss was beyond the pale, and I said so at the time.

To what extent these three factors each contributed to the 2013 result, I can't say, but I think they all played a part.

This started as a thread about Nathan. You guys know that it is possible to like BOTH TT and Nathan and discuss how they have been a part of the Golden Era of Bobcat football.
I was disappointed in 2012 at Miami also but that does not define TT' career in my book. I think about the touch he had on those TD throws at Penn State.
Both are great examples of our program.

I have not seen many QB's able to be this elusive and make defenders miss right before impact. Special player and easily the GOAT in my time as a Bobcat.

Time for a stat-free emotional fan opinion. I miss Tyler and Beau. I already miss AJ. I know I'll miss Nathan. Here's hoping that we'll all miss Kurtis and O'Shaan most of all!

I agree with this. In my previous post I was simply trying to point out that the "rib injury" was not the full story on TT's downturn. At least part of it, I think, was mental. As I recall, the downturn in his performance didn't start the next year, but the games in that same season following the Miami game. In saying this, I'm not saying that TT wasn't a good QB and a good representative of OHIO. It's just that the change in his performance after the Miami is one of the strangest things I've seen in my Bobcat Fan fandom.

He is awesome. I am glad to see so many of us appreciate what we have. I only wish he was paired with some of our more talented (especially defensively) teams of yesteryear. I hope his brother ends up exactly like him.