We will be fine with Jeremiah Masoli

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

I love Zach, you love Zach, everybody loves Zach right? Hey guess what, we all love Zach! lol

It sucks he's gone, and that 2015 year will forever live in Ti-Cats folklore as the one that got away ... but we're in a beautiful position people. The one thing I think was overlooked by some when it came to Collaros was that he was the HIGHEST paid player in the league. Nobody else was making more money and he lost what? 12 straight starts? Was it all his fault? No, but we had to do something that's why the people who were so confident about him leaving turned out to be right. We just freed up over 500k in cap space AND got a top 10 pick in the draft ... that's amazing news going into free agency.

And for those worried about Masoli ... I'm thinking you turned off the T.V during the second half of the season. Sure we only went 6-4 down the stretch, and very easily could've made the playoffs had a few breaks gone our way, but from week 14 to week 20 there was no better quarterback in the league.

In that seven game stretch he went 171/252 for 2254 yard, 13 touchdowns to 1 interception. They went 3-3, but the losses were 28-25 v.s Calgary where we forgot how to play prevent defence properly and handed the Stamps a win, 43-35 v.s Toronto in overtime, so hard to blame offence in that game, and the third loss was 41-36 v.s Ottawa, and once again - I ain't blaming Masoli who threw for 438 yards and 4 touchdowns that game.

Did I forget to mention he rushed for 446 yards and four touchdowns as well last year?

Masoli has paid his dues, he took his lumps early in his career here and many of us including me wanted him cut after making a bunch of dumb mistakes when he first got his chance to originally replace Burris way back when. I feel like the football world has been distorted to believe that if a quarterback isn't good right away, then hes absolute garbage but Masoli has proven what can happen if a team takes time developing a quarterback and doesn't give up on him after making a few early mistakes.

I know the ones who aren't convinced still won't be, but never did I think I'd be so comfortable with the team trading Collaros just two years ago ... but going back to the 2015 East Final Masoli has proven time and time again he is ready to lead this team.

If we can somehow, and this is a big if that would need intervention from the Football Gods...because we are Hamilton ... BUT if Masoli and Jones can harness whatever the hell it was they were up to at the end of last season, I'd pick us as the favourites in the East going into 2018.

Keep in mind I said the Argos were the favourites last year ... Wish I wasn't right about that one lol But I try my best not to be bias.

#2

Yup he was awesome and he might lose a training camp battle to Manziel. Fun times...

#3

I'm one of those who isn't convinced, though I do think Masoli can do it. I'm going to go ahead and state the obvious here.....but the 2018 season will reveal the answers. We'll know by November 2018 if we are set-up for a run for a number of years, or if are the new Al's with no answer at QB for who knows how long.

#4

I'm one of the crew that laments trading Collaros. I think Masoli played great last year, you can't dispute how well he did. I give the guy all the respect in the world for what he accomplished.

I just think that if Collaros were given the same opportunity, we'd likely have made the playoffs, if not more. Collaros is an elite player, a game changer who got hosed by poor game planning, play calling & the wrong personnel on the field.

I have no idea if Masoli can be as good, but he does have good potential to be.

All we can do now is wait & see.

#5

Masoli is not the same player he was in 2015/2016. He has learned how to protect the ball. He has become elite under Jones. The stats over the last 3 months of the season do not lie. We are not talking one or two lucky games. If he protects the ball we can win 12 games with him.

#6

Funny thing about Masoli is that he's really good at the hard stuff, like making something out of nothing, running for his life and still completing a throw, or rallying the team for an unlikely comeback. And yet he is inconsistent at what seems to be the more straightforward things, like preserving a lead or completing short passes.

I would think that more playing/practice time and coaching can help him improve his consistency. If he does that and still keeps the miracle-making ability, then yes, we will be just fine.

All things Jeremiah Masoli
#7

While I agree with you that Masoli is not the same as he was in 2015/16 (and that is a good thing), I would not call him elite. Collaros in 2015 pre-injury was elite; we were blowing teams out. Masoli played well enough last year to scrape out some wins, others we just came out short. It's premature to describe him as elite. IMO.

#8

First off, I understand why the few posters above said they aren't convinced, I just have faith in Masoli from what I've seen. This is Hamilton, so who knows what's really going to happen, but isn't that the fun of being a Tiger-Cats fan? lol ::slight_smile:

I 100% agree ExPat ... The charm of Masoli is his resiliency and ability to make something happen out of nothing. He shows that off in the pocket all the time, but I think if you look back at his record setting performance against Edmonton that's a beautiful example of the never-die attitude he always brings to the field. He just comes across as a tough dude who will do anything to win a ball game, and I think the team responds to that while he's in the huddle.

What really surprised me when looking at his numbers from the end of the year was how much better he got from game one with June Jones. Here's a quick breakdown of every game he played last year,

18/32 for 288, 2TD 0INT v.s Toronto
17/31 for 231, 0TD 0INT v.s Ottawa
28/48 for 328, 1TD 2INT v.s Saskatchewan
23/35 for 226, 2TD 0INT v.s B.C
18/32 for 288, 2TD 0INT v.s Toronto
27/33 for 338, 2TD 0INT v.s Winnipeg
24/41 for 326, 0TD 1INT v.s Calgary
19/28 for 320, 2TD 0INT v.s Montreal
32/46 for 438 yards, 4TD 0INT v.s Ottawa
28/37 for 318, 1TD 0INT v.s Montreal

None of those are really bad games if you just look at his stats, obviously that's not the whole picture but to end the year with 5 straight 300 yard games and just one interception in your final seven is as efficient as it comes in the CFL. I just took a quick glance through the other QBs in the league, and while I don't want to break it all down I can tell you his numbers are near identical to Reilly, Ray, Mitchell.

Pro-rating a season is a fools game, but I'm a fool so let's do it anyways.

If Masoli would've started all 18 games under June Jones last year, in our mythical world he would've finished 432/702 for 5706 yards, 27 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Then his rushing totals would've been something like 800 yards and 7 touchdowns - give or take on this one obviously.

That sounds like a legit starting quarterback to me. He would've finished 2nd in pass yards, 5th in touchdowns and would've jumped a few spots in the rushing leaders as well (He still finished 10th which is pretty impressive). Reilly and Harris tied for tops in the league with 30TD while Ray and Nichols tied for second with 28TD, so fifth doesn't sound great until you consider that.

All things Jeremiah Masoli
#9

I wouldn't say he's elite, thats crazy talk at this point in time but the stats he put up at the end of the year certainly look elite when you stack it up to guys like Mitchell, Harris, Ray, Reilly.

I also wouldn't say he "played well enough" to scrape out some wins ... it was bad play calling and the defence collapsing that killed us down the stretch, Masoli had us in a position to win every game.

#10

Something here reminds me of another quarterback, used to play for us years ago, had moments of brilliance, but kind of sucked at the time. Fans gave up on him, and so did the team. But after playing a few more years, he got better. A lot better.

Anyone remember his name?

#11

Yo are bringing up my main man Timmy Chang right now?? I think I nailed it ....

Or does it rhyme with Le Anthony De Calvillo?

#12

Yeah, could be one of those guys. I seem to remember that he became pretty good at escaping pressure, and then lobbing it downfield, i.e., making something out of nothing.

Now I'm not saying that Masoli will ever be as good as that other QB, but you never know, do you?

#13

Henry Burris??

#14

Masoli scraped out some wins all right. While getting used to a new coach and offensive scheme, having key receivers out of the lineup, and also getting little help from a porous secondary who couldn't even stop 3rd and long when required.

But in 2015 Zach also had the benefit of a team that was stacked on defense and could almost win games on their own. You can't compare Zach's 2015 year to what Masoli did in 2017, there are too many different variables.

#15

Masoli did, or was it Jones' play calling? Not to mention the RB & receivers' play.

Here's the thing: Masoli is given way too much credit to him alone for the back half of the year. Masoli prior to last year was only a reliable backup under Austin's system; he really shone under Jones' system because it allowed him to play to his strengths. If Collaros had have been given the same opportunity to play under Jones' system, he would have been lights out.

#16

So are you saying that Coach Jones is not good at assessing the talent and ability of a QB?

Jones had several months to evaluate both Collaros and Masoli. He clearly chose Masoli.

However, could it be that Jones is so incompetent that he can't make a simple A and B comparison when deciding who will be his starting QB?

Because if that's the case then the Cats are screwed in more ways than one.

#17

Nope, not saying that at all. If I were, I would come out with it, not just insinuate.

Clearly, the team needed a shakeup, & part of that was starting Masoli over Collaros. When the team kept winning, we had to stick with the starting QB unless he's doing things to lose you games, which Masoli wasn't.

Unfortunately for Collaros, because the playoff picture wasn't decided until very late, it left no leeway to give him a shot at the controls under Jones' system, because Jones then wanted to ensure the last game was a win in order for him to be re-signed.

The ideal situation IMO would have been to bring both Collaros & Masoli to camp, give them an equal shot & choose one, then trade the other. That was pooched due to the bonus due to Collaros on Feb. 1.

#18

I am happy we have a veteran CFL QB who has shown the ability to learn and develop into a starter. He has been loyal and always show a great team attitude. He will take us to the Championship under June. Love Zac but he's gone. JM is our guy.

#19

x2

#20

Yep , our guy JM as in Masoli and NOT that other guy with the same initials who apparently is the "greatest" QB of all time who has yet to play a single down and has yet to throw a single pass in this league .