Again the Wildcat came out to seal the win

It was around the time of the Kentucky game that the word "confidence" started to come up. The next week at Ole Miss, McElroy was 15/34 for 147 yards and no touchdowns and no completion for longer than 16 yards. Tellingly, the Tide broke out the Wildcat formation (never a good sign).It didn't help that the Tide would face the fierce Gamecocks' pass rush the following week. McElroy was held out of the endzone again, going 10/20 and throwing two picks He also failed to complete a pass to Julio Jones.

His favorite target Mark Ingram, for two receptions and 22 yards. Again, the Wildcat came out to seal the win.Then came the Tennessee game Same old story: 18/29 for 120 yards, no TDs. That's less than six yards per completion, for those of you keeping count. And though McElroy didn't lose the game, he certainly didn't win it.

Leigh Tiffin and Terrance Cody did.Things allegedly recovered against LSU. McElroy was 19/34 for 279 yards and two touchdowns, and handled the blitz well, scrambling and picking up first downs like his doppelganger in Gainesville.But look closer: first, there's a pick that's not being counted that likely would've tilted the game in the Tigers' favor, and second, McElroy's longest completion was on a wide receiver screen to Julio Jones.Against Mississippi State, the recovery appeared complete. McElroy hit Darius Hanks and Julio Jones for long touchdowns and Marquis Maze for a long completion. Though he wasn't asked to do a lot, not a lot was necessary.These problems might persist, they might not.

Perhaps McElroy was unwilling to accept that he is, at heart, a trumped up game-manager. Perhaps he is more than a game-manager, but is finding that he just can't take the pressure.Alabama is good, but they're not so good that they can just run Ingram at the Gators and expect to win If Saban has repaired the problem, props to him. We'll know a little more about the state of McElroy's mind in the Iron Bowl.If he struggles and checks down, watch out But if he's still stretching the field, all is well. It's hard to blame a guy for getting injured. But when your team's success is all but hinging on your health, injury just makes a cold finish feel that much colder.Maybe that's why the Golden Gophers were losing to South Dakota State by a field goal well into last Saturday's game. Decker caught 43 passes through five games, including two for touchdowns, to keep Minnesota alive against the Golden Bears.But arguably, Decker was already starting to fade before he injured his foot against Ohio State; blame it on the playcalling, or the fact that Decker is all Minnesota really has to offer in the offensive threat department, but a cold finish to the season might just have been in the cards.He caught three passes for 50 yardsone for 47 of those yardsin Minnesota's comeback win over Purdue, and was held to only one catch for 42 yards in Minnesota's shutout to Penn State. Knowing what we know nowthat Penn State's secondary, though solid, isn't as great as many people thoughtonly makes this lack of production more questionable.Decker attempted some heroics in the Ohio State game, playing despite the foot injury. The Buckeyes, who were held to a field goal in the first half, still looked beatablethis was when they were still playing poorly.But the injury ultimately ruled him out for the rest of the year, ending what was Minnesota's most prolific career from the wide receiver position six games too soon.Ironically, QB Adam Weber had a better game once Decker was gone.