Armstrong Leading the QB Race

[The Dude]

Am I to believe a lot of people honestly thought Stanton was going to be the Nebraska Jameis Winston here?

Wow.

I guess you can believe that if you want but I've seen no one say that.

The semantics game is fun isn't it?

Yes I'm sure no one here actually said verbatim what I said-- but you know just as well as I do that a lot of people here just got hit right in the feels because Stanton didn't just come in and miraculously out perform a more experienced player who's plenty talented in his own right.

Don't think I've seen anyone say that either.

Count me as one who is surprised it doesn't seem to be a little closer. I'm by no means anti-TA. If he's the best man for the job, he has my full support. But I'm not sold on him. He runs the ball pretty well and has a very strong arm (no pun intended). But his mechanics worry me. He doesn't seem to be particularly accurate on his sort throws. From watching him last year and the little I've seen in video and pictures this spring, he doesn't step into his throws very well. Perhaps he's trusting his arm strength to get it there but I'm not sure that will last. Throwing a nice long ball is great but a quarterback can't make a living that way and we don't seem to throw deep very often anyway. You have to be quick and accurate with your short passes. And that's tough to do without good mechanics with your feet. Without them, you're bound to miss throws to open receivers and more likely throw INTs.

I'm sure he doesn't have impeccable mechanics, but it's not like he needs a complete overhaul. Maybe a few minor tweaks. Compared to what we're used to, Armstrong's passing mechanics are far from worrisome.

 

[NUpolo8]

Am I to believe a lot of people honestly thought Stanton was going to be the Nebraska Jameis Winston here?

Wow.

I guess you can believe that if you want but I've seen no one say that.

The semantics game is fun isn't it?

Yes I'm sure no one here actually said verbatim what I said-- but you know just as well as I do that a lot of people here just got hit right in the feels because Stanton didn't just come in and miraculously out perform a more experienced player who's plenty talented in his own right.

Don't think I've seen anyone say that either.

Count me as one who is surprised it doesn't seem to be a little closer. I'm by no means anti-TA. If he's the best man for the job, he has my full support. But I'm not sold on him. He runs the ball pretty well and has a very strong arm (no pun intended). But his mechanics worry me. He doesn't seem to be particularly accurate on his sort throws. From watching him last year and the little I've seen in video and pictures this spring, he doesn't step into his throws very well. Perhaps he's trusting his arm strength to get it there but I'm not sure that will last. Throwing a nice long ball is great but a quarterback can't make a living that way and we don't seem to throw deep very often anyway. You have to be quick and accurate with your short passes. And that's tough to do without good mechanics with your feet. Without them, you're bound to miss throws to open receivers and more likely throw INTs.

I'm sure he doesn't have impeccable mechanics, but it's not like he needs a complete overhaul. Maybe a few minor tweaks. Compared to what we're used to, Armstrong's passing mechanics are far from worrisome.

Agree with The Dude,

Further, this is a far better situation for someone like Armstrong or whoever than our last few QB's ever had. Taylor was tapped to ressurect essentially a dead offense. There appear to be a lot of weapons here. All Armstrong (or whomever) has to do is manage it.

 

[Count 'Bility]

I just hope we have a starting QB by our first game in the fall. We'll look pretty silly if we only send 10 guys out on offense and there's nobody behind center.

you know i respect you, jj, but i gotta disagree. the game of football is about evolution, being ahead of the curve. the qb is an obsolete position. you either force change or you are forced to change. i say we revolutionize football.

Guise. I thought this is what we've been doing for the last four years?

Oh sh#t. Did I say that out loud?

I did. Didnt I.

 

[clyde40]

Is there someplace to look to see just how many other than googling every FBS school? I would just be curious to know the percentages that have them and their level of success at the QB position.

I googled just the teams in the Big Ten and SEC and 20 out of 28 teams have an OC/QB coach combination. Mizzou and Texas A&M have assistant coaches in charge of QB's, Minn and Penn State have passing game coordinators coach QB's, Michigan State has their recruiting coordinator coach QB's, South Carolina and Vandy have coaches fully focused on QB's, and Rutgers does not have a coach listed in charge or QB's.

 

[JJ Husker]

I just hope we have a starting QB by our first game in the fall. We'll look pretty silly if we only send 10 guys out on offense and there's nobody behind center.

you know i respect you, jj, but i gotta disagree. the game of football is about evolution, being ahead of the curve. the qb is an obsolete position. you either force change or you are forced to change. i say we revolutionize football.

That's why you get the big bucks; ability to think outside the box. Leave sh#t up to me and we'd still be drop kicking extra points and wearing leather helmets.

 

[True2tRA]

Am I to believe a lot of people honestly thought Stanton was going to be the Nebraska Jameis Winston here?

Wow.

I guess you can believe that if you want but I've seen no one say that.

The semantics game is fun isn't it?

Yes I'm sure no one here actually said verbatim what I said-- but you know just as well as I do that a lot of people here just got hit right in the feels because Stanton didn't just come in and miraculously out perform a more experienced player who's plenty talented in his own right.

Haha, this is funny to me because I think that feeling has been expressed multiple times here on Huskerboard in very obvious ways. It couldn't have been more clear from many, many different posters here that they were hoping and fully expecting Stanton to overtake Armstrong as the starting QB. It's amusing now that we are deep into spring ball and the race has been declared not even close, well now we want to back off and pretend we weren't tooting Stanton's horn a bit too loudly now were we?

Well I'll sit on my high horse on this one and say NOT ME FOLKS. Not oly did I declare Armstrong would be the starter a long time ago, but I will also remind you of the many times I've said he's going to be the next great Nebraska QB. I'll stand by that prediction and I think in a couple Saturdays some of you who were praying for this unseen freshmen to overtake the spot somehow, will learn that there's nobody but Armstong going to be leading this team for the next three years, and he's gonna do a hell of a job of it. Write that down...( or copy and paste it someday).

What's best about it is Martinez lovers would skewer your a$$ and barbecue you if you once mentioned you would like to see this unproven freshmen named Armstrong get a chance at starting over Taylor. If you said you felt Armstrong was a better QB than Taylor, these people would have said "based on what"!? A high school highlight tape?! Now I can sit here and pick out possibly 3 -4 of those same people in this exact forum who have outright stated that they believe Stanton will win the job because he is a better QB. Based on what?! A high school highlight film. Give Armstrong some respect, the guy is 7-1 as a freshmen starter thrown into the mix after Martinez was unfortunately injured. 7-1 folks. If you won't respect that, trust me, you'll respect him after this season.

 

[NUpolo8]

Am I to believe a lot of people honestly thought Stanton was going to be the Nebraska Jameis Winston here?

Wow.

I guess you can believe that if you want but I've seen no one say that.

The semantics game is fun isn't it?

Yes I'm sure no one here actually said verbatim what I said-- but you know just as well as I do that a lot of people here just got hit right in the feels because Stanton didn't just come in and miraculously out perform a more experienced player who's plenty talented in his own right.

Haha, this is funny to me because I think that feeling has been expressed multiple times here on Huskerboard in very obvious ways. It couldn't have been more clear from many, many different posters here that they were hoping and fully expecting Stanton to overtake Armstrong as the starting QB. It's amusing now that we are deep into spring ball and the race has been declared not even close, well now we want to back off and pretend we weren't tooting Stanton's horn a bit too loudly now were we?

Well I'll sit on my high horse on this one and say NOT ME FOLKS. Not oly did I declare Armstrong would be the starter a long time ago, but I will also remind you of the many times I've said he's going to be the next great Nebraska QB. I'll stand by that prediction and I think in a couple Saturdays some of you who were praying for this unseen freshmen to overtake the spot somehow, will learn that there's nobody but Armstong going to be leading this team for the next three years, and he's gonna do a hell of a job of it. Write that down...( or copy and paste it someday).

What's best about it is Martinez lovers would skewer your a$$ and barbecue you if you once mentioned you would like to see this unproven freshmen named Armstrong get a chance at starting over Taylor. If you said you felt Armstrong was a better QB than Taylor, these people would have said "based on what"!? A high school highlight tape?! Now I can sit here and pick out possibly 3 -4 of those same people in this exact forum who have outright stated that they believe Stanton will win the job because he is a better QB. Based on what?! A high school highlight film. Give Armstrong some respect, the guy is 7-1 as a freshmen starter thrown into the mix after Martinez was unfortunately injured. 7-1 folks. If you won't respect that, trust me, you'll respect him after this season.

I think people saw Stanton's recruiting rankings and got excited. I'm betting he can be great, but Bill Callahan should have taught anyone who was paying attention that you actually have to develop your players.

Stanton has loads of time to make an impact.

 

[skersfan]

I think some just automatically feel the backup is better, watch the high school film and bite.

For a year we heard that Tommy was much better than Taylor. Not sure that was quite right either.

When we see them on the field against division 1 players you then know what they are, who they are and normally where they are headed. Until then no one really has an idea, I don't think the coaching staff truly knows until proven under fire.

We have a young QB with a lot of experience, more so than we have had in the past. The others have to prove they can play at his level before I ever consider them as an option. I think some are putting too much credibility on a reporter stating his observations. Believe what you see, not what you read I guess.

 

[Landlord]

I think people saw Stanton's recruiting rankings and got excited. I'm betting he can be great, but Bill Callahan should have taught anyone who was paying attention that you actually have to develop your players.

Stanton has loads of time to make an impact.

Can't speak for others, but I was mostly excited based on every time I had heard someone talk about him after seeing him practice, it was a rave review.

His rankings weren't any better than Tommy's.

 

[Shockley03]

BigRedBuster. I've got your back in regard to Tommy Armstrong. I watched him toast my alma mater on New Year's Day. No one has tell me anything.

I've just been keeping silent, taking in what other observers say ... and not really giving it much thought. Tommy's working very hard according to the various accounts I've been reading up on. He's buying into Nebraska's somewhat hidden Turner Gill tradition. He knows he's the next in line. Man, Turner Gill beat LSU in an Orange Bowl matchup a good number of years ago taking out the Dalton Hilliard led Tigers! I'll never forget that, Gill turning, twisting, spinning, and falling into the end zone to push the Cornhuskers ahead (I think the score was 21-20...?) for good that night.

I'm excited about the upcoming season. Tommy Armstrong is going to be fun to watch this coming fall.

 

[Army_Allen]

The reason I don't have supreme faith in the kid is that he never showed to be a consistent game manager or a highlight reel type player. Other than the Michigan drive, You could have had RK3 in there the whole game and we'd still have won. With fewer picks to boot. Purdue getting 3 picks against him? Purdue? Freshman make mistakes yes, but that's crazy. We won in spite of him that game. I will support whoever starts but to ask me to have blind faith in an unseen qb OR a qb with nearly a 1:1 TD to Pick ratio is a bit beyond what I think is feasible. Could he be the next great Husker qb? Maybe. Was his freshman year a good implication? Not in my eyes.

 

[NUpolo8]

The reason I don't have supreme faith in the kid is that he never showed to be a consistent game manager or a highlight reel type player. Other than the Michigan drive, You could have had RK3 in there the whole game and we'd still have won. With fewer picks to boot. Purdue getting 3 picks against him? Purdue? Freshman make mistakes yes, but that's crazy. We won in spite of him that game. I will support whoever starts but to ask me to have blind faith in an unseen qb OR a qb with nearly a 1:1 TD to Pick ratio is a bit beyond what I think is feasible. Could he be the next great Husker qb? Maybe. Was his freshman year a good implication? Not in my eyes.

They also could have ran off tackle for every play and beaten Purdue. It's like they were trying to teach the kid or something.

 

[Army_Allen]

The reason I don't have supreme faith in the kid is that he never showed to be a consistent game manager or a highlight reel type player. Other than the Michigan drive, You could have had RK3 in there the whole game and we'd still have won. With fewer picks to boot. Purdue getting 3 picks against him? Purdue? Freshman make mistakes yes, but that's crazy. We won in spite of him that game. I will support whoever starts but to ask me to have blind faith in an unseen qb OR a qb with nearly a 1:1 TD to Pick ratio is a bit beyond what I think is feasible. Could he be the next great Husker qb? Maybe. Was his freshman year a good implication? Not in my eyes.

They also could have ran off tackle for every play and beaten Purdue. It's like they were trying to teach the kid or something.

Teach him what? That interceptions are bad?

 

[bhamHusker]

Is there someplace to look to see just how many other than googling every FBS school? I would just be curious to know the percentages that have them and their level of success at the QB position.

I googled just the teams in the Big Ten and SEC and 20 out of 28 teams have an OC/QB coach combination. Mizzou and Texas A&M have assistant coaches in charge of QB's, Minn and Penn State have passing game coordinators coach QB's, Michigan State has their recruiting coordinator coach QB's, South Carolina and Vandy have coaches fully focused on QB's, and Rutgers does not have a coach listed in charge or QB's.

A different sample yields similar results. Of the teams that finished in the BCS Top 25, three had dedicated QB coaches (FSU, MSU, South Carolina), Missouri's QB coach also held the Associate HC title which effectively brings the total to 4. Twenty had OC/Co-OCs coaching QBs, and one, Stanford, had one coach dividing time between QB, WR and RC duties.

 

[Enhance]

The reason I don't have supreme faith in the kid is that he never showed to be a consistent game manager or a highlight reel type player. Other than the Michigan drive, You could have had RK3 in there the whole game and we'd still have won. With fewer picks to boot. Purdue getting 3 picks against him? Purdue? Freshman make mistakes yes, but that's crazy. We won in spite of him that game. I will support whoever starts but to ask me to have blind faith in an unseen qb OR a qb with nearly a 1:1 TD to Pick ratio is a bit beyond what I think is feasible. Could he be the next great Husker qb? Maybe. Was his freshman year a good implication? Not in my eyes.

I don't think we need our quarterback to be a gamechanger. If Taylor Martinez taught us anything, it's that gamechanging ability can sometimes come with a price tag. TM's were injuries and a knack for turning the ball over. We really just need a quarterback that run the offense well, make a big play here or there and take care of that football.

I agree that TA didn't jump off the page last year. But, and this will likely sound like excuses, consider the challenges against him - 1) took over for an incumbent a few games in the season 2) is a RSF and 3) played with a very banged up offensive line. Throw on that we had receivers dropping balls like they were chunks of molten lava and yeah... thinks don't look great.

Some players might be more apt to overcome those challenges, and others may not be. Personally, I'm taking very little of what I saw last year as indicative of what we'll get this year. That includes the good and bad.