Spring Position Battles - Quarterback

[Hunter94]

Tebow worked because they had a specific package of plays tailored to his mobile skill set. In our scenario, you have Tommy as the past starter and POB the young, untested kid with polar opposite skill sets and POB's aren't a gadget skill set like Tebow had that Florida used his first year.

If Tommy is the starter, the offense will be vastly different than a POB offense. Trying to get him time, just for the sake of time will erode any identity the offense could have. There's no gray area in 2016. We either tailor the offense to Tommy or go all in on POB as a true freshmen.

if we see more of TA using his feet, its likely he wont make it thru the whole season, both guys will see playing time.

 

[RedDenver]

Benching an incumbent starting Senior QB in favor of a true freshman does sound a little crazy.

Mike Grant agrees with you. So does Zac Lee.

I don't think Grant was the starter the year before. And Armstrong has more than two seasons worth of starts, doubt there are many examples of multi-year starters being replaced at QB.

 

[Moesker]

Benching an incumbent starting Senior QB in favor of a true freshman does sound a little crazy.

Mike Grant agrees with you. So does Zac Lee.

I don't think Grant was the starter the year before. And Armstrong has more than two seasons worth of starts, doubt there are many examples of multi-year starters being replaced at QB.

Maybe not but I am not sure it would have mattered in Frazier's case. Sometimes a true freshman is the best QB on the team for the offense. I am not saying that its the case for the Huskers in 2016...but rather its a valid possible scenario.

Also, two seasons worth of starts doesn't mean as much when the offense changes.

 

[caveman99]

Nebraska will be working on two different fields with a top group and a secondary group. Tommy Armstrong and Ryker Fyfe will be with the top group, while A.J. Bush, Zack Darlington and Patrick O'Brien will be with the second group. Armstrong and Fyfe are the only two quarterbacks in Nebraska's program to take meaningful snaps in a college football game.

OWH

This is interesting. Has NU done this in the past? Looks like a good way for guys deeper on the depth chart to get some work and improve. It creates more opportunities for everyone.

Yes, Riley ran 2 groups last year as well as a way to manage the larger roster. IIRC though, the 2 groups last year actually practiced at different times so the coaches could work with and evaluate everyone.

Are they practicing at different times again this year?

Doesn't sound like it as the write ups I have seen only mention the 2 squads being on separate fields. Wouldn't need to do that if they were at a different time.

 

[Redux]

Benching an incumbent starting Senior QB in favor of a true freshman does sound a little crazy.

Mike Grant agrees with you. So does Zac Lee.

Crazy works sometimes though. I want the best guy for the job to get it, bottom line.

 

[Moesker]

Benching an incumbent starting Senior QB in favor of a true freshman does sound a little crazy.

Mike Grant agrees with you. So does Zac Lee.

Crazy works sometimes though. I want the best guy for the job to get it, bottom line.

I would think we all would want that as well.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Benching an incumbent starting Senior QB in favor of a true freshman does sound a little crazy.

Mike Grant agrees with you. So does Zac Lee.

Crazy works sometimes though. I want the best guy for the job to get it, bottom line.

I would think we all would want that as well.

I'm pretty dang sure the coaching staff feels the same way.

 

[MichiganDad3]

Benching an incumbent starting Senior QB in favor of a true freshman does sound a little crazy.

Mike Grant agrees with you. So does Zac Lee.

Crazy works sometimes though. I want the best guy for the job to get it, bottom line.

A big advantage a senior usually has is the experience and knowledge that limits turnovers. TA was still making bad decision like a true freshman last year. I still think TA starts the entire year if he doesn't get hurt.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

The problem is, the guy who keeps making freshman mistakes is the same guy who is about to become Nebraska's all-time total offense leader, and QB of some of the most insane comebacks in Husker history. That doesn't exactly describe Grant and Lee.

 

[Enhance]

The problem is, the guy who keeps making freshman mistakes is the same guy who is about to become Nebraska's all-time total offense leader, and QB of some of the most insane comebacks in Husker history. That doesn't exactly describe Grant and Lee.

Very true, but this also reminds me of Martinez in many ways. For all the incredible things he was able to do, and all the games he won/numbers he put up, he couldn't get out of his own way. Fumbles, interceptions, mistakes, you name it. TM did more good than bad, but he did a lot of bad.

TA reminds me a lot of TM in this regard. Overall, TA has done more good things than bad at Nebraska, but his lack of ball security and his inability to make substantial improvement makes him a detriment to the team, too. The fact that he'll likely become Nebraska's all-time total offense leader is in part due to skill, but also in part due to him having started an immense amount of games.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Agree about the similarities between Martinez and Armstrong, and that includes the reason why they both started an immense amount of games: even as untested Freshmen they looked a lot better than the alternative at QB.

And you were really excited because it seemed like their liabilities could be fixed with little more experience. But that wasn't necessarily the case.

I think something similar takes place with dual-threat quarterbacks throughout college football. You love the gunslinging playmaker, but sometimes you just need the reliable quarterback.

 

[fanbrits johnson]

I have seen absolutely nothing that shows me that TA wasn't the best QB on the team last and now.

 

[Redux]

I have seen absolutely nothing that shows me that TA wasn't the best QB on the team last and now.

Well he was the best QB on the team last year, hence all the starts.

This year he will have to work for it which will only make us better regardless who ends up starting each game.

 

[C N Red]

The problem is, the guy who keeps making freshman mistakes is the same guy who is about to become Nebraska's all-time total offense leader, and QB of some of the most insane comebacks in Husker history. That doesn't exactly describe Grant and Lee.

Very true, but this also reminds me of Martinez in many ways. For all the incredible things he was able to do, and all the games he won/numbers he put up, he couldn't get out of his own way. Fumbles, interceptions, mistakes, you name it. TM did more good than bad, but he did a lot of bad.
TA reminds me a lot of TM in this regard. Overall, TA has done more good things than bad at Nebraska, but his lack of ball security and his inability to make substantial improvement makes him a detriment to the team, too. The fact that he'll likely become Nebraska's all-time total offense leader is in part due to skill, but also in part due to him having started an immense amount of games.

TA is what he is. Can he improve? Yes, and he needs to. But much of the reason he will have started alot of games and therefore will have many records is complete lack of QB recruiting. Its really that simple. If we would have recruited better at QB its doubtful hes starting last year or this year.

 

[teachercd]

I think we know what TA is...I think we know what we will get out of him this year. It is not great but it is not horrible either. Some players just "are who they are" and sure there was always the cry that the old staff did not know how to coach QB's but I think it was safe to say that they got the most out of TA as they could just like this staff did last year.