Future of the dual threat QB at NU

[84HuskerLaw]

A great passer that can scramble and run a little (not be the runner that Tommy Armstrong is or that Crouch, Frazier, Lord, Frost, etc etc) such as Brook Berringer for example is really what most teams are looking for. Obviously everyone will recruit the next Heisman winner if he is available. The problem is that without the 'pipeline' type O lines we used to have and kept reloading annually, you can't recruit a great runner that can throw somewhat and make him a Nebraska QB anymore. We don't have a great offensive line so we have to use a great deal more finesse and trickery and deception and play calling / schemes to keep the defense guessing. In the glory years, we could practically stand at the line of scrimmage and simply call the play aloud with the defense listening and still be effective. Our run game was simply incredibly good and this forced defenses to grossly overplay the run and that left the pass game relatively undefended and therefore easier for even an average thrower to complete passes to one or two receivers running a handful of pass routes.

Armstrong is probably the best passer of our excellent running QBs since Frost and maybe going back to Frazier. He has the strongest arm of any QB I can ever remember at Nebraska.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I don't think anyone is saying to go back to the offense run by Osborne and Solich (unless cm Husker is around). There are plenty of great, modern and balanced offenses who utilize a dual-threat QB because they can't get great o-linemen to have great run blocking and provide great pass protections for immobile QB's.

 

[AFhusker]

NU should be going after more dual-threat QB's. They make offenses much more dynamic and easier to attack the defense. Without a mobile QB, the defenses have a 1 person advtantage. I think Langsdorf and Riley are seeing how incorporating a dual-threat QB in this year's offense opens up so many areas of the offense. It makes running with the RB's easier and it opens up windows in the passing game. I am not a fan of QB's who can only attack a defense with the passing game. I applaud the coaches for the possible change in QB philosophy.

It makes me more optimistic about this staff. So far, IMHO, what the staff was saying in the spring and fall hasn't been coach speak. They've pretty much done what they have said. It speaks volumes about Riley looking at a dual threat guy when his whole career coaching he's never had one until now.

It does show me that the coaching staff is willing to look into something that is new for them, even if they are late to the party compared to the rest of college football.
Honestly I think the success for Armstrong this year has shown Langsdorf what it can be like to fully utilize a dual-threat QB and not force him to be a pocket QB at all times. Sometimes coaches want to make things harder on themselves to show how smart they are to overcome those obstacles.

Last year that had more to do with the lack of a back up than anything else. This year Fyfe has improved enough that they feel comfortable using TA's legs and are not as worried about him getting injured. The offense still isn't being used to it's full potential as they are trying to limit TA's bad decision making. I would have really loved to see how good TA could have been if he had this kind of coaching for his entire career. He has all of the physical tools, he just needed more help on the mental part of the game. He's really good now, but he could have been elite with better coaching for his first few years here.

 

[Bowfin]

I like the idea of continuing to try and get dual threat QB's

Dr. Evil wanted to be a quadruple threat...

 

[Elf]

A great passer that can scramble and run a little (not be the runner that Tommy Armstrong is or that Crouch, Frazier, Lord, Frost, etc etc) such as Brook Berringer for example is really what most teams are looking for. Obviously everyone will recruit the next Heisman winner if he is available. The problem is that without the 'pipeline' type O lines we used to have and kept reloading annually, you can't recruit a great runner that can throw somewhat and make him a Nebraska QB anymore. We don't have a great offensive line so we have to use a great deal more finesse and trickery and deception and play calling / schemes to keep the defense guessing. In the glory years, we could practically stand at the line of scrimmage and simply call the play aloud with the defense listening and still be effective. Our run game was simply incredibly good and this forced defenses to grossly overplay the run and that left the pass game relatively undefended and therefore easier for even an average thrower to complete passes to one or two receivers running a handful of pass routes.

Armstrong is probably the best passer of our excellent running QBs since Frost and maybe going back to Frazier. He has the strongest arm of any QB I can ever remember at Nebraska.

I think Vince Ferragamo had a stronger arm. That guy could toss the football anywhere you needed it to be. And as far as you needed it to go. I'd put Tommy right behind Vince for the quarterbacks I can remember.

 

[The Dude]

Great, just great. Now I'm going to have to move the goalposts even more to whine about Riley's offense.

 

[huskered17]

So does this mean we have no D T Q coming in until 2018?

I guess will be a passing team for a few years now.

GBR!!!

 

[Stumpy1]

POB, while a pro style guy, ran for almost 640 yards his last year in HS. Had 143 carries and averaged 4.5/carry and a 65% completion rate..... (not sure how many of those were scrambles vs designed runs)

Seems that he is capable of being "dual threat" in that he can do some designed runs. I'm not saying zone read and option, but could do draws, PA and still have some run/pass options....

Langs has evolved quite a bit IMO, from last year to this. I can't imagine that he and Riley after seeing the success first hand of a run threat QB would abandon that in the future. If we continue to have enough designed runs and/or the RPO game we should be able to continue to have this scheme evolve. I am intrigued at the thought of POB in the run game.....

I am not sold on POB in the QB run game. He's a tall, lumbering runner who was able to gain yards in high school through "surprise" and because he's so much bigger than the defenders he was going against. He won't be a huge threat in the QB run game.

I wouldn't call it surprise when he ran for 600+ yards his junior year as well. Also he's the same size as Dak Prescott.

Dak is 6'2" and 225 lbs in the NFL. That's a thick dude who was able to use power and quickness to be a good runner.POB is 6'3" or 6'4" and 230 lbs as a freshman. To me that's a guy who is tall and lumbering, and who will probably put on more weight to get to 235-240. A guy at that size can be a run a few times a game, but not a guy who's going to break off long runs and scare a defense.

POB is far from lumbering...he actually has pretty good speed and quickness for his size. Just go back and watch his high school videos. He is pretty elusive in the pocket.

 

[Norhusker]

POB, while a pro style guy, ran for almost 640 yards his last year in HS. Had 143 carries and averaged 4.5/carry and a 65% completion rate..... (not sure how many of those were scrambles vs designed runs)

Seems that he is capable of being "dual threat" in that he can do some designed runs. I'm not saying zone read and option, but could do draws, PA and still have some run/pass options....

Langs has evolved quite a bit IMO, from last year to this. I can't imagine that he and Riley after seeing the success first hand of a run threat QB would abandon that in the future. If we continue to have enough designed runs and/or the RPO game we should be able to continue to have this scheme evolve. I am intrigued at the thought of POB in the run game.....

I am not sold on POB in the QB run game. He's a tall, lumbering runner who was able to gain yards in high school through "surprise" and because he's so much bigger than the defenders he was going against. He won't be a huge threat in the QB run game.

I wouldn't call it surprise when he ran for 600+ yards his junior year as well. Also he's the same size as Dak Prescott.

Dak is 6'2" and 225 lbs in the NFL. That's a thick dude who was able to use power and quickness to be a good runner.POB is 6'3" or 6'4" and 230 lbs as a freshman. To me that's a guy who is tall and lumbering, and who will probably put on more weight to get to 235-240. A guy at that size can be a run a few times a game, but not a guy who's going to break off long runs and scare a defense.

POB is far from lumbering...he actually has pretty good speed and quickness for his size. Just go back and watch his high school videos. He is pretty elusive in the pocket.

Agreed. How about Tanner Lee? I never saw him in action.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

POB, while a pro style guy, ran for almost 640 yards his last year in HS. Had 143 carries and averaged 4.5/carry and a 65% completion rate..... (not sure how many of those were scrambles vs designed runs)

Seems that he is capable of being "dual threat" in that he can do some designed runs. I'm not saying zone read and option, but could do draws, PA and still have some run/pass options....

Langs has evolved quite a bit IMO, from last year to this. I can't imagine that he and Riley after seeing the success first hand of a run threat QB would abandon that in the future. If we continue to have enough designed runs and/or the RPO game we should be able to continue to have this scheme evolve. I am intrigued at the thought of POB in the run game.....

I am not sold on POB in the QB run game. He's a tall, lumbering runner who was able to gain yards in high school through "surprise" and because he's so much bigger than the defenders he was going against. He won't be a huge threat in the QB run game.

I wouldn't call it surprise when he ran for 600+ yards his junior year as well. Also he's the same size as Dak Prescott.

Dak is 6'2" and 225 lbs in the NFL. That's a thick dude who was able to use power and quickness to be a good runner.POB is 6'3" or 6'4" and 230 lbs as a freshman. To me that's a guy who is tall and lumbering, and who will probably put on more weight to get to 235-240. A guy at that size can be a run a few times a game, but not a guy who's going to break off long runs and scare a defense.

POB is far from lumbering...he actually has pretty good speed and quickness for his size. Just go back and watch his high school videos. He is pretty elusive in the pocket.

Agreed. How about Tanner Lee? I never saw him in action.

Well, Tanner Lee transferred from Tulane because they changed to an offense that was using a running QB, so I would put him closer to a statue.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Lol. This stuff is all so overblown.

 

[Nebfanatic]

Lol. This stuff is all so overblown.

Exactly. It's not that important, our offense can and will be effective regardless of what type of quarterback we have.

 

[lo country]

POB, while a pro style guy, ran for almost 640 yards his last year in HS. Had 143 carries and averaged 4.5/carry and a 65% completion rate..... (not sure how many of those were scrambles vs designed runs)

Seems that he is capable of being "dual threat" in that he can do some designed runs. I'm not saying zone read and option, but could do draws, PA and still have some run/pass options....

Langs has evolved quite a bit IMO, from last year to this. I can't imagine that he and Riley after seeing the success first hand of a run threat QB would abandon that in the future. If we continue to have enough designed runs and/or the RPO game we should be able to continue to have this scheme evolve. I am intrigued at the thought of POB in the run game.....

I am not sold on POB in the QB run game. He's a tall, lumbering runner who was able to gain yards in high school through "surprise" and because he's so much bigger than the defenders he was going against. He won't be a huge threat in the QB run game.

I wouldn't call it surprise when he ran for 600+ yards his junior year as well. Also he's the same size as Dak Prescott.

Dak is 6'2" and 225 lbs in the NFL. That's a thick dude who was able to use power and quickness to be a good runner.POB is 6'3" or 6'4" and 230 lbs as a freshman. To me that's a guy who is tall and lumbering, and who will probably put on more weight to get to 235-240. A guy at that size can be a run a few times a game, but not a guy who's going to break off long runs and scare a defense.

POB is far from lumbering...he actually has pretty good speed and quickness for his size. Just go back and watch his high school videos. He is pretty elusive in the pocket.

Agreed. How about Tanner Lee? I never saw him in action.

Well, Tanner Lee transferred from Tulane because they changed to an offense that was using a running QB, so I would put him closer to a statue.

IIRC, he actually had negative yards. He can, however, make all the "NFL throws". I think his upside is accuracy.

 

[lo country]

Lol. This stuff is all so overblown.

Exactly. It's not that important, our offense can and will be effective regardless of what type of quarterback we have.

How so? Not that important?

 

[Nebfanatic]

I think our offense can be effective with a drop back passer or a dual threat guy as our coaches will cater to our players? I think as long as we have our best players in the game this coaching staff will put out a good product

Edit:forgot to quote lo country

I'm glad the staff is looking to bring in all types of QB's having options is never a bad thing