Starting QB Present or Future View

R

robsker

Starter
If Ganz starts next year then that would make 4 different starting QB's in four seasons --- a disaster. We had Taylor, then Keller, then Ganz next year, and then someone else the year later. To build you need the same QB for two years --- at a minimum --- three is better. If Pelini is smart and is planning for the long haul rather than being short sighted, he'll go with a young QB (unless none of the young QB's are good). Even if Ganz is better for next year than all of the young QB's he needs to prep a QB for the future. NU is going nowhere next year with Ganz or anyone else (if by anywhere one means winning the B12 North or anything beyond that). If you play Ganz next year (exclusively or near exclusively) then the following year NU will again go nowhere (with a new QB). If we take our lumps next year (which we will do anyway) and prep a new QB then the following year there is a chance for NU to maybe take the North (at least a MUCH better chance).

NU is starting from scratch --- and no one in their right mind rebuilds with a senior QB. Poor Ganz --- he is in the wrong place at the wrong time. What Pelini does with the QB situation will be enlightening --- it will reveal whether he has long range or short range goals in mind (or, perhaps that he is handcuffed so-tospeak with no young QB that can be the future). He would be a fool not to give significant playing time (or start) the best of the young QB's.

This perspective is based upon several assumptions. 1) NU next season will be second or, much more likely, third or lower in the B12 North irrespective of who is at QB 2) The first year for any starting QB (with few exceptions) is typically far less productive than year two (and especially year three) 3) that the real target years are not the 2008, or maybe even so much 2009 --- but the 2010 season and 4) the 2008 NU football should be all about setting the stage for the future.

Thoughts?

 
Not to nitpick, but it would be 4 starting QBs in five years.

'05: Taylor (NEW STARTER)

'06: Taylor

'07: Keller, then Ganz (NEW STARTER)

'08: Ganz

'09: (NEW STARTER)

And we'd enter the year with a new starter at QB three times.

I think it's true that we are hitting some bumps, but I disagree with this:

If you play Ganz next year (exclusively or near exclusively) then the following year NU will again go nowhere (with a new QB). If we take our lumps next year (which we will do anyway) and prep a new QB then the following year there is a chance for NU to maybe take the North (at least a MUCH better chance).
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Guys who have sat and waited and developed for a few years in this system *can* go hit and rolling - for example, Ganz. Who's to say one of those QBs, maybe a redshirt sophomore Patrick Witt or Zac Lee or whoever - don't pull a Sam Bradford? Even if they don't live up to Sam Bradford, well, you can still accomplish a lot without being the RS Freshman Sam Bradford was.

I think our philosophy should *always* be to do what's best for the team, and that's win. It's dangerous, counter-intuitive, and IMO bad for team chemistry to hurt the team now under the assumption that things will be better. They may be, and they may not. A first year starter could just as well regress or buckle under the pressure. If Ganz proves he's our guy in practice, then he's our guy.

Things will stablilize shortly, no doubt.

 
Personally, I want Pelini to play the best QB we have. Football isn't about winning next year, it's about winning the game you are playing in right now, and you do that by playing your best players. I think your best players should be on the field no matter what. While doing that, he could still get our next QB some meaningful snaps so that he isn't inexperienced.

 
I don't know what the magic formula is but I am comfortable knowing that 'lil Hawk will be our QB for the next 3 years.

 
Bo already said we aren't scrapping the offense. That isn't getting rebuilt, just augmented and tweaked. Ganz would be considered a returning starter if BC wasn't so stubborn and Ganz got his shot back during the Mizzou and/or OSU games. As is he still has been around a lot and has a few starts under his belt. He is the right guy to get things going.

Bo also already said we aren't going into '08 with a rebuilding mentality we are looking to win. Ganz is the guy if we want to win. Bo would be hard-pressed to keep this team on his side if he went back on his word and just started playing guys for the future.

We have the talent to make a statement in '08, and that statement shouldn't be "hey we suck, you can play right-away".

 
:bonez :steam :steam :bonez

I hate the term rebuilding when used in conjunction with college ball. The fact that you only have a kid for five years and that he can only play four basically means you are constantly rebuilding. If you use the term "rebuild" with college kids I think they react negatively. They may not be there next year or the year after and will possibly not give their best because they are not going to be part of the so called "rebuilt team." The pros can rebuild because they have the time and talent. In college the job is much tougher and requires a coach who can actually coach football not just manage a football system. We got lucky this year because Ganz came in and was ready to play with little or know real playing time under his belt. Hopefully next year Bo P. will utilize the services of his backup QB's so that they get real game experience and will be ready to assume a strong leadership role in 2009.

>>>T_O_B

:bonez :cheers :cheers :bonez

 
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BeachBuffs said:
I don't know what the magic formula is but I am comfortable knowing that 'lil Hawk will be our QB for the next 3 years.
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Beach --- you have validated my point. CU is well ahead of NU in the rebuild prosess. Why? They invested in their really young players and took their lumps and are now about to reap the benefits. I am a diehard Husker fan but also a realist. 90% of my brethren on this board will disagree with me but truly NU next year will not hand with Missouri, Kansas or Colorado --- and Colorado might crack into the top two in the north.

Unless the coach comes in, like Hawkins did, and roll up his sleeves and say that the goal is to win --- with a sustained winning --- and I will need to invest in youth and really develop and hope that down the road we can SUSTAIN winning. CU will be there next year and will be a very, very solid team --- again because two years ago and this past year Hawkins went with youth who are now developed. I assure you that next year was the year that Hawkins had in view when he started --- a goal of where he wanted to be.

You build companies that way. You build departments in universities that way. You have long range sustained winning in view. Short term thinking is what facilitates the next leadership team to come in take over in a few years.

Again, next year with Ganz or anybody else at QB the Huskers will not better Missouri, Kansas, or Colorado --- and their best chance of getting past any of them the following year is predicated upon who they develop next year. If they develop few young players next year then they become more deeply entrenched behind the leaders in the B12 North.

The only reason not to go with Lee or Witt or a new QB is if the staff sees what they have and are certain that none of them have the stuff to be the future QB --- and man, I hope it is not that bad.

 
i don't agree...

I think Ganz is the answer to exactly the problem you think exists.

He's not just a senior QB replacing last year's senior, he's started 3 games and played in 7 over his career.

He's not some stopgap transfer or juco guy, he clearly has his heart and mind for Nebraska.

He actually put up some good numbers and helped us compete in games he started.

Now, do I think he is going to be outstanding and help us win 10-11 games? Not necessarily, but he could be the bridge from Callahan's pro 'stystem' to Pelini's 'play with guts' guy we need.

I think Pelini will play the guy who deserves it most, and if that guy is Ganz, i'll be happy with that.

 
I guess if your playing video games you might be successful in trying to game the future. In reality, I think it's smarter to play those who win the positions. Going with second best in order to be better in 2009/2010 is just a crap shoot.

 
Too much over-analyzing here. You start the guy who gives you the best shot at winning, be it Ganz, Lee or whoever. Ganz may be gone the next year but most of the other guys on the team will still be there and if they get used to winning during Ganz's last season, they're going to develop a winning attitutde that's going to carry on to the next year.

So, if Ganz is the best you've got, you start Ganz and work the younger guys in for a series here or there throughout the season to get them some real-time experience.

 
Cy the Cyclone said:
Too much over-analyzing here. You start the guy who gives you the best shot at winning, be it Ganz, Lee or whoever. Ganz may be gone the next year but most of the other guys on the team will still be there and if they get used to winning during Ganz's last season, they're going to develop a winning attitutde that's going to carry on to the next year.

So, if Ganz is the best you've got, you start Ganz and work the younger guys in for a series here or there throughout the season to get them some real-time experience.
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:bonez :steam :steam :bonez

Totally agree Cy. A winning attitude is very important. TO established it throughout his tenure as HC and the last five years I don't think the Huskers ever took the field without thinking that they were going to win and win big. The '95 team was arguably the best team of the second half of the last century. They knew they were going to win and they did.

>>>T_O_B

:bonez :cheers :cheers :bonez

 
You should play the best guy you have at every position.

Regardless of talent, some coaches just don't want to play freshmen. There may be some instances where a coach plays a beloved senior ahead of a better player or a schollie guy ahead of a non-schollie player but it shouldn't happen.

 
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