Starting job up for grabs as QBs test new offense

[HuskerNMO]

Relax compadre's. I know how hugely popular conspiracy rumors are here but......Bo likes to win.

Wow, a rational post!

Totally agree, look I have coached football for 10 years now, I pick my starting 11 on defense since I am the DC. Guess who I pick, THE BEST PLAYERS that will give the team the BEST CHANCE TO WIN.

It is ALWAYS that simple, just like at NU

The only time there is a bit of an emotional edge is during a blow out and then there might be a few kids that are hard workers but not that good and they might get more PT then some kids with more talent.

Is the most athletic player always the best one to put on the field? Or do you need to take into account team chemistry and the mental side of the game?

If it was that simple like you suggest, why even play the games? Just hand that crystal football trophy to the team that is on top of the recruiting rankings each year.

I think it's obvious that every single coach wants to win every single game that they coach, yet you put multiple coaches in a room and they don't all agree on who should run the offense and give the team the best chance to win. There is nothing simple about it, especially when you're dealing with college age student athletes that can be more up and down than a roller coaster.

If you don't think there was division on the staff of who should start, then I don't know what to tell you.

Here's a note from our former outgoing offensive coordinator, aka the Anti-Christ to most Husker fans after the first game of the year.

"Watson didn't even proclaim Martinez his starting quarterback. He indicated only that he'll use Martinez and Green going forward."

Not trying to rehash the Taylor vs Cody debate from last year at this point, it's really a clean slate. But anyone who doesn't see that Taylor's personality and Bo's handling of it caused tension in the team last year has blinders on. Would Cody or Zac have been able to overcome that explosiveness gap with their abilities as leaders? We'll never know, and can argue that forever. :wasted

 

[girlknowsfootball]

I know you guys are really excited, as am I. But we have to be patient here. Yes our offense is going to be better this year than it was last, but a lot of the talent we have that fits this new style of play is very very young. There are going to be some mistakes made. Count on it. When you have a new system and you have new guys on the field for the first time there will be a few blown coverages, dropped passes, fumbled balls, or interceptions thrown. Our problems we had last year will not all magically disappear over night. And when they don't, don't go pointing fingers at beck. These kids have had a way of doing things drilled through their head for years... And the young ones who haven't will be adjusting to the speed of the game, making the right calls, etc. Now we're definitely going to be better.... But it's gonna take some time. Young guys like Aaron green, Kenny bell, brion carnes, etc. Are going to need some time to get to where we expect them to be.

As fans, to support our team it's important that we show some patience with them. The changes are going to be good, but there are going to be a few holes to fill as we adjust, some playing time needed as we grow and learn. We are finally getting some talented depth across the board... But we still need a little bit of time to get there. We still need a couple of years to get the offense where it needs to be.

 

[junior4949]

Relax compadre's. I know how hugely popular conspiracy rumors are here but......Bo likes to win.

Wow, a rational post!

Totally agree, look I have coached football for 10 years now, I pick my starting 11 on defense since I am the DC. Guess who I pick, THE BEST PLAYERS that will give the team the BEST CHANCE TO WIN.

It is ALWAYS that simple, just like at NU

The only time there is a bit of an emotional edge is during a blow out and then there might be a few kids that are hard workers but not that good and they might get more PT then some kids with more talent.

Is the most athletic player always the best one to put on the field? Or do you need to take into account team chemistry and the mental side of the game?

If it was that simple like you suggest, why even play the games? Just hand that crystal football trophy to the team that is on top of the recruiting rankings each year.

I think it's obvious that every single coach wants to win every single game that they coach, yet you put multiple coaches in a room and they don't all agree on who should run the offense and give the team the best chance to win. There is nothing simple about it, especially when you're dealing with college age student athletes that can be more up and down than a roller coaster.

If you don't think there was division on the staff of who should start, then I don't know what to tell you.

Here's a note from our former outgoing offensive coordinator, aka the Anti-Christ to most Husker fans after the first game of the year.

"Watson didn't even proclaim Martinez his starting quarterback. He indicated only that he'll use Martinez and Green going forward."

Not trying to rehash the Taylor vs Cody debate from last year at this point, it's really a clean slate. But anyone who doesn't see that Taylor's personality and Bo's handling of it caused tension in the team last year has blinders on. Would Cody or Zac have been able to overcome that explosiveness gap with their abilities as leaders? We'll never know, and can argue that forever. :wasted

Great post. The best athletes are not always the best to have on the field. Randy Stella comes to mind. He was a tremendous athlete, but he stunk up the place because he was always in the wrong place at the right time.

I was told long before the season ended that there was friction between Watson and Bo. From what I heard, Watson said he wasn't going to be back no matter what for the 2011 season. I think Bo pulled rank two years ago when Cody started a couple of games, and I think Bo pulled rank with regards to Martinez starting last season. All in all, I don't know that last season would have turned out much differently had Lee been healthy and the starter. We still would have lost the Texas game. We more than likely would have lost the Okie State game. Yet, we probably would have won the A&M game. The Big 12 Championship game would have been a push.

More than anything, I think the offense in 2011 will be smoother because the head coach and the offensive coordinator will be on the same page with regards to starters and plays. Martinez is a year older and has experience heading into this season. As long as the receivers can actually catch the ball and the OL cuts down on the mental mistakes, we should be fine.

 

[Joe_5700]

Watson wanted robots and not players reacting to the situation. Where did this guy get his degree and who taught him how to coach ?

One of the most puzzling things that Watson did last season was have Lee and Green in mop up duty run the same exact plays that were designed only for Martinez. It was painfull to watch.

 

[HuskerTrucker]

IMHO Watson's scheme failed because of the lack of a OL. His scheme was based on the OL giving the QB protection and opening holes for the RB's. When that didn't happen he relied on Martinez's wheels to get the job done. When Martinez got hurt, it became apparent to everyone that he could not make adjustments. The Huskers used to be one of the best at making halftime adjustment, but in the years after Dr. Tom, they were one of the worst. You could count on more of the same after the half as you got the first half.....whether it worked the first half or not. This has to change if the Huskers are going to have a successful offense, and hopefully it will.

 

[Joe_5700]

IMHO Watson's scheme failed because of the lack of a OL. His scheme was based on the OL giving the QB protection and opening holes for the RB's. When that didn't happen he relied on Martinez's wheels to get the job done. When Martinez got hurt, it became apparent to everyone that he could not make adjustments. The Huskers used to be one of the best at making halftime adjustment, but in the years after Dr. Tom, they were one of the worst. You could count on more of the same after the half as you got the first half.....whether it worked the first half or not. This has to change if the Huskers are going to have a successful offense, and hopefully it will.

I am not trying to be a smart a$$, but doesn't every O-coordinator develop a scheme based on that? Once your O-line fails to open holes or provide your QB with protection, nothing is going to work.

 

[kchusker_chris]

IMHO Watson's scheme failed because of the lack of a OL. His scheme was based on the OL giving the QB protection and opening holes for the RB's. When that didn't happen he relied on Martinez's wheels to get the job done. When Martinez got hurt, it became apparent to everyone that he could not make adjustments. The Huskers used to be one of the best at making halftime adjustment, but in the years after Dr. Tom, they were one of the worst. You could count on more of the same after the half as you got the first half.....whether it worked the first half or not. This has to change if the Huskers are going to have a successful offense, and hopefully it will.

I am not trying to be a smart a$$, but doesn't every O-coordinator develop a scheme based on that? Once your O-line fails to open holes or provide your QB with protection, nothing is going to work.

Or maybe you'd incorporate a bubble screen since you OL is sh!t?

 

[huskerscott]

I really dont care how well our QBs run the option. If defenses sell out to stop the option, what do we go to???? By mid season last year the zone read was pretty much stop in its tracks whether Martinez was injured or not. I really want a QB in their that can pass effectively. Not saying throw the ball 50 times a game. But have that TRUE dual threat in the QB position is what gonna keep D-coordinators up at night.

If we arent able to pass the ball effectively, then this season will be just like last year, full of hope... lack of success.

Not trying to pick on you HuskerScott but your post is simply not true.

NU had good to great offenses for decades despite having "very" marginal passing qbs (S. Taylor, S. Frost, T. Frazier, E. Crouch, etc). They were still effective passing the ball only due to the defense selling out vs the run which left our wrs wide open everywhere. NOT because they were good to great pocket qbs. Not even close.

Despite your claims, the vast overwhelming percentage of cfb qbs do not excel (at all) at both throwing and passing. They're almost non-existent. M. Vick maybe? Who else?

NU runs the ball effectively coupled with an OC who won't endless "sling the ball around" on 2nd or 3rd & shorts and the passing game will be wide open. We don't need a D. Marino passing threat to succeed at all.

Yes you're right. Its hard to find a QB that excels at both. If our offense is able to keeps teams off balance by having QB back their that is effective running and throwing the ball, then that should breed some success. The QB will become a TRUE dual threat.

Those QBs had pretty awesome Olines during their time at Nebraska, plus those QBs played over a decade ago. So comparing what they did in a triple option type offense doesnt do any justice. Game has changed a lot since then.

Todd Reesing was never a great runner or passer. But their type of offense made him a dual threat. Remember the 09 KU game, Reesing scrambled for first down after first down on 3rd and long in the first half. What happened in 2nd half was Bo backed off the blitzes and Reesing was able to pass the ball effectively to give them a chance. Thats the type of QB we need in this offense.

Teams last year sold out to stop our run and guess what the passing game wasnt wide open. Why??? because the QB never had any pocket presence and add in the fact our Oline wasnt strongest part of offense, either was the receivers. Thats why other teams were successful.

I never made any claims that a majority of college football QBs excel at both.

You guys are buying way too much into this offense the first under Beck. I hope you guys arent disappointed.

 

[Hercules]

When people talk about the kind of QB they want to have at Nebraska, and then talk about Todd Reesing, it just makes me think they can't remember anything that didn't happen in the last 3 years.

 

[zoogs]

People talk about Todd Reesing because our new OC was passing game coordinator during part of Reesing's time there.

Maybe if our new OC were Turner Gill or Frank Solich, we would be talking about an old school Nebraska offense. But the rumblings actually make it sound like we're going there.

 

[Hercules]

People talk about Todd Reesing because our new OC was passing game coordinator during part of Reesing's time there.

Maybe if our new OC were Turner Gill or Frank Solich, we would be talking about an old school Nebraska offense. But the rumblings actually make it sound like we're going there.

Ok, but Beck wasn't running the offense at KU, Warriner was (or Mangino was). The last time he was in charge of the offense, he was coaching high school, and he started with the flexbone which then evolved into a spread option game.

I'm just saying, for all their criticism of our current QBs, you'd think the critics would have someone in mind that was a little better than Todd Reesing, who in 10 years will be the kind of QB that nobody but Kansas fans remember.

 

[huskerscott]

People talk about Todd Reesing because our new OC was passing game coordinator during part of Reesing's time there.

Maybe if our new OC were Turner Gill or Frank Solich, we would be talking about an old school Nebraska offense. But the rumblings actually make it sound like we're going there.

Ok, but Beck wasn't running the offense at KU, Warriner was (or Mangino was). The last time he was in charge of the offense, he was coaching high school, and he started with the flexbone which then evolved into a spread option game.

I'm just saying, for all their criticism of our current QBs, you'd think the critics would have someone in mind that was a little better than Todd Reesing, who in 10 years will be the kind of QB that nobody but Kansas fans remember.

No people will remember Todd Reesing 10 years from now at KU. Orange Bowl win beat VTech, 12-1 season. Thats why he will be remembered by KU football fans.

The reason I brought up Todd Reesing because I was claifying what type of dual threat QB I would prefer in this offense. Reesing came to mind because he wasnt absolutely great at both running and throwing but was effective enough to become a threat at either one. Martinez may be a good runner, but his just as a terrible passer. Teams caught on loaded the box to stop Martinez running because he knew he couldnt hit the board side of a barn throwing.

Yes, I think its possible we move towards what KU during Becks time their. But I wont be surprised if we do something different.

 

[zoogs]

People talk about Todd Reesing because our new OC was passing game coordinator during part of Reesing's time there.

Maybe if our new OC were Turner Gill or Frank Solich, we would be talking about an old school Nebraska offense. But the rumblings actually make it sound like we're going there.

Ok, but Beck wasn't running the offense at KU, Warriner was (or Mangino was). The last time he was in charge of the offense, he was coaching high school, and he started with the flexbone which then evolved into a spread option game.

I'm just saying, for all their criticism of our current QBs, you'd think the critics would have someone in mind that was a little better than Todd Reesing, who in 10 years will be the kind of QB that nobody but Kansas fans remember.

Yeah, I know. I thought it was kinda funny, because there has been talk over the past few months of both Warriner and Mangino being the OC here, Warriner (Sardines ) a little more seriously. In every case people talked about the 2007 KU offense. I wondered: just how much credit for that year is there to go around between these three guys? I tend to think it was really Mangino's show and it tells us a limited amount about Warriner and an even more limited, next to nothing amount about Beck.

I agree with you, pointing to Beck's high school offenses is a better starting point.

If Reesing were our model QB, then we are moving back to the post Holiday Bowl '09 days when it looked like Lee would be our starter. It doesn't make too much sense. Reesing had a decent set of wheels too by the way, but I think Lee's faster.

I think that style of QB makes sense because I'm a fan of that kind of offense, but it just does not seem like we are headed there right now. And really...it's hard to argue with Oregon style too much right now. Sounds exciting.

 

[Hercules]

Based on where we seem to be going offensively, I think the ultimate model for our QBs is still Turner Gill. He was a true dual-threat QB, not just a runner who opened up passing lanes with his feet, and while I don't think we're necessarily going back to that exact system, I think we are going to be running some form of the spread option.

It seems to me that there are basically two types of spread option QBs - the Turner Gill type (Darron Thomas, Dennis Dixon, Denard Robinson), and the Vince Young type (Tim Tebow, Cam Newton, Scott Frost). All of our guys (Martinez, Carnes, Turner) fit the Turner Gill mold more than anything else.

Anyways, this is basically a pointless discussion, but I simply get tired of hearing about Todd Reesing or someone like that when there are much better models out there. Reesing was a decent QB in that system, like Ganz was a decent QB in Watson's system, but that's not our system anymore, and we're setting our sights on guys that have the potential to win national championships, not on guys who have the potential to compete for and lose the Big 12 north division to Chase Daniel and Missouri.

 

[huskerscott]

Based on where we seem to be going offensively, I think the ultimate model for our QBs is still Turner Gill. He was a true dual-threat QB, not just a runner who opened up passing lanes with his feet, and while I don't think we're necessarily going back to that exact system, I think we are going to be running some form of the spread option.

It seems to me that there are basically two types of spread option QBs - the Turner Gill type (Darron Thomas, Dennis Dixon, Denard Robinson), and the Vince Young type (Tim Tebow, Cam Newton, Scott Frost). All of our guys (Martinez, Carnes, Turner) fit the Turner Gill mold more than anything else.

Anyways, this is basically a pointless discussion, but I simply get tired of hearing about Todd Reesing or someone like that when there are much better models out there. Reesing was a decent QB in that system, like Ganz was a decent QB in Watson's system, but that's not our system anymore, and we're setting our sights on guys that have the potential to win national championships, not on guys who have the potential to compete for and lose the Big 12 north division to Chase Daniel and Missouri.

Most of the time decent QB play is all the difference between a divison title and a national title.

But I do see your point.