MichiganDad3

I think you misunderstand me. There are many reasons to have a QB who can run. I am saying Taylor's running threat, specifically, is in one way only: straight-line burning speed. He doesn't run the option well. He doesn't shake defender and can't barrel over them. When the pocket breaks down and he gets pressured, he doesn't dance out of it. He usually goes down with it. I wouldn't even say he has great running vision. These are all the kinds of things you are looking to get out of the QB when he is a 'dual-threat' type. I am saying if we are going to have a running QB, he has to be that kind of dynamic threat on the ground. Otherwise, we're better off having a passer. Or without even changing the scheme at all, a guy who isn't as fast, but has some vision and shake ability and throws the ball better. Sooner or later, one of our recruits is going to have that. If Taylor ran either the read option or the option well, then we'd use both a lot more. We largely abandoned the option, didn't we? If the steps he has taken to protect himself as a runner have nixed an entire dimension in his running game, then I'd have to say I was wrong and that it wasn't worth it. Although I've seen it said that he would probably protect himself better by lowering his shoulder rather than taking those steamrolling hits upright, and I agree with that. I'm not that cynical about Beck, thugh, really. I will just disagree about all the passing and consistency improvements. I don't think Taylor raised the ceiling he was showing in his passing game pre-injury in 2010. He has cut down on mistakes, and that's about it. I agree with zoogies. Nebraska has a running QB who rarely scrambles for a 1st down when there is a called pass play. Opposing teams kills Nebraska with running QBs on passing plays, but Nebraska can't seem to return the favor.

Of course you are right. Terrified, scared, frightened, etc. are probably not well chosen words. But, for fans with an emotional attachment, I think we all understand what is trying to be conveyed. Concerned, disappointed, etc. are certainly more appropriate. In the grand scheme, really doesn't matter if they go 0-12 in the most pathetic way imaginable. Terrified is the correct word. I live 30 minutes from Ann Arbor Michigan, and the grief I took after this years loss was unbelievable. I had to hear all the 1997 garbage again. I really don't want Nebraska to be Michigan's whipping boy for the next few years. It would be worse than the Texas situation.

Nebraska's defense was disappointing this year and loses its 3 best players Very little development of backup players. Starters seemed to play even when hurt. The offense is built on a running QB that rarely scrambles from the pocket. Special teams stink. Nebraska has a great kicker, but all other aspects are below average. Penalties and turnovers haven't improved in years.

I think ALL of Nebraska's players need to get better. I'm more optimistic than most about Taylor because I already think he's pretty darn good, and most of the improvement needed is mental, not physical. As opposed to a guy like Rex, who is mentally as sharp as you're going to get, but may be more limited physically than some other RBs. (For example, I tend to think that Martinez's lack of 80 yard runs this year has less to do with him not being as explosive, and more to do with defenses not being worried that Rex Burkhead is going to go 80 yards the other way, like Roy Helu could). I see people constantly say, "Well, we should get a QB who can do this or this or this." If we could come up with some hybrid clone of Peyton Manning and Michael Vick, I think those people would be happy. But there's no such thing as the perfect dual-threat QB, and in college, you can't just hire whoever you want. Right now, we have Martinez and Carnes, neither of whom are perfect. I guess instead of wishing we had someone else, I try to look at the positives we had from QB play (of which there are many), and I realize that QB play was far from the issue that caused us to lose games this year. Shoddy defense, special teams implosions, and lack of discipline where much bigger problems than QB play. In addition, the offensive line, wide receivers, defensive line, and secondary were all position groups that were more inconsistent and more accurately the reason for our struggles this year than QB play. Why aren't there 3 billion threads about those issues? I am not anti Martinez nor am I am in pro Martinez. I just find it odd that Nebraska is so afraid of a running QB that the DL will not rush the passer yet Nebraska's running QB rarely looks to scramble out of the pocket. This has to be due to coaching. I would also like to see Martinez run with more authority. If Martinez dives for the endzone in the citrus bowl I think he scores. Instead he steps out at the 8 yard line. This also has to be coaching. What happened to Nebraska never runs out of bounds and Nebraska QBs running over defenders?

My major complaint is that Nebraska fears running quarterbacks but the opposition does not fear Nebraska's running QB. The huskers fear running quarterbacks so much that the DL does not even rush the passer in order to prevent long scrambles. On the other hand how many times have we seen Martinez break out of the pocket and scramble for a big gain or a big 1st down? Opposing defenses don't reduce their rush pressure so Martinez can be contained. Why have a running QB only for designed runs? Nebraska should benefit from a running QB on pass plays, and Nebraska should be able to rush the passer and contain a scrambling QB.

Why isn't our DL trying to push? They are just standing up at the line and it isn't working. Please change the scheme.

Nope. We just lost our MVP

Bad read by TM

Fake injury Can they be flagged?

Where is SJB? Has he been on the field today?

That was not PI. If Thorell turns around it is a pick. Just gave DR a yard with a bad spot.

Why does the defense line up a yard off the line?

Ciante should have had a pick on the 1st series, and Dennard has an int on the long pass if he doesn't fall down.

Martinez needs to run from the pocket when there is any daylight. This will make the UM secondary nervous and open up passing lanes. We are losing the threat of the QB scramble.

Defense needs to take away the run and make DR throw. He will get yards and some big plays, but he WILL make bad decisions. If we let him run (even with containment for 7 to 15 yards) UM will score and there is no chance for the turnover.