Zac Lee

[hskernation]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200...;u_sid=10301268

 

 

LINCOLN — It would sound believable if Zac Lee were to say his path to becoming a college quarterback was paved by being the son of one who played 12 NFL seasons.

 

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Zac Lee is "the kind of guy that you go out and look for when you're recruiting in this style of offense," offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said.

Passed on by some form of football osmosis, right?

 

Hmmm. Lee thinks for a moment. Really, no.

 

"That's just kind of what I always wanted to do," said Lee, the Nebraska sophomore quarterback. "That's just who I am. I kind of like being out there, having control, to an extent, of what happens. But I do think we have the same kind of personality, where one way or another you kind of like to be in control or in charge."

 

Bob Lee played for four National Football League teams from 1969 through 1981. He threw a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XI for Minnesota and started the Vikings' two playoff games the following season (1977) when Fran Tarkenton was injured.

 

Zac Lee never played a down of football until high school. He preferred baseball as a youngster and stuck with both sports through high school and into junior college.

 

Bob Lee said OK. Just come get me if you want to throw the ball around.

 

"He's never pushed me to play football or quarterback or anything like that," Zac Lee said. "He just kind of always let us do whatever we wanted. I was having fun playing other sports and doing other things, and his concern was he didn't necessarily think your body is ready to play football before you start high school anyway.

 

"We'd go play catch a lot. I always wanted to do it, and he was always willing to go do stuff with me like that."

 

However it happened, Lee is following those footsteps decades later.

 

Joe Ganz has the benefit of starting Nebraska's last three games in 2007, but Lee is in his best position since arriving 15 months ago. And even if it doesn't happen for him this season, Lee and redshirt freshman Patrick Witt would be considered the favorites for the starting job in 2009.

 

"Joe went in last year and did a great job," Lee said. "You can't take anything away from him there, and you can't look at it like it didn't happen because it did happen. You just got to keep working, keep learning, keep playing hard — and just keep trying to show the coaches that you're ready to go if something happens or you're ready to go if they decide it's you."

 

Both Ganz and Lee offer NU some athleticism it didn't have at quarterback with either Zac Taylor or Sam Keller. Lee shrugs at the notion that his total package is a good fit for what offensive coordinator Shawn Watson wants to do, saying Watson's system can adjust to any quarterback.

 

Watson, however, appreciates his skills.

 

"He's the kind of guy that you go out and look for when you're recruiting in this style of offense," Watson said. "Very good athlete, explosive runner, and we've already talked about his ability to throw the football with that quick trigger and accuracy."

 

Watson said it now becomes about learning, and that's the process Lee is transitioning into through five spring practices.

 

Lee injured a knee in his final game at City College of San Francisco in 2006. After sitting last spring and rehabbing right up to preseason camp, he was relegated to a redshirt and scout-team duty.

 

It wasn't the worst thing to happen to him, allowing him to watch the Division I-A game for a season, learn the system and get stronger physically.

 

"It's made a difference this spring," Lee said. "It's just nice to be out here getting reps and playing football again when it looks like it could mean something."

 

Lee has a long way to go to ever match his dad. Not that Bob Lee would ever force that information on his son unless he asked.

 

"He's got a million stories, and I think I've probably heard most of them a few times," Zac Lee said. "He tells me different things from different times. But really, what better guy to learn from than someone that's played at the highest level for a long period of time and had success with it?"

 

Bob Lee never tried to show Zac how he should throw a football. Zac just went with what felt best. But he doesn't discount the likelihood that he picked up some things just by watching.

 

As with Bob, Zac played at both St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco and then CCSF. Bob Lee started his career at Arizona State and, after playing at CCSF, finished it at Pacific.

 

They can share stories of being overlooked. Bob was only a 19th-round NFL draft pick in 1969, and Zac wasn't exactly swarmed with Division I-A interest coming out of high school.

 

"I guess I didn't realize how the process went," Zac Lee said. "You almost have to sell yourself to colleges. Going to camps, sending out tapes and stuff like that. I just didn't do any of it. I played baseball all summer."

 

It looks as if it will work out all right for him. It's also given Watson a chance to get reacquainted with Bob Lee, whom he already knew through Jim Hart, his former athletic director at Southern Illinois and also a former NFL quarterback.

 

"I told him when I first met him, 'Hey, I had your football card,'" Watson said.

 

"Zac has a really supportive relationship with his father, and his dad holds him to a high standard of accountability. But what I love about Bob as a parent is we don't talk about football in terms of Zac as much as we do family and being dads and just football the business."

[HuskerTrucker]

That is a nice article on Zac...I believe that he will get his chance, and deserves it.

[hskernation]

the greatest thing about the whole situation is he still has 3 years left

 

i foresee him taking over joe ganzs' spot as the best backup qb in the country that joey had for so long

[xkbubo]

the greatest thing about the whole situation is he still has 3 years left

 

i foresee him taking over joe ganzs' spot as the best backup qb in the country that joey had for so long

 

 

Hell yeah

[Cy the Cyclone]

Bob Lee could also punt...can Zac do that? Huh? HUH?

[bethelbacker]

With Zac and Witt behind Ganz, I feel very secure with our QB situation right now, I think all three of these guys can be good to potentially great players (though I think Ganz has maxed out his development, whereas Witt and Lee are going to keep improving).

[hskernation]

With Zac and Witt behind Ganz, I feel very secure with our QB situation right now, I think all three of these guys can be good to potentially great players (though I think Ganz has maxed out his development, whereas Witt and Lee are going to keep improving).

 

 

 

that doesn't sound familiar, Ganz being underappreciated/undervalued.

 

i agree that his development may be near completion, but don't underestimate his value and leadership ability