QB Race

[skersfan]

If a freshman is getting this much attention from this staff, he must be doing the job.

 

Is our QB bunch on a national level. Hard to say at this time.

 

Florida, Texas, Alabama take the best athletes they can get and normally those kids play very early in one way or another.

 

Never once have you heard me promote a player over Lee. Last on the list from what I see would be Green. Still feel he will never play a meaningful roll as a Nebraska QB. Said it last year and still feel the same. Hope I am wrong on the kid cause he fits the mold.

 

From everything you hear, Martinez is lighting it up. Still feel experience at this level is more important than just raw talent.

 

Lee is our starter, and even as bad as last year was, there are moments when you think he just might get it right this year. I think he will. I would like to see him go out with a great senior season.

[Enhance]

If a freshman is getting this much attention from this staff, he must be doing the job..

What attention?

 

Taylor Martinez was brought into this conversation because of Lee being out in the spring. We would not have heard as much about Martinez or seen as much Martinez had that injury not occurred to Lee. The spring gave him the opportunity to be in the coaches' eyes.

 

Outside of that, the staff isn't giving him special attention. The fans are. The staff hasn't officially said anything about him other than the general coach speak. The articles on Martinez have been from "inside sources" or from player accounts. But what have the players even said? They've said he's got a hard throw, he's getting better, and that he sucks to chase after and tackle. Then our reporters grab that and go nuts with it.

 

This is why the quarterback controversy is what it is, because everybody is thinking and saying far too much about it.

[zoogs]

Agree with Enhance. A lot of people who cover the team in the media have their own horses in the QB race, and Lee is by far the boring pick. Guys like Sipple and Sean Callahan are touting Martinez, banking on the fact that even if they aren't right this year, there will be some QB controversy generated and Martinez might make a flashy play or two, and he might take over next year and they'll be the guys who were the first to notice him.

 

All these reports of an outstanding camp...I'll believe it when I see it. One thing's for sure though, Martinez ain't no Crouch running the ball.

[skersfan]

Look guys, I have supported Lee since last year after finding out about his injury. I want that senior mentality on the field.

 

But if a freshman is running to close to call, blah blah he is doing pretty good.

 

I truly think Lee is the starter, but from what I hear from people who have known in the past Martinez is doing things that were not expected. They feel he will be the starter. I think Bo will stick with experience. But I would love to see Martinez on the field and Green for that matter to get experience for next year either way.

 

We heard many times last year that he was doing great things on the scout team and that the coaches were impressed with him.

 

I feel confident the best player will start, so it really means very little to me one way or another. I just hope there is not innerteam loyalty to one or the other. That is the only draw back to tough QB competition.

[Malth]

Agree with Enhance. A lot of people who cover the team in the media have their own horses in the QB race, and Lee is by far the boring pick. Guys like Sipple and Sean Callahan are touting Martinez, banking on the fact that even if they aren't right this year, there will be some QB controversy generated and Martinez might make a flashy play or two, and he might take over next year and they'll be the guys who were the first to notice him.

 

All these reports of an outstanding camp...I'll believe it when I see it. One thing's for sure though, Martinez ain't no Crouch running the ball.

 

I would go with this, but I'm confused as to why Pelini hasn't named a starter 1 week before kickoff. Is he just trying to keep the mighty western kentucky guessing, or what is going on here?

[zoogs]

I think it's putting pressure on Lee. Regardless of the gap between him and the other guys, he needs to know that he is not a cemented starter on the team, and he has to go out and earn those stripes. He wasn't helped by the injury, but he didn't earn them last year. In other words, I think the coaches are playing this situation as a "Time to step up, Zac", instead of "Let's rally around someone and build cohesion." A calculated decision that could turn out either way I suppose, but I don't disagree with this call.

 

I also think the situation internally is somewhat more clear than they are choosing to announce to the media. Fans certainly aren't going to rally around Lee if he's named the starter; they'll only be disappointed.

[RedDenver]

Agree with Enhance. A lot of people who cover the team in the media have their own horses in the QB race, and Lee is by far the boring pick. Guys like Sipple and Sean Callahan are touting Martinez, banking on the fact that even if they aren't right this year, there will be some QB controversy generated and Martinez might make a flashy play or two, and he might take over next year and they'll be the guys who were the first to notice him.

 

All these reports of an outstanding camp...I'll believe it when I see it. One thing's for sure though, Martinez ain't no Crouch running the ball.

 

I would go with this, but I'm confused as to why Pelini hasn't named a starter 1 week before kickoff. Is he just trying to keep the mighty western kentucky guessing, or what is going on here?

I don't think he's named a starter at any position. People just notice the QB more.

[mmmtodd]

i dont think bo and co is just screwing around, which is what some of you are making it out to be it seems. if someone is pushing lee, then they must be really pushing him. its not something i think they would just play around with to help lee along or get a rise out of him or whatever. a week before the season and still no man named, theres obviously weight behind the race.

[zoogs]

I'm just speculating of course, but the job of the head coach is to know how to motivate all his players and push the right buttons to push them to succeed. I'm not saying they are screwing around at all. But I'm saying we have a returning starting quarterback who can't be put on a throne early on because he didn't earn it last year.

 

I think that this would be the case - starter not being named - regardless of the kind of performance Martinez had this camp.

[broganreynik]

i dont think bo and co is just screwing around, which is what some of you are making it out to be it seems. if someone is pushing lee, then they must be really pushing him. its not something i think they would just play around with to help lee along or get a rise out of him or whatever. a week before the season and still no man named, theres obviously weight behind the race.

 

Exactly. I seem to remember people doubting that Ganz could possibly be pushing Keller in 2007, and we all know how that turned out.

 

(I have to take this opportunity to say I didn't doubt Ganz. In fact I was high on Ganz from the get go, and got really strange looks from people when I would go nuts for Joey at spring games prior to 2007.)

[jsneb83]

Just read on ESPN that Pelini has picked the starter, but he's not saying who. It is ESPN, though, so take it FWIW.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

From SI.com

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini has hinted he's picked a starting quarterback, but he isn't saying who got the nod.

 

Pelini said after Saturday's practice that the coaching staff has a plan for the position. But everyone else will have to wait and see who's on the field when the No. 8 Cornhuskers open next week against Western Kentucky.

 

Incumbent starter Zac Lee has been competing against redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez and sophomore Cody Green for the job.

 

Asked if all three could take snaps in the opener, Pelini said, "We could play 10 guys. I don't have a crystal ball."

[GMoose]

I keep remembering this.

 

State Champion team, MVP of team and the state Offensive player of the year, not in Nebraska, Maine, North Dakota, but California. At least the third most fertile state for talent in the country. Texas and Florida get the nod but my guess is that there is more talent distributed through out the state due to population talent.

 

This kid is the real deal. Will he be our starter, no idea, but to think he is behind any of the six mentioned makes me wonder. We need to see him play

 

Others are proven, but I remember a freshman starting some years back and well we know what happened.

 

I still think Lee is the starter, but would not be surprised if Martinez is close. He has the heart and the determination obviously.

 

Lee has the knowledge of the system and experience and if they are even, he still gets my vote due to having the opportunity to rectify last year.

I think Tim Tebow won a few awards at the college level in the SEC no less, yet he's the third string QB behind Brady Quinn in the NFL. Previously accolades can mean very little when one moves up to the next level. Especially at quarterback. Remember, Martinez wasn't even recruited to play QB.

[suh_fan93]

I keep remembering this.

 

State Champion team, MVP of team and the state Offensive player of the year, not in Nebraska, Maine, North Dakota, but California. At least the third most fertile state for talent in the country. Texas and Florida get the nod but my guess is that there is more talent distributed through out the state due to population talent.

 

This kid is the real deal. Will he be our starter, no idea, but to think he is behind any of the six mentioned makes me wonder. We need to see him play

 

Others are proven, but I remember a freshman starting some years back and well we know what happened.

 

I still think Lee is the starter, but would not be surprised if Martinez is close. He has the heart and the determination obviously.

 

Lee has the knowledge of the system and experience and if they are even, he still gets my vote due to having the opportunity to rectify last year.

I think Tim Tebow won a few awards at the college level in the SEC no less, yet he's the third string QB behind Brady Quinn in the NFL. Previously accolades can mean very little when one moves up to the next level. Especially at quarterback. Remember, Martinez wasn't even recruited to play QB.

Actually Tebow outplayed Quinn in the only game he's played in (he's out due to injury) and I read a couple of articles that said he should be second string ahead of Quinn and not 3rd. He had a 100 yards passing in his first game and a rushing TD while Quinn had a passing rating of .25 and threw an interception.

 

Something tells me we are going to see Zac Lee run onto the field next Saturday but if he even starts to get a little shaky again at any point in the season I think Pelini won't waste any time in going with Martinez. Especially if it's a close game and the offense starts stalling like it did last year. I still have Green as 3rd.

[Malth]

From SI.com

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini has hinted he's picked a starting quarterback, but he isn't saying who got the nod.

 

Pelini said after Saturday's practice that the coaching staff has a plan for the position. But everyone else will have to wait and see who's on the field when the No. 8 Cornhuskers open next week against Western Kentucky.

 

Incumbent starter Zac Lee has been competing against redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez and sophomore Cody Green for the job.

 

Asked if all three could take snaps in the opener, Pelini said, "We could play 10 guys. I don't have a crystal ball."

 

oh Pelini.....