Husker Locker: QB Chatter

[Hercules]

Why did Watson stick with the running game as the clock burned and NU still trailed?

 

"Because that's what we do," Watson said. "And because (Lee) has done a good job of getting better at it."

 

The only reason Zac Lee ran for positive yards at all is because (NEWS FLASH) Texas wasn't selling out to the run at this point. They were fully expecting NU to pass once Lee came into the ball game.

 

Watson's logic is ass backwards...

 

Just like the only reason Taylor can gain consistent through the air is because teams have to sell out to stop the run. And the only reason Gilbert ran over us is because we didn't expect him to. Works both ways...

 

Hercules, I don't think you're crediting Taylor's athleticism enough there. It's been a while since I saw the game, but I definitely think he could have made hay with the right reads. 3-4 yards, easily, on a number of them. I would say a 3-5 yard swing on average.

 

Well, I'll be the first to admit that I barely know what I'm talking about. But on my second viewing of the game, anytime we ran the zone read, it looked like the target stayed home, the linebackers came down immediately to fill gaps on the line of scrimmage, and the safeties weren't far behind. There just wasn't anyplace to go, as opposed to when Lee came in. Then the target either stayed home, or eventually just started taking the running back - the linebackers and safeties stayed back, and there was a little room. With Martinez, they sold out. I really think the only thing for us to do was throw the ball.

 

I do think you're right when you say a 3-5 yard swing between the correct read and the incorrect read. But the incorrect reads were resulting in losses of 3-4 yards, while the correct reads were resulting in a gain of 1 or 2. We had to throw the ball.

[irafreak]

"But Lee led two drives into Texas territory and had three different passes dropped for touchdowns"

 

How do you drop a pass and score a touchdown?

 

 

Kinda like that....

 

Didn't see many of those against Texass though. Hmph.

Very nice

[huskrinmissouri]

Everyone knows that Martinez can run and will run. I think the games where he has multiple carries of 50+ yards are over. That doesn't mean he still can't run, but he needs to think of a 6 yd. run as being helpful instead of 60 yds. We had way to many 3 and outs last week. Ball control will be huge the rest of the season. Of course, we'll take the 60 yds. when it's there. Why can't we roll him out and give him a couple of different options–run/pass? Although it's exciting, I don't like it when he drops back to pass and then it turns into a run OR he gets sacked (which in that case is not exciting at all). But if you roll him out, everything is in front of him and I think you have a greater percentage of positive yards. A few short ball control type passes will give him confidence, give the receivers confidence, and open everything else up. It's low risk and still offers a wide variety of options. And I think you need to start with that early in the game. What think ye?

 

Along with that, Texas ran Gilbert which was a brilliant call on their end–we were not prepared for it. Certainly, we have to account for the QB to run from now on now matter how much of a "non-runner" he appears to be. What do you think OK St. will try on offense that might catch us unawares?

[Danimal]

Everyone knows that Martinez can run and will run. I think the games where he has multiple carries of 50+ yards are over. That doesn't mean he still can't run, but he needs to think of a 6 yd. run as being helpful instead of 60 yds. We had way to many 3 and outs last week. Ball control will be huge the rest of the season. Of course, we'll take the 60 yds. when it's there. Why can't we roll him out and give him a couple of different optionsrun/pass? Although it's exciting, I don't like it when he drops back to pass and then it turns into a run OR he gets sacked (which in that case is not exciting at all). But if you roll him out, everything is in front of him and I think you have a greater percentage of positive yards. A few short ball control type passes will give him confidence, give the receivers confidence, and open everything else up. It's low risk and still offers a wide variety of options. And I think you need to start with that early in the game. What think ye?

 

Along with that, Texas ran Gilbert which was a brilliant call on their endwe were not prepared for it. Certainly, we have to account for the QB to run from now on now matter how much of a "non-runner" he appears to be. What do you think OK St. will try on offense that might catch us unawares?

 

I agree about rolling-out TM. Mobile qb's are so dangerous when they have that pass-run option. I do think we should come out throwing some. Get our confidence back and loosen Okie State up a bit.

 

Unless we see some trick plays I don't expect much to catch us unaware. I do expect to see a lot of Kendall Hunter. We had a massive tackling fail last week and Okie State will look to gutcheck us. I say go back to primarily peso outside the passing-downs and get Compton in there.

[zoogs]

The reason we don't roll Taylor out is because Taylor's got enough problems to deal with throwing in place. Even though you'd think he would be better at them by virtue of his speed, he is less suited to throwing on the run than he is throwing from the pocket.

[JOEY]

The reason we don't roll Taylor out is because Taylor's got enough problems to deal with throwing in place. Even though you'd think he would be better at them by virtue of his speed, he is less suited to throwing on the run than he is throwing from the pocket.

I thought that part of it was due to watson being stubborn with his play calling with his Spwest coast offense. (spread offense + West coast offense) Is this true? or am I wrong, just wondering.

[Hunter94]

The reason we don't roll Taylor out is because Taylor's got enough problems to deal with throwing in place. Even though you'd think he would be better at them by virtue of his speed, he is less suited to throwing on the run than he is throwing from the pocket.

 

 

how do we know that? source??

[huskrinmissouri]

The reason we don't roll Taylor out is because Taylor's got enough problems to deal with throwing in place. Even though you'd think he would be better at them by virtue of his speed, he is less suited to throwing on the run than he is throwing from the pocket.

 

Oh, common now. That would make Martinez the only QB in college that can't flick a 5-10 yd. pass while running. I believe he was already being touted for some grand award (about being the best player in the nation) just a week or so ago and now I hear that we don't roll him out because he isn't very capable. Yeah, and we thought Gilbert couldn't run either. I'm not saying that we should roll him out and ask him to throw 35 yds. across his body. Simply roll him out with the option to flick a short pass down the field in front of him or tuck it and run. Throw in a reverse or two to boot.

[zoogs]

The reason we don't roll Taylor out is because Taylor's got enough problems to deal with throwing in place. Even though you'd think he would be better at them by virtue of his speed, he is less suited to throwing on the run than he is throwing from the pocket.

 

Oh, common now. That would make Martinez the only QB in college that can't flick a 5-10 yd. pass while running. I believe he was already being touted for some grand award (about being the best player in the nation) just a week or so ago and now I hear that we don't roll him out because he isn't very capable. Yeah, and we thought Gilbert couldn't run either. I'm not saying that we should roll him out and ask him to throw 35 yds. across his body. Simply roll him out with the option to flick a short pass down the field in front of him or tuck it and run. Throw in a reverse or two to boot.

 

Right. Because he was on a Heisman watchlist, it MUST mean he can do rollouts.

 

Mechanics on a roll-out are complicated. I don't know why it's so hard to believe that Taylor isn't very good at those. Taylor is pretty bad with his footwork and mechanics throwing standing still. You do know the one reason he was on those watchlists was the video game numbers he put up running the ball? And that he fell completely off the map, after the SDSU game?

 

None of this is firsthand knowledge; it comes from reading more knowledgeable posters than me at the HI free board. Nothing really simple about 'throwing on the run.' Yeah, it's something a polished passing quarterback should be alright at, but that's not even close to where Taylor is.

 

Taylor is FAST. That does not mean Taylor is good at escaping the rush in the pocket, or throwing on the run, because those are skills where speed and athleticism is only a bonus. If Taylor had all this stuff in his repertoire, no doubt we would be opening up and using it. The evidence is there, we have handcuffs on offense with Taylor in the game, and they always seem to come off a bit with Cody or Zac. Unfortunately, when they do come off, so does the threat of a 70-yard touchdown run by the QB.

[Hercules]

Wow. I read Ubben's blog regularly, but rarely do I feel like he's as spot on as he is here. Sometimes the national media can be way off, but sometimes I think they have a much better perspective on things than the local media does when it comes to Nebraska football.

 

link

 

Russ in Tempe, Ariz., asks: LOVE THE BLOG! We all know that T-magic is a great player on the field, with that speed and all. But what are your thoughts on him as a leader? I mean he tuned out most of the game after he got pulled. He won't meet with the press. Is this a guy that can Lead the huskers?

 

DU: I'll tackle this question in two parts:

 

First, I don't believe that what a quarterback says or doesn't say to the media (unless it questions his teammates' abilities) has much impact on his ability to lead. What happens in the locker room and what happens in the huddle is what matters. We're not there. I can't speak to that dynamic. But I doubt Niles Paul or Jared Crick lost any sleep on Saturday night knowing Martinez chose not to address the media about the loss. If they want to know something about the game, I'm sure they'd ask him, not read this blog or the newspapers. It's maybe a little better to have a media-savvy quarterback, but it's not a big deal if you have one who doesn't care about it.

 

As a journalist, yeah, of course I'd prefer it if he's talk and provide some insight into why Texas was so effective against him and all the other burning questions. That's good stuff that lots of people want to read and helps people like me do our jobs more effectively. But if I were a teammate or coach? I couldn't care less. There's only so much you can take away from what a player says to the media.

 

Second, there is a good deal of inherent leadership that comes solely with playing quarterback, but I'd be shocked if Martinez has assumed the role of "The Leader" of this team. Again, I'm not in the locker room, so I can't say with any certainty, but that role should, at least, fall more to the seniors on the team who know very well what the next few months are going to be like and can help prepare younger teammates (like Martinez, who you may still forget, is still a freshman) for those challenges.

 

Martinez obviously has a huge impact on the outcome of games, but let's not forget: That's a new role. Two months ago, nobody even knew if he was going to play. It's still way too early to start casting any definitive judgment on how well or how poorly he leads. He definitely looked a little detached on the sidelines, but he's young and from what I've been told, one of the most competitive players the coaches have ever been around. It has to be frustrating to be pulled in the biggest game of the year, and even more so when your coach admits later that it wasn't your fault.

 

For now, let the results on the field speak for themselves.