OWH: Armstrong's quick success shocks no one who's coached him

[zoogs]

Even Tom Brady makes mistakes.

 

No doubt, Taylor's always been the electrifying athlete who was a work-in-progress as a quarterback. He's progressed over the years and accomplished quite a bit along the way.

 

Tommy's got the polish down it would seem, as far as a natural feel for the position goes, but by no means does that mean he'll end up putting it together, as we well know. He is no slouch as a runner, either, but in different ways.

 

I think all skersfan is pointing out is not to expect virtuoso performances in the near future. If TA really does light it up consistently over the next couple of games, I think we should all be a little surprised. He's promising but has very little experience, and it's early in his career. That said, even if he does light it up, who's to say he doesn't plateau, struggle, or regress later on.

 

What does anything even mean??????? Who knows Let's just enjoy the game next week.

[TheSker]

Even Tom Brady makes mistakes.

I wonder if Brady is among the NFL leaders in turnovers? I understand Martinez may be our best option if he's healthy. My disappointment in his play is a bit higher this season since he's a 4 year starter. Two potential scoring opportunities that may have went a long way in putting Wyoming away......and the result is two turnovers. We badly need first down conversions in the 3rd quarter against UCLA.....and we can't get it done.

[Saunders]

Taking a look at SDSU HELPS TAs case

SDSU lost 20-0 to a team that is ranked #1 in 1AA

SDSU didnt move the ball at ALL- theyhad their defense on the field all game

SDSU held NDSU to fewer points than Kansas State did

 

Taylor Martinez played TERRIBLY against SDSU a team that is by their own admission worse than this SDSU team

 

Not all you make it our to be, by any stretch

This, again? The entire offense played terrible in that game.

 

I'm going to start out by saying that Armstrong and Kellogg played extremely well against SDSU. They ran the offense well and we did what we wanted. It's also true that SDSU's defense is not good at all, so we should temper excitement, just a bit. We were faster at every single spot, and it showed. Still, the O-line protected well and for the most part, the QB's made good decisions (except Kellogg's scramble at the end of the half).

 

You can say Tommy and Ron played well and be completely correct. But to base your premise on the fact that Taylor didn't play well against the same team 4 seasons ago is horrible logic. It was a different offensive philosophy, different OC, different RB, WR, O-line coaches, completely different O-line and different skill positions across the board.

 

But yes, clearly the only difference between 17 points and 59 points was Taylor Martinez.

 

 

All that said... the coaching staff needs to evaluate the QB spot. Taylor clearly isn't 100%, and if he can't run, he's not the same quarterback. If so, we need to play the other guys, period.

[Hayseed]

I want to see Armstrong play against an equal size school with a quality football team before I crown him the savior of Nebraska. He does play like a senior from what I've seen of him though.

[jmfb]

No one I know is saying he is the Savior

Some are saying at this point in time with a QB who has lots of flaws and with the weapon that makes him the most dangerous cant be counted on, he is the best option

Fundamentaly he is sound, looks the part and his play so far does nothing to diminish being optimistic

 

THe SDSU comparison again is for the guys that say SDSU doesnt count for anything- we ALWAYS blow out teams like SDSU, SDSU has an awful defense. Well that simply isnt true based on recent history and taking into consideration SDSUs game against a very good NDSU team. Not saying both SDSU teams were the same, heck most people feel this one is much better. But the MACRO that we ALWAYS blow out teams like that and the performance doesnt count for anything.

 

And to say SDSU wasnt up for NU? Really not the case at all. Lots of fans, and since they only lost by 14 last time, they came to win the game. Lots of Nebraska kids on that roster that played their hearts out.

 

As to the previous SDSU game- reality is the our defense played really well, much better than this time around. But our offense- not well, TM was off on his option reads less than 1/2 were correct, big part of the problem with that game.

 

Again, you can run things like the speed option or a 20 yard out on air and see if someone has "it" or not. Fundamentals are fundamentals no matter who you play.

[Hayseed]

No one I know is saying he is the Savior

Some are saying at this point in time with a QB who has lots of flaws and with the weapon that makes him the most dangerous cant be counted on, he is the best option

Fundamentaly he is sound, looks the part and his play so far does nothing to diminish being optimistic

 

THe SDSU comparison again is for the guys that say SDSU doesnt count for anything- we ALWAYS blow out teams like SDSU, SDSU has an awful defense. Well that simply isnt true based on recent history and taking into consideration SDSUs game against a very good NDSU team. Not saying both SDSU teams were the same, heck most people feel this one is much better. But the MACRO that we ALWAYS blow out teams like that and the performance doesnt count for anything.

 

And to say SDSU wasnt up for NU? Really not the case at all. Lots of fans, and since they only lost by 14 last time, they came to win the game. Lots of Nebraska kids on that roster that played their hearts out.

 

As to the previous SDSU game- reality is the our defense played really well, much better than this time around. But our offense- not well, TM was off on his option reads less than 1/2 were correct, big part of the problem with that game.

 

Again, you can run things like the speed option or a 20 yard out on air and see if someone has "it" or not. Fundamentals are fundamentals no matter who you play.

 

You must have misunderstood me. These comparisons based on SDSU are meaningless and will only be settled by seeing TA against good competition...that's all. For all I know he's a terrible qb, but from what I've seen so far that's highly unlikely and it's much more likely that he's similar to Scott Frost. TM puts up good stats against weak teams but he consistently looks overwhelmed against quality teams and doesn't even possess the ability that got him the starting job in the first place, which was his 4.3 speed....which hasn't even done him much good against the top teams anyway. I think it's a shame that fans have been put in the position of feeling they have to voice their opinion of what seems to be obvious. Maybe TA will lay an egg against the big boys....only one way to find out.

[gratefullred]

Martinez is a 5th year senoir, 4 year starter. I like him, seems like a nice guy. He deserves a great senoir season. I feel bad about it, but.

 

I am stoked to see Tommy Armstrong start on saturday vs Illinois.

[Knoxville Husker]

No one I know is saying he is the Savior

Some are saying at this point in time with a QB who has lots of flaws and with the weapon that makes him the most dangerous cant be counted on, he is the best option

Fundamentaly he is sound, looks the part and his play so far does nothing to diminish being optimistic

 

THe SDSU comparison again is for the guys that say SDSU doesnt count for anything- we ALWAYS blow out teams like SDSU, SDSU has an awful defense. Well that simply isnt true based on recent history and taking into consideration SDSUs game against a very good NDSU team. Not saying both SDSU teams were the same, heck most people feel this one is much better. But the MACRO that we ALWAYS blow out teams like that and the performance doesnt count for anything.

 

And to say SDSU wasnt up for NU? Really not the case at all. Lots of fans, and since they only lost by 14 last time, they came to win the game. Lots of Nebraska kids on that roster that played their hearts out.

 

As to the previous SDSU game- reality is the our defense played really well, much better than this time around. But our offense- not well, TM was off on his option reads less than 1/2 were correct, big part of the problem with that game.

 

Again, you can run things like the speed option or a 20 yard out on air and see if someone has "it" or not. Fundamentals are fundamentals no matter who you play.

 

You must have misunderstood me. These comparisons based on SDSU are meaningless and will only be settled by seeing TA against good competition...that's all. For all I know he's a terrible qb, but from what I've seen so far that's highly unlikely and it's much more likely that he's similar to Scott Frost. TM puts up good stats against weak teams but he consistently looks overwhelmed against quality teams and doesn't even possess the ability that got him the starting job in the first place, which was his 4.3 speed....which hasn't even done him much good against the top teams anyway. I think it's a shame that fans have been put in the position of feeling they have to voice their opinion of what seems to be obvious. Maybe TA will lay an egg against the big boys....only one way to find out.

 

Well put Hayseed and I can agree more, it's beyond obvious why many are ready for the next thing after TM and feel the sooner we get on with that the better. TA obviously has the tools to be everything we want in a QB. RK III is slower than molasses, so when the pressure comes he may be in trouble. Also he can't run our full playbook of QB runs, at least not based on his speed and the play calling we saw. I also felt TA threw a better ball than RK III, but it appears he is the best 3rd string QB we've had in a long time (or at least since Ganz).

[Knoxville Husker]

Martinez is a 5th year senoir, 4 year starter. I like him, seems like a nice guy. He deserves a great senoir season. I feel bad about it, but.

 

I am stoked to see Tommy Armstrong start on saturday vs Illinois.

 

Amen brother I think you just captured the sentiments of Husker nation, even the fierce loyalists who can't let go of TM!

[knapplc]

On Palm Sunday Jesus rode into Jerusalem hailed as a hero. A week later he was dead on a cross.

 

2,000 years pass but humans remain the same. Today Tommy Armstrong is the hero. He's everything we want in a QB, so let's get him going and bench Martinez.

 

OK, fine. Armstrong hasn't shown anything yet to make us believe he's not the hero we want. But if turns out to be a mere mortal, how high will he be strung? How loud will the howls be for Johnny Stanton, the Next Great Thing?

 

And when there's discord among Husker fans again, the same refrain will be heard - those fierce TA loyalists just can't let go in favor of Stanton, who obviously has that "it" factor we need.

 

Fame is fleeting and the mob is fickle. For Armstrong's sake, I hope he's everything the "bench Martinez" crowd thinks he is. Because if he's not, the backlash of their disappointment will be as fierce as their advocacy.

[jmfb]

Well- for JC, reality is that it was the ordained plan, He wasnt killed by those who hailed Him- the Sadducees, Pharisees and Romans killed Him and were never fans of His

As to QBs, yep the nature of the beast

But this isnt the post office, one doesnt rise to the top based only on seniority

Thank goodness that wasnt the case when Turner Gill and Tommie Frazier were coming up

 

To be fair to the "bench" Martinez guys. Almost all of them seem to say that Martinez hasn't been healthy for a long time and isnt going to get healthy ( I KNOW turf toe and he isnt going to get 2010 healthy.) Comparing TA to a healthy Martinez is different than comparing TA to a 10/1/2013 Martinez- one who either cant or wont use what was his most important asset- his legs. BTW Bo alluded to this in a quote from the LJS-

 

To be fair to the TA supporters- I dont think any of them feel he is the missing 1 link that is going to turn this team around. They feel he is a part of the solution.

 

Common debate tactic- changing the arguement and purposely overstating your opponents position, been around for centuries.

[knapplc]

The people who laid olive branches at the feet of the colt Jesus rode into town on - those are the same people who told Pilate they wanted Barabbas freed and Jesus crucified. Those are the people to whom I'm referring. Doesn't matter if it was God's plan all along - they had no idea they were participating in some play on a grand stage. They were fans, and then they weren't.

 

The conversation, today, has a caveat because Martinez is injured. We've had this same conversation for the past year, including all of 2012 (why don't we have a good backup? Why didn't we give Cody Green/Brion Carnes a fair chance?). Different year, same story, different excuse. The Bench Martinez crowd is not so noble as you're making out.

[Stumpy1]

In my Knapplc voice...Can we leave religon out of this. There is a seperate forum for it, go discuss it there.

[NUinID]

The one thing I will say about this is that when TM is not healthy he doesn't play with a lot of confidence IMO. As a freshman before he was injured in the MU game he played with almost an arrogant cockiness. This is something you see with freshman a lot of times because they don't realize they should be feeling some pressure.

 

TA may be playing with this freshman cockiness, he may feel less pressure just because he doesn't know any better.

 

I feel very confident that TA will come into the game Saturday and play very well.

[jmfb]

 

 

I feel very confident that TA will come into the game Saturday and play very well.

If he does then it's "only Illinois" LOL