Was Ganz Nebraska's best QB?

[ColoradoHusk]

 

 

Something that surprises me is that Taylor Martinez was almost a career 60% passer.

 

That's uh...not too bad.

Yet so many Nebraska fans hated him and were mad that he wasn't a career 70% passer!!!

 

 

Taylor's not soo much different than the guy we have under center right now: he'd force some throws when the sideline would've sufficed. But one thing you could never question was his heart, and he led some pretty monumental comebacks in his 4 years at Nebraska. Too bad injury shortened his senior season.

 

I loved Taylor. His freshman injury robbed him of a lot of his explosiveness, but he still showed it at times the rest of his career. I was super bummed when he got injured in his senior year and he couldn't come back.

[InOmaha]

 

Brook Berringer by far. True "Nebraska" QB. He waited his turn, and did whatever he was asked to do, even if that meant stepping aside for the good of the team.

 

- worked hard and was prepared to play at a moments notice

- could run

- could throw

- could could run the offense and lead the team

- was respected by players, fans, and coaches

- gave back to the fans and community

- was tough as nails having played a game with a collapsed lung and another after they reinflated it in the locker room

- he was undefeated as a starter

 

Without him Osborne's glory years would not have been as successful or as meaningful. Which is why he has a statue outside the stadium.

Not trying to disrespect Brook, but he was beat out by a better QB. He handled it with class, but it's not like he gave the starting QB position back to Tommie.

 

 

 

True. A healthy Frazier was a tough person to beat.

[Elf]

When I am asked what makes a great QB, it's not necessarily be a good passer or be a good runner. I think that the best QB's run the offense they are asked to run. I think that all of the running QB's NU had back in the day aren't appreciated by today's fans because they didn't have great passing stats. But, for the most part NU had good/great QB's for most of the past 45-50 years.

Except for the Keithen McCant/Mickey Joseph/Mike Grant stretch I'd say you're spot on. Those three guys were pretty highly touted as I recall but they weren't quite as good as expected. All of them were good runners, they just couldn't throw worth a damn. I remember Mike Grant throwing low balls constantly.

[ColoradoHusk]

 

When I am asked what makes a great QB, it's not necessarily be a good passer or be a good runner. I think that the best QB's run the offense they are asked to run. I think that all of the running QB's NU had back in the day aren't appreciated by today's fans because they didn't have great passing stats. But, for the most part NU had good/great QB's for most of the past 45-50 years.

Except for the Keithen McCant/Mickey Joseph/Mike Grant stretch I'd say you're spot on. Those three guys were pretty highly touted as I recall but they weren't quite as good as expected. All of them were good runners, they just couldn't throw worth a damn. I remember Mike Grant throwing low balls constantly.

 

McCant wasn't terrible. He led the team to a Big 8 title. He was much better than Joseph/Grant.

[NUance]

 

 

 

No I am sorry. Joey Ganz while good was far from the best. There can only be one greatest NU QB of all time and that would be Jammal Lord. A close second would be Mike Grant.

Real classy to crap on Jammal Lord. While he wasn't the best passing QB, his time at NU is under appreciated. He had bad RB's and WR's and Lord was out there pretty much all by himself.

 

 

Agreed. If Jammal Lord had played at NU five or six years earlier he would be remembered among the all time great Husker QBs. The guy was a heck of an athlete. He just didn't have the surrounding cast.

 

 

Disagree. Jammal Lord put up huge stats by calling his own number. He ran a Nebraska offense where the most successful play was a broken scramble.

 

He was a 46% passer, and although not asked to pass much, still threw 12 interceptions his Junior year. His passing numbers didn't significantly improve his Senior year and his rushing numbers were considerably worse.

 

His running backs, Dahrran Deidrick and Cory Ross weren't chopped liver. They'd probably be starting for Nebraska today. His defense gave up only 14.5 points a game, comparable to our then-recent national championship teams.

 

Aesthetically, Jammal Lord's offense was a horrible thing to watch.

 

Great athlete? Sure, why not. But a quarterback I'm still trying to forget.

 

If anything, Lord is over-rated for being under-rated.

 

By supporting cast I was looking more at the O-line. Crouch had a great O-line in 2001 that included Dave Volk (2nd team B12) and Toniu Fonoti (2nd team All American, Outland & Lombardi finalist). Jon Rutherford was pretty good too. The year before Crouch had Dominic Raiola at center. The O-line took a hit when Raiola left early for the NFL in 2000 and the other three graduated in after the 2001 season. Volk and Fonoiti went on the NFL.

[NUinID]

 

 

Something that surprises me is that Taylor Martinez was almost a career 60% passer.

 

That's uh...not too bad.

Yet so many Nebraska fans hated him and were mad that he wasn't a career 70% passer!!!

 

 

Taylor's not soo much different than the guy we have under center right now: he'd force some throws when the sideline would've sufficed. But one thing you could never question was his heart, and he led some pretty monumental comebacks in his 4 years at Nebraska. Too bad injury shortened his senior season.

 

 

Taylor Martinez was a good QB he just didn't win enough games to make everyone happy. He was also an odd duck in interviews. I think that threw people off more than anything. Jim Harbaugh is the coaching equivalent.

[ColoradoHusk]

 

 

 

Something that surprises me is that Taylor Martinez was almost a career 60% passer.

 

That's uh...not too bad.

Yet so many Nebraska fans hated him and were mad that he wasn't a career 70% passer!!!

 

 

Taylor's not soo much different than the guy we have under center right now: he'd force some throws when the sideline would've sufficed. But one thing you could never question was his heart, and he led some pretty monumental comebacks in his 4 years at Nebraska. Too bad injury shortened his senior season.

 

 

Taylor Martinez was a good QB he just didn't win enough games to make everyone happy. He was also an odd duck in interviews. I think that threw people off more than anything. Jim Harbaugh is the coaching equivalent.

 

Taylor Martinez won more than Zac Taylor, yet fans LOVE Zac Taylor. Doesn't make sense to me.

[NUance]

 

 

 

 

Something that surprises me is that Taylor Martinez was almost a career 60% passer.

 

That's uh...not too bad.

Yet so many Nebraska fans hated him and were mad that he wasn't a career 70% passer!!!

 

 

Taylor's not soo much different than the guy we have under center right now: he'd force some throws when the sideline would've sufficed. But one thing you could never question was his heart, and he led some pretty monumental comebacks in his 4 years at Nebraska. Too bad injury shortened his senior season.

 

 

Taylor Martinez was a good QB he just didn't win enough games to make everyone happy. He was also an odd duck in interviews. I think that threw people off more than anything. Jim Harbaugh is the coaching equivalent.

 

Taylor Martinez won more than Zac Taylor, yet fans LOVE Zac Taylor. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

I think it's because Martinez got injured and it detracted from his ability to run his last couple of years. It's be like if Zac Taylor had one more year, but he played with an injury that limited his ability to pass. Much of his popularity would go away.

[NUinID]

 

 

 

 

Something that surprises me is that Taylor Martinez was almost a career 60% passer.

 

That's uh...not too bad.

Yet so many Nebraska fans hated him and were mad that he wasn't a career 70% passer!!!

 

 

Taylor's not soo much different than the guy we have under center right now: he'd force some throws when the sideline would've sufficed. But one thing you could never question was his heart, and he led some pretty monumental comebacks in his 4 years at Nebraska. Too bad injury shortened his senior season.

 

 

Taylor Martinez was a good QB he just didn't win enough games to make everyone happy. He was also an odd duck in interviews. I think that threw people off more than anything. Jim Harbaugh is the coaching equivalent.

 

Taylor Martinez won more than Zac Taylor, yet fans LOVE Zac Taylor. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

Listen to ZT vs TM in an interview and you have your answer. Taylor also took a 5-7 team with the same players and won 8 the next year. TM personality in interviews to many people comes off as aloof, superior and is doing people a favor. IMO TM probably had a touch of Aspergers syndrome. High Level autism, doesn't understand all the social situations that go on in the world. Again just a touch to make him seem a little off about things.

[NUance]

 

 

 

 

 

Something that surprises me is that Taylor Martinez was almost a career 60% passer.

 

That's uh...not too bad.

Yet so many Nebraska fans hated him and were mad that he wasn't a career 70% passer!!!

 

 

Taylor's not soo much different than the guy we have under center right now: he'd force some throws when the sideline would've sufficed. But one thing you could never question was his heart, and he led some pretty monumental comebacks in his 4 years at Nebraska. Too bad injury shortened his senior season.

 

 

Taylor Martinez was a good QB he just didn't win enough games to make everyone happy. He was also an odd duck in interviews. I think that threw people off more than anything. Jim Harbaugh is the coaching equivalent.

 

Taylor Martinez won more than Zac Taylor, yet fans LOVE Zac Taylor. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

Listen to ZT vs TM in an interview and you have your answer. Taylor also took a 5-7 team with the same players and won 8 the next year. TM personality in interviews to many people comes off as aloof, superior and is doing people a favor. IMO TM probably had a touch of Aspergers syndrome. High Level autism, doesn't understand all the social situations that go on in the world. Again just a touch to make him seem a little off about things.

 

 

[Joe_5700]

 

No I am sorry. Joey Ganz while good was far from the best. There can only be one greatest NU QB of all time and that would be Jammal Lord. A close second would be Mike Grant.

 

Putting Mike Grant in the same catagory as Lord is laughable. There are only a couple QB's that have started games (in recent history) that are on the level of Grant. Dailey, Green, and maybe Turman.

 

Keithen McCant..Mickey Joseph.

[ColoradoHusk]

 

 

No I am sorry. Joey Ganz while good was far from the best. There can only be one greatest NU QB of all time and that would be Jammal Lord. A close second would be Mike Grant.

 

Putting Mike Grant in the same catagory as Lord is laughable. There are only a couple QB's that have started games (in recent history) that are on the level of Grant. Dailey, Green, and maybe Turman.

 

Keithen McCant..Mickey Joseph.

 

Are you actually saying Keithen McCant wasn't any good? The guy led the team to a Big 8 title, was All-Conference, and Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

 

http://www.scout.com/college/nebraska/story/1197512-husker-look-back-better-late-than-never?s=204

[HotGrillonGrillAction]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You had a quarterback at NU that went on to start in a superbowl. That's a fact that puts Ferragamo at the top of the list.

I'll have to echo other's thoughts here - the NFL should have absolutely nothing to do with a college quarterback's career. A lot of great college players choose to never even move on to the NFL, or, decide to pursue other avenues for a variety of reasons. That should not be used as a barometer for their college career.

Lots of good names thrown out there. I get that this is more about passing, but Crouch will get the vote from me. Dude threw 10 guys on his back and carried them. I believe you could put him on this team. Tell him to run MR offense and we would have a 10 win season. He was tough as anyone in red and white during my time watching Nebraska football.

I don't think that's the argument here. I believe OP's designation of a "true qb" references said QB's passing abilities, and their ability to read defenses while making plays. Crouch would not really be in that conversation. Phenomenal athlete and leader, but not in the same conversation with these other QB's in terms of throwing the football.

Crouch wasn't even the best QB on Nebraska's team in 2001 when he won the Heisman - Bobby Newcomb was. He would make my top ten list as well. Crouch should have been the wide receiver about half the time and Newcomb taking snaps. Newcomb was faster than Crouch and much better passer. IMO

I was extremely excited to see Newcomb play QB in 1998. How many teams had a starting QB that returned a punt for a TD? I thought Newcomb lost a step after his knee injury. My son wore a Newcomb jersey for several years.

First of all Newcomb wasn't on the 2001 team he graduated in 2000. So your point is moot. Secondly in 1998 before Newcomb hurt his knee I would agree with you that he was the better QB, but after wards he wasn't.

 

He was tentative, he may of lost a step, but he always looked like he had lost a little of his guts to me. In 1999 Crouch looked better in games early than Newcombe. I know Crouch was upset and went home and all that, but he looked better.

 

Newcombe had a few highlights after moving to WR and had a couple good punt returns and such, but he never looked as electric as he did before the injury to me.

I was a huge Newcombe fan back in the day. One of the biggest "what ifs" in recent NU history involves "what if Newcombe never hurt his knee in 1998?" After that, he wasn't the same player. He didn't have the same speed and quickness. That's not a knock on him, it happens to a lot of guys after injuries.

Agree. Same 'what if' can be applied to TMarts toe. That Mizz injury completely altered his trajectory.

[Guy Chamberlin]

 

 

 

 

Something that surprises me is that Taylor Martinez was almost a career 60% passer.

 

That's uh...not too bad.

Yet so many Nebraska fans hated him and were mad that he wasn't a career 70% passer!!!

 

 

Taylor's not soo much different than the guy we have under center right now: he'd force some throws when the sideline would've sufficed. But one thing you could never question was his heart, and he led some pretty monumental comebacks in his 4 years at Nebraska. Too bad injury shortened his senior season.

 

 

Taylor Martinez was a good QB he just didn't win enough games to make everyone happy. He was also an odd duck in interviews. I think that threw people off more than anything. Jim Harbaugh is the coaching equivalent.

 

Taylor Martinez won more than Zac Taylor, yet fans LOVE Zac Taylor. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

I think NUinID's Jim Harbaugh comparison is spot on. Some people just don't like the social duties of their job, and in the social position of football hero, Martinez protected himself by staying aloof.

[NUinID]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something that surprises me is that Taylor Martinez was almost a career 60% passer.

 

That's uh...not too bad.

Yet so many Nebraska fans hated him and were mad that he wasn't a career 70% passer!!!

 

 

Taylor's not soo much different than the guy we have under center right now: he'd force some throws when the sideline would've sufficed. But one thing you could never question was his heart, and he led some pretty monumental comebacks in his 4 years at Nebraska. Too bad injury shortened his senior season.

 

 

Taylor Martinez was a good QB he just didn't win enough games to make everyone happy. He was also an odd duck in interviews. I think that threw people off more than anything. Jim Harbaugh is the coaching equivalent.

 

Taylor Martinez won more than Zac Taylor, yet fans LOVE Zac Taylor. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

Listen to ZT vs TM in an interview and you have your answer. Taylor also took a 5-7 team with the same players and won 8 the next year. TM personality in interviews to many people comes off as aloof, superior and is doing people a favor. IMO TM probably had a touch of Aspergers syndrome. High Level autism, doesn't understand all the social situations that go on in the world. Again just a touch to make him seem a little off about things.

 

 

 

 

My son is like this.