Can a bad QB make a good team average?

[TGHusker]

Conversely, Eric Crouch says "hello" as well. Good quarterback on a bad team made 2001 a better year than it should have been.

Very true. Both of Eric's previous teams - esp 1999 were better all the way around. Eric carried the 2001 team and almost willed the team back against Colorado after getting so far behind in the 1st half. Co exposed our weakness for Miami to exploit in the NCG.

[Guy Chamberlin]

I always thought Frank Solich deserved more credit for getting a modest-by-Nebraska-standards team to the 2001 Championship Game.

[84HuskerLaw]

Both Frazier and Frost were much better decision makers than Tommy and Taylor in general. But, in fairness, Osborne didn't ask the QB to do a lot of deciding of things as most plays in the pass game were pretty much designed and preset. Rarely did Osborne have more than 3 receivers and usually one of them was a pure decoy and sometimes the other two were sent in to routes that left them 'in the vacinity' of each other so an errant throw might well be in fact caught by the other one. It also meant the QB had less head turning and 'checking down' of course which takes time and puts much more pressure on the QB with the play's design complexity. Often the QB and receivers are supposed to read and ad lib or automatically audible into a particular route and throw based on the defensive alignment/coverages. I believe this to be true. While Tommy and Taylor were the rare exceptions in NU history to play for 3 or 4 straight seasons, even they didn't become very good a 'reading the defenses' and finding the right receivers and then throwing it to them in stride so that the could catch and run.

 

Even with POB and Gebbia and Lee being much better QBs coming in (presumably they can do the mental things of a QB better than some we've had here), they are still raw rookies next fall. It is totally predictable that our QB play will be only marginally better than this year, if at all. As I've noted multiple times before, I feel if POB was in fact a better QB in the usual QB ways and measures, then he should have been at least #2 and have played a 12 to 15 quarters of action this year to get ready for 2017. I hope that all those practice reps adequately replace game experience. But, I believe I am not mistaken to say that for about 40 years of watching now, I have heard many many coaches and commentators say that there is just no substitute for live, game action in prime time. Repetitions under the lights in front of cameras and 80,000 loud fans is a big difference. IMO.

 

Please don't misunderstand: Frazier and Frost were tremendous decision makers in the option game but these are read and react in a split second things based on one or two defenders' actions and formations and play call One is not attempting to look all over the field and quickly assess locations, directions, distances, speeds, coverages, etc all in a couple seconds. You send 4 and 5 receivers down field to scatter around and find the opening, the QB needs to be extra calm and cool and collected with those defenders are coming hard right at him. Coverages are disguised and reading eyes and tendencies and guessing and so on are all over the place. It is very very difficult. Don't understate Tommy Armstrong's accomplishments either. He did a lot of good things through his 4 years.

[ColoradoHusk]

So not only do you make a super long post, you do it in italics? I need to figure out the ignore function.

[HuskerNation1]

Basically, Nebraska has seven consecutive seasons being led by the most statistically productive QBs in the program's history. Taylor Martinez was both a better runner and passer than Tommy Armstrong. Tommy had a lot of heart and fire and ended up with all the records. Hats off to them both. They will live on in plenty of highlight reel plays.

 

But I'm kinda ready to move on from the athlete at quarterback model. Dual threat quarterbacks will always be dangerous, but that passing threat simply has to be better than 51% in today's game. Passing is not an exotic skill -- it's what separates the QB from the RB, and a 62% completion rate is not too much to ask. That 62% passer doesn't mean you run an air raid offense. You can actually pass less with better efficiency and the run game generally benefits. If the QB can merely lumber 8 yards for an occasional first down he keeps the chains moving with his legs.

 

Did I mention the offensive line?

 

Everything works better with a dominant offensive line.

 

I think a big reason that TM and TA had such good stats is that they both started as freshman and started in many games over the course of 4 years. I will guarantee that if POB or Gebbia started as freshman and stayed as QB for 4 years, they would surpass many of the passing stats from Armstrong or Martinez. I don't think NU should forget about dual threat QBs, but we just need one that is just as good at passing as they are running the ball.

[Red_Payne]

It depends. If the "good" team has a great defense and avg. offense; then the bad QB can be mitigated by having a one-dimensional run offense, and simplifying the passing game to the point where it is extremely conservative and simply asks the QB not to turn the ball over.

If the "good" team is just well rounded; then the Bad QB play will definitely hurt the team in a much more significant way.

[Making Chimichangas]

QB = Too much credit when things go well, too much blame when things go bad.

In 100% agreement with this.

[Waterloohusker26]

[dergibog]

Good question. Ask the Houston Texans this same question and I think you will hear much of the same responses.

As for setting records for passing and offense, I think one factor is the Huskers haven't been a passing offense since Vince Ferragamo and David Humm.

[Making Chimichangas]

I believe it would depend on what you mean by 'bad QB' play really. You suggest Tommy A was a bad QB. Was he 'bad' in all the games and some worse than others or were there some where he was 'good' or 'average' or what? I thought Tommy played OK and well at times and then not so well. Blame it on the injuries. Not having a back up QB ready to go is on the coaches. They had to play it safe vs. Iowa because of this. This made us 'no dimentional' on offense almost. Ugh. Yes, poor QB play will make a good team not so good.

 

The question then goes back to what type of QB play you are seeking. Eric Crouch was not a 'great QB' by any means, although he was a great football player and he won the heisman for just that reason. He was extremely entertaining and his running was very very exciting and he made many 'great plays' although dam few were passing.

 

The interesting question might be asked: What would this year's offense have done with Eric Crouch as the QB? Or Brooke Berrigner? Or David Humm? Or Vince Ferragamo? Or Jamaal Lord?

Or Bobby Newcomb or Turner Gill (my two all time favorites!) --- I think this team wins vs Wisconsin by 2 TDs in regulation and we battle down to the wire and beat Iowa in OT. Ohio State would still pound us but maybe by 35 instead of 59.

This offense would flourish with Vince Ferragamo.

 

Would probably do really well with David Humm or Brook Berringer.

 

The rest of the QBs you mentioned, we'd probably be worse, a lot worse.

[GBRFAN]

How many records does TA hold now? What ever the count, I'd suggest it is above average. That doesn't exclude some real head scratching plays. But to hold a number of performance records, even at Nebraska, means you did a lot of good things IMO

 

Yeah like be one of two QB's that played all 4 years during the spread era - stats from 20 years ago are pretty much non-existent in most teams offensive record books.

[Guy Chamberlin]

 

How many records does TA hold now? What ever the count, I'd suggest it is above average. That doesn't exclude some real head scratching plays. But to hold a number of performance records, even at Nebraska, means you did a lot of good things IMO

 

Yeah like be one of two QB's that played all 4 years during the spread era - stats from 20 years ago are pretty much non-existent in most teams offensive record books.

 

 

You still have to be good enough to start as a Freshman and survive the next four seasons of competition. And injuries.