A 'Better' QB???

cmb23

cmb23

All-Conference
I'll start by saying that NO, I don't think ZT is the best QB in college football. But give the guy a break! Not only is he doing the best he can with what many consider a questionable coaching staff...but a line that at times resembles a line of speed bumps, and receivers that at times appear to have WD-40 on their hands.

His numbers aren't the best...but they are comparable:

Z. Taylor - 60% - 3197 Yds - 26/8 - 28 Sacks - 146 Rating

(I know the numbers don't show 'forced passes' and 'missing receivers' - but also know that it doesn't show 'dropped passes' and 'lineman who get bulldozed')

BCS QB's:

J. Booty - 61% - 3347 Yds - 29/9 - 14 Sacks - 144 Rating

C. Henne - 62% - 2508 Yds - 22/8 - 24 Sacks - 143 Rating

J. Zabransky - 66% - 2587 Yds - 23/8 - 19 Sacks - 162 Rating

P. Thompson - 60% - 2667 Yds - 22/11 - 17 Sacks - 142 Rating

B. Brohm (11 games) - 63% - 3049 Yds - 16/5 - 16 Sacks - 159 Rating

R. Skinner - 66% - 2051 Yds - 9/5 - 23 Sacks - 139 Rating

B. Quinn - 63% - 3278 Yds - 35/5 - 30 Sacks - 151 Rating

J. Russell - 68% - 2797 Yds - 26/7 - 14 Sacks - 168 Rating

T. Smith - 67% - 2507 Yds - 30/5 - 13 Sacks - 168 Rating

C. Leak - 63% - 2729 Yds - 22/13 - 22 Sacks - 146 Rating

And how many of these QB's have All-World Receivers (Jarrett, Manningham, Ginn, Szyzmarzia...), All-World Running Backs (Hart, I. Johnson, Pittman, Peterson...) or NFL prototype lineman to give their QB some help??? These are QB's who have lead some of the most 'elite' programs in the nation to the top rankings and top bowls of the year.

I don't know what 'better' people want? Do you want 50 TD's and 4000 Yds? Then I guess the QB's at Hawaii, New Mexico or TxTech are about your only options. I think ZT did as good as any QB could have done with the supporting cast.

 
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Nice post, truly shows what ZT did for us this year.

The qb's listed had much better talent around them

 
mi.husker said:
u think he has a shot at making an nfl roster?
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Well if he does...he'll be the first one that won't get drafted as a receiver, safety, or kick returner!!! I think he has a 'shot' but he'll really have to have a good showing at the combines.

 
I LOVE the post that said that just shows how good this coaching staff really is. Has he made some bad calls ? No doubt about it. However this offense is a very, very good offense. Bill Callahan is a freakin genious who sometimes forgets he is not in the NFL. That will come with time and more experience in the college game. I love Bill Callahan and I absolutley believe he is the coach that will lead us back to the national championship. So those of you who want him out or think he will get fired, sit back and enjoy the ride because he is here to stay!!

 
cmb23 said:
I'll start by saying that NO, I don't think ZT is the best QB in college football. But give the guy a break! Not only is he doing the best he can with what many consider a questionable coaching staff...but a line that at times resembles a line of speed bumps, and receivers that at times appear to have WD-40 on their hands.

His numbers aren't the best...but they are comparable:

Z. Taylor - 60% - 3197 Yds - 26/8 - 28 Sacks - 146 Rating

(I know the numbers don't show 'forced passes' and 'missing receivers' - but also know that it doesn't show 'dropped passes' and 'lineman who get bulldozed')

BCS QB's:

J. Booty - 61% - 3347 Yds - 29/9 - 14 Sacks - 144 Rating

C. Henne - 62% - 2508 Yds - 22/8 - 24 Sacks - 143 Rating

J. Zabransky - 66% - 2587 Yds - 23/8 - 19 Sacks - 162 Rating

P. Thompson - 60% - 2667 Yds - 22/11 - 17 Sacks - 142 Rating

B. Brohm (11 games) - 63% - 3049 Yds - 16/5 - 16 Sacks - 159 Rating

R. Skinner - 66% - 2051 Yds - 9/5 - 23 Sacks - 139 Rating

B. Quinn - 63% - 3278 Yds - 35/5 - 30 Sacks - 151 Rating

J. Russell - 68% - 2797 Yds - 26/7 - 14 Sacks - 168 Rating

T. Smith - 67% - 2507 Yds - 30/5 - 13 Sacks - 168 Rating

C. Leak - 63% - 2729 Yds - 22/13 - 22 Sacks - 146 Rating

And how many of these QB's have All-World Receivers (Jarrett, Manningham, Ginn, Szyzmarzia...), All-World Running Backs (Hart, I. Johnson, Pittman, Peterson...) or NFL prototype lineman to give their QB some help??? These are QB's who have lead some of the most 'elite' programs in the nation to the top rankings and top bowls of the year.

I don't know what 'better' people want? Do you want 50 TD's and 4000 Yds? Then I guess the QB's at Hawaii, New Mexico or TxTech are about your only options. I think ZT did as good as any QB could have done with the supporting cast.
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His numbers may be comparable to those of other BCS qbs, but i wonder if this is possibly misleading. For one i can think of the Hawaii qb, and i'm guessing his numbers are comparable. only reason i know about Hawaii is b/c of the press he has gotten, makes me wonder how many other "comparable" numbers are out there.

Individual numbers never tell the whole story either. Just for example, Troy Smith was mostly successful b/c of what he did running the football in addition to his throwing. Quite a few of these guys may have sat a lot during the season as well, which would kinda skew things.

 
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Yes...all I said was that he was comparable, not the best. Winning the heisman is nice I'm sure, but I don't think it's a true reflection of the 'best' in the game. It's always the star (the player that the school has decided to promote) of one of the top 3 teams in the country. All of the Colt Brennans, Ian Johnsons, etc. always get a nice 'attaboy' and don't even get to go to the ceremony.

Yes numbers skew things. Brennan - huge numbers but no (at least according to polls and computers) competition whatsoever. Plus a completely different offense (I think they run a very spread - downfield game).

Troy Smith, few sacks, more rushing yards, fewer pics. By the way...have you seen his line play? Have you seen the catches that Ginn and Gonzales make for him? Then, when they have to drop 5-6 guys in coverage it makes it pretty easy for him to run for a first down.

Surround ZT the past 2 seasons with more talent and see how much 'better' he is.

 
Yeah and how many times did we see Taylor roll out on a bootleg under heavy pressure and make a great throw to a reciever on a crossing route or stand in and make a clutch pass as he's taking a big hit?

Most of the guys listed have a great #1 reciever thats at least a Junior, Taylor has relied on 1st year players in a new system... and he does it in a WCO system without that great TE coming across the middle. What Taylor has done in his two years at NU are about as good as anyone could have ever dreamed given the situation, and I believe better than anyone else on that list would have been able to do in his place.

 
Ahhh the wonderful numbers debate. IMO there is more to it than numbers. Some of the QB's you mention are far supieror to Mr. Taylor. During the coarse of a season they are asked to throw many different throws than others. The true test is this. If Taylor was asked to make the same throws as Henne or Booty his numbers would not be close to the same, HE SIMPLY CANNOT MAKE THOSE THROWS. He had a great year but lets be honest, he simply is not a great QB. We are biased because he is a husker but he is not great. He probably wont get drafted and has probably taken his last snap as a football player.

 
CMB, Thanks for the numbers...... Great post...... i will never complain about ZT...I thought his numbers were fantastic, especially considering the factore you mentioned... How many drops did he suffer this year? I love his demeanor....This guy is a winner who is down to earth.

Your post was right on, and I couldn't say it any better..

I know ZT had 2 bad games to end his career with.....but to be honest, I found myself feeling bad for ZT, instead of being upset at his mistakes...

Rumor has it, that he hurt his shoulder vs CU and it possibly played a factor the last 2 games... this is only rumor..... I went to Dallas.... met up with friends who also went, but were part of a tour group... the tour group had a talk session with Sean Callahan (rivals rep for Huskers) and it was hinted that ZT wasn't healthy.

RUMOR ONLY !!!!!!!

 
I think that we all know that Taylor did an amazing job this year leading our offense. But what some people are saying, myself included, is that he is not the most physically gifted quarterback out there. He doesn't have a rocket for an arm and Callahan knew this and didn't call plays where Taylor's first option was to force a pass between the hedges 25 yards down field. Taylor was however very smart with the football for the most part and his numbers reflect that. Our offense will probally change a little next year as we will more than likley take more shots down field, but we might also have to live with a few more interceptions thrown as well.

 
cmb23 said:
Yes...all I said was that he was comparable, not the best. Winning the heisman is nice I'm sure, but I don't think it's a true reflection of the 'best' in the game. It's always the star (the player that the school has decided to promote) of one of the top 3 teams in the country. All of the Colt Brennans, Ian Johnsons, etc. always get a nice 'attaboy' and don't even get to go to the ceremony.

Yes numbers skew things. Brennan - huge numbers but no (at least according to polls and computers) competition whatsoever. Plus a completely different offense (I think they run a very spread - downfield game).

Troy Smith, few sacks, more rushing yards, fewer pics. By the way...have you seen his line play? Have you seen the catches that Ginn and Gonzales make for him? Then, when they have to drop 5-6 guys in coverage it makes it pretty easy for him to run for a first down.

Surround ZT the past 2 seasons with more talent and see how much 'better' he is.
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Easy, tiger. i wasn't attacking you or your post. There's nothing to get worked up over. Sounds like we pretty much agree that numbers don't tell the whole story. I brought those things up b/c you showed the numbers and then seemed to use it to argue we couldn't get a much better QB. Did you mean something else when you said "I don't know what 'better' people want? "?

I've got nothing against ZT. He did a great job for us and i know we'd be in a world of hurt without him. I'm also excited to see what Keller (assuming he gets the job) can do with this team.

 
No...not getting worked up or arguing about anything. I just know that there are people (red-blinded coming off two painful losses in a row) that want to jump to the conclusion that a Colt Brennan or Troy Smith would have gotten us into a BCS game and I don't think that would have happened. We just don't have the horses in the stable.

 
cmb23 said:
No...not getting worked up or arguing about anything. I just know that there are people (red-blinded coming off two painful losses in a row) that want to jump to the conclusion that a Colt Brennan or Troy Smith would have gotten us into a BCS game and I don't think that would have happened. We just don't have the horses in the stable.
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Certainly, neither of those guys gives us a guarantee. As to wether or not one of those BCS QBs would've given us a better shot than Taylor, i'll wait till i see what the next guy can do with this team before making a conclusion.

 
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