Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong had just stepped off the practice field this month when one of the reporters clustered in a circle asked him where he wanted to seek the most improvement.
Armstrong didn't hesitate. Quarterbacks of any age rarely do when they get this question.
“Just making smarter decisions,” he said.
Not leadership. Teammates say Armstrong has already shown that, and reporters have seen it in spring practice. Not throwing motion. He'll only say he prefers the newer, tackier balls the Huskers are using this spring. Not any other physical aspect of his game.
Decision-making. The seconds of clarity just before the snap, when a quarterback must survey the defense and, with the help of his sideline coaches, determine where to best attack. And the blurry, reactive seconds just after the snap, when all goes according to script or the plan goes awry, calling for improvisation.
Each play — perhaps 70 in a game — is a half-minute test of quantum pigskin. The more tests you pass, the more likely you are to win. Of course, it helps to have friends. And it helps to have spring, a laboratory without the pressure of a foreign opponent bearing down.
