Armstrong Leading the QB Race

Kernal said:
Kenny Bell was very complimentary of Armstrong today, and I'd agree with him. I think some Husker fans are overlooking just how well Armstrong played last year under the circumstances. Also remember, he was only the starter for the Michigan State loss- two of the losses were under an injured Taylor and Iowa was RK3.

“The number one thing you’ll see this year is that he’s not a wide-eyed (freshman),” Bell said. “You’re gonna see a guy that it’s slowed down (for).”

Though it was a “raw deal” for Armstrong last season, Bell gushed over his performance last year, and the spillover he hopes to see in the fall.

“You have any idea what it takes to play Division 1 quarterback at a place like Nebraska, where the starter has been the starter for four years and is arguably one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the position at our university?” Bell asked the crowd of reporters.

“He gets hurt and you have to play our first conference game…dude. I don’t think people appreciate how difficult that is. Then the kid wins nine games and beats Georgia. I don’t care who you are, you should be impressed by that.”
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http://hailvarsity.com/2014/07/on-the-offensive/
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Kenny Bell is a bit outspoken sometimes, but when he's right, he's right. And this is a time where he's right.

 
You cannot say it enough: Tommy Armstrong was a redshirt freshman asked to start last year. Not play backup. Start.

I don't know that Tommy is going to go Hulk-Smash mode this season, but considering all of the factors that went into last season (his knee injury, the scope, injuries on the line/receiving corps, the unexpectedness of his starting role, the rotation situation), we saw a kid who did go 7-1 and make a few sick plays along the way. See the Michigan go-ahead TD--you know, the winning score on the road in one of the most intimidating stadiums in football. If someone wants to say that a Rs. freshman who was expected to play a limited backup role made some mistakes in the time he got, fine, wonderful. In other news, the sky is blue.

My main point is that I think he has a much higher ceiling than Martinez. It's only an expectation; the games will tell the full truth soon enough. But his feel for the option and command of the huddle bode well. (Of course Beck's play calling is going to have a lot to contribute to this conversation.)

The other thing is if we're going to play at B1G championship level, a lot of that is going to come from the defense, and the defense will be helped along by a good-not-great QB who doesn't turn the ball over and keeps the run game chugging along. Speaking of which, we're four deep at running back, including one guy who if things go really right could show up a the Heisman ceremony.

 
In regards to the stat where he is 7-1 as a starter that is misleading, as he did receive the win for the Northwestern game, even though Ron Kellogg threw the game winning touchdown pass.

 
hskrfan4life said:
In regards to the stat where he is 7-1 as a starter that is misleading, as he did receive the win for the Northwestern game, even though Ron Kellogg threw the game winning touchdown pass.
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It's not really that misleading, at least not in your example. Kellogg's lobbing the ball in the air on the final play instead of Armstrong isn't the same as, say, a starting QB playing two series and then sitting for the rest of the game.

 
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Moiraine said:
hskrfan4life said:
In regards to the stat where he is 7-1 as a starter that is misleading, as he did receive the win for the Northwestern game, even though Ron Kellogg threw the game winning touchdown pass.
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It's not really that misleading, at least not in your example. Kellogg's lobbing the ball in the air on the final play instead of Armstrong isn't the same as, say, a starting QB playing two series and then sitting for the rest of the game.
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So like against Penn State
 
It's been made pretty clear that Tommy will be our starter for the near future. I'm completely okay with this if he is the best choice at this time. He has such raw potential, sky could be the limit. But, has he made the most of the opportunity, has he honed that potential into what we are gonna need moving forward? We have some seriously tough road games this year. He won at Michigan last year so he passed a pretty big test there.

I congratulate him on the 7-1 record as a starter. But lets face it, 3 picks against Purdue AND Northwestern isn't good. I'm sure he worked his ace off to right those wrongs. Also he didn't really play much to earn the Penn State win but he did technically start the game I guess. Also he almost cost us the game against the purples and he surely isn't the one who won us the game ( to be fair, Ronnie threw a pick that day too ). So really he's 5-1 but a starts a start so he enters 2014 7-1. That's great. If he isn't 19-1 by the end of the year will he still be getting as much love as he currently is?

Either way, can't wait to see this kid take the field. Experience goes a long way and he got plenty of it last year unexpectedly. I think he's capable of some seriously impressive outings.

 
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Husker_x said:
You cannot say it enough: Tommy Armstrong was a redshirt freshman asked to start last year. Not play backup. Start.

I don't know that Tommy is going to go Hulk-Smash mode this season, but considering all of the factors that went into last season (his knee injury, the scope, injuries on the line/receiving corps, the unexpectedness of his starting role, the rotation situation), we saw a kid who did go 7-1 and make a few sick plays along the way. See the Michigan go-ahead TD--you know, the winning score on the road in one of the most intimidating stadiums in football. If someone wants to say that a Rs. freshman who was expected to play a limited backup role made some mistakes in the time he got, fine, wonderful. In other news, the sky is blue.

My main point is that I think he has a much higher ceiling than Martinez. It's only an expectation; the games will tell the full truth soon enough. But his feel for the option and command of the huddle bode well. (Of course Beck's play calling is going to have a lot to contribute to this conversation.)

The other thing is if we're going to play at B1G championship level, a lot of that is going to come from the defense, and the defense will be helped along by a good-not-great QB who doesn't turn the ball over and keeps the run game chugging along. Speaking of which, we're four deep at running back, including one guy who if things go really right could show up a the Heisman ceremony.
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This is what we need. Hulk Smash O. I like it. I know i took it out of context, but that is what we need. Hulk simply smashed sh!t. Avengers (puny god), gets really angry when other people say someone is stronger etc....ie Iowa is a threat. Hulk smash Iowa.

Odd metaphor, but we need to let TA be TA. If he is all "beast mode", let him be that. Don't try t make him something he is not. Freshman, thrown to the wolves etc, but I didn't see anything to make me think his arm will win games. His legs, attitude and toughness? Absolutely. It all comes down to Beck and his play calling. Too many times he wanted to make Martinez go all air assault and that wasn't his strength. I like the coaches having said that they reviewed 12-18 months of film to see what works. Great idea. Just worries me it took year 4 with Bo/Beck to realize that might be a good idea.

If we truly are simplifying the O, looking to use what worked in the past its a step in the right direction. If Bell says that TA will impress, I'll believe it. I have no reason to doubt KB has an inside look at the QB's.

D will be solid. It's just up to Beck and his play calling IMO that will make or break the season. Well the punt game and TO's, but play calling is an easy fix. Stick with what works, don't change until they stop it and use what you have in the way that they fit.

 
sd'sker said:
tommy had a truncated season as a freshman. he went 7-1. won a bowl against an sec team. his only loss was against an one-loss msu team who won the conference and the rose bowl. i do not understand why people feel the need to cut the kid down, especially people who get mad at those who do the same to taylor.
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I don't see a lot of people cutting him down, more just pointing out that he has a ways to go. This isn't unexpected and doesn't mean he won't get there but to proclaim him as the answer for the next three years is premature at this point, IMO. Many like to point out that he was 7-1 as a starter but the fact is we won more of those games in spite of how he played than because of how he played.
 
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BrayWyatt said:
Dan Hoppen@danhoppen · Kenny Bell says Neb had more than 500 hand signals to signal in plays last year before cutting down the playbook in the spring.

Talk about overkill damn, that couldn't of helped Tommy either being thrown into the fire.
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See now this is just stupid. No reason for 500 hand signals. I don't like that at all.

 
sd'sker said:
Landlord of Memorial Stadium said:
He did some good things, he did a lot of bad things, he was a freshman and he was thrown into an opportunity he wasn't necessarily prepared for. That's about all we know at this point. 7-1 as a starter against some awful teams, some okay teams, and some teams that we beat in spite of, not because of, Tommy's play, with a good-not-great performance against a good-not-great Georgia team in January.
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do not know why you have to dismiss a 7-1 record and a bowl win over an sec team. this now seems to apply to you just as well.


Landlord of Memorial Stadium said:
HEY GUYS

HEY
Look hey. hey. look.

I have developed a helpful coding primer to make better sense of NUpolo8's posts:

Losing = We got blown out.

Winning = Yeah except for exception #1, exception #2, exception #3, exception #4, exception#x, y and z, so it really wasn't that impressive!
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I didn't "dismiss" anything, but to answer your question, because, as one example, one of those wins was Penn State where Ron Kellogg played every single series but one, and another was Northwestern where Ron Kellogg won it on a Hail Mary.

 
Coach Power'T said:
BrayWyatt said:
Dan Hoppen@danhoppen · Kenny Bell says Neb had more than 500 hand signals to signal in plays last year before cutting down the playbook in the spring.

Talk about overkill damn, that couldn't of helped Tommy either being thrown into the fire.
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See now this is just stupid. No reason for 500 hand signals. I don't like that at all.
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The concerning thing is it took year 4 to realize a change was needed...... I am hoping this is true and not more pre-season "coach speak". Coming from KB, I am hoping it is a true change that will pay dividends in the season. I would ditch the "up tempo", only seems to confuse us.

 
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