strigori
All-American
With Saturday's Holiday Bowl bringing an end to another coaching era, it really got me thinking about the run we have had since 2001, and there being a commonality between all the teams. Overall mediocre QB play. There have been several amazing games, and a handful of good seasons, but overall, the most important position in sports has been underwhelming.
I'm starting with 2002, as that was the last time we had an elite QB. Crouch's stats may not be amazing by themselves, but for what they were at the time, and by actually watching the games, and the fact that he owns a Heisman, cements him as an Elite QB.
First the stats. All stats here pulled from Huskers.com. I'm leaving out garbage time and the like, and focusing on the starters and major contributors. I'm using both passing and rushing, as we have tended to have run oriented QB play obviously. Net is the number with sack and TFL yardage subtracted.
2002 -
Jamal Lord. Passing 95/204 46.6% 1362 yards 12/12 TD/INT Rushing 251 for 1708 with a Net of 1412 and 8 TDs
2003 -
Jamal Lord Passing 85/176 48.3% 1305 yards 6/8 TD/INT Rushing 215 for 1160 with a Net of 948 and 10 TDs
2004 -
Joe Dailey Passing 153/310 49.4% 2025 yards 17/19 TD/INT Rushing 53 for 191 with a Net of 55 and 4 TDs
2005 -
Zac Taylor Passing 237/430 55.1% 2653 yards 19/12 TD/INT Rushing 76 for 237 with a Net of -41 and 1 TD
2006 -
Zac Taylor Passing 233/391 59.6% 3197 yards 26/8 TD/INT Rushing 60 for 154 with a Net of -32 and 1 TD
2007 -
Sam Keller Passing 205/325 63.1% 2422 yards 12/10 TD/INT Rushing 25 for 19 with a Net of -76 and 0 TDs
Joe Ganz Passing 85/152 58.6% 1435 yards 16/7 TD/INT Rushing 20 for 124 with a Net of 93 and 3 TDs
2008 -
Joe Ganz Passing 285/420 67.9% 3568 yards 25/11 TD/INT Rushing 92 for 417 with a Net of 258 and 5 TDs
2009 -
Zac Lee Passing 177/302 58.6% 2148 yards 14/10 TD/INT Rushing 103 for 315 with a Net of 144 and 1 TD
Cody Green Passing 33/62 53.2% 317 yards 2/2 TD/INT Rushing 31 for 170 with a Net of 158 and 2 TDs
2010 -
Taylor Martinez Passing 116/196 59.3% 1631 yards 10/7 TD/INT Rushing 162 for 1195 with a Net of 965 and 12 TDs
Cody Green Passing 33/60 55% 340 yards 3-1 TD/INT Rushing 37 for 122 with a Net of 96 and 1 TD
Zac Lee Passing 11-20 55% 102 yards 0-0 TD/INT Rushing 15 for 57 with a Net of 57 and 0 TDs
2011 -
Taylor Martinez Passing 162/288 56.2% 2089 yards 13/8 TD/INT Rushing 188 for 1040 with a Net of 874 and 9 TDs
2012 -
Taylor Martinez Passing 288/368 62% 2871 yards 23/12 TD/INT Rushing 195 for 1317 with a Net of 1019 and 10 TDs
2013-
Taylor Martinez Passing 69/110 62.7% 667 yards 10/2 TD/INT Rushing 40 for 195 with a Net of 117 and 0 TDs
Ron Kellogg III Passing 80/134 59.7% 919 yards 6/3 TD/INT Rushing 23 for 60 with a Net of -11 and 0 TDs
Tommy Armstrong Passing 68/131 51.9% 966 yards 9/8 TD/INT Rushing 67 for 277 with a Net of 202 and 2 TDs
2014 -
Tommy Armstrong Passing 184/385 53.3% 2695 yards 22/12 TD/INT Rushing 145 for 842 with a Net of 705 and 6 TDs
What Really jumps out in the numbers is the season Joe Ganz had in 2008. What was surprising was Martinez was actually one of the more accurate passers we have had. What the numbers do not show though is the clutch plays and games that were had.
QB play remained fairly statistically consistent between Watson and Beck, which was interesting, with Ganz in 2008 obviously being the anomaly. It is worth noting that Lord's numbers really are not that comparable with the rest of the QB's as the offense he was running was still an option offense. What is kind of disturbing is the TD/INT ratio. Taylor in '06 and Ganz in '08 are the only seasons in 12 years where the ratio was 2-1 or better. Another disturbing trend is that for full season starters, only Ganz in '08 and Martinez in '12 had over 60% completions, and the shortened seasons on Martinez in '13 and Keller in '07 hit that threshold as well. Keller surprised me in the stats, but I suppose his number is helped by the number of checkdowns he made to Lucky.
It will be interesting to see what happens other the next couple of years. Riley has had three QBs drafted. Derek Anderson, Canfield, and Matt Moore. With Mannion expected to be drafted this year. With both Anderson and Moore spending time as starters.
With the way football has changed over the years, anything under a 60% completion is simply not good enough for what we want to accomplish. It is worth noting that all four playoff teams' starters have over 64%, the top 6 teams had 60% or better. And all teams other than FSU in the top 6 had a better than 3-1 TD/INT ratio.
I'm starting with 2002, as that was the last time we had an elite QB. Crouch's stats may not be amazing by themselves, but for what they were at the time, and by actually watching the games, and the fact that he owns a Heisman, cements him as an Elite QB.
First the stats. All stats here pulled from Huskers.com. I'm leaving out garbage time and the like, and focusing on the starters and major contributors. I'm using both passing and rushing, as we have tended to have run oriented QB play obviously. Net is the number with sack and TFL yardage subtracted.
2002 -
Jamal Lord. Passing 95/204 46.6% 1362 yards 12/12 TD/INT Rushing 251 for 1708 with a Net of 1412 and 8 TDs
2003 -
Jamal Lord Passing 85/176 48.3% 1305 yards 6/8 TD/INT Rushing 215 for 1160 with a Net of 948 and 10 TDs
2004 -
Joe Dailey Passing 153/310 49.4% 2025 yards 17/19 TD/INT Rushing 53 for 191 with a Net of 55 and 4 TDs
2005 -
Zac Taylor Passing 237/430 55.1% 2653 yards 19/12 TD/INT Rushing 76 for 237 with a Net of -41 and 1 TD
2006 -
Zac Taylor Passing 233/391 59.6% 3197 yards 26/8 TD/INT Rushing 60 for 154 with a Net of -32 and 1 TD
2007 -
Sam Keller Passing 205/325 63.1% 2422 yards 12/10 TD/INT Rushing 25 for 19 with a Net of -76 and 0 TDs
Joe Ganz Passing 85/152 58.6% 1435 yards 16/7 TD/INT Rushing 20 for 124 with a Net of 93 and 3 TDs
2008 -
Joe Ganz Passing 285/420 67.9% 3568 yards 25/11 TD/INT Rushing 92 for 417 with a Net of 258 and 5 TDs
2009 -
Zac Lee Passing 177/302 58.6% 2148 yards 14/10 TD/INT Rushing 103 for 315 with a Net of 144 and 1 TD
Cody Green Passing 33/62 53.2% 317 yards 2/2 TD/INT Rushing 31 for 170 with a Net of 158 and 2 TDs
2010 -
Taylor Martinez Passing 116/196 59.3% 1631 yards 10/7 TD/INT Rushing 162 for 1195 with a Net of 965 and 12 TDs
Cody Green Passing 33/60 55% 340 yards 3-1 TD/INT Rushing 37 for 122 with a Net of 96 and 1 TD
Zac Lee Passing 11-20 55% 102 yards 0-0 TD/INT Rushing 15 for 57 with a Net of 57 and 0 TDs
2011 -
Taylor Martinez Passing 162/288 56.2% 2089 yards 13/8 TD/INT Rushing 188 for 1040 with a Net of 874 and 9 TDs
2012 -
Taylor Martinez Passing 288/368 62% 2871 yards 23/12 TD/INT Rushing 195 for 1317 with a Net of 1019 and 10 TDs
2013-
Taylor Martinez Passing 69/110 62.7% 667 yards 10/2 TD/INT Rushing 40 for 195 with a Net of 117 and 0 TDs
Ron Kellogg III Passing 80/134 59.7% 919 yards 6/3 TD/INT Rushing 23 for 60 with a Net of -11 and 0 TDs
Tommy Armstrong Passing 68/131 51.9% 966 yards 9/8 TD/INT Rushing 67 for 277 with a Net of 202 and 2 TDs
2014 -
Tommy Armstrong Passing 184/385 53.3% 2695 yards 22/12 TD/INT Rushing 145 for 842 with a Net of 705 and 6 TDs
What Really jumps out in the numbers is the season Joe Ganz had in 2008. What was surprising was Martinez was actually one of the more accurate passers we have had. What the numbers do not show though is the clutch plays and games that were had.
QB play remained fairly statistically consistent between Watson and Beck, which was interesting, with Ganz in 2008 obviously being the anomaly. It is worth noting that Lord's numbers really are not that comparable with the rest of the QB's as the offense he was running was still an option offense. What is kind of disturbing is the TD/INT ratio. Taylor in '06 and Ganz in '08 are the only seasons in 12 years where the ratio was 2-1 or better. Another disturbing trend is that for full season starters, only Ganz in '08 and Martinez in '12 had over 60% completions, and the shortened seasons on Martinez in '13 and Keller in '07 hit that threshold as well. Keller surprised me in the stats, but I suppose his number is helped by the number of checkdowns he made to Lucky.
It will be interesting to see what happens other the next couple of years. Riley has had three QBs drafted. Derek Anderson, Canfield, and Matt Moore. With Mannion expected to be drafted this year. With both Anderson and Moore spending time as starters.
With the way football has changed over the years, anything under a 60% completion is simply not good enough for what we want to accomplish. It is worth noting that all four playoff teams' starters have over 64%, the top 6 teams had 60% or better. And all teams other than FSU in the top 6 had a better than 3-1 TD/INT ratio.
