Logan Smothers

[Huskers93-97]

Does it also help you feel better if you take every opportunity to exaggerate how bad everything is?

1. Is this the worst 3 year stretch of football since the late 1950's?

2. There has been minimal to no improvement in many areas. Some improvement lasts for a game or 2 then we take a few steps back. So it is very had to tell if any improvement has actually happened. 

That is my overall feeling on our team. I dont think that is exaggerating and I dont think it is unreasonable to think that is unacceptable. I want Frost to succeed and I am pissed how things are today because I was drinking the kool aide. As far as the QB's specifically. I think after Adrian's freshman year most people thought welp we got him for 2 more years then he is gone. Now 2 years later it doesnt look like he will even go pro.

 

[admo]

Luke played pretty much like Adrian against Northwestern. Moved the ball well between the 20s, and then bogged down and had an INT in the red zone. Luke didn’t lead a come back victory. Against Penn State, he ran the ball well, was aided by a great play call, blocking, and run for a long TD pop pass to Betts, along with a score by the D to take a big lead. The offense sputtered in the 2nd half, and the D made enough stops to get the win. Against Illinois, they let Luke run, but Luke couldn’t hit wide open receivers in their cover-2 zone defense. These were basic throws he was missing. Along with coming in against Minnesota and throwing another interception which led to a Gopher TD, Luke showed he has a LONG ways to go as a passer. His arm strength is lacking, he doesn’t make great decisions, and he is inaccurate. Those aren’t good qualities for a QB. 

Thanks.  Call me off based, but for the QB position in this offense, I know Luke will be a lot better as a RJR than as a RFR. There is plenty of time to develop, get stronger, mature, know the playbook, the reads and good decision making.  I wouldn't write him off so soon.  Give it time.  If he can't beat out Smothers or whoever else by then, he can consider being a backup or move positions.  

 

[Enhance]

At the risk of sounding like I'm defending Coach V, he receives a considerable amount of focus despite the entire offense performing at poor level. He deserves criticism and fair evaluation, but at this point, I'm not really convinced that his role and position are the catalyst for change.

 

[lo country]

Our current QB coach developed a low three-star into a Heisman vote-getter.

Honest question.  Is it possible that Verduzco worked with kids who had more potential/higher ceiling.  Not as much as a "project" as maybe a guy like LM appears to be.  I also think that AM, benefited from Oz, Farmer, Foster, Stan and JD.....AM didn't forget how to throw from his Fresh year to now.  He wasn't a 4* out of HS for no reason.  Maybe Verduzco's other guys had a better surrounding cast.

I also look at a guy like Mahomes.  His technique leaves a lot to be desired, BUT the dude can flat out throw and run and gun like no ones business.  Side arm, off balance, off his back foot, in the air etc.....I can imagine if a QB coach tried to "fix" these issues it could mess him up.  Especially with the limited in person college vs the NFL.  Much like a golf coach messes up a pro golfer.  Just a thought.  

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Honest question.  Is it possible that Verduzco worked with kids who had more potential/higher ceiling.  Not as much as a "project" as maybe a guy like LM appears to be.  I also think that AM, benefited from Oz, Farmer, Foster, Stan and JD.....AM didn't forget how to throw from his Fresh year to now.  He wasn't a 4* out of HS for no reason.  Maybe Verduzco's other guys had a better surrounding cast.

I also look at a guy like Mahomes.  His technique leaves a lot to be desired, BUT the dude can flat out throw and run and gun like no ones business.  Side arm, off balance, off his back foot, in the air etc.....I can imagine if a QB coach tried to "fix" these issues it could mess him up.  Especially with the limited in person college vs the NFL.  Much like a golf coach messes up a pro golfer.  Just a thought.  

Mahomes is able to make all of those throws from different arm angles because of his baseball background. So many of those throws are like what you would see from a shortstop and second baseman. I am just amazed that Mahomes is able to get a spiral on the football with all of those angles.

 

[Huskers93-97]

At the risk of sounding like I'm defending Coach V, he receives a considerable amount of focus despite the entire offense performing at poor level. He deserves criticism and fair evaluation, but at this point, I'm not really convinced that his role and position are the catalyst for change.

You could be right. Ultimately it all falls on Frost. But he is untouchable for a few more years to give him time and his buyout is too high anyway. So I think people see other teams that have a coach they may like or want to give more time. Those coaches make assistant changes until they find the right recipe for success. What we have right now is not working.

 

[lo country]

Mahomes is able to make all of those throws from different arm angles because of his baseball background. So many of those throws are like what you would see from a shortstop and second baseman. I am just amazed that Mahomes is able to get a spiral on the football with all of those angles.

That’s my point.  He carries the ball too low in the pocket, throws like he is still playing short stop, not like a QB.  But it works for him.  Trying to make him ok like a prototypical NFL QB, would probably make him worse.  I wonder if “fixing” AM, while technically correct, has actually messed him up.  

 

[Enhance]

You could be right. Ultimately it all falls on Frost. But he is untouchable for a few more years to give him time and his buyout is too high anyway. So I think people see other teams that have a coach they may like or want to give more time. Those coaches make assistant changes until they find the right recipe for success. What we have right now is not working.

100% agree with the bolded, and I think your comment about it 'ultimately falling on Frost' is the biggest reason I'm unsure.

If they had clear talent and production being wasted at other position groups on offense because of an objectively underperforming quarterback room, then I think we'd all be more on the same page about what needs to happen. But, right now, it seems like most of the offensive objectively under-performs. I don't know how much of that to put on a QB coach and the QB room in that situation.

That's why I feel like we're in a bit of a ride or die situation with the staff, particularly on offense. You can make a fair case for and against a few of the coaches at this point based on the production of their individual units.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

That’s my point.  He carries the ball too low in the pocket, throws like he is still playing short stop, not like a QB.  But it works for him.  Trying to make him ok like a prototypical NFL QB, would probably make him worse.  I wonder if “fixing” AM, while technically correct, has actually messed him up.  

Baseball players and QB’s are taught proper mechanics as a baseline to have the best accuracy and velocity on the ball. As baseball infielders develop, they add throwing the ball from additional arm slots and off the “wrong foot”. It’s easier for baseball players to add these changes because the ball is smaller and lighter, and the round ball allows for the ball to go straight from different arm and hand positions. 

QB’s rarely change arm slots because it usually causes reduced velocity accuracy.  Footballs are heavier and tougher to get a tight spiral when thrown from different arm angles (due to the shape). Mahomes is the outlier, as he was able take his baseball skills into throwing the football.  He is still able to get velocity and accuracy with the football, despite throwing from different arm angles. Most QB’s can’t replicate that. 

 

[Archy1221]

I think that's cause the QB play in general has to be elevated for us to reach our goals. I was one of the posters calling to see Luke (only weeks ago). At some point the new guy has to be better than what we've seen on the field, or we will see the same results - barring a change of scheme. Frost's QB's stats have correlated with his success at every stop.

I agree with everything Frantz just said.   Wanting Luke to get a shot wasn’t saying he was gonna be great, more that AM wasn’t good at the time and why not see what Luke can do.  
 

This is a QB driven offense and Frantz is right.  As the QB goes, so goes this this offense. 

 

[Archy1221]

Honest question.  Is it possible that Verduzco worked with kids who had more potential/higher ceiling.  Not as much as a "project" as maybe a guy like LM appears to be.  I also think that AM, benefited from Oz, Farmer, Foster, Stan and JD.....AM didn't forget how to throw from his Fresh year to now.  He wasn't a 4* out of HS for no reason.  Maybe Verduzco's other guys had a better surrounding cast.

I also look at a guy like Mahomes.  His technique leaves a lot to be desired, BUT the dude can flat out throw and run and gun like no ones business.  Side arm, off balance, off his back foot, in the air etc.....I can imagine if a QB coach tried to "fix" these issues it could mess him up.  Especially with the limited in person college vs the NFL.  Much like a golf coach messes up a pro golfer.  Just a thought.  

Big difference I see between how Mahomes reacts in the locket under pressure and AM....Mahomes is constantly looking downfield while also feeling/seeing the pressure around him.  That’s why he is so dangerous outside the pocket.  

AM gets pressure and he takes eyes off of the downfield receivers and only sees those pass rushers.  He doesn’t buy time outside the pocket to throw usually.  He gets outside the pocket to run and misses some wide open receivers 15-25 yards downfield.  He may be taught that, but if so it’s a big failure on the coaches part IMO. 
 

 

[FrantzHardySwag]

I agree with everything Frantz just said.   Wanting Luke to get a shot wasn’t saying he was gonna be great, more that AM wasn’t good at the time and why not see what Luke can do.  
 

This is a QB driven offense and Frantz is right.  As the QB goes, so goes this this offense. 

I mean, I'd get it if this was Iowa or Wisconsin, and we needed a QB to put up adequate stats. A guy like AM would be fine to supplement a massive oline and robust running game and win games 21-14 because you have an stout defense. 

But Frost has never built a team like that before. His teams are built around accurate, big play machines at QB, that read a defense and conduct the offense with tempo. Frost wins 42-35 games, that's why we hired him. We can scream AM isn't the problem if he's a middle of the road B1G QB, but it is a problem because Frost doesn't win with middle of the road QBs. 

 

[Hilltop]

Big difference I see between how Mahomes reacts in the locket under pressure and AM....Mahomes is constantly looking downfield while also feeling/seeing the pressure around him.  That’s why he is so dangerous outside the pocket.  

AM gets pressure and he takes eyes off of the downfield receivers and only sees those pass rushers.  He doesn’t buy time outside the pocket to throw usually.  He gets outside the pocket to run and misses some wide open receivers 15-25 yards downfield.  He may be taught that, but if so it’s a big failure on the coaches part IMO. 
 

Guessing Adrian would keep his eyes down field if he had the best receiving corp in the league... Or even a serviceable group of receivers.  We did have a few guys get wide open that he didn't see but it surely wasn't happening regularly enough for him to have any confidence in it.

 

[Stumpy1]

We have had receivers running wide open in every game this year.  We can put that excuse to bed.  If AM needs a receiver to be completely wide open for him to complete the pass then we will never win more then 4 games with him at QB. 

 

[BigRedBuster]

We have had receivers running wide open in every game this year.  We can put that excuse to bed.  If AM needs a receiver to be completely wide open for him to complete the pass then we will never win more then 4 games with him at QB. 

There are receivers open. But....we also have had receivers in the wrong places running the wrong routs.  If he can’t trust them to be where they are supposed to be, it’s going to affect his ability to perform as a passer.