OK sure, I'll be the first....
- Thread starter NUpolo8
- Start date
In the Deed the Glory
All-Conference
Sorry Suh fan, but I cannot understand how anybody would think Ron Kellogg should start over Taylor Martinez or Tommy Armstrong in a spread OPTION offense. He runs slower than molasses in January.
Knoxville Husker
Four-Star Recruit
The playbook gets much smaller due to RK III's lack of mobility. TA can do it all and throws incredibly tight spirals with velocity, accuracy, and touch. Ultimately against tougher defenses we'll need TA's versatility and RK could struggle. A freshman that fumbled once (and we recovered) is no worse than the fumble or two that TM is prone to per game and his penchant for taking bad sacks.
RK III made a bad error himself before halftime, trying to scramble in when he could have thrown the ball away and costing another shot at the TD.
Anyone watching the game objectively should plainly see TA has far more God given ability and upside than Ron. The fact that he's our apparent future as a Frosh while RK III is a senior should be the final nail in the coffin of this debate.
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Shockley03
Four-Star Recruit
Knoxville Husker; let's just run the Alabama Crimson Tide test on this situation regarding the two co-No. 2 QBs. If either Ron Kellogg III or Tommy Armstrong had to take the reigns for Nebraska facing the hostile #1 ranked Alabama team (3-0) and its explosive defense led by C. J. Mosley, then which of these two would be the right choice (besides Taylor Martinez -- who could also pilot Nebraska's offense in this situation IMHO)? I think Kellogg III has gained way too much weight since last fall. The game would be way too fast for Kellogg III. I would have to close my eyes. Armstrong's improvisational skills though would allow him to survive this swarming and explosive defense -- though that would be a great test too because of the opponent. Still, I like Armstrong's chances of survival versus Kellogg III (not taking anything away from his 8-of-9, 139 yards passing performance yesterday against SD St.).
papersun87
All-American
And may Huskerboard throw their support completely behind the second-place finisher.
I don't think any FCS team should be taken lightly, but it's getting a little out of hand. North Dakota State made a lot of noise by beating K-State to start the season - but K-State is clearly average this year or worse - they just got manhandled by a Texas team whose coach is as good as gone.
This stat has been thrown around a lot, but apparently people need to be reminded - SDSU gave up an average of 411 yards of total offense in their first three games. That was against Butler, North Dakota, and Southeastern Louisiana.
This was a bad defense.
Igetbored216
All-Conference
The first two games? You mean against a Wyoming team which was one of the worst defenses in the country last year and a Southern Miss team that hasn't won a game for how long? How did he do against UCLA? You know, a team on the Huskers' level. I am going to assume you didn't bring up this game because it just proves what Martinez is and has been his whole career: inconsistent. In big games, and when it matters most, he's inconsistent. He's inconsistent from week to week....hell, he's inconsistent series to series.
I would love to see what Tommy could do against Illinois. Sure, their defense isn't spectacular, but it would be a much better test than South Dakota State. Although, I will say that South Dakota State would probably give Wyoming a pretty good game and would most likely beat Southern Miss.
He completed 60% of his passes despite several drops and threw for 3 TDs and no INTs.
suigeneris
Five-Star Recruit
I don't know if it would have made much of a difference who was our QB against UCLA. Taylor certainly doesn't deserve the blame for that game.
But neither does his stat line tell the whole story. If Taylor isn't very good at doing some things, Beck probably won't call them. This would limit our offense but not show up as a negative in Taylor's stats. Sometimes I wonder whether it's more difficult for our OC to gameplan for Taylor than it is for opposing DCs.
zoogs
Assistant Coach
By the way, two things that should probably have shown up on the stat sheet but didn't: would-have-been fumbles. One of them was fortunately ruled a forward pass (I believe?). The other was blown dead due to a false start. I agree largely with the last paragraph there, although the consensus seems to be that Beck blew it calling the UCLA game, unless Taylor was really a lot more hurt than any of us realized. He didn't look it, though?
Specifically our passing game was so concentrated on those sideline passes that we never took big shots downfield. We did get the ball in the hands of our playmakers in space but it wasn't enough for that to be our entire plan of attack.
Specifically our passing game was so concentrated on those sideline passes that we never took big shots downfield. We did get the ball in the hands of our playmakers in space but it wasn't enough for that to be our entire plan of attack.
huskeromahadave
Walk-on
You are correct in the fact that Illinois would be a much tougher test for Armstrong, but with the constant mistakes by a 5th year senior, I think either Armstrong or Kellog would be a better choice from here on out. I remember when Mike Grant was the starter(and a 5th year senior also) and Dr. Tom gave it to Frazier. I also remember Frazier laying an egg at ISU the next week after being crowned the starter. I know there would be bumps along the way and some might be heartbreaking BUT the only thing Taylor has that the other two don't is experience. Armstrong and Kellog are better is every other category that I have seen.PaulCrewe said:
suh_fan93
Heisman Trophy Winner
UCLA runs a spread offense. If Nebraska even has an identity it is 'multiple' imo. Regardless it was one game. Who knows what either of those guys could do over the course of a season and more importantly against top competition. That's where the truth lies. No offense to SDSU.
Also I go with instinct. Both of their numbers were similar yes. Both made plays when they needed to. I thought RKIII looked more polished overall. I could care less if TA can run better or not at this point. That was/is the whole trap with Taylor, 'but he can run'. Anyway who's to say how either of these guys would respond after some playing time under their belt and against a top 25 team or any team with a strong/good defense.
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The forward pass you're thinking of was the botched option where we lost 20 yards. It was reviewed and the announcers were talking about it being a forward pass but the play stood.
I didn't think Martinez looked to be hurt either but others have said it doesn't affect running so much as it does cutting so perhaps they didn't call a lot of runs for him to try to minimize the chances.
3rd and long
Starter
And Taylor usually looks great against FCS caliber opponents. But I do agree (even though I think right now TA is already a better QB), if Taylor is healthy, he's first under center. I don't like the Wally Pipp stories, you shouldn't lose your job to injury. But I also think that when he starts to struggle (and history has shown he will struggle), the next guy deserves the opportunity. But I seriously doubt that opporutunity will come this year, Bo has never shown any inclination to ever pull Taylor out of a game.devnet said:
TA just looks like a a QB back there. I don't think I've ever seen Taylor step up into the pocket and than deliver a strike. And to me the RKIII and TA is not an issue. TA is two dimensional, while RK played really well, he really only offers one aspect, the passing game.