Nebraska has six scholarship quarterbacks in the program available for spring practice.The Huskers might be preparing to add a seventh.
Zac Taylor, who guided Butler County (Kan.) Community College to an 11-1 record this season, said Thursday he will make an official recruiting visit to the Nebraska campus Dec. 10-12.
Although the Huskers haven't offered Taylor a scholarship, Taylor said they appear to be "moving toward that."
Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell visited the Butler County campus Tuesday and spoke to Taylor by phone Wednesday night, Taylor said.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Taylor said Nebraska began recruiting him Saturday "out of the blue."
The Huskers' interest in Taylor is interesting in a couple of ways.
For one, Nebraska possesses ample quarterback depth. Atop the list is Joe Dailey, who started every game this season for the 5-6 Huskers. The sophomore completed 49.4 percent of his passes for 2,025 yards and 17 touchdowns, with 19 interceptions — the most an NU quarterback has thrown in one season.
What's more, Harrison Beck, a touted high school quarterback from Clearwater, Fla., verbally committed to Nebraska last summer in part because Husker coaches told him he'd be the only QB recruit in their 2005 class.
Beck said Thursday that Nebraska coaches essentially asked him last weekend whether it was OK for them to recruit another quarterback for the 2005 class. Beck, in Lincoln for the Huskers' season-ending loss to Colorado, said he didn't mind.
"It wasn't like it was a behind-the-back thing," said Beck, ranked No. 3 nationally among pro-style quarterbacks by Rivals.com. "I'm not afraid of a little competition. Why should I be?"
Beck is a four-star prospect in Rivals.com's five-star system, while Taylor has a three-star rating.
"I know Harrison Beck's a great player," Taylor said. "Coach Norvell hasn't talked to me about him specifically, but I know those Nebraska coaches think highly of (Beck). I just think they're looking for someone to come in there during the spring and compete."
A native of Norman, Okla., Taylor this season completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions, according to Butler County offensive coordinator Aaron Flores, a native of Bayard.
"Watching what Nebraska does on offense, it really feeds into Zac's strong points," Flores said.
Butler County used a pro-style offense that featured shotgun snaps, play-action passes, one-back sets and three- and five-step drops, Flores said. The Grizzlies advanced to the NJCAA championship game, losing 35-14 to Pearl River (Miss.) Junior College.
Taylor threw five interceptions in the title contest.
In order to take his Nebraska visit, Taylor cancelled a scheduled visit to Troy. Taylor said he will visit Memphis this weekend, and he has already made a visit to Marshall.
Illinois and Maryland also have expressed interest, Taylor said.
The son of former Oklahoma football player Sherwood Taylor, Zac Taylor began his college career at Wake Forest, sitting out 2002 as a redshirt before serving as Cory Randolph's backup in 2003. Taylor attempted (and completed) one pass.
Taylor said he left Wake Forest in large part because the Demon Deacons were operating a run-oriented attack.
Meanwhile, Beck said he remains solid in his commitment to Nebraska despite a phone call earlier this week from South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier. Beck said his father took the call and "basically shut them off."
And Spurrier's response?
"He said, ‘OK, I'll look somewhere else,'" Beck said
