Blaine Gabbert is the guy.
At least for Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, he'd better be.
Callahan is 22-15 in his three years at the helm of the Huskers, and he's entering the time in his tenure that will likely make or break his future in Lincoln.
A grueling nonconference schedule, highlighted by home games against Nevada and USC and an away game at Wake Forest, will make this season tough. However, eight or nine wins are expected. Beyond 2007, Nebraska fans will be itching to play in BCS games and for a national title. That's where Gabbert, who verbally committed to Nebraska in May, comes in to the equation.
A team will only go as far as its quarterback will take it. The difference between a 5-6 debut at Nebraska and back-to-back seasons with eight or more wins is as simple as trading in Joe Dailey for Zac Taylor.
OK, it's not quite as simple as that, but Taylor's 40-to-19 touchdown-to-interception ratio sure looked a lot better than Dailey's ugly 17-to-18 ratio in 2004.
Nebraska went from beating nobody of importance to pulling off big wins against Michigan, Iowa State and Texas A&M. The Huskers went from being pummeled by Kansas State to beating them in each of the last two years. That, my friend, is because of quarterback play.
Callahan has the luxury of an experienced gunslinger under center this year, as Arizona State transfer Sam Keller will take over the reigns for a season. Taylor came in as an experienced junior college prospect and was ready to play big-time, Big 12 football. These are luxuries Callahan needs as he continues to develop his offense, but sooner or later he knew he'd have to stop adopting quarterbacks and raise one from the crib.
Gabbert is the guy.
Some thought Harrison Beck was the guy, but the quarterback from Clearwater, Fla., had much more hype than talent. He has already been a washout in Nebraska's system (he completed one of 10 passes in his Husker career). Beck transferred to N.C. State and hopes to compete for a starting job in Raleigh this year.
Gabbert was the best quarterback at the recent Elite 11 showcase in California, and his stock is on the rise. In the latest Rivals.com rankings, Gabbert earned his fifth star and a national ranking of No. 14. He has a chance to end up as the highest-ranked recruit in the Callahan era (running back Marlon Lucky, who should have a breakout year this season, was No. 13 overall in 2005).
Quarterbacks are the movie stars of the football world, and Gabbert will be Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Matt Damon all in one for fans of the Cornhuskers. It's also safe to say Gabbert will likely make or break Callahan.
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After this season, there are no instant solutions at quarterback. Junior College signal-caller Zac Lee signed with Nebraska last year after putting up some nice numbers in California, but it will be hard for him to match the other Zac when it comes to production. And it will be harder to keep Gabbert off the field.
Gabbert is expected to be in the quarterback mix for the 2008 season, and there will be plenty of fan and media pressure to play the star recruit early. A redshirt season seems unlikely, especially with the constant pressure on Callahan to take Nebraska back to its traditional heights.
If Gabbert isn't rushed and pans out, Nebraska will have a huge piece to the national-title puzzle under center. With a stellar O-line class signing with Gabbert in February, the Huskers offense could be scary down the road.
What if Gabbert isn't the guy? Callahan and Husker Nation don't want to think about that.
Spartans win a big one: Detroit (Mich.) Southeastern wide receiver Fred Smith chose Michigan State over an offer from Michigan earlier this week. The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder has been called a poor man's Braylon Edwards by some. The comparison is based on Smith's size and downfield ability.
Smith is ranked as the No. 23 wide receiver in the country. He caught 37 passes as a junior for 595 yards and six scores. He was recruited by MSU running backs coach Dan Enos, who is emerging as one of the top recruiters in the country.
Trojans add good hands: Norcross, Ga., wide receiver Brice Butler was a unanimous choice by Rivals.com analysts for having the best hands at his position, and Butler has become known for his circus catches. He is heading west after committing to USC over offers from Georgia, Florida State, Florida, Notre Dame, LSU and others.
