I hope it is more than a series here or there --- but significant time in building up a future QB.Too much over-analyzing here. You start the guy who gives you the best shot at winning, be it Ganz, Lee or whoever. Ganz may be gone the next year but most of the other guys on the team will still be there and if they get used to winning during Ganz's last season, they're going to develop a winning attitutde that's going to carry on to the next year.
So, if Ganz is the best you've got, you start Ganz and work the younger guys in for a series here or there throughout the season to get them some real-time experience.
I don't think it's fair to throw Ganz under the bus simply because he just has one year of eligibility left. It's not his fault that Clownahan brought Keller in for one year (which was stupid btw). It's not his fault Clownahan got fired. If he's the best we have, then he should be the starter. I will say that I do agree that one of the young guns does need to see some significant playing time next year, but I believe we need to have the best on the field at the beginning.If Ganz starts next year then that would make 4 different starting QB's in four seasons --- a disaster. We had Taylor, then Keller, then Ganz next year, and then someone else the year later. To build you need the same QB for two years --- at a minimum --- three is better. If Pelini is smart and is planning for the long haul rather than being short sighted, he'll go with a young QB (unless none of the young QB's are good). Even if Ganz is better for next year than all of the young QB's he needs to prep a QB for the future. NU is going nowhere next year with Ganz or anyone else (if by anywhere one means winning the B12 North or anything beyond that). If you play Ganz next year (exclusively or near exclusively) then the following year NU will again go nowhere (with a new QB). If we take our lumps next year (which we will do anyway) and prep a new QB then the following year there is a chance for NU to maybe take the North (at least a MUCH better chance).
NU is starting from scratch --- and no one in their right mind rebuilds with a senior QB. Poor Ganz --- he is in the wrong place at the wrong time. What Pelini does with the QB situation will be enlightening --- it will reveal whether he has long range or short range goals in mind (or, perhaps that he is handcuffed so-tospeak with no young QB that can be the future). He would be a fool not to give significant playing time (or start) the best of the young QB's.
This perspective is based upon several assumptions. 1) NU next season will be second or, much more likely, third or lower in the B12 North irrespective of who is at QB 2) The first year for any starting QB (with few exceptions) is typically far less productive than year two (and especially year three) 3) that the real target years are not the 2008, or maybe even so much 2009 --- but the 2010 season and 4) the 2008 NU football should be all about setting the stage for the future.
Thoughts?
I really think you have it wrong. Your QB has to be THE leader of the offense (regardless of age or experience). He has to inspire faith in the rest of the team that no matter how bad things are going, he is going to lead them to a win. Putting someone in there to get experience for the next year is not going to set well...especially with Seniors who won't HAVE a next year. The players want to win and they want to win NOW...not two or three years down the line. That's like telling someone that if works for you today, you'll let him see you pay someone else for the job you did tomorrow....I hope it is more than a series here or there --- but significant time in building up a future QB.Too much over-analyzing here. You start the guy who gives you the best shot at winning, be it Ganz, Lee or whoever. Ganz may be gone the next year but most of the other guys on the team will still be there and if they get used to winning during Ganz's last season, they're going to develop a winning attitutde that's going to carry on to the next year.
So, if Ganz is the best you've got, you start Ganz and work the younger guys in for a series here or there throughout the season to get them some real-time experience.
Does anybody really think NU with Ganz at the helm next year will win the B12 North? I can't imagine it. And we won't with Lee or Witt either --- but our chances the following year (2009) with Lee or Witt go up proportionately with how much Lee of Wit play next year (2008).
I would agree with some of the thinking posted here if I thought next years record would be much different with Ganz at the helm than it would be with a young QB. It might be different but I'd doubt much. I'd expect that NU will not beat OU, VTech, Missouri, Kansas, or Colorado next year no matter who plays QB. I'd think we'll be much more competitive with these better teams than we were last year, and likely will not get blown out too often (or as often) --- but it is also doubtful we beat any of them. As for the rest of the schedule, who knows. As people say its a crapshoot. I just hope that the young QB's (or a young QB) get major playing time next season or we are looking down the pike at, at least two rebuilding years in a row.
Maybe I'm reading into this too much or maybe I'm just stupid, but if you start off your team with A LOT of freshmen and sophmores (it seems that's what your saying we should), then when all of those guys graduate you start all over again. It'd just be a 3-4 year cycle of sucking, getting better, then dominating, then sucking again cause no one has any experience.Beach --- you have validated my point. CU is well ahead of NU in the rebuild prosess. Why? They invested in their really young players and took their lumps and are now about to reap the benefits. I am a diehard Husker fan but also a realist. 90% of my brethren on this board will disagree with me but truly NU next year will not hand with Missouri, Kansas or Colorado --- and Colorado might crack into the top two in the north.I don't know what the magic formula is but I am comfortable knowing that 'lil Hawk will be our QB for the next 3 years.
Unless the coach comes in, like Hawkins did, and roll up his sleeves and say that the goal is to win --- with a sustained winning --- and I will need to invest in youth and really develop and hope that down the road we can SUSTAIN winning. CU will be there next year and will be a very, very solid team --- again because two years ago and this past year Hawkins went with youth who are now developed. I assure you that next year was the year that Hawkins had in view when he started --- a goal of where he wanted to be.
You build companies that way. You build departments in universities that way. You have long range sustained winning in view. Short term thinking is what facilitates the next leadership team to come in take over in a few years.
Again, next year with Ganz or anybody else at QB the Huskers will not better Missouri, Kansas, or Colorado --- and their best chance of getting past any of them the following year is predicated upon who they develop next year. If they develop few young players next year then they become more deeply entrenched behind the leaders in the B12 North.
The only reason not to go with Lee or Witt or a new QB is if the staff sees what they have and are certain that none of them have the stuff to be the future QB --- and man, I hope it is not that bad.
I don't think it's fair to throw Ganz under the bus simply because he just has one year of eligibility left. It's not his fault that Clownahan brought Keller in for one year (which was stupid btw). It's not his fault Clownahan got fired. If he's the best we have, then he should be the starter. I will say that I do agree that one of the young guns does need to see some significant playing time next year, but I believe we need to have the best on the field at the beginning.If Ganz starts next year then that would make 4 different starting QB's in four seasons --- a disaster. We had Taylor, then Keller, then Ganz next year, and then someone else the year later. To build you need the same QB for two years --- at a minimum --- three is better. If Pelini is smart and is planning for the long haul rather than being short sighted, he'll go with a young QB (unless none of the young QB's are good). Even if Ganz is better for next year than all of the young QB's he needs to prep a QB for the future. NU is going nowhere next year with Ganz or anyone else (if by anywhere one means winning the B12 North or anything beyond that). If you play Ganz next year (exclusively or near exclusively) then the following year NU will again go nowhere (with a new QB). If we take our lumps next year (which we will do anyway) and prep a new QB then the following year there is a chance for NU to maybe take the North (at least a MUCH better chance).
NU is starting from scratch --- and no one in their right mind rebuilds with a senior QB. Poor Ganz --- he is in the wrong place at the wrong time. What Pelini does with the QB situation will be enlightening --- it will reveal whether he has long range or short range goals in mind (or, perhaps that he is handcuffed so-tospeak with no young QB that can be the future). He would be a fool not to give significant playing time (or start) the best of the young QB's.
This perspective is based upon several assumptions. 1) NU next season will be second or, much more likely, third or lower in the B12 North irrespective of who is at QB 2) The first year for any starting QB (with few exceptions) is typically far less productive than year two (and especially year three) 3) that the real target years are not the 2008, or maybe even so much 2009 --- but the 2010 season and 4) the 2008 NU football should be all about setting the stage for the future.
Thoughts?
I will also say that Leach at Texas Tech does a pretty good job with one year starting QB's. We all know they don't have a defense year in and year out, but his offense is very explosive even with only one year players.
Can somebody please explain this attitude NU fans seem to have regarding how low our program has fallen and how it's going to take years to rebuild because the cupboard is so bare? Aren't we one year removed from playing for the conference title? I felt like we outplayed both OU and Auburn at the end of last year and I always heard about how great Callahan recruited, but all of a sudden we've fallen so hard that we have to expect to "rebuild" and "fall on hard times" before we can expect to win again? Until the MU and OSU games this year I thought NU was still on the rise, not going through a 10 year spell of crappiness after a big scandal a-la OU in the '90s. This "rebuilding" attitude sucks and is horrible - that will only lead to a sustained attitude of mediocrity. It's THAT attitude that is the FIRST thing that needs to go and if Ganz can help NU win next year and get back some swagger and confidence, then he needs to start. Period.
How many more games would NU have won this year with even a semblance of defense? I honestly think that Texas, KU, and CU would have been wins if NU's D had been even remotely good (look at how many points NU scored in those games). Weren't we ahead of CU at halftime? Are they really THAT much better? Didn't we go toe-to-toe with KU until our defense just rolled over? Don't you think a Pelini coached defense could have stopped KU's offense a few times out of 11? Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see the cupboard being so bare, and I don't think NU's talent level and overall program has fallen so far that any "rebuilding" is necessary and if there's a defense next year (and I think we all know what Bo can do on defense) that can go along with the numbers Ganz and the offense are capable of putting up (18 total TDs and 1400+ passing yards in only 3 games) then why should NU have to settle for anything? Why can't they EXPECT to WIN? Why do we need to start "rebuilding" and conceding whole seasons before we can get better?
hmmm..Can somebody please explain this attitude NU fans seem to have regarding how low our program has fallen and how it's going to take years to rebuild because the cupboard is so bare?
If I were a player I'd agree. But I am not a player -- and I surmise neither are you. So you and I have nothing to concede or not concede. We are fans in the mode of analysis. While I'd hate to think that the players themselves would see little chance to beat KU or MU or CU --- I, as an analyst and fan can readily look at what is to be seen and say... won't happen --- NU is not (any longer) at that level.:clap Well said!
I've always said concede nothing in advance!
Too much over-analyzing here. You start the guy who gives you the best shot at winning, be it Ganz, Lee or whoever. Ganz may be gone the next year but most of the other guys on the team will still be there and if they get used to winning during Ganz's last season, they're going to develop a winning attitutde that's going to carry on to the next year.
So, if Ganz is the best you've got, you start Ganz and work the younger guys in for a series here or there throughout the season to get them some real-time experience.
Midway 2nd quarter: NU 21; KU 28 ----- After that: 48-18Realize that many of the points that the NU offense scored were in games where they were way behind and the opposition was scoring at will. The opposition played a pseudo-prevent defense or a prevent defense and were less than intense --- allowing cheap meaningless points in blowouts. people see the Ganz numbers and their eyes light up. Well. Wait and see. Those numbers were good and I do not want to take anything away from Ganz or the offense --- but context matters.
I'll concede that NU is behind (hell, they lost the games), but this defeatist attitude stinks and I just can't understand suggestions that we need 3-4 years in order to compete again.How anyone can not see that NU is rebuilding and is nowhere near the level of Missouri or Kansas and likely behind Colorado as well --- well, I do not get that.
I'll still contend that if NU's defense could stop ANYONE that the KU game (and the entire 2007 season in general) would have gone much differently than 5-7. Bo Pelini took a #54 defense in 2002 and, using mostly the same players, brought them up to #11 in 2003. Coz then took them back to #53 (or thereabouts). What does that say about Pelini's coaching ability? You don't think he can take these guys and get them up to top 50? That's not too much to ask at all. I mean, top 50!! How many fewer points does that amount to? Most of the offense is coming back, and it seemed to only get better with Watson behind the wheel, so a dropoff in scoring shouldn't happen.If you watched any bowl game this year at or around new years, then did you not notice how much faster and more explosive the skill position players were than ours. Did you not notice the guns on the LB's and the lineman on other teams? Then see our LB's (in physical terms) or our big-bellied soft lineman (not all of course --- but generally speaking). No, in terms of sheer physicality, NU is way, way, way behind.
Callahan's recruits that initially signed on had horrific attrition rates. Much of the recruiting hype came from the ones NU were in on --- but most of those we did not get. There has been, I think, more hype than there has been production from Callahan's recruits. That said, it is still early and some of the younger guys may be the real deal. We just do not know.
Anyway. A 5 - 7 team that has gone to only two bowls in four years and has a new, unproven coach (and an unproven staff) coming off of the #100 something defense. Well.... yeah, rebuilding is an appropriate description.