The Elephant in the Room: Poor QB Play!

K

Knoxville Husker

Four-Star Recruit
We start a 4th year senior QB because as a freshman he ran for a few long TD and we got all giddy. In 2010 the guy is unreal. Comes out of nowhere and wins the starting QB job. We all see why, he's unreal on the read option, running for long TD after long TD. He's a phenom. Who cares if he's an erratic passer?

Fast forward to 2013. School record 33 TDs. The tease continues, we need to look further. It's boom or bust. The QB play is erratic. Far too many costly turnovers, fueling blowout losses. No pocket presence. Poor passing mechanics. Inability to move the offense consistently for more than a quarter or two a game. No ability to improvise when a play breaks down. Terrible lateral speed when scrambling. No poise in the pocket or out of it. Traditional option game is poor and read option heyday peaked 4 years ago.

I'm not trying to attack the player, just point out what we all see on the field. A 4th year starting senior QB did not get it done for us.

I don't understand why this poor QB play is getting a pass. QB play is everything, just look at aTm who just played the best team in the last couple decades to within a TD on the strength of a Heisman QB and little else. aTm is an eight win team at best without Johnny Football, yet with him they played might Bama almost even.

Play Tommy Armstrong Jr. Alternate him with Martinez, We need to get ready for next year anyway. We are not winning any championships with the current QB, and we need to give defenses something else to worry about. Namely, a legitimate option football threat that helps us gut out tough yards and the long drives that we need. It will also make our run game far less predictable, opening up things for our RBs.

 
I dont believe Kellog or Armstrong would be a worse outcome.

Taylor is in there for big plays. He has to make them.

He has dynamic ability but has become a predictable player. I think a lot of this heat going toward Beck is unneccesary. QB isnt making plays. Cost Watson a job. He seems to be ok right now.

 
how do you know Armstrong would be better than Martinez? because he looked ok in garbage time against the worst team in the country that's right great proof

 
Damon Benning was talking about this on the radio that Taylor seems to be too hesitant. That when he played in a game he stepped out of bounds on a run and TO actually came up to him after the play and said "You're not making enough money yet to step out of bounds." His point was shying away from contact makes you timid and Taylor is not the big threat anymore because defenses know they just hit him a few times and he'll stop trying to use his wheels...which is his greatest weapon.

I've wondered if Taylor isn't trying to hard to become an NFL qb and is practicing those habits.

 
I just have to say I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!!!! And you are making a great point that everyone seems to run away from. TOTALLY agree with your breakdown of TMs career. He makes some great runs as a freshman and all of a sudden he is the savior, locked in for 4 more years, despite all of his downfalls. I was SO hoping TA would get a shot today when it was clear NE had given it up........WHY NOT? Well because TM is the MORE EXPERIENCE QB and is so improved......at least that is what we keep hearing......but I have watched every game for these 4 years and I just don't see this GREAT improvement......if anything.......the one thing TM had going for him......his legs......has gotten worse. You listen to his post game interviews and its painful to hear them......"I can't say, ......I just don't know........have to watch the film to see"......really a 4 year starter and you still can't say what went wrong in a game? You still can't tell me why on 3rd and 4 with a hole and 10 yards of green in front of you that you didn't run for the 1st down and took a sack instead......REALLY? TM is what he is and he has been that for 3 plus years......this great offense we heard about this spring.......is on his shoulders and that makes it very inconsistant just like it has been for the last 3 years. Heres hoping TA gets some serious playing time this year.........some of the BEST NE QBs got introduced because long term vets weren't cutting it and the young qbs got a shot.

 
Knoxville Husker said:
We start a 4th year senior QB because as a freshman he ran for a few long TD and we got all giddy. In 2010 the guy is unreal. Comes out of nowhere and wins the starting QB job. We all see why, he's unreal on the read option, running for long TD after long TD. He's a phenom. Who cares if he's an erratic passer?
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Yeah, first half of the year he was lights out and running with reckless abandon. Halfway through the year he gets "hurt" and plays the rest of the year tentative...

Fast forward to 2013. School record 33 TDs. The tease continues, we need to look further. It's boom or bust. The QB play is erratic. Far too many costly turnovers, fueling blowout losses. No pocket presence. Poor passing mechanics. Inability to move the offense consistently for more than a quarter or two a game. No ability to improvise when a play breaks down. Terrible lateral speed when scrambling. No poise in the pocket or out of it. Traditional option game is poor and read option heyday peaked 4 years ago.
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And the defense gets savaged in multiple contests, and the UCLA game in particular, the offensive playcalling is borderline criminal...

I'm not trying to attack the player, just point out what we all see on the field. A 4th year starting senior QB did not get it done for us.
I don't understand why this poor QB play is getting a pass. QB play is everything, just look at aTm who just played the best team in the last couple decades to within a TD on the strength of a Heisman QB and little else. aTm is an eight win team at best without Johnny Football, yet with him they played might Bama almost even.

Play Tommy Armstrong Jr. Alternate him with Martinez, We need to get ready for next year anyway. We are not winning any championships with the current QB, and we need to give defenses something else to worry about. Namely, a legitimate option football threat that helps us gut out tough yards and the long drives that we need. It will also make our run game far less predictable, opening up things for our RBs.
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Because it's just not about him, its offensive playcalling, dropped balls, the defense not showing up when their needed...

If you think Tommy Armystrong can be the next Manziel, you may need to reexamine how you perceive football. The offense is worrying too much about being "multiple", and not running the ball down peoples throats, and once thats successful, the playaction fly route to a TE or slot back...

 
how do you know Armstrong would be better than Martinez? because he looked ok in garbage time against the worst team in the country that's right great proof
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...or, one could watch the passes go down field and see which one has the far better arm.

Martinez doesn't seem to want to run, looks uncomfortable in the pocket, and his accuracy has been spotty, even on the little swing passes. The first claim is the most worrisome. Martinez could many times bail himself (and the offense) by yanking down the ball and running. That isn't happening any more, leaving us with, what?

 
LumberJackSker said:
how do you know Armstrong would be better than Martinez? because he looked ok in garbage time against the worst team in the country that's right great proof
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No one knows. No one has played starting QB in over 42 games or so. That's a career already. Why so defensive? Maybe another QB might throw the ball down the field or something. I don't know. But look at Ohio State. They looked fantastic with a more efficient passing QB in Kenny Guiton than the razzle dazzle runner Braxton Miller. And Miller struggles throwing, but is still better than TM. That's a simple fact. So maybe ease up a little. TM is a nice player. Real good straight line north/south speed. Throws a good horizontal pass while running an option. Is it so bothersome to wonder if another man up could actually play just as well, if not better? Maybe even a QB that doesn't need more than 3 years to finally put it all together? Just wondering.

 
Addison Mode said:
LumberJackSker said:
how do you know Armstrong would be better than Martinez? because he looked ok in garbage time against the worst team in the country that's right great proof
Click to expand...
No one knows. No one has played starting QB in over 42 games or so. That's a career already. Why so defensive? Maybe another QB might throw the ball down the field or something. I don't know. But look at Ohio State. They looked fantastic with a more efficient passing QB in Kenny Guiton than the razzle dazzle runner Braxton Miller. And Miller struggles throwing, but is still better than TM. That's a simple fact. So maybe ease up a little. TM is a nice player. Real good straight line north/south speed. Throws a good horizontal pass while running an option. Is it so bothersome to wonder if another man up could actually play just as well, if not better? Maybe even a QB that doesn't need more than 3 years to finally put it all together? Just wondering.
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true but to assume inserting Armstrong in there will fix all the offenses problems doesn't make much sense to me since we haven't really seen him play, I would have loved to see him play the 4th quarter because the game was over and he could use some reps against a quality team but that doesn't mean the offensive line would have block better or the wideouts would have stopped dropping passes or the play calling would have improved, it gets kinda old when after every loss a bunch of new posters create taylor Martinez sucks/is the problem threads

 
LumberJackSker said:
Addison Mode said:
LumberJackSker said:
how do you know Armstrong would be better than Martinez? because he looked ok in garbage time against the worst team in the country that's right great proof
Click to expand...
No one knows. No one has played starting QB in over 42 games or so. That's a career already. Why so defensive? Maybe another QB might throw the ball down the field or something. I don't know. But look at Ohio State. They looked fantastic with a more efficient passing QB in Kenny Guiton than the razzle dazzle runner Braxton Miller. And Miller struggles throwing, but is still better than TM. That's a simple fact. So maybe ease up a little. TM is a nice player. Real good straight line north/south speed. Throws a good horizontal pass while running an option. Is it so bothersome to wonder if another man up could actually play just as well, if not better? Maybe even a QB that doesn't need more than 3 years to finally put it all together? Just wondering.
Click to expand...
true but to assume inserting Armstrong in there will fix all the offenses problems doesn't make much sense to me since we haven't really seen him play, I would have loved to see him play the 4th quarter because the game was over and he could use some reps against a quality team but that doesn't mean the offensive line would have block better or the wideouts would have stopped dropping passes or the play calling would have improved, it gets kinda old when after every loss a bunch of new posters create taylor Martinez sucks/is the problem threads
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I hear ya. And I'm not pro-Armstrong either. I was actually thinking Kellogg. I'm just finally feeling like it's old hat already. Cheers.

 
HuskerfaninOkieland said:
I would much rather RKIII take over than an untested freshman.
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really someone that will be gone in 4 months?..........just to start all over again next year? Not me.......some of the best QBs we have had were untested freshman and sophs that got the call over vets that weren't cutting it and they have went down as some of the best......bring on TA for me.......nothing to lose at this point.

 
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