Bubba Starling

H

husker rob

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Saw this in the OWH. I wonder if the Huskers have kept in contact with him and if the Lasik surgery doesn't improve his ability to hit professional baseballs, will he become "N" again?

Bubba Starling, 6-4/180, QB, Gardner (Kan.): Kansas City Royals (baseball)

ESPN: 4/115/7

Rivals: 4/119/6

Scout: 4/NR/10

The former Husker quarterback recruit-turned-poor-minor-league-hitter is getting LASIK eye surgery to improve his night vision.

On 810 WHB in Kansas City this week, “The Program” host Soren Petro cited sources that said if Starling wanted his full signing bonus, he’d have to commit three years to playing pro baseball. He’s in the midst of year two.

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No doubt he will play his three years and then make a decision as to his future. I hope he enjoyed his days in Lincoln enough to keep us in mind if he decides football is back in the picture.

 
TonyStalloni said:
No doubt he will play his three years and then make a decision as to his future. I hope he enjoyed his days in Lincoln enough to keep us in mind if he decides football is back in the picture.
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In a sense lets hope he sucks it up in the minors and realizes he has no major leage career and then ends up a Brandon weeden 2.0

 
I don't know much about the technical aspects of baseball, but I always thought that with his lanky 6-4 frame, he would have a large strike zone and would have trouble adjusting to pro ball. But if a club was willing to give him a few million dollars, it was a no-brainer for him to take that instead of the risks of college football.

I also wonder, if NU continues to have the kind of WR talent over the next few years that we have now, if a guy like Bubba will even fit into the kind of offense we want to continue running? His speed and running were his draws as a quarterback, not his mediocre throwing, correct? I know that fits Taylor Martinez's description as well, but as our offense evolved, T-Mart has been able to grow into what we need for throwing, but I'm not sure if we'd want to invest a few more years into fixing someone's mechanics if we can keep up the WR talent and can find more pass-first QBs. I still wouldn't mind Bubba coming back here, though.

 
Ulty said:
I don't know much about the technical aspects of baseball, but I always thought that with his lanky 6-4 frame, he would have a large strike zone and would have trouble adjusting to pro ball. But if a club was willing to give him a few million dollars, it was a no-brainer for him to take that instead of the risks of college football.

I also wonder, if NU continues to have the kind of WR talent over the next few years that we have now, if a guy like Bubba will even fit into the kind of offense we want to continue running? His speed and running were his draws as a quarterback, not his mediocre throwing, correct? I know that fits Taylor Martinez's description as well, but as our offense evolved, T-Mart has been able to grow into what we need for throwing, but I'm not sure if we'd want to invest a few more years into fixing someone's mechanics if we can keep up the WR talent and can find more pass-first QBs. I still wouldn't mind Bubba coming back here, though.
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Yeah, I'd rather not have another "project" shot putting the football around Lincoln. But, I do think that he has plenty of other intangibles that would make up for that. He'll be a mature 22 or so when he finally suits up. He'll be playing into his mid 20s and have a perspective on things that few players possess.

He'll also know how to work. His down there likely bustin his a$$ to make it, doing training, etc that no HS player has a chance to dedicate to like a pro athlete. That'll carry over to his film study and work in the weight room. He'll also be driven since he just washed out of the minors. Not that most kids aren't...but a chip on the shoulder wouldn't hurt.

His training in the minors also probably prepares him for what he'd have to go through w/ his throwing motion and to become a better QB. He'd accept the changes and adapt to them quicker than a kid out of HS I think. Look at Gordon, who was about to be sent back to the minors before he retooled his swing and really succeeded. They've been working on Bubba for a while now. He knows the process and he'd commit to it better than most. Taylor waited until his junior year to get help...Bubba would probably be seeking professional instruction from Day 1.

I like his chances if he ends up here. He's got the raw athletic ability, the arm strength, the speed etc.

PS: His batting average is creeping up. Especially the last 5 of so games.

 
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Bubba wants to be a husker he would be gladly accepted. He has amazing arm talent and with a little mechanic work could be a great passer. Would be a great fit for our offense.

I don't think Taylor waited for his junior year to get help. He has worked his tail off since he came here to become a complete package. He waited for his junior year to get healthy. He went above and beyond the call the summer before his junior year to get help beyond our coaching staff. Not many qbs go on their own vacation and their own dime to get better. It's also hard to train mechanics and create positive muscle memory when you can barely walk.

 
I wonder how many Brandon Weeden and Chris Weinkes there are vs Joe Bauserman and Dave Shinskies. Remember Bauserman? He's the Ohio St QB who came in the 2011 game when Miller got hurt and hit 1 out of 10. He played 3 years in the minors before coming to Ohio St. He sat behind good QBs in Pryor and Miller but he wasn't going to be the QB to take Ohio St anywhere, and in fact wound up 2011 as 3rd string.

Dave Shinskie also tried the minors first and then went to BC, where he was fair to middlin' for a year and a half before being benched and fading away. You probably never heard of him, and there are probably more who never even saw meaningful playing time. The success stories are much easier to find, and there aren't too many.

Bubba could go either way. Failing in the minors can be demoralizing, and the big bonus money could dull his desire to ramp back up in football. If a talent like that washes out in the minors, it may speak to his work ethic and failure to learn, which probably wouldn't change with football. Or as some of you have said, his experience may help a lot and he may be motivated with a second chance.

Chances are, with his vision getting fixed he'll probably start doing a lot better in baseball and we'll never see him on campus. I'm more excited about the QBs we actually have in the program to worry about Bubba.

 
VA Husker Fan said:
I wonder how many Brandon Weeden and Chris Weinkes there are vs Joe Bauserman and Dave Shinskies. Remember Bauserman? He's the Ohio St QB who came in the 2011 game when Miller got hurt and hit 1 out of 10. He played 3 years in the minors before coming to Ohio St. He sat behind good QBs in Pryor and Miller but he wasn't going to be the QB to take Ohio St anywhere, and in fact wound up 2011 as 3rd string.

Dave Shinskie also tried the minors first and then went to BC, where he was fair to middlin' for a year and a half before being benched and fading away. You probably never heard of him, and there are probably more who never even saw meaningful playing time. The success stories are much easier to find, and there aren't too many.

Bubba could go either way. Failing in the minors can be demoralizing, and the big bonus money could dull his desire to ramp back up in football. If a talent like that washes out in the minors, it may speak to his work ethic and failure to learn, which probably wouldn't change with football. Or as some of you have said, his experience may help a lot and he may be motivated with a second chance.

Chances are, with his vision getting fixed he'll probably start doing a lot better in baseball and we'll never see him on campus. I'm more excited about the QBs we actually have in the program to worry about Bubba.
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Bauserman should be elected into the Nebraska Hall of Fame. He single handedly won that game for Nebraska.

 
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He would be a success in college I would put money on it. I don't think bauserman could run a 4.4 forty at 6"5. If he couldn't play qb he could be a heck of a wr. I doubt he makes it here but our staff didn't map out every second of this kids life for his 4 years of college if he wasn't a seriuos talent on the gridiron.

 
He still possesses the power and the speed. While he hasn't been seeing the ball that great, he may just be making the adjustment still. It may take him a year or two longer than expected to make it to the big boy club, but his potential in the game is just too much to give up on only 3 years in, i think. I'd be shocked if he doesn't get it figured out.

 
I feel a Bubba Starling on the football and baseball field the passed two seasons makes both teams instantly better. It's ashame Bubba. Hope all is well.

 
Also separating Starling is an expanded athletic base. Nebraska football fans would love to see him wearing red one day, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden is a recent example of a multisport prospect who gave professional baseball a shot before entering college as a 24-year-old freshman at Oklahoma State. He was the Cowboys’ starting quarterback for two years, including the 2011 Big 12 title season.

Starling said he’ll always be a Cornhuskers’ fan and was happy to hear about Lee Summit West two-sport star Monte Harrison committing to Nebraska. But Starling thinks baseball first.
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Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/07/14/4344910/for-first-time-starling-deals.html#storylink=cpy

 
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