Luke McCaffrey

gorp512 said:
Seems like Frost is playing his cards in order to avoid another Gebbia situation. The chances seem high that Luke will be the starter by year's end. 
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I don't think that's the reason. They've said all along they're going to play the guy who gives them the best chance to win, and if they're neck and neck in practice the guy who was been there before has a legitimate edge. With the Gebbia deal, by all accounts I've heard it wasn't tied. It was close but Martinez won it outright - mostly because of the run game options. I'm sure we'll see both guys, but neither seems like they'd be transferring right now if it was announced they were the backup.

I think the lack of announcing personnel decisions in general is Frost hoping a few of them catch OSU off guard. Makes the preparation more general instead of being able to focus on targeting specific players. Which is always the case with games early in the year, but even more so if you're not sure which guys will be playing.

 
Husker in WI said:
I don't think that's the reason. They've said all along they're going to play the guy who gives them the best chance to win, and if they're neck and neck in practice the guy who was been there before has a legitimate edge. With the Gebbia deal, by all accounts I've heard it wasn't tied. It was close but Martinez won it outright - mostly because of the run game options. I'm sure we'll see both guys, but neither seems like they'd be transferring right now if it was announced they were the backup.

I think the lack of announcing personnel decisions in general is Frost hoping a few of them catch OSU off guard. Makes the preparation more general instead of being able to focus on targeting specific players. Which is always the case with games early in the year, but even more so if you're not sure which guys will be playing.
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I was referring more to being so very blunt about one player that the other leaves. AM would have every right to bounce if he wasn't starting.

 
gorp512 said:
I was referring more to being so very blunt about one player that the other leaves. AM would have every right to bounce if he wasn't starting.
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Give up at the first sign of adversity...sigh.  Losing the starting job doesn't mean you can't reach all your goals.  Take Cardale Jones for instance - 3rd string guy that played himself into the NFL draft.  

 
Hilltop said:
Give up at the first sign of adversity...sigh.  Losing the starting job doesn't mean you can't reach all your goals.  Take Cardale Jones for instance - 3rd string guy that played himself into the NFL draft.  
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I think I'm in the minority with this train of thought, but I don't necessarily view kids who transfer as quitters.

They're adults who get to make decisions, just in the same way that if you have the chance at moving to a different job where the pay is the same but the opportunities far outweigh your current position's possibilities, nobody ever says you're a quitter in the workplace for moving to the other job.

I think we just see it as "being a quitter" as emotional fans of our teams.

That said, I don't believe Luke will unseat a healthy Martinez at any point. And that'll be fine for Luke, because he'll then have the opportunity to be a two-year starter of a good program with a lot of experience under his belt (as long as Smothers doesn't beat him out).

 
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Hilltop said:
Give up at the first sign of adversity...sigh.  Losing the starting job doesn't mean you can't reach all your goals.  Take Cardale Jones for instance - 3rd string guy that played himself into the NFL draft.  
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Bruce Mathison-former husker who made a NFL roster with the Bills. I don't believe he was ever higher than 3rd string here. I'm sure a lot of fans have never heard of him. 

 
Undone said:
I think I'm in the minority with this train of thought, but I don't necessarily view kids who transfer as quitters.

They're adults who get to make decisions, just in the same way that if you have the chance at moving to a different job where the pay is the same but the opportunities far outweigh your current position's possibilities, nobody ever says you're a quitter in the workplace for moving to the other job.

I think we just see it as "being a quitter" as emotional fans of our teams.

That said, I don't believe Luke will unseat a healthy Martinez at any point. And that'll be fine for Luke, because he'll then have the opportunity to be a two-year starter of a good program with a lot of experience under his belt (as long as Smothers doesn't beat him out).
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I always have mixed feelings when guys transfer.  Part of me wishes that guys would stick it out, stay committed to the program, and try to find a way to contribute to the team.  However, I also understand it when guys leave a program for other opportunities.  These guys have a finite amount of time in college, they should try to get their best experience.  Some feel their best experience is doing whatever they can do to contribute to a top team.  Some feel their best experience is being a starter/leader on another team (even if it's thought of as a "lesser" team).

Nobody thinks that people who leave their current jobs for a better opportunity is a "quitter", but people like to use that label when it comes to sports teams.

 
gorp512 said:
I was referring more to being so very blunt about one player that the other leaves. AM would have every right to bounce if he wasn't starting.
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Ah, fair enough. That one was still bizarre, Verduzco seemed legitimately baffled that Gebbia left based on how their conversation about being the backup went. 

I don't really want to rehash whether players should transfer, I think both sides have pretty well defined why they hold their stance. I will say I absolutely don't believe this is some generational thing, and that transfers would have happened more if the current rules/system was in place back in the day. Should Troy Aikman have stuck it out at Oklahoma? I find players transferring for playing time more palatable than big schools recruiting proven small school players, but even that gives players great opportunities. 

 
Wait...am I having a severe brain fart?

Martinez is a junior. Luke is a redshirt freshman. Therefore, regardless of the "free year" this year, Luke will get two years of eligibility even after Martinez plays a hypothetical super senior fifth year...right?

huskers.com lists Luke as a redshirt freshman.

 
Undone said:
Wait...am I having a severe brain fart?

Martinez is a junior. Luke is a redshirt freshman. Therefore, regardless of the "free year" this year, Luke will get two years of eligibility even after Martinez plays a hypothetical super senior fifth year...right?

huskers.com lists Luke as a redshirt freshman.
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Your math with Luke and Adrian is correct.  Although I think it will be futile to project future years' depth charts because there will be so many players who will choose to leave school/give the NFL a shot or transfer.  For example, a guy like Mills or Matt Farniok.  Those guys will still have eligibility for the 2021 season, but I would think they will still leave school and give the NFL a shot.  Others will graduate and go the grad transfer route, or the NCAA will pass the one-time free transfer.

 
Husker in WI said:
Ah, fair enough. That one was still bizarre, Verduzco seemed legitimately baffled that Gebbia left based on how their conversation about being the backup went. 

I don't really want to rehash whether players should transfer, I think both sides have pretty well defined why they hold their stance. I will say I absolutely don't believe this is some generational thing, and that transfers would have happened more if the current rules/system was in place back in the day. Should Troy Aikman have stuck it out at Oklahoma? I find players transferring for playing time more palatable than big schools recruiting proven small school players, but even that gives players great opportunities. 
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Totally. And Frost did say something at the time about how his honesty bit him a little on that one. 

 
Undone said:
I think I'm in the minority with this train of thought, but I don't necessarily view kids who transfer as quitters.

They're adults who get to make decisions, just in the same way that if you have the chance at moving to a different job where the pay is the same but the opportunities far outweigh your current position's possibilities, nobody ever says you're a quitter in the workplace for moving to the other job.

I think we just see it as "being a quitter" as emotional fans of our teams.

That said, I don't believe Luke will unseat a healthy Martinez at any point. And that'll be fine for Luke, because he'll then have the opportunity to be a two-year starter of a good program with a lot of experience under his belt (as long as Smothers doesn't beat him out).
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Well said sir

 
I never used the term quitter.  I said give up but essentially along the same lines.  Think back through the years about all the players who were removed for a game or two to provide some motivation.  Sometimes players need to step back for a bit to get focused or to be held accountable.  Now coaches have to be almost afraid these days to do that.  I'm no fan of the current trends.  It would be a different story if a kid were benched for a season, then by all means transfer if it gives you the best chance to reach your goals.

 
Hilltop said:
Give up at the first sign of adversity...sigh.  Losing the starting job doesn't mean you can't reach all your goals.  Take Cardale Jones for instance - 3rd string guy that played himself into the NFL draft.  
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Not going to happen.  If that would be the case, which I doubt would happen, it would appear he was not100% invested.  That would answer a lot of questions .

 
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