Scoring the Huskers: Quarterbacks

NUance

NUance

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Scoring the Huskers: Quarterbacks 

February 3, 2020  HailVarsity.com 

Quarterbacks
Returning: Luke McCaffrey (rFR), Noah Vedral (JR), Adrian Martinez (JR)

Incoming: Logan Smothers‍ (FR)

Returning Production: Everything  (Note: percentages and stats in article) 

Regardless of how you feel about who should start at quarterback for Nebraska in 2020, who’s better, how incumbent starter Adrian Martinez’s 2019 campaign went, who was at fault for what, etc., etc., there is one statement that is pretty hard to argue with when it comes to Nebraska’s quarterback room this upcoming season:

It is teeming with talent.  LINK

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The gist is:  We got everyone back and we got talent.  So it's a matter of translating that potential onto the field.   

 
I sure we can take advantage of that talent with the new crop of receivers.  IF we can get a consistent running game going, we have the potential to be very dynamic next year &  IF AM returns to the QB we thought he was going to be and the line develops.  With a new deep threat to spread out the field, hopefully, we will see the passing game targeting more players then our over worked freshman superman - I'd esp like to see our TEs become a big part of the passing game.  It they are then that means the other guys are spreading the field, etc.  The way SF and KC used the TE (although I think SF lost sight of him in the 2nd half somewhat) is how we should use the TE - a real threat. 

 
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TGHusker said:
I sure we can take advantage of that talent with the new crop of receivers.  IF we can get a consistent running game going, we have the potential to be very dynamic next year &  IF AM returns to the QB we thought he was going to be and the line develops.  With a new deep threat to spread out the field, hopefully, we will see the passing game targeting more players then our over worked freshman superman - I'd esp like to see our TEs become a big part of the passing game.  It they are then that means the other guys are spreading the field, etc.  The way SF and KC used the TE (although I think SF lost sight of him in the 2nd half somewhat) is how we should use the TE - a real threat. 
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The part that we fans don't know is, how much of 2AMs regression was because of the lack of play makers at WR.  It's possible that it was a major part of it.  Frost implied during the season that a part of the problem was WRs not being where they were supposed to be or running the wrong routs.  He then replaced that coach after the season.

I think that's pretty telling.  If Lubick is as good of coach as some think, this can be huge for this offense.  

 
We definitely have the best QB room Nebraska has had since probably the 90s.  The one thing that could derail that is if both AM and Luke dont develop well.  As good as AM looked as a freshman, I am just concerned with how aweful he was last year.  Hopefully it was just a bad year, but if not I really like Luke.  It was a very small sample size to judge Luke on, but even if he Isn't a great passing QB (based on his small sample size he threw it very well), i like his attitude, and i think that is just as important in a QB.  I just know we would always put up a good fight with him.  Alot like with Tommy Armstrong.  I feel the attitude of the QB permeates to the entire team.  Vedral is pretty dang good for a 3rd stringer.  

 
BigRedBuster said:
The part that we fans don't know is, how much of 2AMs regression was because of the lack of play makers at WR.  It's possible that it was a major part of it.  Frost implied during the season that a part of the problem was WRs not being where they were supposed to be or running the wrong routs.  He then replaced that coach after the season.

I think that's pretty telling.  If Lubick is as good of coach as some think, this can be huge for this offense.  
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Good point.  I'm glad Frost took that step.  He believed that AM was going to be an outstanding QB and he had to figure out why the drop in performance.  Maybe the hesitancy we saw in AM all year was him looking for that receiver and they weren't where they were suppose to be - running poor routes. 

 
BigPeterJ said:
We definitely have the best QB room Nebraska has had since probably the 90s.  The one thing that could derail that is if both AM and Luke dont develop well.  As good as AM looked as a freshman, I am just concerned with how aweful he was last year.  Hopefully it was just a bad year, but if not I really like Luke.  It was a very small sample size to judge Luke on, but even if he Isn't a great passing QB (based on his small sample size he threw it very well), i like his attitude, and i think that is just as important in a QB.  I just know we would always put up a good fight with him.  Alot like with Tommy Armstrong.  I feel the attitude of the QB permeates to the entire team.  Vedral is pretty dang good for a 3rd stringer.  
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Yes, we have tons of talent at QB.  And don't forget Smothers.  From the look of things he's the real deal.  Might give Martinez and McCaffrey a run for their money in a year or two.  Maybe sooner since he's on campus right now.  

 
NUance said:
Yes, we have tons of talent at QB.  And don't forget Smothers.  From the look of things he's the real deal.  Might give Martinez and McCaffrey a run for their money in a year or two.  Maybe sooner since he's on campus right now.  
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I haven't 'studied' Smothers much - is he in the potential talent level as a Lawrence, Barrow, Fields??

 
TGHusker said:
I haven't 'studied' Smothers much - is he in the potential talent level as a Lawrence, Barrow, Fields??
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Well he's rated higher coming out of hs than Patrick Mahomes was six years ago.  So there's that.    lol  

And he's a coaches son.  

 
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NUance said:
Well he's rated higher coming out of hs than Patrick Mahomes was six years ago.  So there's that.    lol  

 

And he's a coaches son.  
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You never really know how a QB is gonna develop.  Thats why it is good we have so many guys with potential, we do need at least 1 or 2 of them to develop well though.  I'm not worried about our QB selection, i just hope Frost plays the best guy for our team, whoever it is.

After last year it is just hard for me to envision AM being a great QB, i will be pleasantly surprised if he is.  Based solely on my instincts, i just have a feeling Luke could lead us to a very high place.  Nothing more than my instincts, but sometimes we know more subconsciously, than we do consciously.  Usually their is a reason for your instincts even if you dont understand why.

 
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The QB position is certainly rated higher than many in Husker history but pretty hard to rate real high at this point due to lack of productive experience at a high level.  Yes AM did fairly well as a frosh but came back year at very average results in many ways.   Add his apparent prone to injury factor.   Then the other guys are either very raw youngsters or not so highly regarded overall.  I give the QB position a 7.5 (8 if healthy).  Not big ten champ caliber at this point.  Maybe they end up being such but nothing proven to me yet!  Potential at best imo.  I like the youngsters but young nonetheless. 

 
Barrow had a rather average 2018.  Bring in Joe Brady and game around his skill set and dudes all everything.  Optimistically, maybe AM has the same jump with Lubick as OC...I know he isn't the passing game QB, but maybe his experience and working with receivers etc translates to improvement.  

And the QB room is loaded with potential for sure.

 
BigRedBuster said:
The part that we fans don't know is, how much of 2AMs regression was because of the lack of play makers at WR.
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That, and the OL's inexperience. Not being sure whether you can trust the guys protecting you can mess with your head.

Personally, I think AM's issues last year were about 75% due to weaker play around him (OL problems and lack of a deep threat at WR) and 25% due to growing pains in learning to be a more complete QB (making his reads and such, and not just relying on his natural ability). All are fixable, and I think the staff is well on the way to fixing them, but I have no idea *when* we'll really see these things fixed.

 
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