So is O'Brien a bust

Lots of (silly) people think because a very small handful of true freshmen quarterbacks have been great in the history of college football, any freshman who is not great is automatically a bust.

 
POB a bust because we didn't start him as a true freshman? Bwahahaha! That's absurd. He didn't start because we had a senior QB who was more well suited to our offense. Consider our offensive line this year. Who in their right mind would start a true freshman QB behind that line? Did anyone even watch the Maryland game? How many times did Fyfe get sacked? Three? Four? (I can't remember.) And that was Ryker Fyfe, a fairly mobile Sr. QB going up against *Maryland*. MARYLAND! Given that game, does anyone really feel it would have been wise to start POB this year? Tommy was our best choice given his ability to use his feet to get out of trouble. Just look what happened against Iowa when Tommy couldn't run full speed.

 
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Moiraine said:
Lots of (silly) people think because a very small handful of true freshmen quarterbacks have been great in the history of college football, any freshman who is not great is automatically a bust.
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I don't think people are saying he is a bust. For me personally, I would have preferred POB to be the #2 this year. He, or Tanner or Gebbia is the future. Not Fyfe. Great feel good story, but if Riley is playing the long game, then don't go into 2017 with no proven QB....or TE......the list goes on and on.

We can blame Bo, recruiting, injuries whatever, but for years NU has been plagued with mismanaged roster, square peg meet round hole, recruiting busts and injuries with no depth or answer. Not to mention, I find it concerning if a healthy whomever, can't play better than a beat up whomever......I would have hoped with the wealth of experience that this staff brought that our days of no depth, no development etc would be behind us........

 
Moiraine said:
Lots of (silly) people think because a very small handful of true freshmen quarterbacks have been great in the history of college football, any freshman who is not great is automatically a bust.
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I think the issue for lots of silly people and even some who are not being silly is that we won't know. The assumption is that becasue POB could not easily beat out Tommy Armstrong as 'thee' starter that he should therefore not play at all no matter what the cost to his or the team's short or long term future.

For me (some disagree I know), playing POB this fall (had already been in the program for 9 months including a full spring and fall camp and was phsycially already mature) was very important to getting him ready to be a viable Big Ten starter next fall and ready to compete fully with Tanner Lee (Tulane's superstar transfer) and the HS phenom Gebbia. If I were POB, I would have wanted the edge up on both those guys with some playing time this year. Nothing wrong with being a three year starter. If you are going to the NFL, you will either make it or not after three seasons and 4 are not necessary. You also are in the NFL sooner if you don't waste a whole year in redshirt obscurity. He doesn't need to be a 'finished product' level player in his first season as a second string QB playing in a supporting role for Armstrong. A great way to learn in my view. Now, we could easily have the three blind mice next fall with no natural leader (hope Lee is all he needs to be).

 
Huskerfan55 said:
So who is QB next year? In my humble opinion and I do mean humble TA should have been backup this year. We should have built for the future and he was not the future. It was just more of the same!

I am tired of watching the product on the field!

The talent differences between WI, IA, MI and Ohiop State is so far above NE it just pisses me off!
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He redshirted as a freshman. No he's not a bust.

 
heisman or bust his freshman season? then yes, he is a bust...we should pull his schollie and give it to someone else. all is lost.
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Following my "don't go on HB for (almost) 24 hours after a loss" rule and see this crap thread at the top.

I'll stop back tomorrow and see if things have gotten better.

 
Red Five said:
Following my "don't go on HB for (almost) 24 hours after a loss" rule and see this crap thread at the top.

I'll stop back tomorrow and see if things have gotten better.
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Generally that's a good rule to follow but holy sh#t someone has to respond to these dumb posts.
 
That is where I am at. I am not a win at all cost type of person, nor if we play the game an lose, it is not the end of the world for me. Blow outs suck. But I feel the coaches job is to put the players in the best chance for success/win. But also it is his responsibility to put the program in a winning situation. I said it at the beginning of the season, and will say it every season. If the players are capable of playing and the team needs them, they play. We know as a running QB, the chances of injury are higher. Not really having a truly prepared top of the line QB ready to play is a failure in my eyes. If POB is not that player fine, but all the recruiting hype was, he is.

We have a team now that has no truly experienced QB for next year. I know Lee is projected and has played, but not this system, and in this league. I truly would have preferred seeing POB play some this year, in case we needed him. Tommy has never been a QB with great passing talents. All the heart and desire in the world. We know he plays to win and we/I can not ask for more than that. But when you can barely walk, state you were hurt the first time you were hit, that takes 90% of what Tommy is out of the game. A young freshman that was claimed to be a top get, might have made a big difference if he had been worked into the rotation from game one.

CM as to talent and what has been done with it. We have the same kids that Bo played for the most part, and we see the same basic results. I have asked the recruiting experts several times, but never get an answer. Is the ranking just based on athletic ability alone, or does character, desire and work ethic come into the picture? I truly do not know. Honest question.

Yesterday the team seemed to be out of it from the opening, Morgan in the face of Tommy, linemen pushing him away. Did not like that sight, but do we have a matter of fact attitude. Tommy saying we did great things after the game, we won 9 games indicates maybe the goal was reached, satisfaction accomplished. That is what I thought I saw with the past teams, and it still seems it is there.

Still support Coach Riley, I am just hoping the kids he recruits are what we need. His offensive skill set requires a passing QB it seems. He knows the value of line play. We need some mean old uglies on both sides no question. We saved for next year with the reshirting, and I think it cost us a couple of games this year. He needs to make real steps forward next year. It will be a tougher road to hoe with the schedule and the youth no question.

Hope we all calm down some, I will attend the bowl game if it is within 500 miles of SoCal. Will put on a tail gate for all of those from the board that come. We just need to move past yesterday.

 
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