Spring Position Battles - Quarterback

[Redux]

By fall, I think POB will give us a better chance to win a game if it comes down to him and Fyfe. That's pretty much it.

I also feel like burning POB's redshirt isn't that big of deal if it makes the 3 way competetion next year more fair.

I agree with you 100% on this one. Given we are likely to continue to have other good QB's coming in after POB (Gebbia for starters, and I'm sure Riley will find a great 2018 QB as well), I'm less concerned about getting all 4 years of POB as a potential starter, and more concerned that he's had some quality reps and a full year of practicing as if he may start at any time so that, come 2017, he's not completely raw. If I'm being honest, I still feel 2016 will be a year of transition, and while I expect a better record this year than last year, I really see 2017 and 2018 being the defining years with Riley's footprint on the team, and we need a QB to step in and deliver right away in 2017.

Precisely

 

[84HuskerLaw]

For the sake of this discussion, according to Riley Armstrong is THEEEE starter without question. Therefore, what we are really debating is whether or not POB should be being considered for the back up job in 2016 or not. In my view, we need to get POB ready to be theeee starter in 2017 for sure. In the meantime, we need to decide just who is THEEE starter in 2016 IF Armstrong goes down with a blown knee or broken arm or leg or whatever. Sh...t happens.

I think the majority of members on this board and most likely the majority of Nebraska fans would say that with Ryker Fyfe as the starter, we WILL NOT have a winning season. If people disagree, I guess I would like to hear the reasons why.

Therefore, if we are going to play Fyfe all season, with Bush the back up (for mop up duty), and redshirt POB, it will be a very very long season and I think fans will be screaming to high heaven - "Play Patrick - get him experience for next year!".

Your back up has to be ready to play and you need to be able to plan to win with him either NOW or in the future. Otherwise, you play someone else.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

It's never a perfect scenario, but you can envision rotating a package of plays designed for Fyfe and Bush in the same game to utilize their strengths and limit their liabilities.

Defenses would be sniffing pass for Fyfe, read option for Bush, but because Fyfe can run a bit and Bush can pass a bit, you might keep defenses off balance.

That was the formula with Armstrong and Kellogg III when Martinez went down in 2013. The platoon still got us to 9 wins. And that fourth loss was really on Kellogg.

 

[marko polo]

guys i can save you several more pages worth of unnecessary keystrokes

order the depth chart by who is the best quarterback at the time to who is the worst quarterback at the time regardless of year, and if POB is not the 2nd best quarterback at the time then he stays redshirted until such a time as that might change.

easy.

And if your eminence hadn't chimed in, there would be a few less!

 

[Husker Psycho]

Armstrong is the starter...

Fyfe is second string.

When the coaches tell a player they want him to redshirt... everything changes for that player... especially when the coaches make that decision this early in the year. That player does not get the coaching or attention the starters get.

If you look at the "interview" that we are all responding to you will see that Sam M actually already knew the answer about the starter and second string being set in stone. What he did was ask for confirmation which Riley gave him in no uncertain terms. Sam M already knew the answer.

This is going to be an interesting year. We lost 3 starting offensive lineman and our entire defensive line... 2 of whom were exceptional players and are now in the NFL. That's going to hurt.

These are tough times for the Nebraska football program and its only going to get tougher going forward. No one knows where it will all end up.

 

[Saunders]

Just finished the OWH pick six podcast on my evening run, and Sam talked about his conversation with Riley. A really interesting listen, but the TL;DR on the QB situation is that POB and Bush are about even, with Bush getting the edge with knowledge and the fact that this iteration of Riley's offense is geared more towards a runner. POB will redshirt unless there's a catastrophe.

 

[Hunter94]

Armstrong is the starter...

Fyfe is second string.

When the coaches tell a player they want him to redshirt... everything changes for that player... especially when the coaches make that decision this early in the year. That player does not get the coaching or attention the starters get.

If you look at the "interview" that we are all responding to you will see that Sam M actually already knew the answer about the starter and second string being set in stone. What he did was ask for confirmation which Riley gave him in no uncertain terms. Sam M already knew the answer.

This is going to be an interesting year. We lost 3 starting offensive lineman and our entire defensive line... 2 of whom were exceptional players and are now in the NFL. That's going to hurt.

These are tough times for the Nebraska football program and its only going to get tougher going forward. No one knows where it will all end up.

bummer..........;(

 

[HuskerNation1]

Just finished the OWH pick six podcast on my evening run, and Sam talked about his conversation with Riley. A really interesting listen, but the TL;DR on the QB situation is that POB and Bush are about even, with Bush getting the edge with knowledge and the fact that this iteration of Riley's offense is geared more towards a runner. POB will redshirt unless there's a catastrophe.

Well if his offense this year is geared toward a running QB, I would expect Bush to be #2 then, not Fyfe.

 

[Enhance]

Therefore, if we are going to play Fyfe all season, with Bush the back up (for mop up duty), and redshirt POB, it will be a very very long season and I think fans will be screaming to high heaven - "Play Patrick - get him experience for next year!".

They probably will. But if their reasoning is to get him experience for next year, hopefully they're also OK with the chance Lee beats him out. Hopefully, he can just redshirt and we don't have to worry about it.

Next year's QB battle could end up being a good one.

 

[Enhance]

Just finished the OWH pick six podcast on my evening run, and Sam talked about his conversation with Riley. A really interesting listen, but the TL;DR on the QB situation is that POB and Bush are about even, with Bush getting the edge with knowledge and the fact that this iteration of Riley's offense is geared more towards a runner. POB will redshirt unless there's a catastrophe.

Well if his offense this year is geared toward a running QB, I would expect Bush to be #2 then, not Fyfe.

My guess is, at this point, Fyfe has proven he's still the superior option. I'm also guessing that's because he probably is better able to execute the passing portion of the offense.

I think we should also keep in mind that an offense geared towards a running QB doesn't necessarily equate to more running. I'm betting TA still throws 25-30 times a game. And instead of straight drop back passes, they may try more play action or run/pass options.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Armstrong is the starter...

Fyfe is second string.

When the coaches tell a player they want him to redshirt... everything changes for that player... especially when the coaches make that decision this early in the year. That player does not get the coaching or attention the starters get.

If you look at the "interview" that we are all responding to you will see that Sam M actually already knew the answer about the starter and second string being set in stone. What he did was ask for confirmation which Riley gave him in no uncertain terms. Sam M already knew the answer.

This is going to be an interesting year. We lost 3 starting offensive lineman and our entire defensive line... 2 of whom were exceptional players and are now in the NFL. That's going to hurt.

These are tough times for the Nebraska football program and its only going to get tougher going forward. No one knows where it will all end up.

OMG.....we may never recover.

 

[Redux]

Part of me feels like that if POB doesn't play this year, he could miss his chance at starting. If he red shirts this year and loses the battle next year to Lee the best he can hope for is being back up.

Then, in 2018, he could again be backup to Lee if he's granted another year of eligibility. If Lee is done, by that time maybe Gebbia breaks out and takes the job forcing POB to backup duty again.

That's why I think burning the redshirt to groom him a bit in a real game atmosphere would do wonders. I think the reason he looked so bad in the spring game was due to atmosphere jitters. With the influx of recruiting the QB position it wouldn't hurt long term.

 

[84HuskerLaw]

There is only one way to get better at playing football and that is by playing football. Practice, practice and more practice. The more you practice at doing almost anything, the better you will usually become. The only caveat is overdoing something to the point of injury which is typically avoided by gradual increase in the numbers and duration of the practicing activities.

You won't be good at playing QB in big games until you begin playing QB in big games. The sooner the better, in my view, when you have a strictly limited number of opportunities to get in to play (4 participatory seasons or portions thereof of about 13 games each = 52 possible games in a career. Yes, you are starting your game clock sooner when you don't redshirt but if we can get your 'practice' games in at times when it does not risk losses for the team, we are maximizing the value of the players' contributions to the overall team goal of winning football games (as many as possible over the long term).

If POB is not just another 'backup' QB recruit, then he should be being groomed in the best possible way to be the starter. At this time, according to our coach's best assessment after considerably time to evaluate, Armstrong and Fyfe are the clear top two. Both are seniors and exhaust their eligibility at the end of this year. in 10 months, spring practice will begin with NOBODY returning (based on the coach's statements) who has any experience in games (maybe half a dozen 'mop up' duty snaps for Bush).

Three raw 'rookies' basically, plus an unseen transfer with NO experience even running our offense at this point.

 

[theknife]

Part of me feels like that if POB doesn't play this year, he could miss his chance at starting. If he red shirts this year and loses the battle next year to Lee the best he can hope for is being back up.

Then, in 2018, he could again be backup to Lee if he's granted another year of eligibility. If Lee is done, by that time maybe Gebbia breaks out and takes the job forcing POB to backup duty again.

That's why I think burning the redshirt to groom him a bit in a real game atmosphere would do wonders. I think the reason he looked so bad in the spring game was due to atmosphere jitters. With the influx of recruiting the QB position it wouldn't hurt long term.

That's the beauty of having quality talent on the roster. I hope POB is the next coming and leads us to glory; however, I also hope that's the case for Gebbia and/or Lee, or even Mr. Bush. In a perfect world, we recruit a QB at the level of POB and Gebbia every year and the best man wins, period.

 

[Mierin]

Part of me feels like that if POB doesn't play this year, he could miss his chance at starting. If he red shirts this year and loses the battle next year to Lee the best he can hope for is being back up.

Then, in 2018, he could again be backup to Lee if he's granted another year of eligibility. If Lee is done, by that time maybe Gebbia breaks out and takes the job forcing POB to backup duty again.

That's why I think burning the redshirt to groom him a bit in a real game atmosphere would do wonders. I think the reason he looked so bad in the spring game was due to atmosphere jitters. With the influx of recruiting the QB position it wouldn't hurt long term.

That's the beauty of having quality talent on the roster. I hope POB is the next coming and leads us to glory; however, I also hope that's the case for Gebbia and/or Lee, or even Mr. Bush. In a perfect world, we recruit a QB at the level of POB and Gebbia every year and the best man wins, period.

Yup. Although at the same time somehow keep all of them from transferring the second they don't get the starting job.