Spring Position Battles - Quarterback

[drfish]

I believe that when a team finishes 6-7 for the year there is NO position, and particularly QB, that is 'established' and to say that Patrick OBrien is not going to be in the serious running to be the starting QB by fall is simply wrong. Or, in my view, it should be wrong. Tommy Armstrong did good things and bad things last year and the year before and the year before that. His annual numbers and performances have been steady and mediocre most often. He is surely not to be considered a clear starter. If he is by far and away our best QB simply says we have almost NO QB talent at all. Tommy is NOT an all conference or even honorable mention level player based on three straight years of average play. He is mistake prone and while capable of making great plays he can turn a solid drive into a disaster. POB should be a strong candidate for playing time or his recruitiment should be viewed as a disappointment.

So you think that we'll repeat breaking in a new offense and defense again this year?

Tommy is about to break every single QB record at Nebraska too btw.

you mean like lowest average completion percentage?

Oops. premature post. referenced Frazier as well.

 

[suh_fan93]

I don't think POB will take the job this year. Like many, I have high hopes he's a long term answer at QB. But I think people are putting too much on him too soon.

Let the kid get familiarized with the offense, and just being a college athlete for a year before expecting him to start.

If Tommy goes down to injury especially later in the year my gut tells me we see POB.

 

[MichiganDad3]

Wait, Cody Green didn't get the Tim Tebow treatment as a freshman. He played in garbage time and then wasn't he abruptly given the starting job? That lasted about one series into his second game, and he rode the pine the rest of the way.

The next year, they did this thing where Green got a couple of series early in games. Whether by luck or design, it always seemed to be Green backed up inside his 2-yard line in the 2nd quarter, again yanked at the first mistake (to be fair, he had many turnovers). I suppose it didn't help the dynamic that he was a sophomore, while the new starter was a freshman.

So...all told, I'm good for a traditional feet-wet kind of year for the #2 guy. Extended looks in garbage time and maybe another opportunity here or there, but in any case you want to manage it carefully. On-field experience even in limited amounts can help springboard him for 2017. A redshirt could benefit him, too. In any case, there's a lot less pressure this year on POB than on Green unless Tommy somehow loses the job.

In regards to the first bolded part, wasn't Green given the starting job vs. Oklahoma in '09 and was then yanked? IIRC Zac Lee came in when Amukamara had an interception and got them down inside the two-yard line. Lee came in and threw a touchdown.

To the second bolded portion, I think that's an interesting debate. The situations are certainly different between the two, however, I personally feel like there may be more pressure on POB than there was on Green. Green was hyped and viewed as player that could come in and make a difference, but he was also coming in after a 9-win season. POB has been recruited following a 6-win season, is being tabbed as "the" guy to lead a Mike Riley system, and he's vying against a divisive quarterback who doesn't take care of the ball very well.

I may be a bit of a victim of saying all this in the moment, but I think people are expecting more of POB than they did of Green. People have gone so far to say that Riley's job hinges on POB's development - I don't remember people saying that about Pelini/Green.

My fear is that POB is named the starter, the Huskers win 5 to 7 games, and the excuse is we have a freshman QB.

 

[GBRFAN]

Wait, Cody Green didn't get the Tim Tebow treatment as a freshman. He played in garbage time and then wasn't he abruptly given the starting job? That lasted about one series into his second game, and he rode the pine the rest of the way.

The next year, they did this thing where Green got a couple of series early in games. Whether by luck or design, it always seemed to be Green backed up inside his 2-yard line in the 2nd quarter, again yanked at the first mistake (to be fair, he had many turnovers). I suppose it didn't help the dynamic that he was a sophomore, while the new starter was a freshman.

So...all told, I'm good for a traditional feet-wet kind of year for the #2 guy. Extended looks in garbage time and maybe another opportunity here or there, but in any case you want to manage it carefully. On-field experience even in limited amounts can help springboard him for 2017. A redshirt could benefit him, too. In any case, there's a lot less pressure this year on POB than on Green unless Tommy somehow loses the job.

In regards to the first bolded part, wasn't Green given the starting job vs. Oklahoma in '09 and was then yanked? IIRC Zac Lee came in when Amukamara had an interception and got them down inside the two-yard line. Lee came in and threw a touchdown.

To the second bolded portion, I think that's an interesting debate. The situations are certainly different between the two, however, I personally feel like there may be more pressure on POB than there was on Green. Green was hyped and viewed as player that could come in and make a difference, but he was also coming in after a 9-win season. POB has been recruited following a 6-win season, is being tabbed as "the" guy to lead a Mike Riley system, and he's vying against a divisive quarterback who doesn't take care of the ball very well.

I may be a bit of a victim of saying all this in the moment, but I think people are expecting more of POB than they did of Green. People have gone so far to say that Riley's job hinges on POB's development - I don't remember people saying that about Pelini/Green.

My fear is that POB is named the starter, the Huskers win 5 to 7 games, and the excuse is we have a freshman QB.

Why don't you hope that NU will start the best QB and we will win 10 or more games. Sounds like something a NU fan could enjoy?

 

[MichiganDad3]

Wait, Cody Green didn't get the Tim Tebow treatment as a freshman. He played in garbage time and then wasn't he abruptly given the starting job? That lasted about one series into his second game, and he rode the pine the rest of the way.

The next year, they did this thing where Green got a couple of series early in games. Whether by luck or design, it always seemed to be Green backed up inside his 2-yard line in the 2nd quarter, again yanked at the first mistake (to be fair, he had many turnovers). I suppose it didn't help the dynamic that he was a sophomore, while the new starter was a freshman.

So...all told, I'm good for a traditional feet-wet kind of year for the #2 guy. Extended looks in garbage time and maybe another opportunity here or there, but in any case you want to manage it carefully. On-field experience even in limited amounts can help springboard him for 2017. A redshirt could benefit him, too. In any case, there's a lot less pressure this year on POB than on Green unless Tommy somehow loses the job.

In regards to the first bolded part, wasn't Green given the starting job vs. Oklahoma in '09 and was then yanked? IIRC Zac Lee came in when Amukamara had an interception and got them down inside the two-yard line. Lee came in and threw a touchdown.

To the second bolded portion, I think that's an interesting debate. The situations are certainly different between the two, however, I personally feel like there may be more pressure on POB than there was on Green. Green was hyped and viewed as player that could come in and make a difference, but he was also coming in after a 9-win season. POB has been recruited following a 6-win season, is being tabbed as "the" guy to lead a Mike Riley system, and he's vying against a divisive quarterback who doesn't take care of the ball very well.

I may be a bit of a victim of saying all this in the moment, but I think people are expecting more of POB than they did of Green. People have gone so far to say that Riley's job hinges on POB's development - I don't remember people saying that about Pelini/Green.

My fear is that POB is named the starter, the Huskers win 5 to 7 games, and the excuse is we have a freshman QB.

Why don't you hope that NU will start the best QB and we will win 10 or more games. Sounds like something a NU fan could enjoy?

I am hoping for a MNC. Both lines worry me. IMO the most important thing to winning football games is dominating the trenches. We lost two NFL D lineman and most of our O line. If the O line is worse than last year, no QB will be very successful. If the loss of VV and MC allow teams to run on us it could be a long season.

 

[mnhusker]

I just look forward to having a #2 qb who isn't a walk on. I assume in the old system Fife would not be the #2 guy. This is not to rip Fife just general frustration.

 

[Omaha_Style]

You know what will help TA more than anything? A commitment to the run game. Force teams to bring a safety into the box in run support. (Or spy TA). This opens up 1-1 coverage somewhere on the field. IMO, I prefer TA throwing into 1-1 vs triple coverage.

I prefer ANY quarterback to throw into 1 vs 1 over 1 vs 3...

I prefer opposing quarterbacks to throw into triple coverage as opposed to 1 on 1.

 

[GBRFAN]

Wait, Cody Green didn't get the Tim Tebow treatment as a freshman. He played in garbage time and then wasn't he abruptly given the starting job? That lasted about one series into his second game, and he rode the pine the rest of the way.

The next year, they did this thing where Green got a couple of series early in games. Whether by luck or design, it always seemed to be Green backed up inside his 2-yard line in the 2nd quarter, again yanked at the first mistake (to be fair, he had many turnovers). I suppose it didn't help the dynamic that he was a sophomore, while the new starter was a freshman.

So...all told, I'm good for a traditional feet-wet kind of year for the #2 guy. Extended looks in garbage time and maybe another opportunity here or there, but in any case you want to manage it carefully. On-field experience even in limited amounts can help springboard him for 2017. A redshirt could benefit him, too. In any case, there's a lot less pressure this year on POB than on Green unless Tommy somehow loses the job.

In regards to the first bolded part, wasn't Green given the starting job vs. Oklahoma in '09 and was then yanked? IIRC Zac Lee came in when Amukamara had an interception and got them down inside the two-yard line. Lee came in and threw a touchdown.

To the second bolded portion, I think that's an interesting debate. The situations are certainly different between the two, however, I personally feel like there may be more pressure on POB than there was on Green. Green was hyped and viewed as player that could come in and make a difference, but he was also coming in after a 9-win season. POB has been recruited following a 6-win season, is being tabbed as "the" guy to lead a Mike Riley system, and he's vying against a divisive quarterback who doesn't take care of the ball very well.

I may be a bit of a victim of saying all this in the moment, but I think people are expecting more of POB than they did of Green. People have gone so far to say that Riley's job hinges on POB's development - I don't remember people saying that about Pelini/Green.

My fear is that POB is named the starter, the Huskers win 5 to 7 games, and the excuse is we have a freshman QB.

Why don't you hope that NU will start the best QB and we will win 10 or more games. Sounds like something a NU fan could enjoy?

I am hoping for a MNC. Both lines worry me. IMO the most important thing to winning football games is dominating the trenches. We lost two NFL D lineman and most of our O line. If the O line is worse than last year, no QB will be very successful. If the loss of VV and MC allow teams to run on us it could be a long season.

Agree with MNC and the lines are the key to making everybody behind them (QB & DBS) look better. Not sure why we are so concerned about the Oline. We lose a guy (lewis) that had talent, however the high rate of penalties out weighted his talent. The rest of the line was ok. We get one starter back and several guys that seemed to be almost as good. All these guys will be a year older and a year stronger.

I will gladly take 5 lineman that you never hear their names - which means they weren't called for a penalty and they didn't let the defender get by them for a sack or TFL.

The D tackle position will not be as good, however the top 3 are pretty good (no injuries will be the key) D end will be much improved this year.

We have talent on both lines - by Big Ten play the experience factor will be a non factor.

 

[Enhance]

One practice in, O'Brien off to strong start
It’s not unusual for true freshmen to be a bit wide-eyed and nervous when they take the field for their first college practice, but that certainly wasn’t the case for Nebraska’s heralded rookie quarterback Patrick O’Brien.

Though the Huskers were only in helmets, jerseys and shorts for Saturday’s opening spring practice, it didn’t take long for the former four-star standout from San Juan (Calif.) Hills to make an immediate impression on his coaches and teammates.

LINK

Free Rivals article.

 

[Redux]

^ We expect to hear this, and I don't wanna buy in that easy...

POB FOR HEISMAN 2017 BABY! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! GO BIG RED! NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP QB!

 

[caveman99]

^ We expect to hear this, and I don't wanna buy in that easy...

POB FOR HEISMAN 2017 BABY! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! GO BIG RED! NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP QB!

I didn't get a chance to listen to the full segment as I had a meeting to go to, but DB didn't sound very impressed at first look on SAT. Didn't see a lot of tight spiral throws he was saying, wasn't sure if he was implying that the arm strength wasn't as advertised or something.

 

[Redux]

Don't rain on the POB heisman campaign

 

[BigRedBuster]

I hope everyone remembers this.

 

[Redux]

I have let go of the idea that POB beats our TA this year. It' just not plausible at this point. TA will look good heading into the season, retain the job and hopefully he will maintain that mojo and have a stellar senior season.

POB has a lot of work to do to even become the backup this season. But here is the thing some are forgetting. Why were some of us so ready to write TA off and claim POB our next QB? Because TA does this thing where he looks awesome then struggles against himself. TA wasn't built for this offense and it wasn't built with an athlete like him in mind. It isn't a perfect match, the biggest thing going for it is his experience as a starter and an extra year in the system. One week he looks like he finally gets it. The next he can't move the chains against Illinois.

The Jekkel and Hyde TA can't deliver us a division title in 2016. Neither can Fyfe or POB for that matter unless both make crazy big strides come September. We need a big send off year from TA to reach the dance, it's time he fulfills that destiny.

 

[RedSavage]

As much as I like what POB brings and am very excited to see him play, I think it's pretty unlikely he takes the starting job. I think Tommy is going to be much more comfortable next year - in large part due to a lot more designed qb runs and plays more built to his strengths. I know for a fact the coaches were terrified of Tommy going down this past year - we all saw what was behind him. I think last year the coaches had to try to design an offense around TA but in a way that by and large, kept Tommy out of harms way as much as possible. I don't see those same restraints with POB now on campus.