I assume no bowl game even if Huskers win the last 2. Is it time to see what you have from Smothers and or Haarberg? Someone suggested to not play Smothers so he stays at 4 games and can redshirt him. Not sure, if he wants to be in college for 6 years. Playing Haarberg a couple of games wouldn't impact him still having 4 more years. I just think getting 1 or both guys more reps would help you see what you have. If they fail, then you go out and get a Juco or Senior transfer quarterback while you see if those 2 are willing to put in more work to earn more playing time. Plus you have a new QB recruit coming in that you would have for up to 5 years to develop. Let's move on from the Martinez ERA.
New QB last 2 games?
- Thread starter Bigred511
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I can somewhat agree with this if for no other reason that Martinez is really banged up. Frost says it was Adrian's decision to play. Maybe Frost makes the decision instead, for the good of his QB, and starts Smothers going forward. However... I don't think it will make much of a difference. The problems with this team are mainly with special teams and our offensive tackles. When you have to start pulling your center to help out on the edge in pro pass protection you know you have issues. There are very, very few college quarterbacks who are worth a crap when you have no time to throw and are constantly running for your life. If we start Smothers we will become a heavy run team since he is young and would not make good decisions in the pocket under pressure, and his arm is just average to poor. If Frost is retained, and I hope he isn't, we need to ****-can Austin two seconds after the Iowa game. Ditto Verdusco and Lubbick. Have Frost coach the QB's and move Busch to full-time special teams coordinator. Then go out and find the best damn offensive coordinator you can.
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Frost doesn’t want to play Smothers otherwise he would show after 4 years how bad the qb development has been. He would rather the delusional fans guess so he gets a 5th year
Personally, I thought Smothers looked fine when he got some playing time earlier in the year, but the word is that Smothers is less prepared than McCaffrey was last year. So he's not close to being ready apparently. But when your four year starting QB is as mistake prone as any QB in college football, it makes me wonder what "ready to play" even means to that offensive coaching staff.
I’m excited to see what Haarberg can eventually do…he’s a really smart kid so don’t think the mental part will be too much for him to handle
As bad as Martinez has been at times, Smothers would be worse. I do not fault Frost for sticking with Martinez. I fault him for not recruiting a better QB room and for having a **** QB coach. Smothers, quite simply, is not a D1 QB. Nobody else besides us recruited him as a QB. And for good reason.
Frost made a critical error when he let Verdusco pick and choose who he wanted to recruit at QB with the belief that Verdusco would turn them into the next McKenzie Melton. Throwing motions will be magically changed, accuracy would be amazing. Verdusco's play book quizzes would turn them all into field generals. But after Frost brought in Martinez, all we've gotten since then are three athletic project QBs. Two of which are on the bench and not ready to play Big 10 football and the other is a 3rd stringer for one of the worst programs in college footall.
The really telling thing is this: Frost had to know, especially with a new AD, that his *** might be on the line this year. He had to know that this needed to be his break-out year. And so he should have pulled-out all the stops and made every effort to make sure that happened. And that SHOULD have included looking for a different QB in the transfer portal. Are they really so poor at evaluating talent that they could not see that Martinez was never going to get over the hump? Did they also not see how awful the QB room behind him is? Loyalty to Martinez and poor talent evaluation in that department are going to be Frost's undoing. The scary thing is that, knowing what was at stake this year, Frost still was blind to the problems with his QB situation. Sad.
Too bad. If only there were overpaid employees whose job it was to coach our qbs up.
Shame we can't "tank" for draft picks, could really use that high draft pick on an OT or QB. 
I'd play Adrian but would prefer they give Smothers a series each half, regardless of score, to get him experience if the assumption/plan is for him to be your QB next year. It seems highly unlikely that they'll play him at all unless Adrian physically cannot go. Offensively, there hasn't been a solid plan the entire 4 seasons so I don't expect one to suddenly emerge with the coach on the hot seat.
I'd play Adrian but would prefer they give Smothers a series each half, regardless of score, to get him experience if the assumption/plan is for him to be your QB next year. It seems highly unlikely that they'll play him at all unless Adrian physically cannot go. Offensively, there hasn't been a solid plan the entire 4 seasons so I don't expect one to suddenly emerge with the coach on the hot seat.
There is one thing Smothers does that AM has proven he can't do... throw receivers open. He throws to a spot and the receiver needs to get there. He doesn't wait for the receiver to be open. Once that becomes effective it will open the offense up. When you have splinters up your a$$, it is hard to prove your worthiness.
I would like to see an OC come in who has had some experience developing QBs and let him work with the QBs along with Frost.
Here's how it going to play out. Martinez is said to be injured and will be held out. Frost is retained. Martinez decides to return. Nightmare continues.
Blind doesn’t even describe it. He has been playing a QB that has a broken jaw and a high ankle sprain. It sounds like he GAVE AM the “option” to play with these injuries. I do not understand this. I know guys play with injuries all the time but your mobile QB1? You sit him, let him heal up and rally around QB2. This has to affect the morale of the team, especially given the outcomes. I’m baffled by this “coaching” decision.
First of all, I don't think there is any chance Smothers is penciled to lead the team next year.Shame we can't "tank" for draft picks, could really use that high draft pick on an OT or QB.
I'd play Adrian but would prefer they give Smothers a series each half, regardless of score, to get him experience if the assumption/plan is for him to be your QB next year. It seems highly unlikely that they'll play him at all unless Adrian physically cannot go. Offensively, there hasn't been a solid plan the entire 4 seasons so I don't expect one to suddenly emerge with the coach on the hot seat.
Here are some (there are also other) scenarios for next year:
Frost is retained and AM returns. Smothers may as well leave.
Frost is retained and AM leaves. Smothers may as well leave.
Frost is canned and AM returns. Smothers may as well leave.
Frost is canned and AM leaves. Smothers may as well leave.
If Frost and AM return, then Smothers is right back to where he is now.
If Frost returns and AM leaves, there will be a QB from the portal that will likely come in and win the job.
If Frost and AM both leave, there will be a QB from the portal that will likely come in and win the job.
A new coach coming in, depending on his style of offense, could include Smothers as a potential starter or a backup that is actually used.
A new coach coming in that likes the West Coast offense, Smothers would do well to leave.
It's possible if Frost is retained and AM returns, that TA has an agreement that NU aggressively go after a QB in the portal that can and may beat AM out for the job. (Very unlikely).
There are lots of scenarios that can play out.
If Frost and AM both return, Frost will spend all of next year seeking that "Redemption" win for AM and to hell with the best interests of the team.
I don’t think Frost will change QBs. But not because he is a stubborn idiot, but because he knows AM is the only serviceable QB on the roster.
AM is serviceable? Believe me, there are a lot of deficiencies on offense and special teams. But we might as well forfeit the last two if Martinez is the QB. What have you seen to make you think he won’t find a way to lose two more?
How is this even possible? Been here for 2 years and not ready? That's coaching.