QB Competition
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I hope with a new QB coach/ OC there is a competition. The old system gave it lip service knowing full well that AM was going to be the starter no matter how inept he was. The only way competition improves the system is if it is legit. Time will tell...
Too lazy to look but does anyone know of AM has any real competition on KState or it’s ride or die with him in wildcat country
Will Howard has played quite a bit due to injuries to their starter the last couple of years. Honestly though, a healthy Martinez is worlds better.
he's not going to be ready for spring due to shoulder surgery
I would've been surprised if he started right away even if healthy. now I'd be surprised if he ever plays at all there.
Even playing field. Whoever earns the job, gets the job. Then next man up! I think Thompson will have an advantage considering the potential scheme change. That said, as long as Frost is here, I don’t think the QB run will be removed entirely. I tend to agree that the threat is necessary to keep a D off balance, but prefer it to be a secondary part of the scheme. Especially considering the talent in the WR and RB room now. The past is in the past. GBR.
At the same time, was there ever anyone actually good enough to unseat him? How much of an open competition can you have when Luke McCaffrey is the backup QB? Glad to see an infusion of talent into the QB room.
We should rotate all 3 of them, one play at a time. The defense heads will be spinning. Maybe mine is too. Laughing
I feel like it's Thompson's to lose at this point. I think Whipple will have a real competition, but I think the real question is who QB2 will be between Purdy and Smothers. Can throw Haarburg in there too, I just think those two have a head start due to game experience.
I want Haarburg to kill it, homegrown kid and seems to have the physical tools. Remains to be seen if he'll put it together though.
I want Haarburg to kill it, homegrown kid and seems to have the physical tools. Remains to be seen if he'll put it together though.
I tip my cap to Smothers. First start ever, plays basically the exact same game vs Iowa that we saw from Martinez game after game for dozens and dozens of starts. They should've just started him the last four games of the year to see what he really had.
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completely agree.
I posted in August that I didn't understand the point of starting AM in 2021, since it was a wash, Frost was going nowhere and AM's ceiling was basically 7 wins.
I fully stand by that, and truly believe we'd have won more games with Smothers/Haarberg starting all year and AM the backup.
Think he plans to play. I thought He sat at iowa to get that surgery done and behind him so he could play next year (albeit for a different team we now find out). Not exactly perfect teammate when u think about it
Yep. At some point do something different. It took a shoulder surgery to make it happen.
Seriously though, no disrespect to Martinez, but Nebraska has had the same starting QB for 4 very, very long years. How fun is it to look at the guys in the QB room now and wonder, "what if?" What if there's a dude in there? A guy that needs a wheelbarrow for his nads? A guy that makes things click? It's been awhile.
I would expect Thompson to be the clear favorite, but I LOVE having a serious competition decide who will trot out there.
Smothers, Purdy and Haarberg should all be striving to outplay everyone.
While rotating QBs is not the best option, I do like the concept of having 1-2 series per game dedicated to a different QB who will master a smaller number of plays to use for those series. Maybe easier said than done, but seems like a good way to keep your talent invested.
Smothers, Purdy and Haarberg should all be striving to outplay everyone.
While rotating QBs is not the best option, I do like the concept of having 1-2 series per game dedicated to a different QB who will master a smaller number of plays to use for those series. Maybe easier said than done, but seems like a good way to keep your talent invested.
my thoughts exactly
a new quarterback is all the reason I need to be excited about next year
Young bucks behind him. They have some experience but need more seasoning. KSU won't be afraid to pull him.
Hard to know when you don't get the opportunity... I've always liked Smothers, but he never got the shot. When he did I think his upside was far superior to AM. He understands the nuances and could run the offense. He needs to go through the learning of stupid plays and hard knocks, but the only way to get there is on the field...
Luke had the opportunity and was terrible. I guess we will see on Smothers. I really think our piss poor recruiting was what kept us from having competition at the QB position. Now we have some depth and I am excited to see where the chips fall.
Ideally, you want competition like this across the entire roster. Guys pushing themselves to improve and be the best on the practice field and taking that to games. As I've been saying all offseason, the more competition the better and the guys that thrive on competing with one another are the ones you can build your program around.
2018 Dual threats
1. Justin Fields
7. AMart
14. Thompson
2020 Dual Threats
1. Bryce Young
3. Hudson Card
4. Smothers
8. Chubba
Interesting that the NU player with the highest Rivals evaluation is the player we assume will be second or third string. For comparison sake, the last winning QB for the Huskers, Tommy Armstrong, was the 9th ranked dual threat QB in 2012.
1. Justin Fields
7. AMart
14. Thompson
2020 Dual Threats
1. Bryce Young
3. Hudson Card
4. Smothers
8. Chubba
Interesting that the NU player with the highest Rivals evaluation is the player we assume will be second or third string. For comparison sake, the last winning QB for the Huskers, Tommy Armstrong, was the 9th ranked dual threat QB in 2012.
It's one measure for sure but I don't hold a lot of stock in the recruiting rankings.
Fields is in the NFL and the kid from Bama won the Heisman. Jameis Winston was the 1 dual threat the year Tommy A. was 9. Wouldn't call any of those misses.
Smothers is not a starter, and should never start if we have the talent that we should be getting. If smothers is ever a starter, then that's proof of qb recruiting failure. Besides, we could have Patrick mahomes and it wouldn't matter since our Oline is average at best. This staff needs to focus on the OLine, then D line.
I agree about the need to improve on both lines. But good QB play will also go a long way. Good QB’s can make good decisions and get the ball out. When has AM ever beat pressure with the throw, hang in there hit the hot route, etc.? That would also make the OL look better.
If TA was the QB here the last 4 seasons, we'd have gone bowling every one.
Nope, I can't back that up with stats.
I didn't say we'd have been world beaters. But we'd have gone bowling.
2018
2 - DTR at UCLA
3 - Joey Gatewood - Auburn transferred to Kentucky transferred to UCF
4 - Justin Rogers - TCU transferred to UNLV
5 - Phil Jurkovec - Notre Dame transferred to BC - part time starter
6 - Emory Jones - Florida
8 - Jarren Williams - Miami
9 - Colson Yankoff - Washington
10 - Dakereon Joyner - South Carolina
11 - Joe Milton - Michigan
12 - Jace Rudder - North Carolina
2020
2. Luke Doty - South Carolina
5. Ja'Quinden Jackson - Texas
6 Anthony Richardson - Florida
7. Jayden De Laura - Washington St
9 - Jacolby Criswell - North Carolina
10 - Evan Prater - Cincinnati
11 - Jeffery Sims - Ga Tech
12 - Micah Bowens - Penn St
Interesting that the vast majority of these guys have never seen the field or have transferred and are not seeing the field at the new place either.
I just listed the guys that you didn't list when attempting to make your point.