Can Frost Evaluate Grit?...

[x35goahs]

I've said this on multiple posts but I feel it bears repeating...

Obviously this teams struggles never boil down to just one simple explanation. HOWEVER I think there is a factor at play that can't be measured with a stat. You HAVE to have a killer playing QB...period. Word it how ever you want...Ice water in his veins, a gamer, a baller, plays his best with his back against the wall etc etc. Anyone who has played football especially at a high level will understand this. Having someone like this playing QB affects every aspect of the team. Their persona bleeds through the entire team. It's not a coincidence that when we were a dominant program in the college football landscape we had UNITS playing QB. Frazier, Frost, Crouch, Zac Taylor....Do you ever remember these guys playing scared? Being an absolute deer in headlights?

I truly believe that many of our struggles bleed from the shoulders of Martinez. Is that fair?...hell no, but this isn't a contest to see who can be the most fair and spare the most feelings. As much talent as Martinez seems to have at times I keep finding myself thinking about when Tommy Armstrong was our QB. I never once had the feeling with Armstrong like I do now where if we have a a window of time to march down and win a game...we have zero chance, because our guy is just not a killer, he's not a gamer.

As it stands right now I think Tommy Armstrong could run this offense better than Martinez. And it has nothing to do with physical ability and everything to do with a kids ability to just make sh*% happen when it matters. Frost essentially had two home runs in a row with Mariota and Milton. Two kids that were not highly rated and both ended up being studs. It's clear Frost was certain he went 3 for 3 with Martinez. A kid who on paper is just as physically talented as the previous 2. So what happened? The kid is just not a gamer. Can make all the throws with shorts and T-shirt on but when the game is on the line...he seems to be at his absolute worst. Any way you slice it that is not something you want to describe the most important player on our team.

Everyone knows that it's Frosts job to evaluate talent, but I would argue that's the easy part. The hard part is evaluating if a kid can be a steel vault mentally at the position. Does the kid have true real grit while playing. Until we have that again, the rest wont move the needle anyway.

 

[dinglefritz]

I've said this on multiple posts but I feel it bears repeating...

Obviously this teams struggles never boil down to just one simple explanation. HOWEVER I think there is a factor at play that can't be measured with a stat. You HAVE to have a killer playing QB...period. Word it how ever you want...Ice water in his veins, a gamer, a baller, plays his best with his back against the wall etc etc. Anyone who has played football especially at a high level will understand this. Having someone like this playing QB affects every aspect of the team. Their persona bleeds through the entire team. It's not a coincidence that when we were a dominant program in the college football landscape we had UNITS playing QB. Frazier, Frost, Crouch, Zac Taylor....Do you ever remember these guys playing scared? Being an absolute deer in headlights?

I truly believe that many of our struggles bleed from the shoulders of Martinez. Is that fair?...hell no, but this isn't a contest to see who can be the most fair and spare the most feelings. As much talent as Martinez seems to have at times I keep finding myself thinking about when Tommy Armstrong was our QB. I never once had the feeling with Armstrong like I do now where if we have a a window of time to march down and win a game...we have zero chance, because our guy is just not a killer, he's not a gamer.

As it stands right now I think Tommy Armstrong could run this offense better than Martinez. And it has nothing to do with physical ability and everything to do with a kids ability to just make sh*% happen when it matters. Frost essentially had two home runs in a row with Mariota and Milton. Two kids that were not highly rated and both ended up being studs. It's clear Frost was certain he went 3 for 3 with Martinez. A kid who on paper is just as physically talented as the previous 2. So what happened? The kid is just not a gamer. Can make all the throws with shorts and T-shirt on but when the game is on the line...he seems to be at his absolute worst. Any way you slice it that is not something you want to describe the most important player on our team.

Everyone knows that it's Frosts job to evaluate talent, but I would argue that's the easy part. The hard part is evaluating if a kid can be a steel vault mentally at the position. Does the kid have true real grit while playing. Until we have that again, the rest wont move the needle anyway.

I think that is a very tough character trait to gauge coming out of high school. Recruiting QBs is a crap shoot and why maybe Spurrier's approach with QBs had some merit. Show me you've got it or sit down. I don't think given his recruiting that Frost has had the luxury of being able to sit Adrian though. There have been times such as up in the Twin Cities where it sure looked like it would have made sense. It's just too damned bad he picked Adrian as his starter that first year because I think Gebbia had it and I don't think Adrian would have transferred.

 

[x35goahs]

I think that is a very tough character trait to gauge coming out of high school. Recruiting QBs is a crap shoot and why maybe Spurrier's approach with QBs had some merit. Show me you've got it or sit down. I don't think given his recruiting that Frost has had the luxury of being able to sit Adrian though. There have been times such as up in the Twin Cities where it sure looked like it would have made sense. It's just too damned bad he picked Adrian as his starter that first year because I think Gebbia had it and I don't think Adrian would have transferred.

I agree with The majority of what you said. Gebbia couldn’t have been any worse than Martinez that’s for sure. I definitely think Gebbia would’ve developed better with us than at Oregon State. But that sort of goes into my point, I think Frost thought Martinez was his guy with the same vigor and confidence that Mariota and Milton were his guys…definitely swong and missed on that one.

 

[jflores]

In reality very few kids every year are gamers or steel trap kind of players at the QB position. Nebraska is not always going to have one of them with three more on the bench.

If you absolutely require it in your system you won't have sustained success on the field.

Most folks on here were willing to give their left nut for AM to pick us over schools like Tennessee at the time. Hard to play Monday morning QB now.

 

[Tarheelhusker]

 

[x35goahs]

In reality very few kids every year are gamers or steel trap kind of players at the QB position. Nebraska is not always going to have one of them with three more on the bench.

If you absolutely require it in your system you won't have sustained success on the field.

Most folks on here were willing to give their left nut for AM to pick us over schools like Tennessee at the time. Hard to play Monday morning QB now.

But we need it if we want to be nationally relevant consistently. It seems like smothers still has a long way to go but I think he checks more of the boxes that we actually need (long term) than AM. It’s always a gamble in recruiting to an extent. I mean who would have thought OU would regret signing the nations No.1 overall player??