Frazier and true freshman
- Thread starter warmweathers
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His first start was on the road against Mizzou. It was a struggle, but he scored 3 TDs to put the Huskers on top.
And look at those all-white uniforms and that Omniturf!
EDIT: Gutsy move by Osborne going for it on 4th and goal from the 5 with a couple minutes left up by 3 against a team that threw for 400+ yards against his defense.
EDIT: Here's a tidbit from his Huskers.com 1992 summary: "He set a school season record for lowest interception rate with one in 100 attempts (0.01)." Crazy that he never threw for better than 50% until his senior season.
EDIT: Another fun fact in the 1992 season: The 19 September game at Washington (29-14 UW) was the first ever night game at Husky Stadium.
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I'm sure the team had a devotion to Mike Grant with him being a senior.
That is admirable if that is the case. However, based on their ability to make plays on the field...Coach Osborne made the right decision.
Osborne made the right call. That team became great by the time the Colorado game came around and destroyed them.
Good lord guys. Mike Grant was hurt for the Mizzou game. Nobody had a problem with Frazier starting. Quit trying to rewrite history into some rediculous soap opera.
That was the very next game. And then we blew out a top ten KU team right after that.
I don't think we have had a freshman come in early, go through spring practice, have a superior S&C staff, have someone like Vedral working together through the summer and no returning experience at QB.
Why would it matter? I dont think it's any great revelation that TF was not the most loved player of all time.
The third TD was noticeably different. Not sure if the first two were more about a business approach or what but the lack of celebration was noticeable.
My bad. I got out my jump to conclusions mat on that one.
I was also six, I have not much better idea than you.
EDIT: Looking at his stats, his TD/INT ratio when he had significant action was just about even, rushing was okay. He was behind Keithen McCant and Mickey Joseph most of his career and didn't play in 1991 (career was 1989-1992).
He has had a decent career as an assistant coach.
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I was about 32. What I remember was Mike Grant was sub-par for a Nebraska QB. That doesn't mean he was bad but he was not up to what Nebraska fans where used to. I don't remember that there was any fan-angst about him being replaced.
Grant redshirted in 1991 due to injury. He was never the same after the injury as he was prior.
Oh God no. Joe Dailey was an All-American compared to Grant. I guess you were too young to remember Mickey Joseph too then, but Mickey was the worst thrower I’ve ever seen on a college football field, and he beat out Mike Grant.
I worked out with Mike Grant a few times, super cool dude. Great represenative for our university. Yeah I mis-spelled that caus I suck at spelling and I'm to lazy to look it up
Yeah... Mickey Joseph was bad. I was somewhat young, but could still remember that he wasn't good and my dad and grandpa were always all over that.
What I remember are a bunch of one hoppers to open receivers.
I remember Grant really struggling in the passing game. Just not accurate at all.
We've had plenty of freshman QBs come in early. In 2007, Patrick Witt came in early and we didn't have any returning starters at QB. In 2009 we had Cody Green come in early when we didn't have any returning starters. Last year we had Gebbia come in early when we didn't have any returning starters. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few guys.... the difference is that I think Martinez is physically much further along. I like Gebbia, sure, but I expect Martinez to start the first game.
Correct me if I am wrong but Grant had an injury early in his career that kind of pushed him back. I remember there was a lot of hype around him. I believe he was around for the old freshman football days, correct? I remember people raving about Grant's arm strength and how he could throw the ball a mile. I believe his injury kind of caused him to be a little affraid. He was from Frazier home town.
Also, Mickey Joseph was a star recruit. I remember being 8 years old and people saying "we got Mickey" and everyone believed he was going to be the next great husker QB.
I'll never forget the 1990 Baylor game and Grant & Joseph were splitting QB duties and Corso said at half time of that game, "when your playing 2 QBs at the same time, it means you don't have a good enough QB to win the Job". That stuck with me until this day and seems pretty accurate.
Scott Baldwin had 92 yards rushing and Leodis Flowers had 40 yards in the 1990 Baylor. I could be wrong but I remember that being a very hot night game.
It's been a while so I don't rely on memory anymore on games and players. I watched the first quarter of the Utah game linked above and he was on the money with his throws, his receivers dropped good passes. He should have been 4/5 or 5/6 with one bad throw but he was actually 1/4 or 5 because they couldn't catch a cold. He scored on a nice run and made good decisions on the option. I think we all remember what we want to remember and how we want to remember it.
That said, it was fun watching an aggressive D and two very good RB's.
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To my best recollection, Mike Grant was kind of thought of as the heir apparent to Steve Taylor (at least in my family he was). He broke the rushing record in the spring game as a freshman then got hurt and never seemed to be the same again. (By the end of his career the guy was a walking triage unit) Did win the starting job but lost it after a few games to Mickey Joseph who eventually got hurt and lost it to Kiethen McCant.
Here's where it gets a little strange and maybe somebody can correct me if I'm mistaken. But Grant redshirted what would have been his Sr. year. Not sure if it was for medical reasons or if he just didn't like his chances of competing with three other seniors. Nevertheless, he came back in 92 and Osborne went with the Sr. over a bunch of Freshmen but Frazier eventually took over as we all know.
So to answer your question, no. Not really.
Another thing about Grant, in 1990 (I think) we went down to play a pretty mediocre OU team. Mickey Joseph broke his leg and Grant had to come into the game. It ended up being one of the worst games I had ever seen played. OU absolutely bitch slapped us. Grant then got the start in the Citrus Bowl but was replaced at halftime by a walkon named Tommy Hasse.
So there ya go.
So there ya go.
I repeat Mike Grant was never the same after his injury. He lost his composure and confidence both. We really did not get to see the QB Osborne recruited except his freshman year for the freshman team. If you saw any of those games you would know what I was talking about!
Thanks for th info guys. Late 80’s-93 is kind of these weird overshadowed/forgotten years that you don’t here a lot about. Outside of Shields and Alberts you don’t hear a lot about the ‘legends’ and the stories.
I thought Tony Veland was expected to start that year, but got hurt in fall practice.
Just long, old foggy memories.
Just long, old foggy memories.
