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Great article on QB Tanner Lee

This. Should be a very interesting QB battle next year with lee, Gebbia, POB, and Bush

I hate to call Bush a bust, he's a fairly young kid, but I just don't see him doing it. Its been two springs now where we hear he has all the ceiling in the world, and shows flashes of greatness, but its two springs where he hasn't substantially moved up on Fyfe, and probably certainly not Armstrong.

And the staff keeps on stockpiling talent in front of him. Kid supposedly has the right attitude, I'm just not sure he gets there. If he can't move from third to second after two years behind QB's who really aren't tearing it up in this system, I don't really see how he becomes QB1 when the new guys roll in. It would take almost a Herculean effort because progress seems to be made at a snail's pace in the last two springs.
 
I hate to call Bush a bust, he's a fairly young kid, but I just don't see him doing it. Its been two springs now where we hear he has all the ceiling in the world, and shows flashes of greatness, but its two springs where he hasn't substantially moved up on Fyfe, and probably certainly not Armstrong.

And the staff keeps on stockpiling talent in front of him. Kid supposedly has the right attitude, I'm just not sure he gets there. If he can't move from third to second after two years behind QB's who really aren't tearing it up in this system, I don't really see how he becomes QB1 when the new guys roll in. It would take almost a Herculean effort because progress seems to be made at a snail's pace in the last two springs.
I don't really think he'll compete much either but we've seen him play more than the others. You never know what could happen with another year under his belt and mainly new guys going for QB1
 
I don't really think he'll compete much either but we've seen him play more than the others. You never know what could happen with another year under his belt and mainly new guys going for QB1
Lets also mention that he is with a QB coach along with other D-1 qb's; and was standing out early and has a pretty unlimited ceiling. The D struggles to contain his running ability ( he had JR moves in the Spring game) and moves also. If he doesn't start should do a Braxton Miller.
 
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My question is not about ability, but who among those guys next year is going to be the obvious leader? That will arguably have just as much a bearing on the starting job as anything else.
 
Riley has said on more than one occasion, how importantly he views game time experience, especially for QB's. Now, two things stuck out to me in the Tanner Lee article, specifically they were numbers. Rounded for my convenience, 55% and 52%.

Take game time experience and completion percentages, throw it into blender and you got an insurance policy.

Before anybody gets all lathered up, Lee could go on to be really good. And if he's just serviceable, well then he's still got game time experience until the really young guys have a chance to be ready to play at a high level.
 
My question is not about ability, but who among those guys next year is going to be the obvious leader? That will arguably have just as much a bearing on the starting job as anything else.

I think any ties will go to O'Brien. Unless he's just really really bad. If you're experienced QB in Lee and your "ceiling QB" hasn't made a noticeable move at the start of year 3, if you are going to break in fresh meat and struggle, it may as well be the Frosh.
 
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I think any ties will go to O'Brien. Unless he's just really really bad. If you're experienced QB in Lee and your "ceiling QB" hasn't made a noticeable move at the start of year 3, if you are going to break in fresh meat and struggle, it may as well be the Frosh.
All good points; but there is a whole new supporting cast - even TA ,had completions of 70+% a few quarters.
 
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I hate to call Bush a bust, he's a fairly young kid, but I just don't see him doing it. Its been two springs now where we hear he has all the ceiling in the world, and shows flashes of greatness, but its two springs where he hasn't substantially moved up on Fyfe, and probably certainly not Armstrong.

And the staff keeps on stockpiling talent in front of him. Kid supposedly has the right attitude, I'm just not sure he gets there. If he can't move from third to second after two years behind QB's who really aren't tearing it up in this system, I don't really see how he becomes QB1 when the new guys roll in. It would take almost a Herculean effort because progress seems to be made at a snail's pace in the last two springs.


Your take on AJ Bush is odd. I don't expect him to make an impact in the QB race because he doesn't really fit this offense. He should be playing in a Bill Snyder type system. But your points about the 2 Springs doesn't make any sense.

Bush arrived when Bo was here in 2014. He redshirted that season and played some scout team. The offense he was taught was defunct by December. Then he has 14 practices to learn a brand new offense in his first spring.

As a Redshirt freshmen he's 3 string, and by the time he practices in Spring, 2016 he's one of the most improved players on the team. I would keep him around because of his running ability and how it might be used down the road.

But stating he's had 2 Springs to make his mark so he will almost be a bust is misleading and really unfair.
 
Your take on AJ Bush is odd. I don't expect him to make an impact in the QB race because he doesn't really fit this offense. He should be playing in a Bill Snyder type system. But your points about the 2 Springs doesn't make any sense.

Bush arrived when Bo was here in 2014. He redshirted that season and played some scout team. The offense he was taught was defunct by December. Then he has 14 practices to learn a brand new offense in his first spring.

As a Redshirt freshmen he's 3 string, and by the time he practices in Spring, 2016 he's one of the most improved players on the team. I would keep him around because of his running ability and how it might be used down the road.

But stating he's had 2 Springs to make his mark so he will almost be a bust is misleading and really unfair.
Excellent. Any thoughts on Bush as a wingback or something similar, to get him more playing time. From the Spring game and other observations - he can be a nightmare for D's - when playing D one would be distracted: if he gets the ball, how am I gonna tackle that 6'4" whirling dervish on a screen pass or other. The qb special trainer said some great things at the camp he was in; I was traveling, so there may be some good info there.
 
Your take on AJ Bush is odd. I don't expect him to make an impact in the QB race because he doesn't really fit this offense. He should be playing in a Bill Snyder type system. But your points about the 2 Springs doesn't make any sense.

Bush arrived when Bo was here in 2014. He redshirted that season and played some scout team. The offense he was taught was defunct by December. Then he has 14 practices to learn a brand new offense in his first spring.

As a Redshirt freshmen he's 3 string, and by the time he practices in Spring, 2016 he's one of the most improved players on the team. I would keep him around because of his running ability and how it might be used down the road.

But stating he's had 2 Springs to make his mark so he will almost be a bust is misleading and really unfair.

I didn't mean to sound harsh (I tend to generalize what I see), but I essentially agree with most everything you posted. Kid is out of place in this system so to me it remains to be seen if his attitude and drive make up for that.

I'm not saying we need to get rid of him, at worst he's a prime candidate for a position change if it comes to that.

I don't have the opportunity to watch practice, so I'll clarify by what I meant as "two springs". When Riley rolled in, he had the same amount of practices as TA, Fyfe and all the other guys to establish himself as a (at least then) viable backup. Fyfe beat him out, which is not at all odd for their age disparity/experience disparity.

Then this year, more talk of unlimited ceiling, but extremely early in the cycle, Riley comes out and basically "cements" in a 1-2 of TA/Fyfe barring some radical fall one lay fan would assume. I assume Riley doesn't come out to the media that early unless in his mind, the trajectories don't seem radically likely to change.

Bush may be the most improved player on the team, but if he's essentially QB3 2 cycles after he started as essentially QB3, there's at least a modicum of spinning one's wheels there, especially when most fans realize QB2 is not exactly lighting the world on fire. And lets remember, Bush has had the playbook the same amount of time as the other QB's on the roster, its not like Fyfe got 2 years advance warning of the new system.

And all the while, talent that fits this system keeps stockpiling in front of him. I'd love nothing more than for Bush to come out and be Michael Bishop in terms of production, but if I had to push my chips into any sort of pile, it probably wouldn't be his.
 
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Perhaps someone might also comment, as troubled a record as Riley has had, and all the talk among fans/media about our generally poor QB situation, there has to be at least a modicum of pressure to see what a "Riley" QB can do. Even if that Riley QB is a transfer in Lee.

Lets say Riley wins 8 games this year, a nice improvement. If he's won 14 games in two years, and most fans think the main thing holding us back is a "true QB", there would probably be some Questions after 3 recruiting cycles if a Pelini QB is trotted out on the field above Lee, O'Brien, and Gebbia.

Not that its fair (Gebbia for one needs time in the weight room), but I would have to think that Bush would have to be clearly better to get the nod. Which is the basis of my "any ties go to O'Brien" although here you might generalize it to "any ties go to a Riley QB".
 
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I didn't mean to sound harsh (I tend to generalize what I see), but I essentially agree with most everything you posted. Kid is out of place in this system so to me it remains to be seen if his attitude and drive make up for that.

I'm not saying we need to get rid of him, at worst he's a prime candidate for a position change if it comes to that.

I don't have the opportunity to watch practice, so I'll clarify by what I meant as "two springs". When Riley rolled in, he had the same amount of practices as TA, Fyfe and all the other guys to establish himself as a (at least then) viable backup. Fyfe beat him out, which is not at all odd for their age disparity/experience disparity.

Then this year, more talk of unlimited ceiling, but extremely early in the cycle, Riley comes out and basically "cements" in a 1-2 of TA/Fyfe barring some radical fall one lay fan would assume. I assume Riley doesn't come out to the media that early unless in his mind, the trajectories don't seem radically likely to change.

Bush may be the most improved player on the team, but if he's essentially QB3 2 cycles after he started as essentially QB3, there's at least a modicum of spinning one's wheels there, especially when most fans realize QB2 is not exactly lighting the world on fire. And lets remember, Bush has had the playbook the same amount of time as the other QB's on the roster, its not like Fyfe got 2 years advance warning of the new system.

And all the while, talent that fits this system keeps stockpiling in front of him. I'd love nothing more than for Bush to come out and be Michael Bishop in terms of production, but if I had to push my chips into any sort of pile, it probably wouldn't be his.
The thing is Bush knows the playbook as good, if not better than the starter. When Langs does those QB tests, Bush is always earning high marks on those things. I don't know the guy in person, but I'm wondering if he just doesn't have the leadership thing.. We know he needs to be more consistent as to his physical abilities, but I'm thinking that is not what is holding him back. Maybe he just hasn't made the transformation from boy to man yet.
 
Perhaps someone might also comment, as troubled a record as Riley has had, and all the talk among fans/media about our generally poor QB situation, there has to be at least a modicum of pressure to see what a "Riley" QB can do. Even if that Riley QB is a transfer in Lee.

Lets say Riley wins 8 games this year, a nice improvement. If he's won 14 games in two years, and most fans think the main thing holding us back is a "true QB", there would probably be some Questions after 3 recruiting cycles if a Pelini QB is trotted out on the field above Lee, O'Brien, and Gebbia.

Not that its fair (Gebbia for one needs time in the weight room), but I would have to think that Bush would have to be clearly better to get the nod. Which is the basis of my "any ties go to O'Brien" although here you might generalize it to "any ties go to a Riley QB".
Riley's comments about Fyfe being a solid number 2 behind Armstrong should tell us all we need to know about Bush's chances next year.
The thing is Bush knows the playbook as good, if not better than the starter. When Langs does those QB tests, Bush is always earning high marks on those things. I don't know the guy in person, but I'm wondering if he just doesn't have the leadership thing.. We know he needs to be more consistent as to his physical abilities, but I'm thinking that is not what is holding him back. Maybe he just hasn't made the transformation from boy to man yet.
Bush was 4 of 12 passes for 35 yards in the spring game. I think that's his problem with Riley and Langsdorf.
 
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We are talking about a qb competition that will occur ONE YEAR from now. All parties involved will be one year older, one more year of learning the system for the guys already on the roster. For Gebbia, one more year of actually playing against competition. I've been under the impression that we are looking for a qb that throws the ball well. A qb that has a completion percentage up around 65%. A qb that can make reads, run through progressions, and be technically sound. Seems like I remember an article in which Danny "you're not a running back" Langsdorf talked about what they are looking for in a qb. If you didn't pick up on the hint, running the ball was not one of the criteria.

I don't want to write-off any players, they all have the opportunity. Lee will have game time experience in his corner, which is a high-value commodity in the Riley regime. Lee is the starting point for the discussion. Lee is also a career 55% and 52% completion guy. So, I ask myself, who would be in a position to deliver the measurables (i.e. 65% completions, reads, progressions, technique) that trump game time experience. Gebbia? He'd have to be reeeeally good, or a quick study, or both. Bush? There would have to be step-wise improvement. POB? Can POB deliver enough to trump experience? I guess we will find out 16 or so months from now.

Things can change, but for right now, it shaping up to be a two-man race between Lee and POB.
 
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A.J. was a very late edition in 2014. Offered late January and commited in February. Not highly recruited, had offers from Boston College, Toledo, Kansas State, Temple, Marshall, Georgia State, and Cincinnati. Played on a very good team his senior year at a different school. He is athletic and was recruited to a much different system than Nebraska currently operates. It is difficult to see where he fits in the future of this team at the QB position.
 
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