Wanted: Zac Taylor Clone
As is true for most college football teams, Nebraska has already begun offering scholarships to recruits in hopes of assembling a strong class for 2007. Already, a top-rated wide receiver prospect from Omaha has committed but the rest of the group is not yet in the fold.
The Huskers have needs all over, particularly at linebacker, defensive tackle, defensive back, and of course, quarterback.
Two years ago, as NU head coach Bill Callahan put together his 2005 recruiting class he secured the commitment of Harrison Beck, a top 5 high school quarterback prospect. In exchange, for his commitment, Callahan promised not to recruit another quarterback. As signing day approached (and with Beck’s permission) Callahan added junior college quarterback Zac Taylor to the fold. Taylor joined the Huskers beginning in the spring of 2005 and started every game last fall in leading Nebraska to a top 25 ranking and Alamo Bowl victory. In Harrison Beck’s only meaningful appearance, he helped hold an NU lead over Kansas State to allow the Huskers to escape with a victory. Josh Freeman, another top high school quarterback prospect, made an early commitment to NU and even planned on joining the team this past Spring. Again, Callahan promised not to recruit another quarterback. However, Freeman had a last minute change of heart and bolted for KSU where the promise of early playing time was too appealing to pass up. Obviously, if Callahan had known about Freeman’s change of heart, he would have recruited another quarterback.
After a slow start in 2005, Taylor topped NU’s single season passing record by nearly 600 yards and led the Huskers past Colorado and KSU for the first time in the same season since 1999. Beck completed only one of ten pass attempts for 21 yards with an interception when the season had ended. Considering how unprepared Beck seemed this past season, it’s clear that the scholarship given to Taylor was not only well spent but perhaps the most important one offered in 2005 (which was the top class in the country according to Tom Lemming).
Of course, the downside of junior college players is that they leave after 2 or 3 seasons (two in Taylor’s case). In 2006, Taylor will almost certainly improve with the experiences he’s had. In 2007, however, the Huskers will almost certainly have a drop-off at the quarterback position. The best way to minimize that drop-off is for backups like Harrison Beck and Joe Ganz to improve. Failing that, the next Husker quarterback will have to be recruited this season.
When looking at Taylor’s relatively quick start at Nebraska, it’s hard to underestimate the importance on his experiences as a junior college quarterback. In 2004, Taylor threw for 3,000 yards, 29 touchdowns and lead his school to an 11-1 record and a berth in the NJCAA championship game. Taylor had also spent two seasons at Wake Forest, completing his only pass attempt. The added experience and maturity Taylor gained were huge assets when he arrived at Nebraska. It gave him a big edge over the other Nebraska quarterbacks as only Joe Dailey had much game experience and Dailey had struggled in the west coast offense.
Most who watch the team would agree that the Huskers would not have managed to win 8 games without Taylor at quarterback. That underscores why it is so important to find a ready replacement at quarterback for 2007. Maybe Beck or Ganz will be ready but if not, it would sure be great for the team to have other options. Callahan has already said he’d like to recruit 2 or 3 quarterbacks this year. Since Callahan’s arrival, the Huskers have had tremendous success landing commitments from top junior college prospects. It’s not unusual for juco kids to be ready to begin a new school in the spring as opposed to waiting until the fall. As I watch the recruiting returns over the next 9 months, #1 on my wish list will be a top junior college quarterback that can participate in the 2007 spring practices. It would also be great if he was a quality young man who grew up around football, you know, basically a Zac Taylor clone. But as long as we’re cloning, why stop at one?
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