QB or Not QB? That is the Question

2 comments so far June 5, 2006 by Darren K. Carlson

So, I'm in the mall the other day, and I overhear a couple of 13-year-olds talking about NU football, recruiting in particular. One says to the other that NU really needs a quarterback in this class, and that he hopes that they can sign Jerrett Lee. An 80-year-old man who was passing by stopped and said "No, young man. Lee is verbally committed to LSU now. Boy the Huskers sure could use another QB. I hope they sign a Juco QB, like they did with Taylor."

Okay, maybe the QB situation isn't so dire or hot that mall-rats and grandpas talk about it in their spare time. But, it is the biggest concern for this recruiting cycle, and all the buzz this off season. NU did, in fact, lose out on Lee. He went to LSU, despite many folks posting on message boards all the reasons he would come to NU. And, on this very site, my good buddy Steve pointed out that NU needs a Zach Taylor clone -- a Juco QB who can come in and compete right away. It looks like they might do just that. And, the loss of Lee isn't too dire, considering the opportunities still on the board this year.

Why Does it Matter, and How Did We Get Here?

Let's start with some context. Why does this matter so much right now? First, many fans know what is at stake. They see improvement in Lincoln, and know that this year's team and next year's team have a chance to do very well. But, they need a QB to lead them. Taylor is clearly the guy this year. But, if Taylor goes down this year, or nobody emerges for next year, they could potentially "squander" a rock-solid D and good stable of running backs by not having the right trigger man under center. Nobody wants that.

NU got in to this situation because the recruiting world is...fickle, at best. Josh Freeman is a jackass. There, I said it. If he were in NU's system, there wouldn't be as much emphasis on QBs. Harrison Beck was much ballyhooed, and I believe he is very much the talent people believed he was. But, injuries have slowed his development. That's part of the game, folks. He still has this summer and fall camp to make strides. And, that needs to happen. Callahan has a some culpability in the urgency because he burned Beck's red shirt by playing him one quarter last season. That's one the coach might like to have back. And, Joe Ganz is a "nice" player, but most would agree not the type of talent to put NU over the top.

On NOT Getting Lee -- Chances of Getting a HS Prospect

Despite mucho effort from the staff (particularly Bill Callahan himself) NU did not land their top prospect, Lee. He's said he's going to LSU. That doesn't totally rule him out (think Freeman). But, it does make his being a Husker extremely unlikely. So where does NU go from here? How about a quote from the blackjack scene in the movie Rainman. Charlie -- "Ray, you took my queen!" Ray -- "There's lots of them. Lots and lots of them."

The upside for NU is that there is an abundance of HS QB quarterbacks this year. Sure, they've lost out on a couple they had targeted already - Bates from Omaha, and now Lee - but, they could still very easily sign 2 HS QB prospects this year. They are in on at least a dozen quarterbacks from all around the country. And have scholarship offers out to players GJ Kinne out of Canton TX. Keep in mind, it is still very early in the process. NU can and will land a HS QB or two in this class.

The JUCO Route -- A Nice Prospect Emerges

The success of Taylor and the delayed maturation of Beck has many thinking NU should go the Juco route for another QB. It might yield faster results and increase the competition. As usual, the coaches are 5 steps ahead of the fans, and are all over a very intriguing JC prospect. There are a lot of reasons to like Lyle Moevao, out of El Camino Community College.

Like Taylor (and unlike Jordan Adams), Moevao has put up nice results at the JC level. In one year, he threw for 2600 yards and 29 TDs, against just 6 interceptions. He also threw with a 69% completion rating. That's a vital number in the WCO. He was the most efficient of all the Juco quarterbacks in California. He unseated a returning starter to win the spot on the team.

Moevao's eligibility is even more intriguing. Because NU has a scholarship available now, he could forego his second year in junior college, and be in Lincoln this August. This would ensure faster development and competition, and mean he has four years left to exhaust three years of eligibility. That's right in between a HS player and a typical JC player. If Moevao commits to another school (Oregon State, Utah, and Colorado are interested), he would need to play another year in JC ball. NU needs to convince this kid that coming in earlier is in his best interests.

I've also been very impressed with how the NU staff has scouted and moved in on Moevao. Bill Busch discovered him because of his relationships in CA. After seeing film, NU moved right in with offensive coordinator Jay Norvell going to watch him practice, and then quickly got a written offer in his hands. That sounds like a group of men who know what is at stake, and are willing to move with some urgency to handle it. I'm always impressed with this staff's process and how they execute their plans.

So, that's the skinny on our QB situation and prospects for recruiting some new ones. In the mean time, it behooves NU to keep Zach Taylor healthy.

Photos: scout.com & allposters.com

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