Spano’s Time to Shine
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April 9, 2009 by
They say no football player is more popular than the backup quarterback. And Beau Davis aside, that’s often been the case. In Nebraska’s 1997 national championship season, fans famously chanted for backup QB Frankie London. Starter Scott Frost went on to become one of the first dozen players in college football history to both run and pass for over 1,000 yards.
Despite what the NU coaches are saying, Zac Lee is a prohibitive favorite to become Nebraska’s next starting signal caller. That means that aside from some mop-up duty, the Spring game will likely be the most Husker fans get to see of Kody Spano for at least a year.
The Husker coaches won’t choose their top quarterback on the basis of the spring game alone, so in that sense the scrimmage is little more than another practice in terms of what it means to player evaluations. But to fans, the game can form the major impression of what a player has to offer. That means for Kody Spano, a player who would likely play a great deal in the spring game, it’s his chance to win the hearts and minds of the Husker Nation.
A big day by Spano would no doubt create a buzz. Whether or not it’s a reliable indicator of his ability might be another matter. Husker fans became enamored with Curenski Gilleylen last spring, only to see him tally two catches for eleven yards during the 2008 season.
But for one day Spano can be the big man on campus. It would certainly make for an interesting game.
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Greg Morrow Apr 09 09
Post Solich and the old system, it's been so easy for me to figure a guy isn't going to be a starter- ever. So easy to assume this is a guy who was a good stop gap recruit, in the new Coach's abreviated first class. The new coach will make do with an upperclassman, then he'll recruit the big time athlete he really wants for his offense.
Up to this moment, it's been pete, then repeat.
Even now, I can assume Lee will struggle early, then establish himself this season to be the guy whom Nebraska must have as the experienced senior, fall of '10. No matter how massively Cody Green improves himself.
After Lee, as a redshirt sophomore, Green'll be primed, sheened and shined, as the new driver of the 'Vette.
But Steve's article is about Kody Spano and Spano can be the guy Wats trusts next season, as the first backup in. He's got to be the guy who absorbs and implements what he's been instructed to do. Like Taylor and Ganz, before him.
Whatever happens, hopefully Spano sticks it out and develops into an outstanding college qb, for Nebraska.