Why Cody Green should start the Holiday Bowl
19 comments so far
December 15, 2009 by
Let's face it. In the grand scheme of things, the Holiday Bowl ultimately doesn't matter that much. The lasting impression of Nebraska football 2009 has already been formed. It's either a) that Big 12 championship game that so perfectly encapsulated the season(A+ defense, F+ offense), or b) Ndamukong Suh himself. For those who aren't that deeply invested in Husker football, that's what they'll remember, not a win or loss against Arizona.
That sort of nothing to lose feel to this last game of '09 is merely the first reason Nebraska should start Cody Green.
Literally, the offense has nothing to lose. They weren't very good in nine games under Zac Lee and they weren't that good in one game under Green, but who, presumably, has the higher upside? By the simple fact that we haven't seen that much out of Green, he does. We have a pretty good idea as to what the offense looks like under Lee and it isn't very good. Are we ready to say the same about Green after one game against Baylor? I don't think we've exhausted the belief that he could provide a spark.
To be fair, Green hasn't looked great throwing the football. It's a minor miracle that he only tallied two interceptions on the year but it's not like Lee had a ton of great throws either. By default, anyone is more capable of running the football better than Lee is and we know that running was a large part of Green's repertoire in high school. Maybe we didn't quite see it in the snaps that Green got, but I'm not ready to rule out his abilities yet either.
I understand why Nebraska went to Lee late in the season. With the way the Blackshirts were playing it made sense to try to minimize your mistakes, but that's out the window for the Holiday Bowl. Nebraska doesn't need to approach this game with the offensive game plan of "don't lose it for us." Sure it would be nice to finish 10-4 rather than 9-5 in the same way that it would be nice to find $120 on the street rather than a hundred, but the difference is negligible. If anything, this bowl game means more for 2010 than it does for 2009.
Put together a good offensive game and I truly think that Nebraska is a popular pick to win the Big 12 next season. Sure there are some holes to fill defensively but the Pelinis are already on record as saying that they believe the Blackshirts could be better next season. This from the guys who downplay everything.
No, the biggest question for the Huskers heading into 2010 is will they find enough offense? This year's recruiting class looks light on immediate impact guys offensively so Nebraska is faced with getting better simply through experience, working largely with what they had in 2009. Who needs another game under their belt more? Lee or Green?
More than anything, however, is the simple timing of a bowl game. They tend to have little relation to the season overall. Teams have longer to prepare, more distractions to deal with, and different levels of motivation. If Green didn't see more snaps this season--while burning a redshirt--because he "wasn't ready"...well...now is the time to put together a package of 50 or 60 or 70 plays--whatever Watson needs to feel comfortable--that we know this kid can run.
You have the time and resources to do it, you have any number of reasons to do it, and, more than anything, you might have next season's momentum riding on it. I fail to see a benefit to losing or even winning against Arizona with Lee at the helm, but--barring a total nightmare of an outing--I can't say the same about Green.
He might be the only real variable the Husker offense has heading into 2010 so why not get started now?
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tom Dec 15 09
Start LaTravis Washington! Seriously, they said after a practice this week that all the quarterbacks are getting ans EQUAL number of snaps right now. This guy was built to run the kind of option game that the coaches were trying to "square peg round hole" Zac Lee into.
tr Dec 15 09
I agree start LW I beleive in that guy.
James Moore Dec 15 09
LaTravis Washington, I wouldn't start him but I'd find a way to get him on the field for a Wild Husker/Single Wing scenarios. We can use him and a Wild Husker with him and Paul in motion is a workable situation. We should definetly try to get him on the field. He's a big, talented athlete that could be effective. . .
As for Mr. Green, use these next few weeks as a pre-spring practice, start the foundation for next year. I'm not sure that Lee can mentally regain himself after the season he's just had and he has no pattern of making plays. It's hard to pick up the pieces mentally after the season he's just had. One really had the impression that all he was doing at the end was just aiming balls in areas that he hoped his target would be. There was nothing but a series of regressions in all aspects from week-to-week as the year went on. He lost all confidence in himself and that's just hard to regain. . .
The defense is good enough to work through Green's mistakes, whatever they may be. We have nowhere to go but up. The future is now. If we are going to ask our QB's to run then we need personnel best suited to carry out these assignments. Let's start asking our players to carry out assignments that they are capable of. Paul and Kinnie seem to be our first two WR's out of this bunch to be consistent. Use Green in a spread from time-to-time and motion McNeil around. Cooper and Bell need some extensive looks over these next few weeks. Let's start putting our guys in situations where they can be effective. Let's start to develop what we have on the other side of the ball. . .
kw Dec 15 09
LaTravis or Cody. If the rumors are right and we're going more to an option game, either would work and be far more effective than Lee. If you run option with Lee, it's like an intentional grounding...automatic loss of down and more times than not, a loss of yards. Why they ran option with Lee all season long is beyond me. It never EVER worked. I do think both Green and Washington are too good of athletes to ride the pine behind an inept Lee. Especially with our lack of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.
Dan Dec 15 09
"You play to win the game". We have got to rekindle the "winning" attitude that we had lost under BC. I remember some of the interviews with the players from the "golden years" and they just expected to win. We have not achieve that level of play where we can take a game off. This is espically true after the heart breaking loss vs Texas. The players need to rid themselves of that bitter taste. They cannot be allowed to even consider that it is ok to lose. I don't think that Bo would intertain such an Idea.
I don't think that all of the problem is with the quarter back. He fakes well and can hand it off to a back. The line is the problem and until we focus on that we will not be "fully" successful on offense. "It all starts up front" both on defense and offense. We have all heard that many times but all we want to do is talk quarterbacks/wide receivers/running backs. FIX THE OFFENSIVE LINE
JH Dec 15 09
Bench Lee after the season is over, having earned the right to play in a bowl, just like everyone else on the team? Idiots like you should have their keyboards taken away!
Tom Dec 15 09
I'm in agreement with JH. With all this talk of "upside" it sounds like Mel Kiper, Jr. is writing these posts.
With the recent decommits, we need to win this game to drive the nail in the coffin with other guys who may be considering taking another offer. I think we have a much better chance of doing that with Lee that anyone else.
Brandon Dec 15 09
Mel Kiper didn't trademark "upside", did he? When you're talking about Cody Green I think it's a valid way to describe him. His best football should be in front of him.
Also, I'm not convinced that Lee does give Nebraska a better chance to win this game. I'm not convinced because we really don't know what Green brings to the table with time to prepare and a package custom built for him. That's the point. Green is a wild card for an offense that still, after two plus months of searching, is still looking for a spark. We know Lee isn't it. Can you say the same about Green?
Aaron Dec 15 09
We can't say it for certain but we do know that the game against Baylor was mediocre at best and that in the games where both QBs played, Lee's stat line is actually better than Green's. Having watched Lee play this year, I'm as surprised as anyone by that fact. It is nevertheless a fact. There is also the slight problem that if Green really were better than Lee I'm positive that Pelini would have no problem exchanging the two. My only guess for why there are so many posters that want Green to start is because they have bought into the recruiting hype that has not translated to the field...at least not yet.
Green comes from a spread zone read system and while he may eventually adjust to what we run he hasn't yet. And despite all the comments on this board, we do in fact run a west coast style system and we will run one in the bowl game because we aren't switching to a zone read or option system run by a true freshman in 3 weeks of practice.
The rumor mill has it that we will run more of a zone read, option, or pro style system next year and I for one welcome it. Something needs to change. Starting Green under the current circumstances basically means that we will be running the current system next year, since Lee (as ugly as he appears) is pretty clearly the best QB to run this system. That reason alone makes me hope that Lee is the starter because I can't take another year of offensive futility like the last one.
Thomas Williams Dec 15 09
What I've heard through the grapevine is that we are going to be going to a combination of the Ozbone/Alabama style Offense with some spread mixed in with it. Out of anyone that we have playing QB, the one that is most suited and taylor made for the option is Latravis Washington..You may not remember that LW was very, very heavily recruited coming out of HS by alot of big names, such as Ohio St all 3 of the big Florida schools just to name a few to play QB. His HS in Bradenton, Fla ran Osborne's playbook with a little bit of spread. When he got here we had pretty much junked the old system to which he was acustomed to and has had problems picking this Offense up. The reason for his move to LB was all of the other QB's on the roster had the required skillsets and had played in a similar system. Washington figured his best chance for any playing time was on the Defensive side of the ball. He eventually returned to QB and has not been seen because of the now former system. I will go as far as saying this, this one area Washington is better than green and is faster than Green. Green has the better arm. In my opinion, Washington may be starting if they start running the Offense I heard they will be starting to implement.
Sammy Vegas Dec 16 09
Couldn't agree more.
Whether Latravis Washington looks better in practice or not, we recruited one of the best QBs in the country for a reason... you have to play him and let's face it, he couldn't possibly be any worse. How many games has he lost this year as a starter?
Ilovesteak Dec 16 09
Bring back the Fullbacks. If we're on 4th and goal or 4th and 1 put the fullbacks in and pound it in there. I am very surprised by the choices being made during key downs like these. Heck do some quarterback sneaks…..I also agree with the need to make our OL stronger…I pulled out the old SI issue which had a feature on the 1994-95 OL, and man were those guys behemoths…Treu, Wiegert, Anderson, Dishman, Graham, Zatechka(s)….I think the joke used to be that our starting OL weighed a ton (literally)….
I would love to see Suh get a couple of TD's as a fullback vs Arizona.....Give him that Heisman game.
Like everyone else, I've heard the want from the staff to return to the option/"down-hill" attack...(Of course TO giving his subtle input no doubt). Hell, call up Switzer and get some tips on the Wishbone.
Nebraska was always about the run/option...I think everyone needs to drop the good/bad quarterback debate because this is all influenced by people’s views on who would make a good NFL QB. Everyone used to say how Nebraska's attack style wouldn't make kids good NFL QBs, who cares? This is college, let the NFL decide what it wants. Stop trying to play like NFL teams and start playing like college teams that want to win.
A.V.O. Dec 16 09
I don't think some of you are being fair to Lee. Look at the second half of the Missouri game for example. I know it's just one game but Lee played very well, in bad weather to boot, and the offense had great numbers. Lee can get it done if Watson brings the right game plan. He was way to conservative against Texas in the Big 12 Championship game. They should have come out as if they had nothing to lose but didn't. If you want to see offensive production, Have Bo kick Watson in the ass to get his brain kick-started again and we should be just fine. However, everyone should get some playing time against Arizona.
Grant Dec 16 09
Well folks, I wouldn't hold your breath. Lee will be the starter. I too think there is more upside to Green getting the reps for the future of the program, but it doesn't appear likely. There was a comment on fixing the O-line. Very true, but the problems w/ the o-line have a lot to do w/ injuries. No one's fault for that.
DJ Dec 16 09
Why should Green start in the Holiday Bowl? As a person who was in favor of playing Green more since the middle of the season, I don't see a legit reason. The only way Cody Green starts if the offense is geared towards him and Martinez strength. Plus, Pelini & Watson have tremendous amounts of confidence in the kid even if he makes a mistake. My example is Joe Montana college & pro.
DT Dec 16 09
I can't take this QB conversation any farther than those who have already left their impressions. If it were me, I'd go with whoever gives us the best shot of punching it in when Niles returns a punt to the eight yard line. But that's for the coaches to determine, I guess.
However, I can add this much...BLV, you certainly must've had something to do with this, no?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbhJe9gD84A
If not, I apologize. Yet I am somehow greatly disappointed!
Bill in Iowa Dec 16 09
Lots of points here.... Here's my two cents. My guess is we lost Carter and Gabbert, because Watts was honest w/ them and told them what kind of offense we were going to become next year.
Lee is an adequate QB, but he didn't have a line that could give him time and receivers who could get open and catch. That fact alone, begs the question, what kind of offense can the Huskers run year in and year out? What type of offensive players can we recruit?
The genious of Osborne is that he answered this question. We can breed huge home grown linemen who may not be 6-4 pro style pass blockers, but they can run over people. We can equally find WR's who may be a step slow, but are hard working and are not afraid to block down field. Then we focus on recruiting the best option QB in the nation that other pro-style offense type schools don't want and a couple stellar running backs who know they will get the ball 80% of the time. And let's not forget about the home grown walk-on full back who is going to kill people.
Will it still work? Just look at Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech. He ran triple option successfully at Navy and now he's doing it at GT w/ great success. The offense is still a killer offense. I watch them play w/ jealousy and think...hey, that used to be us! Also, anyone catch the San Fran game on Monday night? I know it's not option football, but they are running the same eye formation power football that former Husker's RB Roger Craig and FB Tom Rathmen ran for years at San Fran...to Super Bowel stardom. Power football is a beautiful thing to behold and its still the formula for success in college and pro football.
One last thing, about Lee starting or not? Look, its simple, they should start the QB that is performing best in practice. If you ask me, I would love to see Washington have a shot and then Green...but that is more because I am curious to see how they would perform. Next year is going to be crazy...who will it be? Lee, Spano, Washington, Green or Martinez?
Huskerdeck Dec 17 09
I agree with Ilovesteak's comments and Bill in Iowa's too. I also thought it was crazy putting Green in on the 4 yard line in the Texas game. I would really like to know what goes on in coach-think sometimes because some moves really baffle me. I was not a Callahan fan, but T.O. said the HC is responsible for both sides of the ball when he fired him and now I think Bo needs to realize he is responsible for both sides of the ball. We have come a long way in 2 years, but the offensive showing in Dallas was an embarrassment. I still can't believe we didn't try some type if different play than what was called. Hell, Rex played some QB in high school why not try a halfback option pass? Just something!!!!!
martin,Crossville,TN. Dec 22 09
O-Line,O-Line,O-Line!!!! Power run with play action passing.Hey throw the ball to the TE more than once every 3 games.We have excellent catching tight ends!!Put the fullback back into the game plan.Scrap the bust coast offense!!!! Look at the last 9 years of Coach Watsons offenses.The only two successful years were at Colorado where he ran out of the I-Formation.The other seven years produced rankings of 8th or worse in the whole conference.What does that tell ya? well,you make your own mind up.With the success of the entire coaching staff clearly on the defensive side of the ball,we can all safely say the tradition of Blackshirt defense is back to stay.Now go back to smash mouth football NEBRASKA!!!!!!Go get ya another Turner Gill,Tommie Frazier,Scott frost,Eric Crouch.Corn feed-I'll bloddy your mouth all day long O-line men with a couple of Irving Fryer,Todd Petersen types that will catch the ball with regularity.And don't forget that long line of bulldozing full backs that power forward like Mack trucks and block like nobodys business!!! Hey sounds like Big Red Football doesn't it?Now is the time to go back to what has put Nebraska on the Map of storied programs.