While it is commonly believed that Nebraska football is on its way back under second-year head coach Bo Pelini, if there is one thing that tempers 2009 expectations it is breaking in a new starting quarterback.
The Huskers went 9-4 in Pelini’s first season and will have a new starting quarterback (most likely Zac Lee) to replace the graduated Joe Ganz. Most preseason prognosticators seem to pick Kansas to prevail over Nebraska in the Big 12 North for 2009 in part due to the return of its quarterback Todd Reesing.
Lee is the favorite to become Nebraska’s starting quarterback but mostly by default. Lee, who is a junior college transfer from San Francisco City College, will compete with redshirt freshman Kody Spano and true freshman Cody Green for starting duties at quarterback. Lee sat out the 2005 season before enrolling in junior college in January of 2006, giving him four years to use three seasons of eligibility at Nebraska, where he redshirted in 2007 and appeared in two games in a mop-up role last season. Lee is advertised as a quarterback that has a strong arm and good mobility.
So what are the realistic expectations we should have for Lee? Assuming that he winds up the starter – and there’s every reason to think he will.
In one respect, I would save all or any expectation until the 2010 season. For this year, the biggest thing Lee needs to do is execute the basics with the other more experienced components of Husker offense taking on the big load. That means the offensive line; receivers and the backs need to carry the team most of the season.
Last season, Ganz opened the year with the return of his share of experienced supporting cast members. Sure the Huskers scored a combined 120 point in the first three games against Western Michigan, San Jose State and New Mexico State but also needed two non-offensive touchdowns to pull away from San Jose State 35-12.
One thing that bodes well for Lee is that production issues early last season had less to do with Ganz and more to do with an emphasis on a power running game which the Huskers lacked personnel to effectively run. As a result, offensive coordinator Shawn Watson began to spread defenses out which created lanes for Ganz, Roy Helu, and Marlon Lucky.
I do not expect Lee to explode but I anticipate that he will make things “look easier” because he possess more natural talent than Ganz. The hardest thing to replace about Ganz will be his leadership.
Ganz was undeniably a big reason Nebraska won nine games last season but he also helped seal the team’s fate in the four losses. I put Ganz in much the same category as Zac Taylor in that both are tough guys and gamers but also spotty in the clutch. Their mistakes often stemmed from trying to do too much.
The situation is different this year. Lee does not have to be a hero. The Huskers have a pretty solid line, proven running backs, and the makings of a stout defense. Taylor and Ganz, especially Taylor, really didn't have either of those things with any consistency.
That leads me to believe that Lee will be more than up to what is expected of him. Keep in mind, the Lee era is also coinciding with the stabilization of Nebraska’s identity on offense (multiple/balanced). As a result, we will see more of a solid running game as opposed to running the ball just for the sake of doing it.
Watson found what works found and the O-Line is no doubt getting the reps on it in practice.
Lee in a much better situation than Taylor and especially Joe Daily were in under Bill Callahan’s coaching staff. Lee has had two complete seasons and while injured his first spring, he had three springs to get an understanding of the offense and what it means to compete at the Div I-A level.
He also has offensive teammates that are totally on the same page, as much as a college program can reasonably have. Everybody around him knows what to do. The 2004 and 2005 clubs were trying to find guys who could fit and grasp the system. D-linemen were made O-linemen. You also had a fifth year senior safety (Willie Amos) moved to receiver. Taylor paid a physical price; a Nebraska QB should never again have to pay.
Lee, however, has had the same quarterback coach and coordinator throughout all three years. The biggest thing to keep in mind with Watson is that he is also more practical with college limitations, than Callahan and Norvell were. They were fully immersed in their West Coast Offensive philosophy.
It was one thing to add numerous playbook volume for say Rich Gannon when the Oakland Raiders were on their way to a Super Bowl appearance in 2002 because a) Gannon was an NFL veteran and b) at the pro level, it is a full-time job. Whereas in the college game, there are limitations on how much time they can spend on football.
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