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Former NU QBs

They were so high on Torres, thought he'd be the second coming.
@wcbsas, thank you for putting this together! I enjoyed getting up to date on these former Husker QBs.
I know QBs are apt to move because being able to play is so important. If you’re someone like Dillon Gabriel or Caleb Williams or Michael Penix you have the gravitas to move and land an automatic starting spot.

If you’re caught in a coaching change or if you don’t win the starting spot moving on like all of these guys did has a lot of risk.

Raiola walked into the right situation. Go to Georgia or tOSU he spends a year as backup and then you never what might happen.
 
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As this thread illustrates, QB recruiting and/or development was among the many things that didn't go very well for NU under Frost. Martinez was talented, but never came through in the clutch. Our other "class QBs" were McCaffrey (switched positions), Smothers (Sun Belt backup), Haarberg (switched positions), and Torres (FCS backup). We brought in Thompson (always injured) and Purdy (Mountain West backup) as transfers. Nice work Mario!

Then Rhule unfortunately brought in Sims as a transfer... but nailed it the next year with Raiola.
 
I know QBs are apt to move because being able to play is so important. If you’re someone like Dillon Gabriel or Caleb Williams or Michael Penix you have the gravitas to move and land an automatic starting spot.

If you’re caught in a coaching change or if you don’t win the starting spot moving on like all of these guys did has a lot of risk.

Raiola walked into the right situation. Go to Georgia or tOSU he spends a year as backup and then you never what might happen.
My comment was a joke. You missed it.
 

I know QBs are apt to move because being able to play is so important. If you’re someone like Dillon Gabriel or Caleb Williams or Michael Penix you have the gravitas to move and land an automatic starting spot.

If you’re caught in a coaching change or if you don’t win the starting spot moving on like all of these guys did has a lot of risk.

Raiola walked into the right situation. Go to Georgia or tOSU he spends a year as backup and then you never what might happen.
I'm not sure that Raiola sits behind Beck the full year. Beck to me, is a middle of the road QB that plays with elite talent but does nothing to elevate the team. I think Raiola would've been the starter by the end of the year
 
Where is Maurice Washington now? I was tracking him at Grambling State for awhile, which is where Mickey Joseph is as head coach currently.
 
I'm not sure that Raiola sits behind Beck the full year. Beck to me, is a middle of the road QB that plays with elite talent but does nothing to elevate the team. I think Raiola would've been the starter by the end of the year
You don't move past a rock solid upperclassman without there being significant performance issues, or an injury, especially a guy who's been a leader and a part of a National Championship. Dylan wouldn't have seen the field beyond mop up duty until the injury, and even then he'd have to compete against the rest of the guys in that room. Kirby isn't the type of coach to get wow'd by a new shiny object, he gets a couple of dozen of those every signing class.
 
I'm not sure that Raiola sits behind Beck the full year. Beck to me, is a middle of the road QB that plays with elite talent but does nothing to elevate the team. I think Raiola would've been the starter by the end of the year
It is not for sure … Beck entered the year as an NFL caliber QB, and in fact has declared for the draft. Stockton, their current starter is a 3rd year sophomore, Their two backups are a true freshman and a redshirt freshman. No guarantee DR ends up as the primary backup there.
 


A

Allegedly would not switch for Frost
I’m sure Frost promised him a shot at QB and McCaffrey held him to that promise. But he never had the build, physique or arm strength for the NFL. Finally came to his senses ar Rice.
 
As this thread illustrates, QB recruiting and/or development was among the many things that didn't go very well for NU under Frost. Martinez was talented, but never came through in the clutch. Our other "class QBs" were McCaffrey (switched positions), Smothers (Sun Belt backup), Haarberg (switched positions), and Torres (FCS backup). We brought in Thompson (always injured) and Purdy (Mountain West backup) as transfers. Nice work Mario!

Then Rhule unfortunately brought in Sims as a transfer... but nailed it the next year with Raiola.
Hindsight and recency bias are interesting. Statistically, Martinez's freshman year was comparable or better than Raiola. He threw for more TDs and had fewer INTs. Raiola had more total passing yards and a slightly better completion percentage. However, Martinez had more yards per attempt and more yards per completion. The biggest difference was in the running game.

Based on freshman performance, I'd take Martinez over Raiola.

The other QBs mentioned were all ballyhooed at Nebraska at one time or another. Fans have a way of attaching themselves to certain guys, building them up as the next great thing... until they're tossed aside for the next next great thing.
 

This is a great update. And it confirms for me that these coaches (and the ones before this) know a hell of a lot more about talent at that position than any one of us does. Yet, I feel like there are still people in here who think any of these players should have been given more chances at NU. I’m glad the people in charge didn’t agree.
 
Hindsight and recency bias are interesting. Statistically, Martinez's freshman year was comparable or better than Raiola. He threw for more TDs and had fewer INTs. Raiola had more total passing yards and a slightly better completion percentage. However, Martinez had more yards per attempt and more yards per completion. The biggest difference was in the running game.

Based on freshman performance, I'd take Martinez over Raiola.

The other QBs mentioned were all ballyhooed at Nebraska at one time or another. Fans have a way of attaching themselves to certain guys, building them up as the next great thing... until they're tossed aside for the next next great thing.
Its an interesting thing to compare:

2AM asDR as
2018% of Total
2024​
% of Total
Record4-87-6
Scoring30.00
23.5​
1st Downs278
283​
Rush Yards250825.1%
1694​
-3.9%
TDs Rushing2532.0%
22​
0.0%
Pass Yards296688.2%
2973​
95.0%
TDs Passing1989.5%
13​
100.0%
Total Yards547459.3%
4467​
61.7%
Yards/Game456.2
359.0​
 

You don't move past a rock solid upperclassman without there being significant performance issues, or an injury, especially a guy who's been a leader and a part of a National Championship. Dylan wouldn't have seen the field beyond mop up duty until the injury, and even then he'd have to compete against the rest of the guys in that room. Kirby isn't the type of coach to get wow'd by a new shiny object, he gets a couple of dozen of those every signing class.
I disagree, I don't think Beck is rock solid QB. His misses on a throws and misses reads...I have never been impressed with guy. The talent around him makes him look better than he is...which is a constant for most of the Georgia and Alabama QB's. I do agree Smart will play whoever gives him the best chance so he doesn't care if you're upperclassman or not. Raiola is bright enough to operate the offense and by November Beck would've fighting for his job. Of course we'll never know.
 

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