The sounds from Memorial Stadium have fallen on deaf ears.
Quarterback Zac Lee didn’t hear the resounding boos after his fourth down incompletion that all but assured Nebraska’s 31-10 loss to Texas Tech Saturday. His backup Cody Green said he didn’t see or hear the ovation that followed his third quarter entrance.
But the crowd made it obvious who they would like to see under center for the Cornhusker offense.
Green marveled at how quick the crowd had turned on his teammate.
“I didn’t really think it would be this fast,” Green said. “There was one play Zac didn’t make, and it was like the whole state was against him.”
His shock isn’t unfounded. Nebraska fans have a history of turning on starting quarterbacks.
Joe Dailey was once the apple of the eye for this state when fans grew tired of starter Jammal Lord’s penchant for bounce passes. Frankie London had quite a fan-following in 1997 before Scott Frost established himself as a reliable leader.
In both cases, the original starter prevailed over his backup, and the team was better off. Yet each year, fans of teams across the country call for a change at the offense’s most important position.
College football is a world of immediate reaction. Fans want success, and a quarterback’s body of work is rarely studied and easily forgotten.
Lee will always remember how short memories can be.
He was reminded of this during Tuesday’s media session.
Lee had to listen to head coach Bo Pelini address questions about the quarterback controversy. He heard Pelini tell the media that the job is still his. He listened as a reporter asked how close Green is to taking his job. Pelini downplayed the situation and said that both Lee and Green would take their usual reps at practice.
When it was time for him to be in front of the microphone, Lee played the role of the starting quarterback. He took issue with the opinion that he struggled passing on S aturday. He talked about how he isn’t going to put more pressure on himself. He strived, like he has all year, to give the appearance of someone that is relaxed and in control at the helm.
Conversely, Green shined in his newfound relevance. The prodigy from Texas was all smiles during the first press conference of his Husker career. He even made jokes about his rise to prominence.
“I’ve never actually been in this room,” Green said. “I just see it on the Internet or whenever I walk past I see Coach Pelini talking in here. There may be a little chance that I’m going somewhere with my life. This is where the big stars go, and I’m just trying to get there.”
The difference between the attitudes of the two quarterbacks is telling. It’s always easier to be the new guy because less is expected.
Green said it himself. If he starts, great, but if he doesn’t, then he’s fine with that, too. He’s an 18 year old that can do no wrong.
Standing in Green’s way is Lee – the journeyman that got the job by default, the junior college transfer who was never higher than third on the Husker depth chart before this season. Lee had to work his way into the starting position. He’s the underdog feel-good story.
But life isn’t a Disney movie. If he loses this job, there is a chance he’ll never start another game in his football career. His biggest competition this week won’t be Iowa State on Saturday, it will be Green at practice.
Nebraska’s struggling offense operates differently depending on who’s under center.
Lee is the more accurate passer and knows the offense better. He understands the importance of protecting the ball and minimizing risk. But while he has proven an ability to run the offense at home against inferior teams, Lee has yet to display that against conference opponents or on the road. Touted as a strong running quarterback, Lee has looked incredibly tentative outside the pocket. His runs off zone-read option plays are often contained to less than five yards.
There is a growing question about his big-play potential. He completed only two passes for more than 10 yards against the Red Raiders. Against Missouri, Lee’s only big play was a pass to a wide-open Niles Paul.
Defenses will continue to stack the box to stop the Nebraska running game until Lee displays an ability to throw deep with accuracy.
If Green is tabbed at quarterback, then it expands Nebraska’s ability to run outside the tackles. Green has proven to be a fearless runner. He’s shown an explosive burst when he has the ball in his hands. But can he competently lead this offense? Can he go through his reads? Does he know when to throw the ball away?
Judging from his last performance, it is apparent he has confidence in his arm.
Green’s bravado led to poor decision-making. He threw into tight coverage, he threw into double coverage, and he threw into zone coverage. By his count, he got away with three or four bad passes. That’s not counting the one that went for an interception.
Green was put in the precarious situation of needing to throw in order to give Nebraska a chance to comeback against Texas Tech. He had to make something happen, so it’s hard to say if he’s always that risky with the ball.
The young signal-caller will remain wildly popular with knee-jerk reactionary Husker fans because of the intrigue that surrounds his talent. But Lee is the quarterback that gives this team the best chance to win consistently.
He’s far from being explosive, but he takes care of the ball and doesn’t put Nebraska’s defense in tough situations. It’s not ideal to have a caretaker for a quarterback, but if the Huskers want to make the trip to Dallas, Texas, for the Big 12 Championship game, then Lee is the guy to drive them there.
Green’s explosiveness will be harnessed, but he’ll get a year to grow and have every opportunity to take the job next spring.
All eyes will be on Lee this Saturday, counting his incompletions and missed opportunities. There will be cheers and jeers, but that comes with the territory.
“You’re in a fish bowl,” Lee said. “You’ve got to put everything on the back burner. You can’t look at anything, even the positives. You’ve got to keep yourself focused on what’s going on around here. I tried to keep myself focused on what I can control and go from there.”
michael schaefer is a senior news-editorial major. Reach him at michaelschaefer@dailynebraskan.com
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