Looking Ahead To Fall Camp (Quarterbacks)

With fall camp just around the corner, Huskercorner.com will take a look at each position, and go in to detail on the question marks and statements that each position has. Today we talk one of the hottest topics in the state of Nebraska, quarterback.

Staying or going? 

As of right now, Bubba Starling is in Lincoln. He will be his own story outside of fall camp. Startling was the number 5 over all pick in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals. Starling will have to choose between a contract in the area of 6 million dollars with the Royals, or playing for Bo Pelini in Lincoln. This will be the biggest story line of Fall Camp.

Starling is a Gardner Kansas native, and grew up a Royals fan. He now has to choose between the school of his dreams, or the team he grew up rooting for as a kid. The MLB franchise has given him until Aug. 15 to sign his contract. Starling is represented by super agent Scott Boras.

Is this Taylor Martinez’s team? 

In the spring redshirt freshman Brion Carnes emerged on the scene in Lincoln. He  was the talk of spring camp and then showed why in the annual Red and White Spring Game. The Bradenton, Florida native went 11-15 passing and two touchdowns. He also had 9 rushes for 40 yards.

The problem is Nebraska returns a twelve game starter, and a pre-season Davey O’Brien Award watch list member, Taylor Martinez. Martinez, finished the spring game with 4-12 with 1 interception. He had 2 rushes for 8 yards, and was sacked once. After Martinez struggled  at the end of the 2010 season, and having a poor showing in the spring, most Husker fans consider the quarterback job to be wide open.

First year offensive coordinator Tim Beck was quoted after the spring scrimmage saying, don’t read to much into the stats of the game. The offense was limited and they didn’t do anything too difficult.  If Carnes succeeds at the easy stuff, he will only get better and more difficult to defend as the offense gets more complicated. Both Carnes and Martinez, and maybe Starling if he stays in Lincoln, could be in an open battle for the starting job all August.

Depth Chart Prediciton

To me, no matter what happens Martinez will get the start on Sep. 3 against Chattanooga, but don’t be surprised if Carnes is getting the bulk of the snaps when it comes time to play Iowa on Nov. 25. Most people expect Starling to be playing in Kansas City’s farm system soon. So this is more than likely what Nebraska’s depth chart will look like after fall camp.

1. Taylor Martinez, 6-foot-1, 205 lbs, Corona, CA.

2. Brion Carnes, 6-foot-1, 190 lbs, Bradenton, FL.

3. Ron Kellogg, 6-foot-1, 210 lbs, Omaha NE.

-By Jimmie Allen