Nebraska Football: Five 2016 Seniors That Will Be Missed Most

Has Tommy Armstrong, Jr. been the most conventional quarterback throughout his career at Nebraska? No. Is he the right kind of signal-caller for Mike Riley’s ideal offense? Negative.

Will he be remembered fondly for his grit, determination and ability to play through the pain for his brothers in pads? Absolutely.

Much like the long-tenured Taylor Martinez before him, there were damnable moments and there were magical ones. It was hard to tell when one or the other was coming sometimes, but that seems fitting for a team that can see all four seasons over a month-long span in Lincoln, Neb.

One of the big stories prior to the 2016 season was that Armstrong was not voted a captain by his peers. Regardless, No. 4 stated that he was going to be a leader.

“Captains are chosen, but leaders are born,” Armstrong said back in August. “I know from Day 1 I’ve been a leader here. I’m going to still continue to do what I’m doing, leading this team in the right way.”

Not only has he been that, he’s become a leader on the record lists, too. He’s shattered career yardage totals that stood in his way. He’s become a topic of conversation for when the best quarterbacks at Nebraska come up. Would Armstrong have thrived on a Tom Osborne-led team? Maybe, maybe not, but he’ll always be a part of the argument.

In the meantime, the chapter of the “true” dual-threat may close for now with Armstrong’s departure. In his place is the future with Lee and Patrick O’Brien leading the way.