HOPPEN: Three Husker quarterback prospects vie for position

For the past five years, the words "quarterback" and "competition" have rarely been used in the same sentence when discussing Nebraska football.

One player usually locks down the position before the season and keeps it, barring injury.

In 2005 and 2006, it was Zac Taylor.

Sam Keller was the unquestioned starter until a season-ending injury, when Joe Ganz took over and kept the job the following year.

And despite two midseason starts by Cody Green last year, Zac Lee was the definitive starter at both the beginning and end of the season.

And that's what's made this a different offseason in Lincoln.

The season opener sits less than two weeks away, but no starter has been named, and no coaches or players are offering any hints.

Each player likely has his own opinion of who should start, but many do expect a battle until the finish.

"To be honest with you, if I knew, I'd say," NU starting fullback Tyler Legate said last week. "I don't know who's going to be it."

"I'd like to think most of us don't even care just as long as we win. That's kind of our mentality."

Either way, NU coach Bo Pelini has emphasized it's a pure competition.

"There is no timetable," Pelini said.

"It's great competition. I see all three guys getting better. I think the picture is becoming a little bit clearer for us, but nothing has been decided yet."

No offense to Latravis Washington or Kody Spano, but this is a three-man race.

Here is a quick look at where the candidates stand right now as the season quickly approaches:

Zac Lee

When the term "game manager" is used to describe a quarterback, it usually has a negative connotation.

But that doesn't always have to be the case.
When a team has a dominating defense and a strong running game, as NU is expected to again this year, sometimes the quarterback's job is simply not to make mistakes.

That became Lee's role after he regained his starting job early in the Oklahoma game, and NU won five of those last six games.

Lee saved his best performance for the Arizona game, where he finally showed off the mobility he was said to have.

He then revealed he had played nearly the whole year with a torn tendon in his throwing arm, leaving fans to wonder if his struggles (like 39 passing yards against Texas) were a true reflection of his talent or an injury-induced illusion.

Sources have said Lee is back to full strength, and receiver Brandon Kinnie called Lee's repaired wing "a rocket" when fall ball began.

Due to his experience in the system and his record as a starter, Lee is generally considered the leader in this race.

Cody Green

The sophomore was the fan favorite last spring, but a few less-than-spectacular performances have cooled the public's perception of him.

In retrospect, the expectations were probably unfair.

Remember, while Green is clearly talented, he was only a freshman.

It would have been very difficult for him to match any hype thrown his way.

Green has all the physical tools to succeed: good size (6-foot-4), a cannon arm and good speed for a quarterback.

He's still working on the mental part of the game, and the more time he spends in the system, the better he will be.

Green has far greater potential than Lee in the long run, but the coaches seem to view Lee as the safer option at this point.

He has a great chance to start next year, but it would be a surprise to see him take over the job this year unless Lee really struggles.

Taylor Martinez

By far the hardest guy in the group to figure out.

Martinez is a tremendous athlete and the best runner of the three competitors, but the ability to run alone does not make a quarterback great (see Vick, Michael).

It's hard to judge Martinez because most Husker fans have seen very limited action of him, and that was in the spring game.

As the starting quarterback of the Red team, Martinez put on a display with his legs, rushing for 60 yards on nine carries.

But he seemed to look to run first even when a passing play was called, likely because of his limited experience.

The redshirt freshman was OK when he did throw it, going 5-for-9 with two touchdowns and a pick.

Again, it's impossible to know what the Huskers have in Martinez at this point.

But this is certain: He's extremely athletic, and the coaching staff should look for ways to get him on the field even if he's not under center.

He has the chance to make an impact even if the ball doesn't start in his hands.

Dan hoppen is a junior news-editorial major. Reach him at danhoppen@dailynebraskan.com.