Post-Spring Game Feelings

[Baron Winnebago]

My $.02: Haarberg is a good battering ram runner with really good straight ahead speed. I wouldn't call him a 'dynamic' runner - using dynamic kind of implies that the person has great lateral agility. HH has zero lateral agility. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen anyone that fast who has that poor of side to side quickness. BTW this is why HH takes a million hard hits - he can't juke anybody.

I already know that Nelson is a more dynamic runner than HH. You could see it plainly in the Polynesian Bowl. Nelson is an elite athlete with real quickness AND top end speed.

That being said though, I'd still give Haarberg like 20-35 carries this year. He has 35 train wrecks in him before he gets too concussed. I don't think he'll fumble as much as a straight ahead RB. I think a lot of his fumbles came bc he was QB and he was indecisive about what to do with the ball. If you hand him the ball and say "just run" this year I don't think he'll fumble near as much.

He carried the ball like a dude who fumbles a lot, which I'm not sure will go away, but I suppose Haarberg's potential use as a "wildcat QB" will come down to:
1. How effective are our RBs in short yardage
2. How effective is the "standard" offense as a whole and situationally
3. How much has Haarberg cleaned up his fumbilitis.
4. Is he a better option than the other possible wildcat QB/short yardage gimmick guys, e.g. Nelson, Barney

 

[KidsSeeGhosts]

We also installed the option game midway through last year and then mashed that button b/c it was our only reliable way towards explosive plays. HH is good for 1-2 carries a game to get 2-3 yards when needed.

 

[DrumMonkeyRobot]

I can see us using him the way OU used Blake Bell aka The Belldozer.

 

[KidsSeeGhosts]

I can see us using him the way OU used Blake Bell aka The Belldozer.

Former future husker Blake Bell? Great comp

 

[HerbRedman]

He carried the ball like a dude who fumbles a lot, which I'm not sure will go away, but I suppose Haarberg's potential use as a "wildcat QB" will come down to:
1. How effective are our RBs in short yardage
2. How effective is the "standard" offense as a whole and situationally
3. How much has Haarberg cleaned up his fumbilitis.
4. Is he a better option than the other possible wildcat QB/short yardage gimmick guys, e.g. Nelson, Barney

I was more thinking of using him as an RB/HB. I don't see a reason to ever take the ball out of Dylan's hands. I don't like HH's processing rate as a QB.

I'm saying just hand the ball off to him like a RB between the 30s. He might spring one for 15-20 yds. Or one of those quick out RB passes that Frost did when we had no OL.

I don't like using him as a QB when you have a guy like Dylan there. There's no need to ever take the ball out of DR's hands.

 

[HerbRedman]

We also installed the option game midway through last year and then mashed that button b/c it was our only reliable way towards explosive plays. HH is good for 1-2 carries a game to get 2-3 yards when needed.

I think this is how he'll be used

 

[huskerj12]

Yeah I think with Haarberg he has a skillset where every few weeks you give him the ball and say: "don't think, just run." He'll pop at least a couple for big gains. He shouldn't have many (or any) plays where he has to make ball-handling decisions, but he can run like a horse which is good for certain situations.

 

[Lionsfan93]

My $.02: Haarberg is a good battering ram runner with really good straight ahead speed. I wouldn't call him a 'dynamic' runner - using dynamic kind of implies that the person has great lateral agility. HH has zero lateral agility. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen anyone that fast who has that poor of side to side quickness. BTW this is why HH takes a million hard hits - he can't juke anybody.

I already know that Nelson is a more dynamic runner than HH. You could see it plainly in the Polynesian Bowl. Nelson is an elite athlete with real quickness AND top end speed.

That being said though, I'd still give Haarberg like 20-30 carries this year. He has 30 train wrecks in him before he gets too concussed. I don't think he'll fumble as much as a straight ahead RB. I think a lot of his fumbles came bc he was QB and he was indecisive about what to do with the ball. If you hand him the ball and say "just run" this year I don't think he'll fumble near as much.

If that's how you define dynamic, I agree - he isn't dynamic. I guess I was thinking of it in terms of him simply making big plays with his legs.

I like the idea of him in the "battery ram" type role, but I also think that he was decent in the option game. I wouldn't mind having him come in as that battery ram and also occasionally just run the speed option. 2-4 touches a game is what I think would be solid.

 

[Frogsker30]

 

[jickey moseph]

no way he's gone... right? right?

 

[Tezzer]

It honestly wouldn't surprise me if he's gone.

 

[redzoner]

Hopefully it's something like being cleared for full workouts now. I'd like to see how far he could develop here with the coaching we have.

 

[nscottie]

Hopefully it's something like being cleared for full workouts now. I'd like to see how far he could develop here with the coaching we have.

Hopefully because he has a new jersey number with Dylan taking 15

 

[NSECTA4]

I don't want to put a number on it, but Raiola looks like the best QB Nebraska has had in an extremely long time and I think that his ability to do it all from getting the ball out quick to the right guy to extending plays with his eyes down the field will buy them several more wins this year than they would have without him.

Hard to read much into the rest with many of the key contributors limited

I have tried to be guarded in my enthusiasm after the demise of Bo, the failure of Riley and the shattered disappointment of Frost.

After what I saw Saturday, I’m all in on Dylan. He’s a fucking DUDE.

I’ve been a NU fan since we moved to Bellevue the summer before Osborne’s first season as the head man. IMO, Raiola is the best pro-style QB prospect that I’ve seen in Lincoln since Vince Ferragamo. That can be saying a lot, but then again, maybe not. Who knows? Lincoln is not the cradle of quarterbacks.

That being said, not sure anything would surprise me on the possible ceiling of this team in the fall.

GBR

 

[Baron Winnebago]

I have tried to be guarded in my enthusiasm after the demise of Bo, the failure of Riley and the shattered disappointment of Frost.

After what I saw Saturday, I’m all in on Dylan. He’s a fucking DUDE.

I’ve been a NU fan since we moved to Bellevue the summer before Osborne’s first season as the head man. IMO, Raiola is the best pro-style QB prospect that I’ve seen in Lincoln since Vince Ferragamo. That can be saying a lot, but then again, maybe not. Who knows? Lincoln is not the cradle of quarterbacks.

That being said, not sure anything would surprise me on the possible ceiling of this team in the fall.

GBR

Yeah it was definitely one of those moments where you watch a player and just say "holy shit, he's a dude"

 

[Sous Chef]

Yeah it was definitely one of those moments where you watch a player and just say "holy shit, he's a dude"

Really there isn't anything else to say at this point.

 

[Eloot224]

Uh oh. Looks like someone needed some attention after a quiet Spring.

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Uh oh. Looks like someone needed some attention after a quiet Spring.

He was hurt. He will be back. That's the tweet

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Uh oh. Looks like someone needed some attention after a quiet Spring.

He was hurt. He will be back. That's the tweet

For all his reputation or the way people worry about him, he did turn down a full court press from Deion when the media frenzy was at its height. I don't think he's quite the head case some people suspect.

 

[CybrrMonky71]

no way he's gone... right? right?

No young WR is leaving when Pat Mahomes 2.0 is QB unless they are “encouraged” to leave
Literally giving away $ bc Raiola is gonna turn speedy WRs who can get behind defenses into superstars
If we still had the train wrecks at QB as last yr, would be a different story.
Chi was running free a lot last yr when he didn’t even know what he was doing but the QBs couldn’t get it to him. Won’t be the case going forward
Bombs away coming…