Adrian Martinez is the most recent example – mixed with Luke McCaffrey – of spoiling a golden quarterback too
early. 2AM was dynamic and ended as Nebraska’s all-time leader in offensive yardage, but injuries in the first year
seemed to slow his development through the initial season.
Dylan Raiola is a higher rated, more polished quarterback than all the examples listed above. But Heinrich
Haarberg has proved that he can win in the Big Ten. The future will come eventually for Nebraska football, but if
Haarberg has progressed as much as his coach claims, that time might be paused for at least a few games.
In the recent two decades of frustration, Nebraska has handed the reins of the offense to freshmen several times with
mixed results. Taylor Martinez was a potential Heisman candidate during his first stint, but injuries and turnovers
plagued the Big Red in the second half of the 2010 season. In 2013, Tommy Armstrong stepped in for an injured
Martinez and pushed Nebraska to a 9-4 finish and a Gator Bowl win over Georgia,
Haarberg’s team-first mentality may level more to an experienced locker room – including Nebraska’s defense.
Considering that he contributed to the team prior to becoming the starting quarterback as a reserve tight end in which he never attended a position
meeting, that attitude may prove extraordinary for a team looking to turn the contract
