OBNUG roundtable: QB situation

Last week, we ran a post regarding our choice for the Broncos' starting quarterback this fall. We are as upset as anyone that we have to go through this garbage again, but having four good quarterbacks to choose from isn't the end of the world. What is the end of the world? Another senior, first-time starter. Do you hear us Bush Hamdan?

Two of OBNUG's finest got together last week to discuss our QB dilemma. Here is that conversation:

kevanlee: What Jared Zabransky lacked in game management and smarts, he made up for in longevity. And while this quality was alternately a blessing and a curse ("maybe he'll be better next year" and "I can't believe we have another year of this bozo"), I find myself valuing staying power almost more than anything else in this Boise State QB competition.

Taylor Tharp wasn't a bad quarterback last year. But he was inexperienced, and it showed in big games. Obviously, we are going to get the same deer in the headlights looks from this year's crop, but I would prefer to go through growing pains with the future promise of success.

My heart goes out to Bush Hamdan. I wanted him to win the job last year so badly because I thought he could have been an excellent QB for this year's team. With a season under his belt, people would have been talking about Boise State rather than Fresno as preseason favorites. But now that he still has no experience, I couldn't be more against him starting for BSU this season.

That leaves Coughlin, Moore, and Lomax. While a four-year starter sounds like a great idea, I'm not sure that Moore has even hit puberty yet. We saw a lot of Coughlin last season in mop-up duty, and his running ability is intriguing. There's nothing like a white running quarterback to get the blood pumping.

But my vote goes for Lomax. He has great QB size, and he came in with a lot of hype. I want to see him come through on all that promise, and I want him to have two years to do it.

Nick : The one thing we dealt with last year and are dealing with again this year that I absolutely hate, uncertainty. While I can definitely empathize with Bush Hamdan (I too wanted a strong armed quarterback throwing those out patterns last year), I too would feel much better down the road to see a younger qb take the helm.

Things I can live with? Growing pains from a young qb that will be beneficial down the road. Things that make me want to throw myself off the top level of Husky Stadium? Watching our senior qb throw a pick while attempting to throw the ball away and knowing that next year we will have someone else possibly making that same mistake. With that being said, my vote's with Coughlin. He's almost as tall as Lomax and actually got some playing time last year. Furthermore, he'll be a sophomore and a possible 3 year starter. Other 3 year starting quarterbacks from past Bronco teams? Zabransky, Dinwiddie, and Hendricks. Not bad company.

kevanlee: Here is the thing that really bothers me: we have too many likable quarterbacks. This would be my ideal situation: Lomax starts this year and next year. We get a highly touted quarterback in the 2009 recruiting class, who either backs up Lomax during his senior year or redshirts, then we have this hot prospect for the next three or four years.

But for this plan to work, it means that Coughlin will never see the field and Kellen Moore will never see the field. I want to see what these guys can do with this team, but I don't want to go through first-time senior starting quarterback roulette. It's not fair to us, and it's not fair to the team.

Maybe the problem is the BSU coaches' approach to recruiting. I've heard before that they only want to recruit one quarterback in each class. Why? How about having some competition and not spreading the QB position out so thin. Would there be something wrong with two junior quarterbacks? No. I think they should recruit one really good QB and one really bad one, that way the really good one thinks he's all that and he's full of confidence. Something needs to change.

Nick : I see where you're coming from, however, I understand the approach to recruiting a qb in each class. Things happen, someone might get hurt, someone might get caught with the ganja in his car late at night, so I understand the idea of having multiple qb's spread over multiple years. I guess this comes down to Boise State recruiting good to very good qb's without having one rise above the rest to claim the position.

When Hamdan was recruited, we all heard about the hot qb prospect from Maryland with the strong arm. When Lomax was recruited, his height and NFL pedigree was highly touted. We've all heard similar accolades from Coughlin and now Moore. I guess I feel like if Lomax was going to be a great qb for the Broncos, he would have seized the position last year when it was wide open. My guess is that the coaching staff was hesitant to send a red shirt freshman out there with Coughlin and decided to play it safe with Tharp after Hamdan got hurt and Lomax failed to impress, especially coming off the Fiesta Bowl hype. After another year on the sidelines and seeing some game action, I feel like Coughlin is ready to take the reigns.