Nebraska Spring Look Back: Quarterback
Nebraska’s first spring practices under new head coach Matt Rhule are now in the books. We’ll look back on how each Husker position group fared and discuss what lies ahead this offseason.
Today, we begin with the quarterbacks, which continue to be one of NU’s biggest storylines…
WHAT WE LEARNED: It’s Jeff Sims’ job to lose
The competition for Nebraska’s starting quarterback in 2023 got significant clarity shortly after spring ball wrapped up.
After offseason shoulder surgery limited him for all 15 practices, incumbent starter Casey Thompson entered his name into the NCAA Transfer portal.
That cleared the way for Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims to become the apparent frontrunner for the No. 1 job going into the fall.
There still appeared to be a chance that Thompson could push Sims during camp in a true QB battle. But with the former Texas transfer out of the mix, that spot is now the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Sims’ to lose.
Barring any surprising developments during fall camp, the real competition will be for the No. 2 job behind Sims. Even that cleared up a bit after the spring when Logan Smothers and Richard Torres also entered the portal.
Heinrich Haarberg and Chubba Purdy will enter camp pushing for the backup role. Haarberg earned plenty of praise during his fresh start under Rhule, while Purdy saw extensive action last season.
BIGGEST SPRING CONCERN: Who will be the No. 2 quarterback?
Nebraska’s starting quarterback this season is now basically answered, but it remains unclear who will be Sims’ top backup.
As mentioned, Haarberg garnered plenty of attention this spring. After essentially being written off by the previous staff, the former Kearney Catholic standout has thrived in NU’s new offense, per his coaches.
However, Haarberg did little to justify that hype with his performance in the spring game. He completed just 2-of-9 passes for minus-one yard and took a sack. The sophomore did rip off a 23-yard run – the longest of the day – but ended up with just 19 net yards on seven carries.
Then there’s Purdy, who wasn’t mentioned by Nebraska’s staff nearly as often and didn’t fare much better in the Red-White game. He ended up a combined 6-of-13 passing for 55 yards and an interception while playing for both squads.
That said, Purdy owns significantly more game experience than Haarberg, making six appearances with two starts last season while Thompson was out with injuries.
SPRING SURPRISE: Nebraska’s post-spring attrition
Given that Nebraska was carrying six scholarship quarterbacks during spring ball, it wasn’t a total stunner that there was some roster attrition following the Red-White game.
But losing three QBs – most notably Thompson – in less than a week still raised a few eyebrows.
What was once a logjam for snaps suddenly became a simple picture. Sims is now the guy, with Haarberg and Purdy battling to be the No. 2.
That amount of turnover is fairly typical after a coaching change. The Huskers saw similar departures during Scott Frost’s first offseason in 2018.
But now the concern becomes the drop-off from Sims to everyone else. With Thompson, NU would feel confident it could still compete with almost anyone if Sims – who missed time with a foot sprain last season – were to be injured.
LOOKING AHEAD: All eyes are now on Sims
The good news for Sims is that he’s now the clear leader to be Nebraska’s starting quarterback. The other side of that is the pressure and responsibility that comes with that role.
Sims is no stranger to being the No. 1 under center, as he started 23 games at Georgia Tech and racked up more than 5,500 yards of total offense.
But now he’s on a new team, in a new offense, in a new conference. The fishbowl of being the Huskers’ starting QB can also be a lot to handle.
Sims might not be the talker that Thompson is, but he seemed to handle himself well during the few media appearances he made this spring. Nebraska needs him to continue to develop as a leader on and off the field this summer.
The Huskers also need Sims to stay healthy, as a foot sprain ended his 2022 season after seven games. The injury was bad enough that Sims missed games and wasn’t even with the team for practices or meetings while he focused on his recovery.
With the uncertainty behind him in NU’s quarterback room, a lot will be riding on No. 14’s shoulders this season.
