Cornhuskers QB Zac Taylor

[bigboydan]

Nebraska Cornhuskers QB Zac Taylor had trouble digesting coach Bill Callahan's playbook at first. "You almost didn't know where to start with reading the playbook," the JUCO transfer told Street & Smiths for their 2006 yearbook. "It's really tough until you get coaches in the room with you or get on the practice field doing it live."

Turns out Taylor did a pretty good job learning the playbook, as he threw for a school record 2,653 yards and managed a respectible 115.94 passer rating in 2005. Will those numbers be even more impressive this season?

[crackerjack]

Don't really have an answer for this one but I am trying to respond to all your QB posts today.

[pags11]

got better every game last year...really played well in the bowl game...should have himself a very nice year...

[bigboydan]

i think he should have a very solid year this year myself.

[onlooker]

Blue Ribbon Yearbook.

Whether he realizes, senior quarterback Zac Taylor (6-2, 210) has become the face of the Nebraska program. The new Nebraska offense -- the one that features the West Coast and not the option attack. Taylor is a former junior college star who grew comfortable in his role as the team's No. 1 quarterback by mid-season in 2005 and finished the year setting a number of single-season and single-game passing records. Another shock to the system -- Taylor hails from Norman, Okla.

Taylor, working closely with offensive coordinator Jay Norvell since arriving from Butler County (Kansas) Community College in January of 2005, honed his quick-release skills and also worked on reading defenses throughout the year. The effort paid off as the Cornhuskers developed a strong passing attack.

After Taylor completed 237-of-530 passes for 2,653 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season, the Cornhusker coaching staff is expecting even more from Taylor this year. The key to a quarterback's development in the West Coast offense is the improvement made in the second year, and the coaching staff is not about to let Taylor rest on his laurels. He needs to get even better in 2006, and he appeared to be up to the expectations during a solid springtime run.

Callahan brought one of his former bosses in during the spring to get a look at the offense and help fine-tune it. Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden, who preceded Callahan as head coach in Oakland, observed Taylor during the spring and was impressed.

"I've seen guys take major jumps in year two as a starter in this system,'' Gruden said. "I think his intelligence, his background, is really going to help him this year. I'm impressed.''

Gruden liked Taylor's demeanor and attitude as he ran the offense with confidence and precision during the spring.

"I saw him making all kinds of throws today -- moving to his right, moving to his left, from the shotgun, three-step drops,'' Gruden said. "I'm impressed with his toughness. He takes hits, he gets up, he keeps playing. He throws a friendly ball. I think the receivers have a lot of confidence in him. He's got a great command of this offense.''

Taylor made strides as last season progressed. He was at his best at the end of the regular season and in the team's Alamo Bowl win over Michigan. In regular-season ending wins over Kansas State and Colorado, he threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions. Against the Wolverines, he was razor sharp in the fourth-quarter comeback and threw a season-best three touchdown passes.

Taylor showed a propensity for distributing the ball. Five Husker receivers caught 25 or more passes in 2005.