JOHN MABRY:Dailey Show off to solid start
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Joe Dailey knows the drill.
No matter how well you play, the quarterback on the sideline (or in this case, in the stands) is better than you are in the eyes of some.
Jordan Adams, a junior college transfer from California, has yet to put on a Husker jersey, but the Air Jordan promotional campaign has already begun.
Dailey, who was the fan darling last season as the understudy to Jammal Lord, understands as only Dailey could understand.
I asked the sophomore whether he felt like he had an edge on Adams, even though Adams supposedly has more experience with the West Coast offense.
His answer was a little deeper than your typical cliche-riddled response.
"You know what it's like?," Dailey said. "Say you've got the movie 'The Green Mile.' The movie and the book are kind of different. What happens in the book doesn't happen in the movie.
"The thing is, I have the book."
There is no question Dailey has enough smarts to run this offense. When you listen to him analyze a situation, you would swear he has enough smarts to run NASA.
Whether he can deliver at game time remains to be seen. Dailey had just 14 passing attempts all of last season, less than a third of his total Saturday in the Red-White Spring Game.
Welcome to Big Red Airport, with 49 flights leaving Dailey.
Junior receiver Ross Pilkington wasn't feeling too well after the game, and when Ishowed him Dailey's passing line on the stat sheet, Ithought he was going to lose his lunch again.
Attempts:49. Completions:29.
"Oh, man,"Pilkington said. "That's unbelievable. I don't think anyone has ever seen anything like that around here."
You are correct, Sir.
The school record for pass attempts in a regular-season game, set by Dave Humm against Iowa State in 1972, is 42.
Although no such records are kept, we can only assume that no player has ever come close to that mark in a spring contest.
Not all of the throws were good ones. Dailey made a couple of poor throwing decisions for the Red squad, including one pass that was picked off by Donald DeFrand in the end zone.
"He really didn't have anything (open)," said Jay Norvell, NU's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. "And he tried to make a play, throwing across the field. That's something you just can't do."
Dailey knew it was a bad move as soon as he started to throw.
"Like Coach Norvell said, 'When you try to be a hero it can turn into a zero.' That's exactly what happened," Dailey said. "Just as I was throwing it, Iwas thinking in the back of my mind what Coach Norvell was going to say to me. I turned around, and he gave me that look, and I said, 'Yeah, Ishouldn't have done that.'"
There were also a few near interceptions, but Dailey had more than a few bright moments.
He gave himself a "B- or C" for his effort, but Ithink he was closer to B+ territory myself, even when judged against second- and third-string defenders.
His first throw of the game, on the first play from scrimmage, was a long toss down the middle that appeared to be headed directly into the hands of tight end Matt Herian before two defenders got in the way.
Dailey's first touchdown pass, a 19-yarder to Mark LeFlore, had the receiver diving for the ball, but the toss was where it needed to be. So were 28 others.
Dailey's 29 completions would also be an NUregular-season record.
"I was really proud of Joe today," Norvell said. "The big thing that we talked about this spring is that when you throw the football, you have to have respect for the ball. We did, expect for probably one play today, we really had respect for the ball."
Norvell said Dailey has come a long way in a short period of time.
"He's made a lot of progress mentally," Norvell said. "It's not easy what he's had to do.
"I told those guys today, they had it harder than our guys did (with the Oakland Raiders). We put this offense in in Oakland, but those guys have all day to study it, and all night. They don't have chemistry and astronomy and all these classes they have to study for."
Last season, some coaches would tell you that Dailey was erratic in practice, so much so that the staff didn't feel he could handle the ball safely in game action.
But head coach Bill Callahan is developing more faith in his No. 1 quarterback every day.
"He's starting to get his rhythm. That's the main thing Isee with Joe. He's starting to get into a rhythm," Callahan said. "He understands progression reads. He's getting quicker at getting the ball off."
Pilkington, who had a team-high six catches, has been impressed with Dailey's work in the leadership department.
"I've never seen Jordan (Adams)," Pilkington said. "I don't know what he can bring to the table. But Joe, right now, he looks like he's running this offense great."
Regardless of Adams' background in the West Coast attack, Norvell said the incoming quarterback has yet to see the Husker playbook.
"He hasn't played in this (specific) system," Norvell said. "When he gets here, he'll start learning the system."
It could be quite a competition come August. But Dailey is the man for the moment.
That's the approach he took Saturday.
"Isaid, 'This is what you've been prepping for.' It's time to take charge."
And remember, he's read the book.
Reach John Mabry at 473-7320 or jmabry@;journalstar.com.
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