Ganz understands why Keller sees all the action
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By BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
The athletic director has been fired, coaches’ jobs are in jeopardy and commitments from recruits are suddenly as questionable as next week’s forecast.
Looking for a constant with Nebraska football these days?
Well, Joe Ganz is still admirably fulfilling his role of loyal teammate and dutiful backup.
You remember Ganz, don’t you?
Nebraska’s second-string quarterback hasn’t taken a snap from center since that 52-10 victory against Nevada several moons ago. Of course, it’s general protocol here that, save for injury, the No. 2 quarterback won’t likely play unless the game is a rout.
Then again, many hadn’t factored the possibility of Nebraska staring at the other end of a rout.
What then?
Ganz stays on the sideline.
At least, that’s been the case the last three weeks, when a Nebraska defeat has long been decided by at least the midway point of the fourth quarter. Starter Sam Keller has taken every snap to the bitter end of those losses — 41-6 to Missouri, 45-14 to Oklahoma State and 36-14 to Texas A&M.
“We didn’t pull Sam out because he’s the starter, and you don’t want to send the wrong message to the players,” Nebraska offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson said. “You want to keep fighting.”
To that, Ganz agrees.
“I understand, because as quarterback, it’d be tough to be taken out every couple of series,” the redshirt junior said. “You want to get in a rhythm, you want to get on a roll. That’s going to be when things start clicking. I can understand why they wouldn’t want to get him out of that rhythm.
“Of course, I would love to play. You just bite your lip and hold on, and hopefully you get called in there for the right reasons.”
Ganz then said that “biting his lip” might not be the best way to phrase his thoughts. He said he supports Keller and the coaches “100 percent” and that he’s not about to create any division.
“I don’t want to be that cancer to the team that splits the team in half, saying I should start and all this stuff,” Ganz said. “We’ve got to work our hardest to salvage this team. We can’t have a civil quarrel going on in the locker room.”
Nebraska (4-4, 1-3 Big 12 Conference) is riding a three-game losing streak for the third time in head coach Bill Callahan’s four seasons. Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. game at No. 17 Texas isn’t exactly the ideal setting to end such a streak, either.
In fact, the Longhorns (6-2, 2-2) are favored by more than 20 points, and some are expecting a game more lopsided than that.
Yet, don’t expect an appearance from the ever-so-patient Ganz, even if the game’s no longer in doubt.
“That’s not my decision,” Ganz said. “It’s kind of hard to be selfish, ‘Put me in! Put me in!’ when the team’s struggling so bad.”
Reports from closed fall camp practices indicated the battle for No. 1 between Ganz and Keller was extremely close, that Ganz, a veteran to the program, greatly pushed Keller, a more-experienced transfer.
Keller, though, has struggled recently. In the current three-game losing streak, Keller’s completion percentage is a modest 58 percent (61-of-105). But take away the easy check-downs and dump-offs to running backs, and that percentage drops to 43 percent (35-of-80) in the last three games.
Callahan flatly said Tuesday he’s not considering any changes at quarterback, that Keller is the team’s starter.
Changes at other positions, however, have been fairly common. Coaches have inserted younger players at various positions, especially in the closing minutes of already-decided games.
On offense, Callahan has turned to true freshman Roy Helu and Quentin Castille at running back. He’s even considering pulling the redshirt of yet another freshman running back, Marcus Mendoza.
Quarterback, though, seems to be the one constant, regardless.
“It’s different, because we have to know so much,” Ganz said. “It’s different because we have to know every position, every call the receivers make, the backs make, the line makes. It’s different than running back, where you can throw four or five guys in there. Line, you can rotate. Receivers, you can rotate.”
Quarterback, you sit and wait. And wait. And understand. And wait some more.
“You can’t second-guess or do whatever,” Ganz said. “You just have to keep your chin up and have faith in coaches that they know what they’re doing.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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