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Nebraska Football: Tanner Lee primed for a breakout season in 2017

By Andrew Miller

NEW ORLEANS, LA - SEPTEMBER 03: Tanner Lee #12 hands the ball off to Lazedrick Thompson #33 of the Tulane Green Wave during the game against the Duke Blue Devils on September 3, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - SEPTEMBER 03: Tanner Lee #12 hands the ball off to Lazedrick Thompson #33 of the Tulane Green Wave during the game against the Duke Blue Devils on September 3, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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The Nebraska Cornhuskers lose one of the main parts of their offense in 2016 that led them to nine wins, Tommy Armstrong, but Tanner Lee looks ready.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers enter their third season with head coach Mike Riley at the helm. While the Huskers were better in 2016 compared to Riley’s first season, improvement is still needed to satisfy the Nebraska fan base.

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong graduated after a strong senior season, leading Nebraska to nine wins. The likely replacement for Armstrong is junior Tulane transfer quarterback Tanner Lee. Redshirt freshman Patrick O’Brien is the other candidate for the starting quarterback position but Lee is the favorite to win the spot entering the Fall.

There’s some returning talent on offense to help whichever quarterback takes Armstrong’s place like wide receivers Stanley Morgan and DeMornay Pierson-El. Running backs Mikale Wilbon and Tre Bryant also should help take some of the pressure off the quarterback as the likely starters in the backfield. Bryant had the more rushing yards of the two last season, running for almost 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Lee is the perfect fit

Lee fits Riley’s offensive system much better than Armstrong did. He’s more of a pocket passer that can hang in under pressure and deliver accurate short and intermediate throws. It’s true that Lee does not have near the same rushing ability than that of Armstrong. That should trouble the Huskers, as quarterback mobility isn’t traditional a focal point of the Nebraska system.

There was some improvement shown from 2014 to 2015 in Lee’s passing numbers. In his first season with the Tulane Green Wave in 2014, Lee threw for 1,962 yards and 12 touchdowns. But he also had 14 picks in 2014. Lee’s interception numbers were cut in half in 2015, throwing only seven with 11 passing touchdowns.

Help from the schedule makers

An easier opening schedule will help Lee out considerably. The only real test in the first five weeks of the season is a trip to Eugene to face the Oregon Ducks. Nebraska’s other non-conference competition includes the Arkansas State Red Wolves and Northern Illinois Huskies. The first two Big 10 opponents to start the season are the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Illinois Fighting Illini.

Much like 2016, Nebraska has a great chance to gain some real momentum to start the 2017 campaign. However, after those first five games, the schedule gets much more difficult. The sixth and seventh games of the 2017 season are against the Ohio State Buckeyes and Wisconsin Badgers, two teams likely to be in the top 10 when Nebraska faces them.

The offseason reports for Lee have been encouraging. Multiple reports showed that he was impressive with his showing at the Manning Camp. He also had a good performance in Spring Practice and Nebraska’s Spring Game which really locked down the starting job, according to the Land of 10.

This should be a great season at the quarterback position in college football. However, the Big 10 seems to be one of the conferences lacking in quarterback talent. They lack star power compared to the rest of the Power Five Conferences.

Next: Top 10 CFB small school quarterbacks

Penn State’s Trace McSorley and Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett should compete for the spot of best quarterback in the conference. But watch out for Nebraska’s first-year starting quarterback primed for a breakout season, Tanner Lee.

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