Scott Frost updates Nebraska starting quarterback competition
Scott Frost has not commented publicly on the Nebraska starting quarterback competition since appearing at Big Ten Media Days on July 26.
But the Huskers coach met with the media on Friday morning following Nebraska's eighth practice of fall camp, and the race for QB1 was a keynote topic.
Frost said on July 26 that the Huskers do not plan on naming a starting quarterback until "as late as possible."
He has stuck to that plan through 10 days of fall camp, but he did provide a brief update on Friday about the battle between Casey Thompson, Chubba Purdy and others.
"We've got a lot of quarterbacks playing well right now. I've been really pleased with what I've seen from Casey," Frost said. "We'll let him keep working. Right now, it's his job to lose."
Thompson is the favorite to win the job midway through fall camp, but Frost said the competition is ongoing.
"I don't know if he's separated himself. He's just played well," Frost said. "Other guys have played well, too. He's obviously the guy with the most experience that we have. I want him to keep getting better. I want all the guys to keep getting better. We've got really good players around whoever's gonna be quarterback.
"But I've seen a lot of consistency (from Thompson), and you can tell he's experienced because he does some things that young quarterbacks don't do. He's got a really good feel in the pocket and really good command presence."
Thompson has been getting the first-team reps at quarterback since the first day of camp, and that hasn't changed. His reps during camp come after recovering from offseason thumb surgery. Frost has seen marked improvement physically and mentally ever since Thompson has recovered from that surgery.
"Casey had an offseason procedure done on his thumb," Frost said. "I gotta tell you, his play his really risen since spring. I think that has something to do with it. ... I think he just has a little more confidence more than anything and probably a little more zip on the ball and just a little more grip on the football, quite frankly."
Sources indicated to Inside Nebraska prior to fall camp that Thompson is in-line to earn the starting job, and what we have heard publicly from the Huskers staff backs up that report as Frost and offensive coordinator Mark Whipple have now talked about Thompson being the favorite to win the job.
"In the summer, he (Thompson) got a few more (reps) and was able to see it — where you can shortcut some of the things in progression by coverage, understanding what the defense is doing,” Whipple said on Monday. “I think that’s where he has a leg up over the other guys.”
But the Texas transfer has not locked up the starting quarterback spot. Purdy will continue to have a real say in this position battle, and he has made his mark in camp thus far and in the offseason.
“I actually got to spend time with him this summer and work mechanics with him," Frost said of Purdy at Big Ten Media Days. "I've seen real improvements from him. He looked good when he got his time at the end of the spring, so I'm sure he'll be one of the guys trying to chase Casey down and see if he can compete."
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