Filed by Jon Nyatawa at 1:20 p.m.

Whether or not Cody Green's the starter Saturday, the true freshman said he's matured as a quarterback even in this early portion of his career.

Highly touted since the moment he became a prospective Husker, Green's had to fight instinctive urges to try too hard to be a playmaker at this level.

In offensive coordinator Shawn Watson's system, Nebraska simply needs a game manager at quarterback, someone who doesn't necessarily step outside the scheme and use athleticism to create big plays.

So with that in mind, Green said he's been adjusting his approach.

“Beginning of the season, all I wanted to do was just run,” Green said. “I was like, if I get into the game, just give me the ball (and) tell them to just move out of my way. I just want to take off running.
“Now, I've learned how to manage an offense, when to take shots, when not to. Be a complete quarterback.”

In high school, Green could simply rely on his physical talents to move the football down the field. As a senior quarterback in Dayton, Texas, he threw for 3,265 yards and ran for 1,610 more. He accounted for 62 touchdowns.

But he found out rather quickly at Nebraska that he had a lot to learn about the game.

“(I had) pretty much a blanket on me at the beginning of the season – knowing that coach Watson would kind of protect me and put me in situations where I knew I'd be able to handle it,” Green said.

That's changed six weeks in, though.

“I don't need protection right now,” Green said. “I feel like I can go in there and compete with the best of them.”

Green told reporters Tuesday that he'd be comfortable running upwards of 260 plays in the NU offense, depending on the defensive look.

He said he's no longer hesitant to stay in the pocket and use his arm to make plays either. But pulling the football down and running away from linemen is still one of his favorite aspects of the position.

“I always tell coach Watson, “Just let me get hit one time,'” Green said. “Whenever I get in, just let me run the ball, let me run right into somebody, let them try to break me. … If I get in there, if we get a called play for me to run, I'm pretty sure you all will be able to see my smile from the press box.”