• Video: Nebraska coach Bo Pelini after Thursday's practice:

LINCOLN — In 25 years as Nebraska head coach, Tom Osborne only played two true freshmen at quarterback — and started just one.

Osborne said that it can be both a touchy and complicated matter, with no formula or guide to tell you when the time is right.

But Osborne also can simplify it with one pretty short and direct sentence.

“It takes a confident and mature man to do it,'' Osborne said.

As NU athletic director, Osborne is now watching from the periphery as Cody Green takes on the task that Tommie Frazier and Steve Taylor tackled previously under Osborne. Although careful not to draw any comparisons to the players who rank No. 3 and No. 8 on the Huskers' all-time chart for total offense, Osborne sees some of the qualities in Green that made it work for Frazier and Taylor.

“He obviously is talented, a good-sized guy, good speed and a good arm,'' Osborne said. “I think he's got some leadership ability and seems to have good confidence. Now having said that, you can't expect too much from somebody who's just starting his second game, assuming he starts.''

Green appeared briefly in four of the Huskers' first seven games before making his first career start last Saturday at Baylor. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder from Dayton, Texas, is expected to lead the No. 1 offense again when No. 20 Oklahoma visits Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

Frazier saw spot duty in three games before starting the Huskers' sixth game in 1992. Taylor played with the Husker freshman team in 1985 before moving up and appearing in five games in the second half of the season.

“I think we did it about right,'' Osborne said. “They were both productive. I think we played well offensively with them. Obviously you're going to have a few more mistakes than what you have if it's a third- or fourth-year player. That's just the nature of it.

“And, of course, a quarterback is sometimes not a whole lot better than the people around him. If you've got a great supporting cast — a great line, running backs and receivers — it's a lot easier to play quarterback.''

For perspective on how every situation is different, Osborne recounted the story of Turner Gill in 1980 telling Osborne “I'm not ready'' and choosing to stay with the freshman team.

“It really depends on the player,'' Osborne said. “It just takes a certain amount of time. Some people are ready quicker than others.''

Osborne said Green gained one advantage on Frazier and Taylor by enrolling in January and going through spring practice and summer seven-on-seven passing drills before preseason camp started. He also came to NU with some of the experience of Frazier (from Bradenton, Fla.) and Taylor (from Fresno, Calif.).

“Steve had had a lot of success at the high school level and had played in a lot of big games, and Tommie, too,'' Osborne said. “Having that background and experience had helped both of them. And, of course, Cody Green had been involved in a fairly high level of play in Texas, was a three-year starter and had played in big games. So he'd been in the battle a lot.

“Even though the level of competition has stepped up and things are moving a little faster, having been in that environment has been helpful.''

Osborne and NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson agree on several of the requirements for a freshman quarterback to play, although Watson said they have never discussed it together. Watson said his biggest prior decision with a freshman quarterback came with Craig Ochs at Colorado in 2000.

Aside from talent, obviously, Watson said other major elements to consider are maturity and poise, the background to manage and competitiveness.

“To be a freshman starter, you've really got to be competitive,'' Watson said. “You've got to be a competitive guy.

“You'd like this to be a great thing for Cody and our future. You've just got to see how it turns out. There's no magical answer. It's not an exact science.''

Watson and NU head coach Bo Pelini said Green did some good and bad in his starting debut, when Green completed 12 of 21 passes for 128 yards and ran eight times for 43 yards. Green had an interception returned for a touchdown and lost a fumble at Baylor.

Watson said it was going to be an adjustment for the freshman after his previous appearances came in three games where NU was safely ahead and another when the Huskers trailed by two touchdowns.

“The first time you walk out there on the field it's obviously different than practice,'' Watson said. “You can't simulate a game, the emotions of a game and the highs and lows and things that go on. So he had, I think, a valuable learning experience in that game.''

Osborne said he doesn't remember specific conversations with Frazier before his first start or Taylor before his first game. But he's pretty sure the message had to do with playing within the system and their abilities, and not trying to do too much single-handedly.

“But the main thing was to try to make sure they were well-prepared in practice, because if they couldn't do it in practice there was no reason to think they could do it in a game,'' Osborne said.

Contact the writer:

444-1042, rich.kaipust@owh.com