For most of the Bill Callahan administration at Nebraska, the diminutive gum-chewing coach of unfortunate catchphrases couldn’t get a break with his gilded quarterbacks.

They either cut town (Joe Dailey and Harrison Beck), got sick (Jordan Adams) broke up with NU over voicemail (Josh Freeman), weren’t quite as good as advertised (Sam Keller) or wisely backed out the door when the waiting room looked a little grim (Blaine Gabbert).

Bo Pelini rolled double fives in his first year with a blue-collar, suburban Chicago kid, Joe Ganz. Chips for everybody at the table, ditto the waitress. Maybe he’ll do it again with the similarly built Zac Lee. Or maybe Cody Green, after a year of seasoning, is the franchise quarterback Husker fans hope he is.

But now, a couple more quarterbacks – former Miami signal-caller Robert Marve and former Duke basketball point guard Greg Paulus - have at least knocked on NU’s door, and are inspecting the exterior to see if they want to come in.

The question is: Would or should Pelini invite them to stay?

In case of Marve, it’d be a three-year commitment, with Marve redshirting in 2009 to play two seasons after that. With Paulus, it’s a one-year, one-shot deal, as one of the nation’s best high school quarterbacks in 2004 spent four years as the Blue Devils’ point guard.

A quick scan of the many NU fan message boards reflects trepidation among Big Red Faithful for either player. Husker followers, ever loyal, seem concerned about two issues:

*Impact on team chemistry. Specifically a guy like Green, who’s been tabbed as “the guy” in 2010 or 2011. Quarterbacks are often a competitive-yet-tight-knit bunch, and introducing a new guy is a bit like adding a new critter to a pond. He’d better be ecologically compatible. Michigan’s quarterbacks, reportedly, weren’t too keen on Paulus joining the Wolverines, for example, after national news broke that he was considering a transfer there.

*Eating up needed scholarships. With Paulus, he’d be taking a scholarship likely headed to a deserving walk-on who’s bound to play more than Paulus would. Marve’s scholarship would be a three-year commitment, and may deter some other QB recruit from taking the Husker plunge.

There are additional concerns – Marve’s ugly divorce from Miami, Paulus’ rustiness and lack of raw arm strength – to consider, too.

But Pelini, and offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, are chemistry guys. Players who aren’t fitting in either leave NU or make the slow drip down the depth chart. If Paulus and/or Marve rub Pelini and Watson wrong, they won’t get an RSVP.

The scholarship argument is intriguing. Nebraska has so few scholarships available – three or four under 20, barring something unforeseen - for the 2010 recruiting class because the typical attrition that occurs with coaching regime change has been less pronounced under Pelini. Yes, you’ve got Witt, John Levorsen, Major Culbert and a few others way down the depth chart. But this isn’t the exodus NU initially experienced under Callahan, or Kansas State decidedly didn’t enjoy with Ron Prince. Because Callahan signed what looks a terrific class in 2007 – and Pelini followed it up with 28 signees in 2008 – the 2010 class was destined to be small.

Worrying about whether Marve cheats NU out of some prospect would be blaming a potential transfer for a problem they didn’t create. As for eating up a scholarship intended for a walk-on? There are scholarship guys on NU’s roster now who inhabit the basement of the depth chart without much hope of ever playing. If Pelini and Co. want to honor those scholarships, well, we applaud it, but the consequence of doing so is leaving some walk-ons unrewarded.

You think Paul Velander on Nebraska’s basketball team didn’t look at some of Doc Sadler’s scholarship recruits – stiffs like Alex Chapman and Shang Pint – and occasionally wonder “Why?” Of course. But Velander was a motivated team guy, and Sadler got him to buy in. Velander was the team MVP in 2009.

Not every walk-on success story ends with a scholarship. Ask Derek Meyer.

So the real question becomes: Can they contribute?

In the case of Paulus, there’s no firm answer, and it’s not like Husker coaches can put him through a three-hour exam of field drills and film study to find out.

We know Paulus is a team guy – he gave up his starting point guard position at Duke for his senior season to no real avail come the NCAA Tournament. We also know he’s mentally tough, having withstood the merciless verbal abuse of every opposing student section in the ACC. For three years, Paulus was a lightning rod for criticism, the poster child for What’s Wrong with Duke Basketball. The 2009 NCAA Tournament, in which the Blue Devils were filleted by Villanova in the Sweet Sixteen, proved that theory at least partially false. At any rate, you’re getting a kid who knows how to compete amidst adversity.

But Paulus has talked about wanting to fight for a starting job. Well, he won’t start at NU; built much like Lee, without Lee’s speed and apparent arm strength, there’s virtually no way Paulus wins the job in the fall unless Lee gets hurt. Sure, Paulus could learn at the feet of a very good NFL-style offensive coordinator in Watson, but unless his heart is really into being a backup, what’s the point?

Marve is more appealing.

The redshirt year gives him a chance to learn the offense while he works out the kinks on the scout team. And while his Miami statistics don’t necessarily suggest it – a 55 percent completion rate, 13 interceptions - Marve had his moments last year. He throws a smooth spiral, shows requisite arm strength and is particularly adept at moving around the pocket without taking off downfield.

Plus, the Hurricanes’ offensive line was average at best, and Marve faced five top 25 defenses (Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest). That’s not entirely an excuse for the turnovers, but the kid isn’t, say, Cody Hawkins. He’s an NFL talent with moxie and toughness, and he spent two years in a pro-style attack that may not mirror Nebraska’s version of the West Coast Offense, but at least clues him in to some key principles.

Marve would arrive at NU with some baggage, most of which is well known. That said, a complete separation from his home in Tampa, his high school coach and even his parents might be good for him. Nebraska is a bona fide football factory and it may benefit Marve to dive head first in the deep end of the Big Red pool, immersing himself in Shawn Watson’s thick playbook and daunting work ethic.

Concerns about his competing with Lee, or Green, are fair, but Nebraska should foster and embrace competition instead of worrying about whose feathers get ruffled.

If Marve seems OK with competing, and doesn’t demand some kind of answer or ultimatum, then NU should give the kid a long, strong look.

Check out video on Robert Marve: Texas A&M game and North Carolina game.

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