Adrian Martinez will likely end up having the worst winning percentage of any Nebraska quarterback of all time. I’d say you can blame about 5% of that record on him. He has never had the type of players around him that Tommy Armstrong had, let alone Tommie Frazier. He has made plays that are reminiscent of Taylor Martinez. He will wind up with more total yards than Eric Crouch.
Unfortunately, he will likely go into the Joe Dailey category on one end, but he was simply as electric as any player we have had this decade on the other. I will miss watching him and wish he had better results because the effort was always there.
I watched Austin Allen at state basketball his senior year. I had a hard time envisioning him being a tight end, but I know that high school ability doesn’t project so easily. Since that time Allen has developed into arguably the best receiving tight end in Husker history. He has been fun to watch and should be a good NFL prospect. I’ve enjoyed his growth as much as any player in recent memory.
When Cam Taylor-Britt arrived at Nebraska, I thought that he was the type of player that Frost would bring in over and over. He played quarterback in high school and was the best athlete on the field no matter where he played. He was the type of hard-working kid that Nebraska was known for. Taylor-Britt has not disappointed in his Husker career. Cornerbacks are always noticed when they screw up, but Taylor-Britt goes long stretches without even a mention. He has been the best player of the Scott Frost era in many ways and will be one of the hardest players to replace next season.
There will be a lot of other players moving on after this game, some more of my favorites include Marquel Dismuke (one of the original California kids that Mike Riley brought in, one of the only ones that panned out), Deontai Williams, Ben Stille and Samari Toure. It’s ok not to name them all, but all Huskers will hold a special place for many of us as they move on. Instead of worrying about the fate of Scott Frost and the replacement staff, I’ll choose to remember this group that played the game as hard as they could. They continue to represent the best of what Nebraska is about.
ON WITH THE REWIND…
Last game prediction was Wisconsin 30 Nebraska 21. The actual score was Wisconsin 35, Nebraska 28. Typical of Nebraska versus Wisconsin, Nebraska moves the ball up and down the field, but can’t stop the Badgers big bad running back. So many questionable calls make this one frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, Nebraska continues to step on their own foot on special teams and questionable red zone strategy. That makes the blown calls all the more glaring, but if Nebraska would clean up their own mess, those bad calls would matter way less.
Quick Notes:
Logan Smothers…When Nebraska recruited Smothers, it was another lifetime ago. He was a Rivals top 250 player and a top ranked dual threat quarterback coming out of high school. He has two full years learning the offense and is a coach’s son. I can’t tell you he will beat Iowa, but I can tell you, I have more confidence in him that I’ve had in a back-up quarterback starting his first game in a long time. He is super athletic. Hopefully Coach Frost can find ways to get him in the open field, it could go a long way toward winning on Friday.
Brody Belt…Belt didn’t start against Wisconsin, but he made the most of his opportunities. He exploded into holes and was patient and didn’t run into the offensive lineman without a plan. It sounds like Jaquez Yant will be starting against Iowa, but I look for Belt to take a dozen touches in the game. If he plays like he did last week, that will be a good sign.
Samari Toure…Toure has been the best treat for Nebraska fans. I’ve mentioned him in this blog more times than I can remember. He has been the explosive playmaker that Nebraska has looked for since Stanley Morgan was here. Every week teams have looked silly trying to find him down the field and every week it seems like he delivers a huge play when Nebraska needs it the most. It was a short time in Lincoln for Toure, but he will be missed by Husker fans for a long time.
Garrett Nelson…I’ve argued since he got here that Nelson is the kind of kid that was hurt by a lack of depth his freshman year. He played and played so hard, but he had no idea what he was doing and would have benefited from a redshirt. Now, he is playing like and old All Big Eight type of hard-nosed linebacker that many of us remember from the old days. It’s likely he will lead the team in sacks and tackles for loss. A lot of people have complained early that he wasn’t that good, but if there were a dozen more players like him on the roster, it’s doubtful Nebraska would suffer on the scoreboard like they have.
Score Prediction: Iowa 23, Nebraska 21
It pains me to say this, but after watching this team all year, I can’t help but acknowledge that they will have a lead in this game with under a minute to play and lose it by a field goal. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know. If by some miracle, Nebraska doesn’t give up two touchdowns by turnover or special teams, they will win this game. Iowa just makes plays based on the other team’s mistakes. This Nebraska team just can’t help themselves. Sounds like a warm day is in store, so I still look forward to spending my last fall day in Memorial Stadium. Here is to better days ahead, and GBR!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING NEBRASKA!!!
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