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Rapid Reaction: Nebraska can’t get Adrian Martinez back fast enough after loss to Troy
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Scott Frost doesn’t have to worry about keeping that December 1 date open for the B1G Championship Game. He can go ahead and give athletic director Bill Moos the green light to schedule a 12th game on that Saturday.
Nebraska came up five points short for the second straight week, losing 24-19 to Troy. It’s the first time the program has started a season 0-2 since 1957.
Little mistakes, penalties and costly turnovers hurt the Huskers in back-t0-back losses. But what was most noticeable on Saturday was how much the offense struggled without Adrian Martinez on the field.
Martinez was a game-time decision after suffering a knee injury late last Saturday against Colorado. Though he was dressed for the contest, he didn’t take a single snap. And if you weren’t convinced that the freshman quarterback was going to be a vital part of the Huskers’ offense after last week’s game, it became pretty apparent against Troy.
Nebraska’s offense was abysmal to start the game, punting the ball three times and turning it over twice. It helped Troy jump out to a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter, a hole that proved to deep for the Huskers to escape.
Andrew Bunch just doesn’t possess the same skill-set as Martinez and isn’t nearly as effective with his legs. He was good enough as a passer, completing 19-of-27 passes for 177 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. But his lack of mobility just doesn’t quite fit what Frost wants to do, and the Huskers had to overcome some hiccups early in the game.
Things got slightly better offensively as the game progressed. Perhaps Bunch was getting more comfortable in his role and the game was starting to come a little easier. But it was too little, too late in Lincoln.
Frost talked about the little things all week. Turnovers, penalties, missed assignments and mental lapses were costly against Colorado and were a hinderance again against Troy. But how different the offense looks without Martinez on the field can’t be ignored.
The star freshman can’t return soon enough for the Huskers.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB