If insanity is doing the same thing over and over … what does that say about Nebraska?

As fall camps get under way across the country and beat writers churn out content about the biggest storylines for their respective teams, it’s noteworthy where there isn’t a story: Nebraska’s quarterback position.

Looking for an indictment of Scott Frost’s tenure beyond the win-loss record? He is entering his 4th season in Lincoln, and he doesn’t have anyone who can challenge Adrian Martinez for the starting quarterback spot. There is more of a focus on the battle between Logan Smothers and Heinrich Haarberg to back up Martinez, rather than either of those guys pushing a QB with just 1 300-yard passing game in his last 23 starts.

Instead of stories about which QB is pushing Martinez, there are reports of how he is rejuvenated and refocused and that this is the season that he’ll finally be comfortable as a pocket passer. This is the season that he’s now “playing free” and “has nothing left to lose.” That Martinez “is playing at the highest level I’ve ever seen,” according to tight ends coach Sean Beckton.

I’m sorry, but after a certain point, Martinez is who he is.

We have a large enough sample size to know who the Huskers are with Martinez at QB — a below-average offense that is limited through the air and lacks explosiveness. It’s not a winning combination; Nebraska is 11-16 in games that Martinez started, with no bowl-game appearances.

In other words, I’m not buying any of the hype out of Lincoln.

As Martinez enters his fourth season as the starting QB, and there are only 5 QBs with more starts (for a Power 5 team): Pitt’s Kenny Pickett (36), Baylor’s Charlie Brewer (34), Iowa State’s Brock Purdy (33) and Kansas State’s Skylar Thompson (30). He’s had ample opportunity to prove himself, and he’s only gotten worse since he burst onto the scene as a true freshman with 2 300-passing games in his first 3 Big Ten outings.

Martinez is insanely lucky to get this many chances to prove himself. Think about what a guy like LSU’s Myles Brennan would do to get so many opportunities to play. At top-flight programs, you get a few games. Or at Georgia, you get a half. At some Big Ten programs, you might get a year. But to be unchallenged going into Year 4?

And here’s the kicker. Everyone is trying to talk about Martinez like this is finally going to be the year he breaks through. It’s like Nebraska is trying to talk itself into this charade because he is the only option the Huskers have heading into a pivotal season in which the fan base is getting sick and tired of losing.

Look at this quote from Beckton about Martinez’s improvement: “It’s night and day as far as his mechanics, his leadership, his confidence. You can see it.”

If that’s remotely true and Martinez’s mechanics, leadership and confidence really were that bad before, why has he been Nebraska’s starting QB for 3 years? I had to reread that quote 3 times to make sure he was talking about one of the longest-tenured starting QBs in the country and not someone who was just learning the ropes as an underclassman.

Even though Nebraska’s best offensive player, Wan’Dale Robinson, transferred to Kentucky, the spin from Frost is that Martinez finally has the weapons he hasn’t had in 3 years. Maybe that’s the case. He’d better hope so, because Nebraska’s pass offense keeps getting worse, from 52nd nationally in 2018, to 82nd in 2019, to 103rd in 2020. The Huskers are awful in the red zone, as they produced only 18 touchdowns in 35 trips last season (107th nationally).

Excuse me if I’m not sipping the Kool Aid coming out of Nebraska and I’m a bit more skeptical of the strides a player is making entering his 4th season as the starter. I don’t blame Martinez’s teammates for talking him up; what are they supposed to do? I don’t blame Martinez; he seems like a nice enough guy who works hard and is well-liked. I blame the coaches for not figuring out a way to make him more successful and for not getting a player who can beat him out.

At what other big-time program would this go on for more than a season? Especially in today’s world of the transfer portal, adding another quarterback has never been easier. And yet, Nebraska is going in with the same plan as the last three, with even less competition for Martinez after Luke McCaffrey transferred.

Frost was the 17th-highest paid coach in FBS, according to USA Today’s database. He makes $5 million per season. Nebraska fans deserve better than another season of mediocrity. There’s a reason Nebraska was picked 5th in the Big Ten West Division.

It brings to mind this quote: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

That’s Nebraska in a nutshell.

And hey, if Martinez can’t lead Nebraska to a bowl game this season, he still has one more year of eligibility in 2022. I can see the headlines now: “Fifth-year starter Adrian Martinez really starting to turn the corner, lighting up fall camp.”

Sigh.

Ryan O'Gara

Ryan O'Gara is the lead columnist for Saturday Tradition. Follow him on Twitter @RyanOGara.