
Nebraska: Signs Cornhuskers will win -- someday
There are no moral victories, not for a proud football program in the midst of its longest losing streak ever.
That is the harsh reality after Nebraska squandered a 10-point lead late in Saturday’s 34-31 overtime loss at Northwestern.
The Cornhuskers are 0-6, the first such start in program history, and are on a 10-game losing streak dating to last season. In a lot of ways, Saturday’s game was as close as the score indicates, but Nebraska simply could not make the final stop that it needed to hold off the Wildcats.
So it’s no comfort that Big Red is getting closer to winning, nor should it be. But there is no denying that Nebraska has improved over the past few weeks and that there are indications that this losing streak will end soon.
Here are 5 signs that the Cornhuskers will win — someday.
Frost’s emphasis on culture
Cornhuskers coach Scott Frost was candid about his team’s start, then at 0-5, in an interview last week with ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi. “We have to own what we are,” Frost said. “If you’re not willing to look at who you are then you’re not going to fix who you are. Right now we’re on hard times.” When Frost took over as head coach at UCF, the Knights were coming off of an 0-12 in 2015. Two years later Frost led UCF to a 13-0 season and a Peach Bowl win over Auburn. Frost brought two UCF players with him to Lincoln including graduate transfer safety Tre Neal, who had a nice interception against Northwestern. The change in culture seems to be paying off, albeit slowly. Even after last week’s painful loss, Frost said that Monday’s practice was “probably our best overall practice of the year.”
Luke Gifford’s leadership
The senior outside linebacker was everywhere against the Wildcats, recording seven tackles (six solo), a sack, a career-high four tackles for loss and two QB hits. He also fielded Northwestern’s onside kick late in the fourth quarter. Gifford leads the Cornhuskers this season in tackles for loss (10) and sacks (4.5) plus his three QB hits are tied for the team lead. Most of all, though, he has a non-stop motor and a level of effort and intensity that is sure to set an example and rub off on younger players.
Adrian Martinez’s development
The true freshman missed the game against Troy when he was injured. He seems to be back to 100 percent now. Martinez is growing as a passer and has the elusiveness to give defenses matchup nightmares. He already has become the second freshman in program history to throw for more than 1,000 yards in a season and has rushed for 290 yards, second on the team behind Devine Ozigbo. On this play on Saturday, Martinez makes a quick move to duck a rusher, keeps his eyes downfield as he scrambles left, and displays a deft touch to lob a pass over a defender for a completion:
Fundamentals getting better
The line play on both sides of the ball and the blocking out wide has been better lately for Nebraska. “The lack of busts in the game points to guys being dialed in better to what they’re supposed to be doing,” Frost told the media on Monday. He said some players were still lined up wrong at crucial times against Northwestern, and the tackling still needs work. But the fundamentals are improving.
The Big Ten West isn’t that good
The Cornhuskers got no breaks from the schedule makers, having to face Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State as their B1G East Division crossover games. But Nebraska has a couple of very legitimate chances to win coming up — this Saturday against Minnesota and on Nov. 10 against Illinois. In the past three games, all against West foes, Nebraska has put up an average of 527.3 yards and 27.7 points. Big Red needs to score a bit more but the offense is on the right track. The defense really must improve but if it can just come up with a few more stops, Nebraska should snap this losing streak soon. As Frost said: “There’s a lot of guys making plays. We came up one play short.”