Nebraska will want to do better in its second Big Ten game this season than in its first, which should not be difficult because it’s hard to imagine the Cornhuskers being worse than they were last week against Michigan.

When Big Red lines up against Purdue (3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Big Ten Network) the Memorial Stadium crowd will be as hungry as the players are to snap Nebraska’s seven-game losing streak.

How? Here are five things I’d like to see from the Cornhuskers to help them break their long skid:

Protect Martinez

Adrian Martinez had the stadium buzzing in his debut as a true freshman quarterback starter on Sept. 8 against Colorado. He had Big Red Nation wincing in sympathy after the beating he took last week at Michigan. Nebraska’s offensive line has to do a better job of giving Martinez time to throw — or make plays with his feet — for him to have success. Purdue’s defense is not as good as Michigan’s but the Boilermakers are tied for 29th in the FBS with 2.75 sacks per game, so they can bring some heat.

Just be average on returns

I know I keep harping on this but the return game has been weak for Nebraska. There’s no other way to put it. The Cornhuskers are 124th out of 129 teams which are counted in the NCAA’s official FBS stats in punt returns at 0.2 yards per attempt. Purdue isn’t much better (98th, 5.4 ypr). At a minimum, Nebraska returner Tyjon Lindsey has to be more judicious in fielding punts than he was against the Wolverines when his fumble led to a turnover. First, do no harm.

Chase Blough

As much concern as there is about protecting Martinez, the good news for Nebraska fans is that Purdue isn’t very good at keeping the pocket clean, either. The Boilermakers are tied for 83rd in FBS in fewest sacks allowed (2.25 per game) and the Cornhuskers have at least had intermittent success in applying pressure. Linebacker Luke Gifford and defensive end Freedom Akinmoladun are tied for the team lead with 2.5 sacks apiece. The Cornhuskers can swing the game in their favor by hitting Boilermakers quarterback David Blough often.

Stop Blough

Speaking of Blough, he has had an up-and-down career for Purdue. But he stunned everyone by passing for 572 yards on Sept. 15 against Missouri in a losing effort. He has seven 300-yard passing games in his career, but until that Mizzou game they all happened in 2015 or 2016. He was hurt midway into last season, and even when healthy he has never been consistent. Still, Nebraska hasn’t shown that it can make big plays on defense so Blough can be dangerous. It’s time for the Cornhuskers defense as a whole, and secondary in particular, to step up.

A sigh of relief for Scott Frost

The new Cornhuskers coach is saying all the right things in the midst of the program’s first 0-3 start since 1945. It’s high time the players delivered and gave Frost the victory that he has been awaiting for a month.