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Three true freshmen are starting at quarterback in the B1G this season, with two of them — Artur Sitkowski (Rutgers) and Zack Annexstad (Minnesota) — making their debut last weekend. Nebraska’s Adrian Maritnez was scheduled to make the Week 1 start, but the Huskers’ season opener vs. Akron was cancelled due to weather.
Sitkowski and Annexstad were able to open their careers with comfortable victories over inferior opposition in the first week of the season, but things get a lot tougher for both newcomers this Saturday. And for Martinez, his first career start comes in a big-time matchup between old rivals.
This week’s three-and-out takes a brief look at the challenge each true freshman will face in Week 2.
1. Adrian Martinez’s first collegiate start comes in a rivalry game
A severe storm that ripped through Lincoln last weekend cost Martinez some valuable experience before playing a major opponent. Instead, the true freshman will take his first collegiate snaps against Nebraska’s old rival Colorado. And though the two programs haven’t met since 2010, there’s still a lot of fire and passion headed into Saturday’s matchup.
Martinez could’ve used the Akron game to get acclimated to the college game and Nebraska’s offense. Instead, he’ll be thrown into the fire against the Buffaloes. It’ll be interesting to see how Scott Frost uses his freshman quarterback and how Martinez handles the pressure.
2. Life is about to get really difficult for Artur Sitkowski
Sitkowski’s debut wasn’t as crisp as Rutgers had hoped, throwing three interceptions against Texas State. And now, the freshman will line up under center with Nick Bosa, Dre’Mont Jones and the Ohio State defense staring back at him. That’s a frightening sight for a seasoned-veteran, so a kid who was playing high school football a year ago is probably going to have some jitters.
Chris Ash will probably take chances like he did against Texas State — there’s absolutely nothing to lose — but don’t be surprised if the Scarlet Knights try to hide Sitkowski as much as possible. Making it through Saturday’s game without taking too many shots from the Buckeyes defense would be a victory for Sitkowski and the offense.
3. The pace is going to be a lot different for Zack Annexstad
Fresno State dropped 79 points on Idaho on the season opener, so the Bulldogs will probably be able to put a few points on the board against Minnesota. The means Annexstad is going to have to engineer scoring drives more frequently and consistently.
Minnesota made things manageable for the true freshman walk-on in his first appearance. Annexstad was able to get the ball into the hands of playmakers Tyler Johnson and Rashod Bateman. He’ll have to distribute the ball well again this week, but if Rodney Smith can be effective out of the backfield like he was against New Mexico State, Annexstad should be able to move the Gophers down the field against Fresno State.
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