Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1276571
2019 RECORD 5-7, 3-6 Big Ten COACH Scott Frost (9-15 in two seasons at Nebraska; career record: 28-22) OFFENSE Nebraska su>ered a huge set- back this summer when wideout J.D. Spielman transferred to TCU. Spielman caught 170 passes for 2,546 yards in his three seasons with the Cornhuskers, ranking third in school his- tory in both categories. His exit deprives Adrian Mar- tinez of a major target just as the junior quarterback is looking to rebound from a disappointing 2019 season. Martinez's completion percentage dipped from 65 percent as a freshman to 59 percent last year, while his touchdown-interception ratio went from 17-8 to 10- 9. He may have to hold o> a challenge from Luke Mc- Ca>rey in preseason camp, and the Cornhuskers might also need some help from one or two of their =ve true freshman wideouts to get the passing game humming again. As for the ground game, Dedrick Mills is back a@er rushing for 745 yards last sea- son, and the 225-pound Martinez is a for- midable runner himself, totaling 626 yards as a sophomore. DEFENSE Inside linebacker Will Honas is back a@er ranking second on the team in tackles last season with 73, including =ve tackles for loss. Outside linebacker Collin Miller had nearly identical stats, =nishing with 67 stops and =ve TFL. Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt is another playmaker. A year ago, Taylor-Britt was a takeaway machine, =nishing with three interceptions, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. The Cornhuskers could use more of that sort of opportunism a@er ranking 10th in the Big Ten in total defense last year (388.8 yards per game) and 11th in scoring defense (27.8 points per game). SPECIAL TEAMS The Cornhuskers =elded one of the worst kick- ing games in the Big Ten last season, a haunting realization considering that they lost four games by a touchdown or less. Six kickers attempted at least one =eld goal, and four kickers were used on kicko>s. The most successful was Matt Waldoch, who hit 4 for 4 =eld goal tries, with a long kick of 41 yards. Punter Isaac Arm- strong has graduated, which likely means that Michigan State transfer William Przystup will take over those duties. OUTLOOK It feels awfully premature to suggest that Frost's seat is getting warm. He's only two years into a contract that extends through the 2026 season. But in the back of their minds, the Nebraska faithful have to be asking themselves the same question that the Michigan faithful have been asking lately: What if the seemingly perfect guy for the job isn't able to get the program where it wants to go? Nebraska's recent struggles have been a lot more acute than Michigan's. There's only one team that the Wolver- ines haven't been able to beat, while the Cornhuskers have been struggling with just about everybody. They've =nished with losing records for three consecutive years, the past two under Frost. That hasn't happened in Lincoln since 1959- 61. And the degree of di?culty may have just increased with the sudden rise of West Division rival Minnesota. P.J. Fleck is doing with the Gophers what Ne- braska had been looking to do under Frost. That doesn't mean the Corn- huskers won't be able to turn things around, especially if Martinez returns to form a@er an up-and-down sophomore season. But they'll need to start showing signs of progress when football resumes. Frost may have banked a lot of goodwill at his alma mater, but it's not an inex- haustible resource. ■ TOP RETURNEES PASSING Adrian Martinez 149 of 251 | 1,956 yds. | 10 TD | 9 int. RUSHING Dedrick Mills 143 att. | 745 yds. | 10 TD RECEIVING Wan'Dale Robinson 40 rec. | 453 yds. | 2 TD TACKLING Will Honas 43 solo | 30 asst. | 73 total SACKS Ben Stille 3 sacks | 20 yds. 4. NEBRASKA >> =eld goal attempts, including 14 of 18 from 40 yards or more. Duncan's 29 makes set a Big Ten single-season record. The Hawkeyes need a new punter, but they return another di>er- ence-maker in the kicking game in Smith-Marsette, who led the Big Ten with a 29.6-yard kick-return average last season. OUTLOOK Iowa has had a di?cult reck- oning this summer, as a number of for- mer Hawkeyes have come forward with allegations of racial bias within the pro- gram. The complaints led to the depar- ture in June of longtime strength coach Chris Doyle, and Ferentz pledged to cre- ate "an environment where everybody feels free to talk and say their mind." How well the Hawkeyes are able to heal those wounds is anyone's guess at this point. But looking strictly at their personnel, you have to like their outlook this season. If they can =nd the answers they're seek- ing at quarterback, it's not so di?cult to imagine them emerging as contenders in a West Division that looks to be as wide open as it's ever been. ■ SCOTT FROST Eric Upchurch/MGoBlog P E N N S TAT E O P P O N E N T O C T. 3 1 @ M E M O R I A L STA D I U M , L I N C O L N , N E B .