The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 133 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Nebraska head coach Scott Frost is now entering his fourth season back at his alma mater and he has yet to post a winning record, with his seat getting warmer by the year. The Huskers haven't enjoyed a winning season since 2016, and have finished above .500 only six times over the last 11 campaigns (2010-20). Frost and Co. are hoping the breakthrough comes this fall, after a 2020 season in which they posted a 3-5 record and stayed in neu- tral. Key pieces are returning, especially at quarterback and on defense, but they'll need to provide more than they have in the past if Nebraska wants to get over the hump. Despite returning just four offensive players who started more than half the team's games last season, Nebraska will look similar on that side of the ball, with junior quarterback Adrian Martinez once again set to start behind center. Martinez, a team captain, did it all for the Huskers a year ago, completing 71.5 percent of his passes for 1,055 yards with four touch- downs, while also leading the team in rushing (91 carries for 521 yards and seven scores). Running the ball wasn't the problem for Ne- braska last season. It finished second in the Big Ten in both rushing yards per game (201.4) and yards per carry (4.8). Fifth-year senior running back Dedrick Mills will accompany Martinez in the backfield once again, after checking in second on the team in rushing yards with 396 and scoring three touchdowns. Help is coming Martinez's way at wide receiver, with the team adding fifth-year senior Samori Toure as a transfer from Mon- tana this offseason. He earned first-team All-America honors in the Football Cham- pionship Subdivision in 2019 and racked up 155 receptions for 2,488 yards and 20 touchdowns in his three years as a Grizzly. Redshirt junior tight end Austin Mack had a breakout season in 2020, notching career highs in receptions (18) and receiving yards (236). He will be a steady pass-catching force once again. The defense is looking to improve upon the average numbers it registered a year ago. The Huskers ranked seventh in the Big Ten in scoring defense (29.4 points per game allowed) and sixth in total defense (386.5 yards per game allowed). The experience is there for the Huskers to take a big step for- ward, with nine starters set to return. Five Nebraska defensive seniors decided to use the NCAA's extra year of eligibility and come back to the program. One of them was the squad's leading tackler, sixth-year senior outside linebacker JoJo Domann. He made 58 tackles (6.5 for loss) and broke up five passes last year. Domann is one of three sixth-year players who headline the front seven, joining de- fensive end Ben Stille and inside linebacker Will Honas. Stille notched 27 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and three quarter- back hurries last season, while Honas tied with Domann for the team lead in stops for loss (6.5). Honas also posted 57 stops, three sacks and two hurries. Despite the talent and experience up front, the Huskers want to see more pressure cre- ated, after finishing 96th nationally in sacks per game (1.6). Second-team All-Big Ten cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt also decided to give it one more shot in Lincoln, opting to return instead of de- claring for the NFL Draft following his third collegiate campaign. Last year, he totaled 28 tackles with three stops for loss, broke up four passes and made two interceptions. The secondary was perhaps the biggest bright spot on the defense in 2020, yielding 217.0 yards per game through the air, which ranked 45th in the country. Notes Nebraska ranked 123rd nationally in turn- over margin per game (-1.38), one of the reasons for its offensive struggles in 2020 … Quarterback Luke McCaffrey, brother of former Michigan QB Dylan McCaffrey, transferred to Louisville this offseason, after completing 48 of 76 passes for 466 yards, and rushing for 364 yards and three touch- downs last year. ❏ Junior quarterback Adrian Martinez's 71.5-percent completion rate last season was a school record for a single season. PHOTO BY SCOTT BRUHN/COURTESY NEBRASKA ATHLETICS Time Is Ticking For Scott Frost And The Cornhuskers 2021 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2020 Result Aug. 28 at Illinois L, 41-23 Sept. 4 Fordham — Sept. 11 Buffalo — Sept. 18 at Oklahoma — Sept. 25 at Michigan State — Oct. 2 Northwestern L, 21-13 Oct. 9 Michigan — Oct. 16 at Minnesota L, 24-17 Oct. 30 Purdue W, 37-27 Nov. 6 Ohio State L, 52-17 Nov. 20 at Wisconsin — Nov. 26 Iowa L, 26-20 PLAYERS TO WATCH Offense: Samori Toure, Sr., WR In 2019, the 6-3, 190-pounder led the Big Sky and was second in the FCS with a Montana-record 1,495 receiv- ing yards on 87 receptions … He posted six games of 100 or more yards that year. Defense: Cam Taylor-Britt, Jr., CB Athlon named him a preseason first-team All-Big Ten performer … He allowed 24 receptions on 38 targets last season. GAME 6 • NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS • OCT. 9 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Michigan leads 5-4-1 First Meeting: U-M 31, Nebraska 0 (Oct. 21, 1905 at Ann Arbor) Last Meeting: U-M 56, Nebraska 10 (Sept. 22, 2018 at Ann Arbor) Head Coach: Scott Frost, 12-20 at Nebraska (4th year) and 31-27 overall (6th year) 2020 In Review: 3-5 overall, 3-5 Big Ten (5th West) Final 2020 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 14 (4 offense, 9 defense, 1 spe - cialist) Last Bowl Appearance: 2016 (Music City Bowl vs. Ten- nessee, L 38-24) Returning Leaders Passing: Adrian Martinez (1,055 yards, 4 TD) Rushing: Martinez (521 yards, 7 TD) Receiving: Austin Allen (236 yards, 1 TD) Tackles: JoJo Domann (58) Sacks: Will Honas (3) Interceptions: Cam Taylor-Britt, Myles Farmer (2)