Last fall was meant to be the season that Nebraska football returned to the company of college football elites. A young elite quarterback was returning for his second year. A revamped coaching staff was convinced it was ready to take this Huskers team to heights it hadn’t seen in years.
The hype was growing, and the media had joined in. After the darkest days Nebraska football had experienced in decades, fans were finally ready to see greatness yet again. The star QB Adrian Martinez was going to lead the team to victory, and possibly a Heisman finalist? An all too common disappointment of a season came to pass yet again. Yet, there were some bright spots. Freshman quarterback Luke McCaffrey, brother to Christian McCaffrey and family to a long lineage of football greats made his presence known to Nebraska fans.
New kid on the block
In McCaffrey’s brief appearances in 2019, he showed some of that grit his family is known for. Appearing in only four games for the Huskers, McCaffrey went 9 of 12 passing for 142 yards and two touchdowns. The young QB also showed his skill as a runner going for 166 total yards and a touchdown. If you were to only look at the stats laid out in front of you, he’d look like an average quarterback. Yet, if you were to watch him play you would see there is something special here. McCaffrey was a light during last year’s disappointing season. Many see him as a possible candidate for the starting job.
Quarterback battle continues
Head coach Scott Frost has yet to name a starter. During Tuesday’s video conference, Frost had this to say about the ongoing quarterback battle.
“I wouldn’t say it’s quite clear yet…Adrian’s certainly playing well. Luke’s certainly playing well. We feel like we’ve got two guys at the top of that heap that are playing well enough to help us win games. Every position is a competition. We’re going to have to make those decisions pretty quickly, but I’ve been really impressed with both guys.”
Martinez has been the clear starter for the past two seasons. Having started 21 games for the Huskers, he brings all the experience needed to run this Nebraska offense. The young quarterback of 2018 who shocked the college football world is still in there. The odds are still in favor of the Martinez, but McCaffrey is trailing close behind.
Looking Ahead
This season, Frost has obviously taken a different approach to his high energy, we will crush you interviews. Last year the head coach fed into the hype, building his quarterback up. Frost is most well known for his introduction interview in which he said, “…the Big ten will have to change for us.”
This year’s squad doesn’t have last year’s hype, nor should it. Yet, something still feels different. This year’s team return 10 offensive starters. What the team lacks in skill will be made up for with experience. Frost even dipped into the JUCO pool this offseason and brought in some high-class talent. If the Huskers can get through their gauntlet of a schedule, they might be able to make something out of this season.
10 Days Out ?#thegoodlife pic.twitter.com/rCwQea0VAA
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) October 14, 2020
Photo by The Daily Nebraskan
