Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jonathon Cooper (0) races towards Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Adrian Martinez (2) during the fourth quarter of a NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. Credit: Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch via TNS
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
2020 record: 3-5
Head Coach: Scott Frost
2021 record so far: 1-1
Record vs. OSU since 2010: 1-6
What’s Happened So Far in 2021
Entering head coach Scott Frost’s fourth year at the helm of the Nebraska program, expectations remain relatively low in Lincoln, Nebraska. Frost’s highly anticipated hiring in 2017 has not lived up to its billing, as the Cornhuskers have gone a lowly 13-21 in his tenure. That losing trend continued in the season opener in 2021. Nebraska kicked off the season against divisional rival Illinois and new head coach Brett Bielema in Week 0. The Huskers underwhelmed throughout the first three quarters, while a late comeback attempt fell short in a 30-22 loss to the Fighting Illini in Champaign, Illinois. A week later, the Cornhuskers earned their first win of the 2021 campaign with a 52-14 win over Fordham Saturday.
Key Offensive Player
With the departure of former leading receiver Wan’Dale Robinson to Kentucky, the Cornhuskers rely on the hands of transfer senior wide receiver Samori Toure. Through two games in Frost’s system, Toure is off to a strong start — collecting 11 receptions for 170 yards. Transferring to Lincoln after spending four seasons with Montana, Toure was one of the best wide receivers in the FCS in 2019. The Portland, Oregon, native hauled in 87 receptions for 1,495 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Grizzlies in his final season in the program. Toure’s efforts in the 2019 season made him an FCS All-American and saw him land on the All-Big Sky First Team.
Key Defensive Player
On defense, junior cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt anchors a secondary that finished seventh in the Big Ten in terms of yards per game in 2020. Last season, Taylor-Britt collected 28 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions in eight games. As a result of his breakout year, Taylor-Britt was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team by the conference’s coaches. Taylor-Britt’s impact on this defense goes beyond his play on the field: The Montgomery, Alabama, native was named a team captain for the 2021 team by Frost. Since assuming that role, Taylor-Britt has accumulated four tackles in two games.
Weakness
Nebraska’s biggest weakness lies in the arm of its fourth-year starting quarterback Adrian Martinez, who has regressed in each season with the Cornhuskers. Martinez was a freshman standout — breaking nearly all freshman quarterback records at Nebraska — who never panned out for Frost and the Cornhuskers’ offense. While the Fresno, California, native is dominant running the ball, his inability to be consistent in the passing game has plagued his career. In the midst of a quarterback battle in 2020, Martinez completed 72 percent of his passes for 1,055 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. Through two games so far, Martinez’s difficulty in the passing game is evident. Against Illinois, he only completed half of his passes, but picked up a nice chunk of yardage with 232 yards and a touchdown. Martinez saw a bump in his completion percentage against Fordham, completing 73.9 percent of passes for 254 yards and a score.
