LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska looked dead in the water. The Huskers were being humiliated on their home field. And then, Lavonte David stripped Braxton Miller and pounced on the ball. Moments later, Miller injured his right ankle and hobbled off the field. And just like that, momentum swung toward Big Red. Down 27-6 in the third quarter, Nebraska rallied with 28 unanswered points to win 34-27 in its Big Ten home debut. It marked the biggest comeback in team history, and it occurred in Nebraska’s first Big Ten home game as a member of the conference. The previous record came against Texas A&M in 2002, when Nebraska erased a 17-point deficit. One team’s season possibly saved, another team’s misery prolonged. Ohio State, which performed so well for the first 35 minutes or so, is 0-2 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2004. The Scarlet and Gray simply can’t buy a break right now, as they looked absolutely shell-shocked after Miller’s injury. The offense went nowhere with Joe Bauserman
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Huskers complete historic comeback
Filed under Football by on Oct 9th, 2011. Comment. 
From the beginning, Bo Pelini has made it about Nebraska and no one else. He contributed practically nothing to the hype following Nebraska throughout its transition to the Big Ten Conference. Asked numerous times about preparing for new teams, new schemes and new stadiums, Pelini has tossed out brief, bland responses and waited for the conversation to return to his team and its mission. In case you haven’t heard, Nebraska’s game this week at Wisconsin happens to mark its first league contest as a Big Ten member. It happens to be the first Big Ten matchup of top-10 teams — Nebraska is ranked eighth, Wisconsin seventh — since the 2008 season. It happens to pair two undefeated teams led by two dynamic quarterbacks ( Russell Wilson and Taylor Martinez ). It happens to mark the teams’ first meeting since 1974. It happens to feature the two teams many project to meet in the inaugural Big Ten championship game in December. Oh, and a little show called ESPN “College GameDay” will be there for it all. Saturday’s game seems like a really big deal. Not for Bo Buzzkill. Here are some snippets from Pelini’s news conference Monday: “The hoopla is all for you guys. It is just the next game on the schedule for us.” “The No
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Huskers shun hype but relish opportunity
Filed under Football, News by on Sep 27th, 2011. Comment.
Today is all about the QBs here at ESPN.com, and here’s a look at each of the quarterback races in the Big 12. IOWA STATE The safe bet: Jerome Tiller . Tiller, a junior, has filled in for Austen Arnaud much of the past two seasons, but struggled late last season after Arnaud suffered a season-ending knee injury. Tiller quarterbacked a win at Nebraska in 2009, but didn’t look much improved in the game time he earned in 2010. The wild card: Steele Jantz. Jantz is a speedy transfer from junior college in California who also arrived at Iowa State with his top receiver from the City College of San Francisco, Aaron Horne. Jantz will have to keep learning the offense, but can he inject life in to the offense with his legs like Taylor Martinez did for Nebraska? Iowa State’s version of The Decision is set for Aug. 20. Who will be taking their talents under center at Jack Trice Stadium? The dark horse: Jared Barnett . James Capello , a fourth contender, transferred, but Paul Rhoads says Barnett still has a chance. Can he make enough noise in fall camp to make that a reality? KANSAS The heavy favorite: Jordan Webb . Webb started seven games as a redshirt freshman in 2010, and appeared to take control during the summer, but he struggled last season. He should learn from experience, too. Last year’s opening-day starter, Kale Pick , is now a receiver. Webb will almost certainly get the call for the season opener, but if he doesn’t improve, that could change fast. The underdog: Quinn Mecham . Mecham started four of the final five games for the Jayhawks, but the senior and junior college transfer might not be the best long-term option for Kansas. Webb learning on the go could pay off in the future, while any lessons Mecham learns will be out the door after the season. Mecham as the backup might be a better role for the team’s greater good. The wild cards: Brock Berglund and Michael Cummings. A pair of true freshmen, Cummings enters with a bit less talent but much less baggage. Berglund was a blue-chip recruit from Colorado, but legal issues stemming from an April assault charge have him spending much more time back home than anticipated. Berglund also missed summer voluntary workouts because of the charge and went back to Colorado before spring practice began, despite enrolling at Kansas in January, a semester earlier than the rest of the freshman class. Expect a redshirt for one of the two, but the two quarterbacks in front of them haven’t exactly set the bar high. If the favorites struggle, don’t be surprised to see Cummings or Berglund get a chance. KANSAS STATE The heavy favorite: Collin Klein . Coach Bill Snyder has already given Klein the status as Day 1 starter, but the Wildcats have played two quarterbacks before under Snyder, and Klein’s backups could benefit from a similar strategy this season. The only rumors surrounding Klein are those of vast development during the summer, but he’ll have to prove it during fall camp and early in the season to get a stranglehold on the job. The hype man: Justin Tuggle.
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Breaking down the Big 12 QB derbies
Filed under Football by on Aug 9th, 2011. Comment.
Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez doesn’t often divulge a whole lot to the media. But the sophomore talked to CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd about last season’s most controversial moment, when head coach Bo Pelini got in his face during a loss to Texas A&M. Martinez re-injured his right ankle during the game and called his father, Casey, in the locker room after being examined. After he emerged from the locker room, Pelini poked his finger in the chest of the quarterback. Here’s Martinez’s recollection of events, via Dodd: “I went back to the lockerroom. I couldn’t move at all. It was so painful, my left toe and my right ankle. I was in so much pain. I didn’t think I was going back in. “I was trying to walk to our lockerroom to feel it out. I plugged in my phone for the charger. It was on and it lit up. I saw it. I saw my dad called me. I called him back and told him I didn’t think I was going back in. I couldn’t move at all. I explained to him what happened.” Martinez said his dad was worried that he had torn his ACL or broken a bone and “was concerned like any other father would be.” He said a team trainer was next to him when he made the call. “Coach Pelini misunderstood what one of the trainers told him [about] what was going on. That’s when Coach Pelini came over and talked to me about it. He was heated because of everything going on, everything going on in the game.” Pelini also got after the officials that night, and Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman criticized the coach’s behavior. There were also rampant rumors that Martinez would leave the team after that loss. If Martinez is willing to talk about that now, perhaps this matter can be considered settled once and for all. And that would be a good thing for the Cornhuskers, who have no experienced depth behind him at quarterback. They need a healthy and focused T-Magic in order to contend in their first year of Big Ten play.
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Martinez says Pelini ‘misunderstood’ call
Filed under Football by on Jun 29th, 2011. Comment.
The 2011 position rankings continue with the most important spot on the field. After several down years, quarterback became a strength in the Big Ten last season as six signal-callers ranked among the top 20 nationally in pass efficiency . Three of those quarterbacks return along with promising young players like Illinois’ Nathan Scheelhaase and Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez . But the Big Ten quarterback landscape is shrouded in mystery. Reigning offensive player of the year Denard Robinson is transitioning to a new offense. All-Big Ten selection Dan Persa is coming off of a serious injury. Two teams that shared the league title in 2010 — Wisconsin and Ohio State — have very shaky situations at quarterback. One quarterback who could transfer into the league, Russell Wilson , would change the rankings quite a bit. These rankings take into account both past performance and potential for the 2011 season. Here are the top 10 quarterbacks entering 2011: 1. Denard Robinson, Michigan, junior: Robinson will have an adjustment period and likely some growing pains along with it. He won’t run the ball as much as he did in 2010. But when it comes to pure playmaking skills and pure athleticism, Robinson is unmatched in the league. His record-settling accomplishments in 2010 shouldn’t be overlooked and neither should the strides he made as a passer. He must show greater overall consistency and the ability to attack upper-tier defenses, but he’ll be working with a good crop of receivers and behind a solid offensive line. 2. Dan Persa, Northwestern, senior: How Persa bounces back from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon could determine Northwestern’s season, but his progress so far has been encouraging. He has been well ahead of schedule throughout the rehab process. If Persa is indeed 100 percent, Northwestern should have one of the Big Ten’s most dangerous offenses. Arguably no Big Ten player meant more to his team than Persa did to Northwestern in 2010. He has a deep and talented receiving corps at his disposal and will operate behind the nation’s second-most experienced offensive line. Northwestern must find ways to take some of the running burden off of Persa. 3. Kirk Cousins , Michigan State, senior: Cousins is the most-experienced Big Ten quarterback and, unlike Robinson and Persa, doesn’t have major question marks lurking over him. The Spartans’ signal-caller had a terrific 2010 campaign, passing for 2,825 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and ranking 18th nationally in efficiency (150.7 rating). He fought through injuries during the second half of the season to lead Michigan State to a share of the league title. Cousins must eliminate performances like Iowa and Alabama, and he’ll be operating behind a new-look offensive line this fall. The senior has a good group of receivers and tight ends, led by B.J. Cunningham and Keshawn Martin . 4. Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois, sophomore: If you can’t tell, I’m pretty excited about Scheelhaase’s prospects for 2011. He finished a very solid freshman season by making major strides in bowl practice and showcasing improved passing skills in the Texas Bowl against Baylor. Scheelhaase is a dynamic athlete who rushed for 868 yards and five touchdowns last season and will work behind a solid offensive line in 2011. He must continue to take steps as a passer, especially since Illinois doesn’t have much proven depth at receiver other than A.J. Jenkins . Scheelhaase also has displayed good leadership and maturity, two areas where he should continue to thrive. 5. Taylor Martinez, Nebraska, sophomore: Martinez looked like two different players during and up-and-down freshman season. When healthy, he was just as dangerous as Michigan’s Robinson with the ball in his hands. Martinez racked up 112 or more rushing yards in five of Nebraska’s first seven contests, and had 435 yards of offense in a win against Oklahoma State. But injuries and a loss of confidence derailed the second half of his season. Martinez must show he can stay healthy and, if not, that he can play through pain in a physical conference. His receiving corps should be decent despite few proven players, but Nebraska’s offensive line is a question mark. 6. James Vandenberg , Iowa, junior: Vandenberg played sparingly in 2010, but his impressive performance in relief of Ricky Stanzi in 2009 shouldn’t be overlooked. He held his own against a talented Ohio State defense at The Shoe in a game that could have sent Iowa to the Rose Bowl. While he hasn’t been on the big stage in a while, Vandenberg continues to make strides behind the scenes and emerged this spring as Iowa’s clear-cut leader on offense. This ranking is clearly based heavily on how Vandenberg projects for 2011, but he has the tools and the makeup to be a good one for the Hawkeyes
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Ranking the Big Ten quarterbacks
Filed under Football by on Jun 21st, 2011. Comment.
Last month, Nebraska quarterback Cody Green announced his plans to transfer. Now, in an interview with HuskerOnline.com, Green says he could end up staying in the Big 12. Texas A&M, Baylor and Kansas State joined Tulsa and Houston as schools Green is considering. “Mostly the guys who already I had a previous relationship with through high school. They were all right there the minute I declared I was going to leave,” he said. “I made a visit to Kansas State this week and it went well. Coach [Bill] Snyder and those guys are a class act. When you have a legend like coach Snyder, everything feeds off of him. He’s like coach [Tom] Osborne in that way.” Green signed with Nebraska in 2009 as the nation’s No. 32 athlete. Rivals.com ranked him as the nation’s No. 6 dual-threat quarterback. Since coming to Lincoln, he’s started four games and appeared in 18 in two seasons on the field. In 2009, he spent most of his time backing up Zac Lee , and in 2010, freshman Taylor Martinez . The Dayton, Texas native has completed 66-of-122 passes for 657 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Green told the site he had been considering transferring for a year, and planned to switch to wide receiver or tight end until injuries to Martinez and Lee forced him back into a starting role in a win against Iowa State. He also admitted that he played most of the game after suffering a concussion. “I don’t think I got as many quality chances as I could have had. It was just one of those things where I’d go in and make a mistake and get pulled. It was frustrating,” he told the site. Early last season, with Martinez becoming a star and the Huskers getting commitments from 2011 signees Bubba Starling and Jamal Turner, I heard from a few unhappy Nebraska fans when I suggested Green’s future as a Husker might be abbreviated. Now, that’s the case. As for his future home, I could see him staying in the Big 12. Texas A&M is a bit of a stretch. Johnny Manziel and Jameill Showers are the likely favorites to replace Ryan Tannehill next year, and even with Green’s experience, I doubt his ability to unseat either of them. As for Baylor and Kansas State, those could both be attractive options. He’d have to beat out some competition at Kansas State, but the Wildcats haven’t had a quarterback with his experience or credentials on its roster. Unless Collin Klein , Sammuel Lamur or Justin Tuggle gets a firm grasp of the job this season, the job could be open again next spring. Baylor’s Robert Griffin III , a junior in 2011, has indicated to me on a couple of occasions that he plans to stay in Waco for all four seasons. Behind him, the Bears are thin at quarterback beyond Nick Florence , who started nine games for Baylor in 2009 with mixed results during a 4-8 campaign. Green could add a lot there if he’s willing to wait out Griffin. Like Griffin, Green is a mobile quarterback who Art Briles could build his offense around, though Griffin is clearly a much more talented passer. Green’s future is definitely something to keep an eye on, so even though the Huskers are heading to the Big Ten, we could see a former Nebraska quarterback back in the league very soon.
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Ex-Huskers QB keeping talents in Big 12?
Filed under Football by on Jun 13th, 2011. Comment.
For the second consecutive year, “College Football Live” will be counting down its spring Top 25. The fine folks in Bristol asked me for my take in compiling the rankings, and as an ESPN.com weekly Power Rankings voter during the season, I happily obliged. Keep in mind there’s a LONG way to go between now and September so many things will change, but here are my spring rankings: 1. Alabama 2. Oklahoma 3. Oregon 4. Boise State 5. LSU 6. Stanford 7. Florida State 8. South Carolina 9. Ohio State 10. TCU 11. Arkansas 12. Texas A&M 13. Nebraska 14. Oklahoma State 15. Wisconsin 16. Michigan State 17. Missouri 18. Auburn 19. Notre Dame 20. Mississippi State 21.
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My spring Top 25 ballot
Filed under Football by on Apr 5th, 2011. Comment.
Bruce Feldman of ESPN The Magazine ranked his top 10 darkhorse candidates for the 2011 Heisman Trophy last week. Naturally, there were a few SEC guys on the list. How could there not be? Auburn’s Cam Newton and Alabama’s Mark Ingram have proven unequivocally the past two years that preseason hype doesn’t mean a whole lot when it comes to winning college football’s most prestigious individual honor. At least, in this era, it doesn’t. Nobody had Newton on the Heisman Trophy radar this time a year ago. He hadn’t even been named the Tigers’ starting quarterback yet and had played primarily in a mop-up role at Florida before leaving school. The same goes for Ingram in 2009. While he had a solid freshman season with 728 rushing yards in 2008, he was a backup to Glen Coffee. You’re talking about two players who were the ultimate darkhorse candidates, guys who weren’t even first- or second-team All-SEC selections the year prior to winning the Heisman Trophy. So who are those guys this coming season in the SEC? Feldman has South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery No. 5 on his list, Auburn running back Mike Dyer No. 8 and incoming Georgia running back Isaiah Crowell tied for No. 10. Those SEC players that just missed the cut, according to Feldman, were Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson and LSU receiver Russell Shepard . I’d add three more to Feldman’s list — LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray and Florida running back Chris Rainey . As for the obvious Heisman candidates in the SEC next season, my top three right now, in alphabetical order, would be Arkansas running back Knile Davis , South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore and Alabama running back Trent Richardson . Here’s a look at Feldman’s entire list of darkhorse Heisman candidates for 2011: 1. Geno Smith , QB, West Virginia 2. Taylor Martinez , QB, Nebraska 3. EJ Manuel , QB, Florida State 4. Ryan Tannehill , QB, Texas A&M 5. Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina 6. Brock Osweiler , QB, Arizona State 7. Edwin Baker , RB, Michigan State 8. Mike Dyer, RB, Auburn 9. David Wilson , RB, Virginia Tech t-10. Jeff Godfrey, QB, UCF t-10. Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia
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Another Heisman winner from the SEC?
Filed under Football by on Mar 29th, 2011. Comment.
Valentine’s Day isn’t all chocolate and kisses and hearts. Plenty of those hearts get broken. The same is true throughout any Big 12 season. Here’s who left a few opposing fans in tears in 2010. 1. Landry Jones . Oklahoma State had him backed up deep in his own territory with a two-point lead and a deafening crowd behind him with less than three minutes to play. He’d already teased them with a pick-six earlier in the game. But Jones connected with Cameron Kenney for an 86-yard touchdown to put the Sooners up by nine points
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The Big 12’s biggest heartbreakers in 2010
Filed under Football by on Feb 14th, 2011. Comment.
The Big Ten isn’t a boring conference by any means. Think about all we’ve witnessed in the past year or so. The SEC is college football’s year-round soap opera, and my sense is most of you prefer the relative calm we have in Big Ten land. But it certainly sounds like the Big Ten’s newest member will spend plenty of time in the spotlight. Colleague David Ubben writes earlier today : “No team in college football was more interesting on and off the field for more reasons in the last year than Nebraska.” Ubben outlines all of the drama surrounding the Nebraska program in the past 10 months or so: the move to the Big Ten, Bo Pelini’s preseason media ban, quarterback Taylor Martinez ’s rapid rise, the Texas A&M/Martinez/Pelini debacle, a wild Big 12 championship game loss, some good news regarding Martinez and possible NFL-bound underclassmen and now the buzz about changes on Pelini’s coaching staff. I’m exhausted just reading about all the happenings in Lincoln. The Michigan Wolverines have been undoubtedly the Big Ten’s drama kings in recent years. Former coach Rich Rodriguez often talked about the drama encircling him and his program. Whether it was Rodriguez’s messy departure from West Virginia, the NCAA investigation into the program, Tate Forcier’s rise and fall, Denard Robinson ’s record-setting 2010 season or the constant speculation about Rodriguez’s future, Michigan dominated the headlines. We’ll see what happens in the Brady Hoke era, but I’d expect things to settle down a bit around Schembechler Hall. I’m not so sure about Nebraska, which has no shortage of interesting personalities and storylines entering the 2011 season. Better buckle up for Big Red.
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Nebraska will spice up the Big Ten
Filed under Football, News by on Feb 8th, 2011. Comment.
