Five things we learned from NU’s weekly press conference

Here are five of our biggest takeaways from Nebraska’s weekly press conference on Monday afternoon…

Head coach Scott Frost dropped a bombshell during his weekly press conference on Monday by announcing that fourth-year starting quarterback and team captain Adrian Martinez would not play in Nebraska’s season finale against Iowa.

In the first half of last week’s loss at Wisconsin, Martinez suffered a shoulder injury and will undergo surgery after the season, Frost confirmed.

As a result, the Huskers will be turning to second-year freshman Logan Smothers to lead the offense on a short week of preparation for the Black Friday rivalry with the Hawkeyes.

Smothers has made brief appearances in five games this season, completing 7-of-11 passes for 119 yards while rushing 13 times for 69 yards.

While losing Martinez was a significant blow for the Huskers, Frost said that he still had complete confidence that Smothers would rise to the occasion.

“He’s really sharp,” Frost said. “He’s not the fresh-faced kid that’s going to get surprised by things or pressures or different looks. He’s really smart and knows our offense, and can operate it well. We’re going to give him the ball and let him try to do it.”

Nebraska’s running back situation was a bit of a juggling act last week, as starter Rahmir Johnson didn’t make the trip to Wisconsin just days after backup Sevion Morrison left the program.

That left NU with three scholarship backs on its travel roster in starter Markese Stepp, Marvin Scott III, and Jaquez Yant. Stepp and Scott both rushed for a touchdown in the game, but Yant did not play a single snap.

Frost said Johnson was considered day-to-day this week leading up to the Iowa game but made it seem unlikely that the redshirt freshman would be able to play on Friday.

If Johnson is out again, the Huskers will roll with the same scholarship trio as well as walk-on Brody Belt, who led the team with 31 yards on seven carries vs. the Badgers.

Frost was asked why Yant did not play at Wisconsin, and he said it was a coach’s decision.

“He’ll be available and ready to play this week,” Frost said.

Now officially eliminated from bowl contention for the fifth straight season, there isn’t much left on the table for Nebraska to play for this week.

If nothing else, though, the goal of finally beating border-state rival Iowa and reclaiming the Heroes Game Trophy for the first time since 2014 will be a primary motivator.

While the Huskers generally downplay rivalries and insist on a “nameless, faceless opponent” approach each week, several players and coaches admitted that the intensity dialed up when Iowa week arrived.

“Obviously, there’s a little more that goes into the game,” senior defensive lineman Ben Stille said. “The preparation is similar just as far as how you prepare for any opponent, but on game day, there’s a little extra juice that goes into it for sure. You just feel it. You’re lying if you don’t feel it.”

Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander has a unique perspective on the series in that he is a native of Iowa and was a walk-on offensive lineman for the Hawkeyes from 1998-2002.

Chinander said beyond his personal incentives to beat his alma mater for the first time at NU, there was an opportunity to give the program a significant boost of confidence going into a critical offseason.

“This is the battle for the border right here,” Chinander said. “We have to start winning some of these games before you can take the next step in the program’s rise.”

Backup outside linebacker Pheldarius Payne did not travel to Wisconsin due to an undisclosed injury. Then starting outside ‘backer Caleb Tannor suffered an injury and did not return vs. the Badgers.

If either player misses any time this week against Iowa, second-year freshman Blaise Gunnerson will again have big shoes to fill.

Gunnerson played his most significant snaps as a Husker on Saturday and recorded two tackles. He said he had a lot of adrenaline during the game but calmed down after a few snaps.

“I thought I did a good job in some aspects. Obviously, some parts of the game I got to improve on,” the 6-foot-6, 255-pounder said. “Specific game plan-type stuff I got to improve on. Just got to continue to prepare, continue to be physical against these guys running the ball and stuff like rushing the passer.”

Outside linebacker Garrett Nelson, who is roommates with Gunnerson, said that after the Wisconsin game, he felt like a “proud dad.”

“He reminds me a lot of myself but a lot smarter,” Nelson said. “When I was his age, I didn’t really know what was going on. He has a lot better understanding of what his job is, what he does on the field.”

Chinander said after the first bye week, the staff thought, “Man, this guy is really playing well.” He said Gunnerson and freshman OLB Jimari Butler are both coming along well.

Chinander said Gunnerson made some mistakes but played some “really good Big Ten football against a really good football team.”

The additional year of eligibility the NCAA granted to all student-athletes after the chaos COVID-19 had on the 2020 sports seasons shook up college football roster numbers across the country.

The impact will carry over into how teams and players handle their respective Senior Day ceremonies, as plenty of questions remain as to who is coming back for another season and who is moving on.

Frost said Nebraska encouraged all eligible seniors and fourth-year juniors to participate in Friday’s Senior Day event, even if some still hadn’t decided yet whether it would be their final game as Huskers.

Tight end Austin Allen is one of the Huskers with a decision still to make on his football future. Though he’s listed as a junior, Allen is firmly on the NFL draft radar in 2022.

He said Friday would be full of mixed emotions, especially not knowing if it would be his final game in Memorial Stadium.

“It’s going to feel a little weird because I don’t know if it’s going to be my last,” Allen said. “But that’s how I tell guys that they should play – play it like it is your last game because you never know when that’s going to be.”