Husker Coaching Staff Addresses Last Saturday’s Offensive Struggles

Nebraska’s offense looked sluggish in NU’s 35 to 21 win over South Alabama last Saturday. At the heart of their offensive struggles, was sophomore QB Adrian Martinez.

Speaking to reporters following the Husker’s practice on Wednesday, quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco acknowledged that Martinez’s play didn’t meet expectations, however Verduzco opted to take the frustration out on himself.

“Both of us were piss poor,” Verduzco said. “He’s a young guy, man. I’m in charge of the dude and you’re getting him ready to go and I didn’t do a very good job. I gotta get better.”

Verduzco said that Martinez’s lackluster performance had a lot to do with the fact that his eyes weren’t in the right place most of the time, which befuddled Verduzco when he went back to watch the game tape Sunday morning. “He hasn’t done that all camp,” Verduzco said. Verduzco did add, however, that he’s ready to move on.

“Now, I had 24 hours to mourn and get pissed at myself and all that, so now my 24 hours are over so now it’s on to Colorado.”

According to offensive coordinator Troy Walters, the coaching staff tried to implement more than the players could handle in the weeks leading up to the season opener.

“We probably had too much,” Walters said. “The guys couldn’t really hone in on what we wanted to do. We just didn’t have the detail needed to be a great offense.”

Walters said that won’t be the case this week.

“We’re going to limit what we do so the guys know exactly what we’re going to do,” Walters said. “They can focus in and practice on the detail of each play so they can execute.”

In other news and notes from practice:

• The Omaha World-Herald reports that place kicker Barret Pickering was not in pads at practice. Pickering missed last Saturday’s game with a hip flexor. In his place, freshman walk-on Dylan Jorgensen took up kicking duties.
• Walters used to be a member of the Colorado Buffaloes coaching staff from 2013 until 2015, where he served as the wide receivers coach. Two of Walter’s children were born in Boulder. “They don’t like red there,” Walters said. “That’s one thing – when I coached there, you couldn’t wear anything red. Great rivalry. I told our guys to embrace it all.”

(Photo – Kenny Larabee)