Nebraska running back Rahmir Johnson rushes between Minnesota’s Jordan Howden (left) and Tyler Nubin as Esezi Otomewo (right) trails the play in the first quarter Saturday, at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Scott Frost talks about Nebraska’s flat start and the little details after the loss to Minnesota.
MINNEAPOLIS — The closer Nebraska’s offense gets to pay dirt this season, the more it sputters and spins its wheels in the mud outside of it.
On Saturday, it slipped and fell in it.
The Huskers were mere inches away from scoring a touchdown to complete a furious third-quarter rally that saw the visitors valiantly bite into a 21-9 halftime deficit.
After Adrian Martinez’s run on third down was ruled (just) short of breaking the end zone — the Nebraska QB said afterward he felt, in the moment, like he crossed the goal line — even if the ensuing official review didn’t support him.
Anyway, trailing 21-16 with four minutes left in the third quarter, Martinez was joined by 232-pound bruiser Jaquez Yant in the backfield in the shotgun formation.
Unsurprisingly, Martinez put the ball in the gut of Yant, who slipped and fell short of the goal line on what many perceived to be a sure touchdown had he stayed on his feet.
“It’s football, man. … You can’t really explain that,” Martinez succinctly concluded after the game. “What are you going to do about that?”
The stumble highlighted a troubling trait this season for the Huskers, who continue to push down the field just to come up with three points (or none at all).
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