1 – Week Zero game limits what Nebraska can do over the bye week
Bye weeks are generally for extra practice and development time. However, this week for Nebraska that’s not the case.
Because of NU’s Week Zero game at Illinois, they have to give back that extra week of practice they got in August over their October and November bye weeks.
This week NU will practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, before coming back on Sunday and taking Monday off.
Only Nebraska and Connecticut have played eight straight weeks so far in FBS college football.
This week is more about getting right both mentally and physically, and also allowing the coaches the chance to get back out on the road for the first time in over 620 days to recruit.
The one interesting nugget I can share over the bye week practices came from linebacker JoJo Domann during our taping of “The Beat” Podcast. Domann said they have changed how they practice this week in terms of the overall structure. Domann said he likes the change in the format of what they did this week.
Obviously, this means nothing if it doesn’t translate to their play on the field. However, it should be noted as the Huskers head into their final four games of the season.
2 – Huskers have had a history with QBs playing injured in big games
After seeing quarterback Adrian Martinez play through a bad ankle vs. Minnesota this past week, it reminded me of how many different times NU has been plagued by playing injured quarterbacks since 2010. Here’s the list:
2010 Big 12 title game – Taylor Martinez: The redshirt freshman Martinez played with a foot injury that took away the best thing he did – run. The Huskers blew a 17-0 lead to the Sooners.
2016 at Iowa – Tommy Armstrong: In the last game he started as a Husker, Armstrong played on a torn hamstring and had one of the worst outings of his career, spoiling a chance to finish 10-2.
2019 at Purdue – Adrian Martinez: After missing the Indiana game the week before, Nebraska brought Adrian Martinez back at Purdue. It was one of the lower points of his career, as he missed several open throws downfield. The loss ultimately cost NU the chance to go to a bowl game.
3 – There seems to be quite the friction between Frost and Fleck
Scott Frost and P.J. Fleck probably won’t be vacationing together this summer.
Back in July at Big Ten Media Days, Frost said something that Fleck and Minnesota fans thought was making fun of their “Row the Boat” slogan.
“I’m not into sloganeering,” Frost said. “If the players need me to motivate them all the time or come up with a unique slogan to get them to play harder, I probably don’t have the right players. I played for a coach at Nebraska in Coach [Tom] Osborne that didn’t need all the sayings and slogans. He just taught us the right way to do things and we went to work. That’s what we need in our program.”
After the Gophers beat the Huskers 30-23 on Saturday, Fleck fired his own shot at Frost and the NU program.
“That was truly culture versus skill,” Fleck said after his team’s win. “That’s what I saw today. Whatever anyone else wants to say about us or our program or our culture, feel free. We’ve been called every name in the book. But culture versus skill.”
Following Wednesday’s bye week practice, Frost was asked for his comments after Flecks’s apparent shot at his program.
“Our culture has come 100 miles,” said Frost. “I think they have some skilled players, too, so I’m surprised to hear that.”
It’s clear, these two don’t like each other. Frost got his first career win at NU over Fleck, but Minnesota has since won the last three. The bottom line is Frost really can’t say much right now because Fleck and his program have had the upper hand the last three years. NU has been favored in three out of the four games these two teams have played, and Fleck owns a 3-1 record in those contests.
1 – Where will the coaching staff go in recruiting over the bye week?
When you haven’t been on the road to recruit for over 620 days, where exactly do you go? Well, let’s start in-state. Expect a heavy local presence from Frost and his staff, as they are expected to be present at the North Platte vs. Columbus and the Elkhorn South vs. Lincoln Southeast games on Friday.
On top of that, expect Husker coaches to check in with all of their eight commits, along with some stops at a few junior colleges and other targets that may be in the area of current commits.
2 – Is Austin Allen the best tight end in the Big Ten?
When talking about All-Big Ten players on Nebraska’s roster, nobody may have a stronger case right now than junior tight end Austin Allen.
He’s currently the highest-graded tight end on PFF, and he’s second overall in receptions with 24 and leads tight ends that have been targeted at least 15 with an average of over 14 yards per reception.
There are a lot of good tight ends in this conference like Iowa’s Sam LaPorta and Wisconsin Jake Ferguson. What I find interesting is LaPorta would’ve come to NU if offered before his senior year. The Hawkeyes didn’t offer him until late. Ferguson also has a Husker tie, as his dad played for NU and his mom is the daughter of former Husker Barry Alvarez.
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