Nebraska Routs Chattanooga as Taylor Martinez Runs to Victory
The fans have been waiting impatiently for the Cornhuskers to take the field. Finally, the Cornhuskers ran onto the field, and the 2011 season kicked off for Nebraska.
Nebraska is a young team, and they showed it on Saturday. Everyone knew the Blackshirt defense would be the heart of the team. The question this offseason has been: what would the offense show?
The Cornhuskers were one-dimensional against Tennessee-Chattanooga. The good thing is: that one aspect was their quarterback Taylor Martinez.
Martinez had his trouble at times figuring out the new option attack installed by new offensive coordinator Tim Beck. Martinez fumbled one snap, pitched the ball behind running back Rex Burkhead on another play and overthrew open receivers.
When Martinez looked good, he looked really good. The questions about his ankle being injured have been answered. Martinez is healthy coming into 2011.
Martinez ran for 136 yards and three touchdowns, while passing for 116 yards against a poor Tennessee-Chattanooga defense.
Going forward into the 2011 season, the Cornhuskers must find another weapon besides Martinez. Many of the players on offense are young players; it will take them time to learn the system. This was the first game of the season, after all.
Many fans have been begging the Cornhuskers to return to their roots and run some form of the option attack. From the way the offense was run on Saturday, it looks like Cornhusker fans will get their wish.
Martinez needs some polishing in order to perfect the option attack. Many Cornhusker quarterbacks looked rusty in their first games running the option. Martinez will gain experience, and the Cornhuskers will return to the top of the rushing charts in college football.
Martinez must get some help from his friends. Either Rex Burkhead or one of the wide receivers needs to step up to provide the Cornhuskers a more balanced offense.
If the Cornhuskers are able to add another dimension to their offense other than Taylor Martinez, Nebraska will have a prolific offense to go with a dynamic defense. Only then will Nebraska return to the glory days that Cornhusker fans have been dreaming of!
