Nebraska Football: 5 Things We Learned from the Wisconsin Game

Nebraska laid a B1G egg on Saturday, getting outclassed by Wisconsin 48-17 in a game that, incredibly, wasn’t that close. After leading 14-13 in the second quarter, Wisconsin turned three consecutive Taylor Martinez interceptions in 21 points and pulled away for the win.

So, what did we learn from Nebraska’s rough introduction into the B1G Conference?

The Defense Isn't Nebraska's Best Ever, Carl

It was apparent pretty early that Nebraska’s defense was not up to the task of stopping Russell Wilson. Time and again, NU’s defense was either unable to put pressure on Wilson or unable to capitalize when pressure was applied. Nebraska was fairly successful in bottling up Montee Ball and James White for most of the game, but Wilson’s arm and legs were enough to give Wisconsin a comfortable win.

The same bugbears that haunted Nebraska in its first four games appeared in earnest against Wisconsin. Poor tackling. Insufficient pressure on the quarterback from the front four. Lack of physicality at the line of scrimmage from the defensive backs giving opposing wide receivers free reign to get open in the secondary. Sound familiar, anyone?

Tim Beck Called a Stinker

Much ink will be spilled about Taylor Martinez and his deficiencies. But none of these should be a surprise to anyone. Mystifyingly, though, offensive coordinator Tim Beck continued to ask things of Martinez that he simply does not do well. His second interception was a carbon copy of the pick he threw against Fresno State, locking in on his receiver without seeing the linebacker sitting in the zone.

What’s even more mystifying is Beck’s unwillingness to lean on Rex Burkhead when the going gets tough. At the start of the game, NU’s offensive line looked like it was making headway against a depleted Wisconsin front. But Beck tried to get cute, having Martinez air things out rather than use Burkhead as a hammer. Three interceptions later, and the game was functionally over.

A Surprising Lack of Fight

Wisconsin scored late in the second quarter to stretch its lead to 27-14, and NU missed a 50-yard field goal going into the half. Taylor Martinez’s all-too-predictable interception to start the third quarter pretty well sealed the deal for Wisconsin. But it was more than a little disturbing to see Nebraska go down with a whimper. After Martinez’s third interception, Nebraska offered shockingly little both offensively and defensively. The score didn’t get super ugly mainly because Wisconsin kept things on the ground in the second half.

A loss, even a bad loss, to a team like Wisconsin isn’t the end of the world. But seeing NU curl up and die in the third quarter should send red flags up throughout Husker Nation.

Don't Look for the Cavalry to Come

Much like last year, Bo Pelini has made it eminently clear that Taylor Martinez is his guy, and he’s going to ride him to glory or shame. At the end of the game, with NU down 48-17, Pelini ran Martinez in with his offensive starters. One has to wonder what Brion Carnes was thinking on the sidelines as the score ballooned and the Wisconsin crowd got more and more comfortable.

But it was clear what Pelini was thinking. Martinez is his guy, and Pelini was intent on giving Martinez all the snaps, all the work, and hoping that he could find something to gain a little confidence going into a suddenly-scary game against Ohio State next week.

Getting Old Stinks

It was bad enough to drop silly money on tickets for my birthday to a game where Nebraska got housed, and where it really rolled over in the second half. It was worse when the Wisconsin faithful were chanting “Big Ten Football” at Nebraska in the second half.

But during the “Jump Around” after the third quarter, I tweaked something in my left knee that left it throbbing for the rest of the evening—as if the walk back to the car through the happy Badger faithful wasn’t going to be long enough as it was.

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