Husker Dan: Husker Fans, Now What?

Winner, winner,
Chicken dinner!

I’m not sure what the coaches and players ate after Nebraska’s 53-28 thrashing of the Minnesota Golden Rodents Saturday night in Lincoln, but I think we can be sure it wasn’t the turkey the team had been stuffing itself with the past 10 games.

No, this was a celebratory win-a relief win, a feel good win-a timely win.  A win while not for the ages, it was still a great win, mainly because it was the first win of the Scott Frost Era.

It was just a matter of time until Nebraska got in the win column.  The fans were loud from start to finish Saturday  And most fans didn’t leave until the game was over.  They savored every bit of it.

Frost was almost moved to tears as he ran off the field to be with his team after the game.  What a night!

So what’s next for this team?  How will the Huskers finish the year?  This season has been a very difficult one in several ways:  The cancelling of the Huskers’ first game of the season; the departure of back up QB Tristan Gebbia; the injury to Adrian Martinez in his first game of the year;  the subsequent starting role that fell on Andrew Bunch, a walk on transfer from Murray State; a very challenging schedule that has included games at Michigan and Wisconsin and an OT loss at Northwestern despite the Huskers having a 14 point lead in the second half.

If, and maybe that’s a big if, the Huskers continue play the way they did Saturday, Nebraska will be in every game it plays the rest of the way.  And that includes Ohio State, Michigan State and Iowa.  I’m not saying the Huskers will win each game, but if NU is in those games late, anything can happen.

Nebraska has been getting better each week, especially since the meltdown at Ann Arbor.  And by no means was Saturday’s win anywhere near a perfect game for Nebraska.  There were still mistakes, but there were fewer of them.  The defense and special teams can still give us reason to pull the hair out of our heads, but Nebraska’s stock is rising and, in my opinion, will continue to rise with every game this young Husker team plays.

Oh, and how about those two goal line stands by Nebraska!  That wouldn’t have happened even two weeks ago.

The sky’s the limit for this team, even this year.  Is playing in a bowl game even feasible?  Don’t be surprised if this bunch finds a way to become bowl eligible.  Now, wouldn’t that be something?

HUSKER FANS

All those Husker fans who have remained loyal to the program, who’ve shown up week after week despite the Huskers losing six games in a row, should be saluted for their devotion to a belief that Scott Frost & Company will turn around the Husker football program.

Frost said one of the reasons he took the Husker head football coaching job was because of the devoted Husker fan base.  Where else would 90,000 fans show up each week to see a team lose?  That, my friends, is one of the key ways Frost will turn around the program.  And you think the Husker recruits don’t see this devotion?  Nebraska football isn’t just a team or a program.  It’s a happening-unlike anything else on the planet.

Husker Fans:  Take a bow!!

DON’T LOOK NOW

It’s easy to see why Tristan Gebbia decided to jump ship when he did.  He knew he wasn’t going to see the field much this season or any time soon.  And no wonder:  he saw AM every day in practice.  And Adrian Martinez hasn’t even scratched the surface of his enormous potential.  This kid is special.  Much more mature for his age than most any one had imagined.  And he’s just getting started.

The sky’s the limit on how good Martinez can become.  And once RB Maurice Washington has a full year of the benefits of the NU strength, nutrition and conditioning program under his belt, he is also going to be a phenom.

MAHOMES SWEET MAHOMES

And if we’re looking down the road several years from now, it seems as though Martinez could become a star in the NFL.  Yup, the NFL.

Before our very eyes, there is a pro football program that is systematically changing the face of the NFL.  And it’s being led by a 23 year old QB phenom, Patrick Mahomes from Texas Tech.  Even if you’re not a Kansas City Chiefs fan, or even an NFL fan, you should be watching #15.  Simply put, he’s amazing.  He and the Chief offense will remind you of Adrian Martinez and Frost’s offense.  And both teams have lightning in a bottle wide outs, who both wear #10 jerseys:  Tyreek Hill for the Chiefs and JD Spielman for the Huskers.  Don’t be surprised that in a few years, Adrian Martinez will be the talk of the NFL.  He’s that good.

A MUST WIN?

I know it seems silly to say the game this Saturday with Bethune-Cookman is a must game, but it is.  Lose this one (God forbid) and all the progress this team has made over the past few weeks may be for naught.

And I’m so glad the Huskers’ first win of the season didn’t have to come down to this week’s contest.  The Huskers should run away with this game, but how will the players respond to success?  Will they try to phone in their parts this Saturday?  Frost is going to earn his money this week keeping his team focused on the Wildcats.

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