Frost remains optimistic despite 0-5 start
Sitting at 0-5 overall and 0-3 in Big Ten play following last week’s 41-24 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are desperate for a positive outcome as they travel east to face the Northwestern Wildcats (2-3, 2-1 Big Ten).
Week 6 marks the second consecutive Big Ten West Division road tilt for the Cornhuskers, only compounding the struggles for a team still searching for its first win.
Nevertheless, Nebraska head coach Scott Frost was optimistic after last week’s outing.
“We’ve been really close a bunch of times,” Frost said.
“We left a lot of stuff on the field offensively. Particularly early on because of little mistakes or penalties. Even defensively, there were some plays out there to be made, we just didn’t make them. It doesn’t take too many of those to turn it around. There’s no question, we got better this week.
“I think the attitude got better, the practices got better and the performance was better. I was thrilled we didn’t get any of those dumb things, those dumb penalties, selfish plays that contributed to it. It’s just a matter of finding guys and getting guys that can make the one or two more plays that’ll put us in position.”
Northwestern is coming off a 29-19 win over Michigan State, giving Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats momentum heading into their showdown with Nebraska.
For the Cornhuskers, the rest of the season will be about improvement and seeing more of true freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez.
Statistically, he had his best game of the season in the loss to Wisconsin. Martinez accounted for 384 yards passing, completing 24 of 42 attempts, and had two touchdowns while also rushing for 37 more yards. Martinez had three total touchdowns.
“I think his pocket presence got better,” Frost said. “I think he started to create, both second halves the last two weeks. I thought he came out and ran and other teams had trouble tackling him. I’d like to see that start a little earlier in the game.”