• Photo Showcase: NU-KU football (fans)
• Photo Showcase: NU-KU football (game action)
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LINCOLN — Turner Gill’s a big boy. And if Pepper Rodgers, Don Fambrough and Mike Gottfried had to stand by and watch Nebraska pad on the points all those years, why should Gill be different?
Maybe because he’s a beloved Husker icon?
It was an awkward moment late in a ho-hum game Saturday night. NU had put this one to bed, up 20-3, and had the ball deep in its own territory with 2:39 left. Time to turn out the lights.
Except Bo Pelini kept his starters in.
And he had quarterback Taylor Martinez throwing downfield, with less than a minute, less than 30 seconds left.
The Kansas crowd booed.
The Husker crowd squirmed.
Pelini wouldn’t try to show up Gill, would he?
No. Nebraska took time out with 10 seconds left at the KU 32. Not to run a touchdown route. Martinez took a knee.
What in the name of Bob Valesente was going on here?
Nothing malicious. Pelini and offensive coordinator Shawn Watson don’t think about the guy on the other sideline, any guy, even a classy Nebraska legend. I totally believe that.
“I wasn’t happy with how we played on offense,’’ Pelini said. “We needed to work on our execution. That gave us more reps.’’
“Our guys needed the work,’’ Watson said.
There’s your headline from Nebraska 20, Kansas 3: in the 10th game of the season, the Huskers’ offense had to stay on the field to work out kinks. Meanwhile, Colorado (45) scored more against KU, as did Georgia Tech (25), Southern Miss (31), Baylor (55), Texas A&M (45) and Kansas State (59).
The question now is how much more is out there for this offense? Was this a bad night? Or is this the formula for how the Huskers will have to grind out two more important wins this season — one to get them into the Big 12 championship game and another to win it?
The answer to that belongs to the right ankle of Martinez. And the ankle was not available for comment.
It spoke volumes Saturday night. Martinez returned to the starting lineup. His speed is still playing catch-up.
It’s not back. It looked close at times. But he doesn’t have the acceleration he did before he injured the ankle against Missouri two weeks ago. He needs a new carburetor.
Watson eased his prize quarterback into the fray. The game plan called for Martinez to hand it off, throw the occasional dart. Save for one lousy read that turned into an interception, his arm passed the test.
But the magic in T-Magic is the jets. Martinez runs north-south faster than anyone else ever has on this field. He hits the hole or the corner and he’s gone.
Last night, he was still there.
Martinez ran it just three times in the first half for 10 yards. He felt himself loosening up and told Watson at halftime he was ready to cut loose.
He did — to a point. Martinez had an 18-yard run and a 17-yard run on the first two series of the third quarter. A 100-percent Martinez would have brought fans to their feet with lightning bolts toward the end zone.
That’s expected. You don’t just rub dirt on ankle sprains. They can linger.
Which raises this question: Should Martinez have played? Did Pelini and Watson risk further injury? Could Cody Green have handed off and slung the ball to victory over KU?
“No, no, he’s fine,’’ Watson said. “He’s close. His speed is 99.5 percent there. He’ll get it back soon. I think early on, he was learning to trust (the ankle).’’
That’s the story now for how this season’s drama plays out. Can Martinez get the magic back, the magic that roared through September and October? The magic that keeps defensive coordinators honest and running lanes open for Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead?
If not, can Nebraska beat a rejuvenated Texas A&M at Kyle Field next Saturday night, or goofy Colorado on Senior Day? Can the Huskers grind it out in the Big 12 title game with handoffs and the Rex Cat offense? Can the Blackshirts, who looked salty again with Alfonzo Denard back in the saddle, hold it up in that scenario?
It says here Nebraska can grind its way to Arlington, Texas, if it has to. But to bring home the last Big 12 championship game trophy, the Huskers will need some T-Magic.
“I’m a long way from where I was,’’ Martinez said. “It’s almost 100 percent right now.’’
The ankle had no comment.
Contact the writer:
444-1025, tom.shatel@owh.com
twitter.com/tomshatelOWH
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• Video: Highlights from the NU-KU football game:
• Video: NU coach Bo Pelini at the postgame press conference:
• Video: Taylor Martinez after the NU-KU game:
• Video: Alfonzo Dennard after the NU-KU game:
• Video: Sights and sounds from the NU-KU game:
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