April 29, 2021
Adrian Martinez will be a rare four-year starting quarterback at Nebraska this fall and yet, for all his experience, he is one of the team’s biggest mysteries.
He was among the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country as a freshman in 2018 and appeared on Heisman Trophy candidate lists the next spring.
But a sophomore slump set in amid injuries, he seemed to lose a step and committed 13 turnovers in 10 games. It didn’t get better in last year’s pandemic-shortened season. He continued to struggle hanging onto the ball, and he lost the starter’s job for two games as the Cornhuskers went 3-5.
April 29, 2021
Saturday’s annual Red-White Spring Game will feature plenty of familiar players back on both sides of the ball for Nebraska this year.
But a handful of new faces have emerged this spring as potential names to keep an eye on going into the season.
Here are five Huskers to watch that could make some noise during NU’s spring game…
Wide receiver Samori Toure. (Tyler Krecklow)
Samori Toure, WR, Jr.
Samori Toure arrived at Nebraska this winter, expected to live up to a high bar.
The 6-foot-3 senior wide receiver transfer from FCS-level Montana joined the Huskers with the expectation to push for a starting job this season immediately and to possibly emerge as the No. 1 target.
Does the potential success of the receiving corps come down to if Omar Manning is as good as advertised?
-The wide receivers look better and bigger than last year, which brings optimism. We’re optimistic about Samori Toure, Zavier Betts, and Oliver Martin..and possibly Levi Falck and Alante Brown, among others
-But if these WRs are truly to become a great unit that’s reliable, makes tough catches, and gets some separation…does it all come down to Manning to be the true separator of an average unit to a really good unit? And where do the TEs fit in that conversation?
Freshman quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (Sean Callahan)
Logan Smothers vs. Heinrich Haarberg
At this point, we know Adrian Martinez is going to be the starter in 2021 for Nebraska. The biggest question arguably right now with the offense is what will the QB position look like after Martinez?
Today will be the first real glimpse anyone on the outside has gotten of either freshman Logan Smothers or Heinrich Haarberg.
We’ve heard so much about Haarberg’s arm talent and potential. The chatter on Smothers has been pretty quiet to this point. What will the 4,000 in attendance leave Memorial Stadium thinking about hte No. 2 quarterback position?
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