2012 Nebraska Cornhuskers

[Jack Lambert]

Here are your starting white Cornhuskers this year for head coach Bo Pelini and Nebraska. Nebraska has been one of the few consistently half white or better teams over the years, and nothing looks to change this year. Since 2005, Nebraska has started 11, 13, 11, 12, 11, 13, and 14 whites. Nebraska will have 13 white starters this year. Reserve white Cornhuskers to look for are WRs Jordan Westerkamp and Tim Marlowe, TE Jake Long, LT Mike Moudy, RG Brandon Thompson, RT Brent Qvale, DE Walker Ashburn, MLB Trevor Roach, BLB Max Pirman, and NB Justin Blatchford.

Rex Burkhead is once again the workhorse of the Nebraska backfield, he has the potential to be a 1st team All Big 10 player, and to be an early(2-3) round draft choice next year. The keys to Nebraska's season this year hinge on how well their defense takes losing their two best players (David and Crick) and how well Taylor Martinez has improved as a passer. Baker Steinkuhler, Cameron Meredith, and Will Compton are players to watch on the Cornhusker defense. If Martinez is improved, look for the Cornhuskers to have a great shot at the Big 10 Championship Game and a BCS berth.

Offense
QB- Taylor Martinez
FB- CJ Zimmerer - in a fight for the position
IB- Rex Burkhead
TE- Ben Cotton
LT- Jeremiah Sirles
C- Ryne Reeves or Cole Pensick
RG- Spencer Long
RT- Tyler Moore

Defense
DT- Chase Rome
NT- Baker Steinkuhler
DE- Cameron Meredith
MLB- Will Compton
BLB- Sean Fisher

 

[Leonardfan]

Nebraska will be another fun team to watch.

 

[TwentyTwo]

I try and go out of my way to catch Huskers' games on TV just to watch Rex Burkhead...and Martinez too!

Seems in this blog some dwf's are waking up...as far as Rex Burkhead's NFL prospects...and not to judge him by the color of his skin! Silly comparisons to Hester & Gerhart...and a classic Rob Carpenter. I like the poor-mans Emmitt Smith comparison by PVonDy85 "hopefully people can look past his race but I doubt it"....in a fair world he looks to be at least a mid- 2nd to 3rd Round pick...will he drop due to his skin condition??

http://www.draftcountdown.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50417

 

[Highlander]

Martinez brothers serious about football, family

...

One of the best college football players was on a mission to see one of Orange County's best high school football players. OK, so they are brothers. But Taylor Martinez, Nebraska's three-year starting quarterback and a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate had yet to see younger brother Drake, an All-County running back and safety, play for Laguna Beach live.

...

Drake was in eighth grade when Taylor, who prepped at Centennial High of Corona, signed with Nebraska. It was during this time their father, Casey Martinez, sent a video of Drake's Pop Warner highlights, which included one devastating hit in particular, to Nebraska coach Bo Pelini.

"Bo said he'd offer him (a scholarship) right now, sarcastically," Casey said.

It wasn't funny to Drake, who knew firsthand how hard his brother had worked to earn his scholarship after being snubbed by so many other programs. Drake took after Taylor's example, which had been passed down from their father, a safety at Iowa State whose career was cut short by a knee injury.

"He's focused," Laguna Beach coach Mike Churchill said of Drake. "He's one of those kids, and not everybody does it, that practices hard besides playing hard. It comes from the direction from home. He understands that it doesn't come easy. You got to work hard to get it."

Drake worked his way up to appearing in a few varsity games as a freshman and starting as a sophomore. In the second game of his junior year, he exploded for 313 rushing yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, and a blocked PAT. Nebraska offered him a scholarship the following morning.

By the end of last season, Drake had led Laguna Beach on its deepest playoff run in nearly five decades and rushed for 1,889 yards (while averaging 10.5 yards per carry) and 27 touchdowns.

Drake, Casey and Churchill agree, however, the 6-foot-2, 197-pound senior with a 40 time in the 4.3s is an even better defensive player.

Despite the Nebraska offer, Drake remains under the national radar. His only other offer is from San Diego State, though Churchill said there are about a dozen major programs asking about him. Recruiting coordinators have told the Martinez family they like Drake at five different positions: running back, receiver, safety, linebacker and, pending his growth, defensive end.

"I'll play anywhere," Martinez said. "Wherever I can get on the field fastest at the next level. I'm playing (running back) just to play it right now. I can play it at the next level, I believe. But my main goal is on defense. I think that's the best spot."


http://www.ocvarsity.com/sports/drake-33038-nebraska-taylor.html

 

[Highlander]

More bad news...

DT Rome off team for now, says Pelini (and speedy WR, Wullenbaber, out for the season with a torn ACL)

Nebraska’s defensive line rotation got a little thinner Wednesday when coach Bo Pelini confirmed sophomore tackle Chase Rome is off the team "for the foreseeable future." Pelini said Rome is "dealing with some personal issues."

"His personal goals – and personal perception of where he should be on this football team – doesn’t match the team goals," Pelini said of Rome.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder from Columbia, Mo., finished last year with 13 tackles and started the Huskers’ first two games this season, notching four tackles – including one for loss. But Rome didn’t play as much at UCLA, getting replaced by redshirt freshman Kevin Williams and true freshman Aaron Curry.

In Rome’s absence, redshirt freshman Todd Peat, Jr. may get more of a playing opportunity. He’s spent much of his early career injured. He did not make the 105-man roster in August.

"He’s been doing a lot of rehab, a lot of extra work on the side," defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski said. "He’s just getting back into football shape and learning how to play the game with tempo…you definitely see those flashes. Unfortunately, he’s been out of the game so long that his placement and footwork (needs work). But when he steps correctly and gets his eyes where they’re supposed to be, he’s a pretty powerful football player."

Also: Wide receiver Tyler Wullenwaber tore his ACL in practice during a special teams drill; there’s now a chance that true freshman Jordan Westerkamp could play, Pelini said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maybe if Rome had played more against UCLA they'd have done better. It looks like he didn't agree with his racial apprenticeship reassignment and said something about it or just left.

 

[Jack Lambert]

I just thought I'd post a few tidbits on Nebraska, since there isn't much else to post about.

Taylor Martinez should be better than ever this year for Nebraska. Even with the loss of Burkhead, Martinez should have a great year. Jordan Westerkamp and Tyler Wullenwaber should have good years at WR for Nebraska. In addition, Nebraska has a great FB in CJ Zimmerer, and maybe an all-white OL this year.

However, their defense looks to have 0-2 white starters this year; maybe the blackest defense they have ever had. There is some white talent on the defense, but I don't know if Pelini will play them. Broderick Nickens has a chance to start at DT for Nebraska, and Trevor Roach has a chance to start at MLB. The Cornhuksers have four uber-talented white defensive players arriving in the fall though: Safeties Nate Gerry and Drake Martinez, LB Josh Banderas, and DE AJ Natter, all who could see early playing time this year.

Nebraska already has WR/S Luke Gifford committed for the class of 2014, and they are in on several other good white players as well.

Here's an article on Nate Gerry, who broke South Dakota's record for a 100 meter dash time with a 10.28!! This kid has some serious speed, and should compete for playing time this fall.

http://www.argusleader.com/interact...uit-Nate-Gerry-sets-100-meter-mark-ready-more