Husker Notes: Martinez Eager To Return at QB

Dark hair, about 225 pounds.
 
That, in case you're wondering, is how Adrian Martinez is looking this week.
 
It's how Nebraska coach Scott Frost answered a reporter's question about Martinez on Thursday, and it drew some chuckles.
 
Of course, that's Frost's way of saying he's not talking about injuries, as is normally the case, so nobody knows for certain whether Martinez, who hasn't played in 4 week because of a knee injury, will play Saturday when Nebraska travels to Purdue.
 
Martinez, knowing his status is at the mercy of his athletic trainers and coaches, says he's ready, for what it's worth.
 
"I'm not happy about sitting out and being hurt, but I think there's something to gain from it," Martinez said. "It's allowed my body to recover. I'm back, ready to go. I feel like my arm's juiced up. Everything's recuperated. I'm ready to be back, and I'm fired up."
 
Offensive coordinator Troy Walters is also eager for Martinez to return.
 
"Adrian's our leader. He's our guy. To get him back, I think, will give us a lift," Walters said. "Guys will be psyched that's he's back. Even when he was out, he was engaged, he was focused, he was around the team. I think he's chomping on the bit to get back and prove what type of quarterback he really is."
 
Martinez suffered his injury in the Huskers' 13-10 victory over Northwestern on Oct. 5 – Nebraska's last time in the win column. While he didn't figure his injury was season-ending, he knew he couldn't run or cut as effectively, and wasn't sure how much time off he'd need.
 
"As much as I wanted to get out there," Martinez said, "as much as I was trying to push myself, they (trainers and coaches) kept me at the pace I was meant to be."
 
Sophomore Noah Vedral and true freshman Luke McCaffrey have played in the absence of Martinez, with Vedral starting both games. In Saturday's game against Indiana, Vedral was 14-of-16 passing for 201 yards.
 
"I loved their play," Martinez said. "I thought they played great. Real props to Luke and Noah for preparing. You could see it in practice. You knew it was going to come in a game."
 
Vedral suffered an injury late in the second quarter that sidelined him until late in the fourth quarter. In between, McCaffrey played extensively for the first time in his career, running 12 times for 76 yards and going 5-of-6 passing for 71 yards.
 
"When Luke got in there and I heard the 'Luke' chants, that was so cool," Martinez said. "I was so pumped for him. Really proud of him for stepping up and playing hard. He's a tough kid."
 
Martinez, in six games, is completing 60.3 percent of his passes and has thrown for 1,245 yards, with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. With 138 passing yards and 30 rushing yards, he would become the fourth Husker quarterback to record 4,000 career passing yards and 1,000 career rushing yards, joining Eric Crouch, Taylor Martinez and Tommy Armstrong Jr.
 
As a team, Nebraska (4-4, 2-3 Big Ten Conference) is looking for its first November road victory since winning at Rutgers in 2015. The Huskers are also trying to end a streak of 10 straight road games with allowing at least 30 points. The last time they held an road opponent to fewer than 30 points was in their last trip to Purdue in 2017, a 25-24 victory.


 
Mack Attack
 
In 123 years of Nebraska men's basketball, no Husker has officially produced a triple-double.
 
Sophomore transfer Cam Mack looks like a player who could be the first to accomplish that feat, and maybe the second.
 
Maybe more.
 
We heard about his 17 points, six assists and six rebounds in Saturday's closed scrimmage with Wichita State, but fans got to see Mack and the Huskers in action for the first time Wednesday, when Nebraska defeated Doane 91-62 in an exhibition game.
 
In just 22 minutes, Mack tallied eight assists and seven rebounds, and although he scored only five points, scoring certainly won't be a problem for the 6-foot-2 guard.
 
"He brings a lot to the table," said Nebraska junior guard Dachon Burke Jr., who led the Huskers with 15 points. "He is very versatile, and he can push the ball. He can do a little bit of everything. It is fun playing with him and he gets me going. I like playing with him."
 
After a jittery start for Nebraska – the Huskers fell behind 10-2 – Mack took over the game offensively, leading the Huskers in transition and delivering crisp passes. That sparked a 37-7 run.
 
Hoiberg has repeatedly said Mack is perhaps the fastest guard he's been around.
 
"Cam just brings a whole different element to our team," Hoiberg said. "He's extremely fast with the ball. If there's a seam to attack, he hits that seam with great pace. He's a very good decision maker, once he gets in there, guys benefit playing with him."
 
Mack, who was hospitalized with a digestive issue over the summer that caused him to miss the Huskers' tour in Italy, has just begun to regain his strength and weight.
 
"You can really see him starting to take off," Hoiberg said.
 
Nebraska, which shot 52.9 percent, scored 91 points despite 11-of-24 shooting on free throws and 28 percent shooting (8-of-28) on three-pointers. Both of those numbers will assuredly improve. The biggest question for Hoiberg's first team will be holding its own on the boards; the Huskers outrebounded a smaller Doane team 49-37, with Kevin Cross grabbing a team-best 10 rebounds.
 
In addition to the obvious – keeping opponents from having second chances – rebounding is essential for a Nebraska team because it plays to its biggest strength, which is scoring in transition.
 
"We have to rebound, that is the main thing," junior guard Thorir Thorbjarnarson said. "Even though the other team scores, we have to get it out quick, and we want to run as fast as we can. Rebound, and just putting your head down when you get scored on."
 
Nebraska begins the regular season Tuesday night against UC-Riverside at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The women's basketball teams hosts Rogers State on Saturday in its lone exhibition game before opening the regular season at noon Wednesday against Alabama A&M.
 
Reach Brian at brosenthal@huskers.com or follow him on Twitter @GBRosenthal.