Tag: Adrian Martinez

No. 6 Oklahoma vs. Kansas State: Sooners Wire staff plus expert predictions

Sooners Wire staff and expert predictions for the Oklahoma Sooners’ Big 12 opener vs. the Kansas State Wildcats.

Everything is looking up for the Oklahoma Sooners coming into their week four matchup with the Kansas State Wildcats.

The Sooners are 3-0, with three 30-point wins. They’re coming off of an impressive road win over old rival Nebraska in an absolutely dominating week three performance.

Hosting the Wildcats in primetime, the Sooners have another opportunity to make a statement in the early part of the 2022 season. Kansas State is a solid football team and is well coached, but simply looking at the early returns, the Sooners are the better team on paper.

Of course, that’s typically been the case over the years, and the Wildcats have found a way, even recently, to throw a wrench in Oklahoma’s plans.

The Sooners and Wildcats have played several tight football games over the last three years, with Kansas State holding a 2-1 edge during the Chris Kleiman era with K-State.

However, it’s a new day in Norman. The Sooners are a different team with a different DNA. They’ve got a defensive coaching staff that’s shown an ability to slow down the opponent’s top player and make adjustments on the fly to better put the team in a position to win.

The Sooners are double-digit favorites to win this week, can they live up to expectations, or will they play another close contest with Kansas State? Let’s see what the experts had to say.

Three keys to victory for the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Kansas State

What does Oklahoma have to do to come away with a win under the lights against Kansas State? Here are three keys to the game.

After sprinting through their nonconference schedule relatively easily, the 2022 Oklahoma Sooners set their sights squarely on ascending to the top of the Big 12. The climb starts Saturday with a home game against a Kansas State team that has been far from kind to Oklahoma in the past few years.

There are plenty of reasons to believe the Sooners come out on Saturday, execute and win the game. They are the more talented team and have the edge in virtually every area. However, football isn’t always that simple to predict. Especially not games involving conference opponents. Stranger things have happened, and Oklahoma, led by first-year head coach Brent Venables, will have to be on its game.

K-State has some pieces that could make this game interesting, and if caught sleeping, Oklahoma could be in a bar fight against Chris Klieman’s team from Manhattan, Kansas.

Here are the three keys we believe will play the biggest role in Oklahoma’s chances of winning against the Wildcats.

Up Next: Containing Deuce

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Jayhawks keep winning, Wildcats fall to Tulane: Oklahoma Big 12 Power Rankings after week 3

The Kansas Jayhawks are on the rise, while their in-state counterparts Kansas State take a tumble in this week’s Big 12 power rankings.

There were only two games featuring matchups of Power Five programs in week three, and the Big 12 went 1-1. The conference went 7-2 on the week with losses to Tulane (Kansas State) and Texas Tech (NC State).

Most of the conference slate featured incredible mismatches on paper, and the conference took care of business for the most part.

Looking at you, Kansas State.

Other than the Wildcats’ loss to the Tulane Green Wave, every other game went about as expected, with an average score of 37 to 11 in the nine games.

With most of the conference beginning Big 12 play next week, take a look at our updated power rankings after week three.

Media reacts to announcement Casey Thompson will be starting quarterback in season opener

The media had some strong reactions to Scott Frost’s announcement!

Head coach Scott Frost made it official during a Thursday evening media appearance. Texas transfer Casey Thompson will be the starting quarterback for Nebraska’s Week 0 showdown with the Northwestern Wildcats in Dublin, Ireland.

The Husker head coach made the announcement on the Nebraska Radio Network, telling host Greg Sharpe,

“Casey is going to be the guy. But we’ve had a lot of guys playing well at that position. Chubba (Purdy) just keeps improving, Logan (Smothers) is clearly better than he was last year, I’ve seen a lot of good things out of (Heinrich) Haarberg and Richie (Torres) is a super talented young guy. I like what we have at that position. I wouldn’t be surprised if more than one plays. But Casey is going to take the first reps.”

This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. As our own Jakob Ashlin wrote,

“Thompson has been considered the favorite for the starting job. Last season, he completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,113 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions for the Texas Longhorns. He also rushed for 157 yards and four touchdowns.”

Thompson will be the first opening-day starting quarterback for the Cornhuskers since Adrian Martinez made the last four season-opening starts at that position. Frost also confirmed that team captains would be announced over the weekend, and the first round of defensive blackshirts will be handed out before the team leaves for Ireland.

Media reaction to Scott Frost’s announcement of a Week 0 starter can be found below. Stay tuned to Cornhuskers Wire as we’ll have all the coverage leading up to Nebraska’s season opener on August 27th against the Northwestern Wildcats in Dublin, Ireland.

Nebraska’s last 30 opening day starting quarterbacks

How did Big 12 quarterbacks stack up in Athlon Sports 1-131 rankings for 2022?

Where did Dillon Gabriel and the rest of the Big 12 land on Athlon Sports’ 1-131 quarterback rankings for the 2022 season?

Football is the ultimate team sport. It takes 11 guys on offense and 11 on defense to make a team successful. All of that is true, yet, the quarterback position can be the biggest difference in a win or loss than any other position on the field.

A different pressure comes with playing the highest-profile position in sports. Over the last year, the Oklahoma Sooners have seen a lot of movement at quarterback and still remain in a great spot to have one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12.

That’s why they continue to reign as “QBU,” according to ESPN. The commitment of Nick Evers quickly after Jeff Lebby arrived, the addition of Dillon Gabriel shortly after Caleb Williams entered the portal, and the commitment of Jackson Arnold back in January for 2023 all support the idea that Oklahoma will continue to recruit and produce high-level quarterback play.

Athlon Sports recently ranked the quarterback position 1-131. Notable former Sooners on the list were [autotag]Tanner Mordecai[/autotag] at No. 26, [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag] at No. 14, and [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] at No. 3.

Let’s take a look at how [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] stacked up with the rest of the Big 12.

Oklahoma’s quarterback situation considered the best in the Big 12 heading into 2022

Dillon Gabriel and the Oklahoma Sooners projected to have the best quarterback situation in the Big 12 by Bleacher Report.

The Oklahoma Sooners quarterback situation looks drastically different than it did a year ago. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t be as good or perhaps better in 2022.

Gone are the highly-regarded five-star quarterback signees of the [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] era, [autotag]Spencer Rattler[/autotag] and [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag]. Starting for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2022 is [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], who hopes to have the same impact that previous transfer quarterbacks [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag], [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag], and [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] did for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Gabriel had a prolific career at UCF, throwing for more than 8,000 yards and 70 touchdowns for the Knights before an injury sidelined him after just three games in 2021. Reuniting with [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag], who was the offensive coordinator during his freshman year, Gabriel’s expected to be one of the best, if not the best, quarterbacks in the Big 12 in 2022.

Going position-by-position, Bleacher Reports’ David Kenyon breaks down which team in each FBS conference has the best position group. In the Big 12, Kenyon believes the Sooners have the best quarterback situation in the conference.

Perhaps the most interesting debate in the FBS, the Big 12 has a variety of options to consider. Other schools—Texas in particular, with Quinn Ewers or Hudson Card—have greater upside. Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez might’ve found an ideal match for his skill set at Kansas State, and Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) may finally put it all together in 2022. [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] is the safe choice, yes. He’s easily the most proven, though. Formerly at UCF, the southpaw reunited with former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby in Norman. Gabriel brings 8,037 yards and 70 touchdowns with only 14 interceptions in 913 career attempts to the Big 12. Marvin Mims and Theo Wease, who practically missed all of 2021, should be Gabriel’s key targets. – Kenyon, Bleacher Report

One can understand the intrigue behind [autotag]Quinn Ewers[/autotag]. A former five-star quarterback himself with a ton of weapons at his disposal with the Texas Longhorns, he could very well be the best quarterback in the conference in 2022. However, questions linger about the Longhorns’ offensive lines, and in his first time out as a starter, will he be able to hit the ground running for a team looking to improve from 5-7 in 2021.

[autotag]Adrian Martinez[/autotag] comes in with an unwarranted amount of hype. Sure, Chris Kleiman could bring out the best in him, but the former Nebraska quarterback had issues with turnovers last season on a team that went 3-9. He’ll have [autotag]Deuce Vaughn[/autotag] to get the ball to with the Kansas State Wildcats, but will that be enough for Martinez to raise his game to the level of Ewers or Gabriel?

And then there’s [autotag]Spencer Sanders[/autotag], the reigning Big 12 first-team quarterback from 2021, and the preseason first-team All-Conference selection for 2022. Sanders has had an interesting career at Oklahoma State. There are periods where he’s fantastic, like the wins over Oklahoma and Notre Dame. Then there are periods where the turnovers come in droves, like his four-interception game against Baylor in the Big 12 championship game. If the Cowboys get the Spencer Sanders, who performed well against the Sooners and the Fighting Irish week-to-week, Oklahoma State will be difficult to beat. The problem is, Sanders hasn’t shown he can be that guy week-to-week.

Gabriel will be stepping up in competition against the tough defenses of the Big 12, but he’ll also be playing with improved talent as well. The Sooners’ wide receiver corp led by [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], [autotag]Theo Wease[/autotag], and [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] have the experience and big-play ability to help make life easier for Gabriel.

The expectations are high for Dillon Gabriel entering the 2022 season. Of course, the expectations are high every year for the Oklahoma Sooners quarterback. Gabriel has the talent and the mentality to rise to those expectations and help lead Oklahoma back to the Big 12 championship in 2022.

[listicle id=67375]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=none image=https://soonerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Adrian Martinez Reflects on Time With Nebraska

QB Adrian Martinez reflected on his time with the Nebraska Cornhuskers during Big 12 Media Days.

In December, quarterback Adrian Martinez transferred to Kansas State. Martinez spent four seasons with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and he appeared in 39 games.

At times, Martinez was dynamic on the field. His combination of arm strength and speed led to many highlight plays. During his four seasons at Nebraska, Martinez scored 80 total touchdowns.

Unfortunately, he also struggled with turnovers, as he threw 30 total interceptions.

As a starter, Martinez led the Cornhuskers to a 15-23 record, and the program did not reach a single bowl game.

On July 13, Martinez reflected on his time with the Cornhuskers during Big 12 Media Days.

“I played there for four years and felt I’d given everything I could to Nebraska,” Martinez said per Chris Hummer of 247 Sports. “There was a lot of stuff, good and bad, that happened at Nebraska that I was ready to leave behind and start completely fresh.”

Martinez said he has “nothing but love for Nebraska” per KWCH 12’s Chelsea Croft.

“I’d say the time for reflection isn’t upon us yet,” Martinez said. “I want to wait on that, and hopefully, I didn’t burn that bridge. I don’t think I did. I have a lot of love for Nebraska and always will. It’s my alma mater. I mean, shoot, I was there for four years and still have best friends and really close people there. So, in time, we’ll see what that looks like. But I have nothing but love for Nebraska.”

[vertical-gallery id=3089]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fvdd6z9hqw4epb9e player_id=none image=https://cornhuskerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

247Sports’ Nick Kosko predicts Nebraska to upset Iowa in the 2022 season finale

247Sports’ Nick Kosko likes the Nebraska Cornhuskers to upset the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2022 regular season finale.

Iowa has owned the series against Nebraska, winning the past seven contests against the Cornhuskers. It looked like the Hawkeyes’ dominance over Nebraska was set to come to a close last year in Lincoln, Neb., but a fourth-quarter Iowa rally was jumpstarted by Henry Marchese’s blocked punt that Kyler Fisher returned 14 yards for a touchdown.

That sliced Iowa’s deficit from 21-9 to 21-16. The Hawkeyes followed that special teams game-changer up by forcing Huskers backup quarterback Logan Smothers into an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone for a safety. Iowa’s Caleb Shudak added a 44-yard field goal on the ensuing possession and suddenly the game was tied.

Then, Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras capped off a six-play, 76-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge to give the Hawkeyes its first lead with 2:58 remaining. Hawkeyes cornerback Jermari Harris sealed the victory, intercepting Smothers to end any final threat from the Huskers.

In the process, Iowa registered its fifth consecutive victory in Lincoln, captured the Big Ten West crown and notched a 10-win season. 247Sports’ Nick Kosko isn’t buying into any of the recent series history in his game-by-game predictions for Nebraska’s 2022 season, though.

Kosko likes Nebraska to upset Iowa, 24-21, to end the 2022 regular season.

Yes, we’re picking an upset here. Nebraska puts a stamp on its bowl game date, whenever and wherever it might be. The upset over the Hawkeyes on the road will be the defining game of the 2022 season for Scott Frost. There’s gotta be one in there somewhere, and why not the final regular season game of the upcoming fall? Let’s do it. A late field goal puts Nebraska up by 10 (24-14) and the defense holds on as Iowa fails a late comeback. With the 7-5 record, Frost ensures a 2023 campaign and has a chance to win an eighth game in the postseason. – Kosko, 247Sports.

Obviously, this would be a reversal of what fans have seen in recent years. There’s a good chance that it has serious division implications for the Hawkeyes, too. The West feels like it’s wide open, and Iowa just might be hosting Nebraska for a return trip to Indianapolis in the 2022 edition to determine the fate of the Heroes Trophy.

If that’s the circumstances going in for Iowa’s Senior Day game, then the Huskers will have earned a difficult to come by victory, and it would further signal that Nebraska has made progress as a football program in 2022.

While Iowa is an interesting team heading into next season given the disparity between the team’s offensive and defensive production in 2021, Nebraska might have been the most intriguing, hardest to figure out team in all of the Big Ten last season. The Huskers finished 3-9, which is by definition bad. Still, Nebraska lost eight one-score games, which could indicate that the Huskers are ripe for a quick turnaround.

Time will tell on that front. One thing is for certain: Scott Frost needs 2022 to show tangible results if he’s to remain the Huskers’ head football coach. Frost brought in offensive coordinator Mark Whipple from Pittsburgh to help try and rejuvenate Nebraska’s offense. Last season’s backup quarterback in Smothers returns for Nebraska, but longtime starter Adrian Martinez is off to Kansas State.

Nebraska went ahead and brought former Texas quarterback Casey Thompson in to be the likely starter, and the Huskers added Florida State transfer signal-caller Chubba Purdy as well. The wide receiving corps features a series of transfers as well with Trey Palmer arriving from LSU, Marcus Washington from Texas and Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda from New Mexico State.

Palmer had 30 grabs for 344 yards and three scores in 2021, Washington registered 18 receptions for 277 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Garcia-Castaneda hauled in 37 passes for 578 yards and four scores. Add that in with Omar Manning’s returning 26 grabs for 380 yards and two touchdowns.

In the backfield, Nebraska will be looking for Rahmir Johnson, Gabe Ervin Jr. and Jaquez Yant to combine for the Huskers’ rushing attack. Last season, Johnson carried 112 times for 495 yards and four scores, Ervin Jr. rushed 37 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns and Yant tallied 47 totes for 294 yards and one trip to the end zone.

Defensively, Nebraska added two-time All-Big 12 second-team selection Ochaun Mathis at defensive end. Mathis has 135 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks over the course of his college career. He’ll team with Garrett Nelson, Ty Robinson and Alabama transfer Stephon Wynn Jr. At the second level, Nebraska linebackers Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich combined for 189 tackles last season.

The Huskers’ defensive backfield has its fair share of transfer additions as well, featuring Tommi Hill from Arizona State, DeShon Singleton from Hutchinson Community College and Omar Brown from Northern Iowa. That trio will join safety Myles Farmer and cornerback Quinton Newsome.

For a head coach in Frost that frankly is desperate for success heading into 2022, it makes sense to replenish the roster with a series of transfer portal additions and see if it works. While Iowa hopes to be fighting for the Big Ten West in the season finale, Frost just might be coaching for his job.

[listicle id=5830]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fvdcxf97xrgg1awc player_id=none image=https://hawkeyeswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Josh on Twitter: @JoshOnREF

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

New list projects Nebraska and the Big Ten’s Bowl Games

Projections show a former Husker taking on his former team this postseason!

A new list is projecting bowl games for the 2022 season, so now seems like a good time to look and see where the Cornhuskers and its fellow Big Ten schools will be headed for the postseason. College Football News has worked hard to break down every bowl and then project the matchups for all 43 bowl game schedules. Nebraska is projected to make the postseason this year which would be a first under Head Coach Scott Frost and the first bowl game for the program since the 2016 Music City Bowl.

I’m not going to spoil the selected opponent for Nebraska other than saying that I’m all about the matchup. Of course, a bowl game alone would be excellent, but to play this team (one the Huskers have a history with) and this former Husker (I’m pretty sure you’ve put two and two together) would be an added cherry on top after a long postseason break for the Cornhuskers.

Take a look below to see where Nebraska and the rest of the Big Ten are projected.

Looking back at the Nebraska career of Adrian Martinez

Martinez had a 15-29 record as Nebraska’s starting quarterback!!

Last week we discussed the recent comments by former Nebraska Cornhusker quarterback Adrian Martinez. He talked about transferring from Nebraska during the off-season due to his desire to play and win a bowl game. Martinez also spoke about his desire to play better by being a more accurate passer and not turning the ball over so much.

The California native was a fixture on the Husker sideline for the last four seasons. During that time, success was limited, as Martinez went 15-29 as a starter and failed to reach a bowl game each of the last four years. As the main player in Head Coach Scott Frost’s offense, Martinez threw for 8,491 yards, 45 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions. He also rushed for another 2,301 yards with 35 touchdowns. During the off-season, he announced his intention to transfer to Kansas State.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinion.

Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!