Brian Rosenthal: Focusing on Freeman
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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
MANHATTAN, Kan. — A Kansas newspaper writer covering Kansas State’s football press conference on Tuesday asked, with a somewhat sarcastic smile, whether I thought Nebraska might, by chance, blitz a time or two Saturday night.
My answer was, yeah, probably. Wink, wink.
But not because Nebraska is facing Josh Freeman. Because Nebraska is facing a true freshman quarterback making his second career start.
The Huskers best not confuse the two.
What’s the difference? Well, there’s Josh Freeman, the guy who orally committed to Nebraska, then backed out in favor of K-State, and supposedly delivered the news to the NU coaches via a tidy text message.
Then there’s Josh Freeman, the youngster who’s playing behind a weak offensive line in a first-year, error-prone offensive system.
The Blackshirts need to be concerned with the latter.
As juicy of a storyline as Freeman is this week — and admittedly, CBS Daytime couldn’t have scripted this much better — Saturday night is about more than Josh Freeman.
Sorry, Josh.
If the Huskers are concerned more about sending a message to Freeman than they are about dealing with a potentially dangerous K-State team, they’re in trouble.
Nebraska is better than Kansas State. The Huskers, though, aren’t that much better, that dominant, to be able to focus all of their attention on making life miserable for a “prima donna,” while also winning convincingly (or maybe at all).
If Nebraska sacks Freeman three or four times, intercepts a pass or two, and loses …
Not that Freeman hasn’t been on the minds of the Blackshirts for several months. It’s much like the subject of revenge prior to the Kansas game. Players may not admit it or talk about it, but you have a good idea of what they’re thinking.
Such thoughts, though, can be consuming, sometimes to a fault.
Nebraska needn’t be consumed with Freeman … just focused. He’s a true freshman. He’s exciting, but raw. He’ll make big plays. He’ll make mistakes. He’ll look flustered at times, perhaps brilliant at others.
Still, the personnel surrounding him isn’t particularly strong, and, even with last week’s two late scoring drives, it’s an offense that’s struggling and still learning.
Yes, expect Nebraska to blitz in a variety of ways. The Blackshirts, if focused on the Kansas State offense, and not Freeman the traitor, should dominate. That wouldn’t be surprising. It wouldn’t be dramatic, and certainly shouldn’t be reason for Nebraska to declare victory once and for all over Freeman.
The Freeman storyline will be much more compelling two or three years from now. How good will Freeman be when Nebraska visits Manhattan in 2008? Will this game feature two ranked teams? A top-10 team? Will the Huskers see an opposing quarterback and wonder what could’ve been? Or will Freeman see red and think the same?
That’s when the drama becomes interesting. It’s too early now. That is, unless Freeman leads K-State to a surprising victory Saturday night. Then we’ll see a less-pleasant drama play out in Lincoln.
Going deep
* It’s become evident that neither FSN nor ABC ever had intentions of televising the Nebraska-Kansas State game, what with both teams winning last weekend and still getting passed over by the networks. Fine. But why bother putting that game on the dreaded six-day window selection list? Just say no to begin with and let the teams set a kickoff time without the extra wait.
* Is it odd that a team’s starting quarterback (Freeman, 6-foot-6, 238) is bigger than its starting defensive end (Ian Campbell, 6-5, 232), its starting tight end (Rashaad Norwood, 6-3, 229) and its backup defensive end (Eric Childs 6-3, 230)?
* Saturday night’s game is the first football sellout in Manhattan since the last time Nebraska visited, in 2004. That’s sad, considering the man for whom the stadium is named, Bill Snyder, coached his last game here in 2005.
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.
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