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Five games into his college football career, Taylor Martinez already is being credited with restoring greatness to one of the sport's most legendary rushing offenses.
But Nebraska's redshirt freshman quarterback doesn't strike much fear into at least one opponent. Asked about Saturday's matchup against Martinez, Texas linebacker Emmanuel Acho said, "It's another game, it's another team, he's another quarterback.
"He's a good player, I'll leave it at that," Acho said. "But it's nothing that if we play to Texas standards that we should be too worried about."
But those standards have been elusive. UCLA, a much less accomplished running team than No. 5 Nebraska, bowled over the Longhorns' defense with its own mobile quarterback in the second half of a 34-12 Bruins' victory on Sept. 25.
A week later, Oklahoma mounted a quick 14-0 lead and handed the Horns their second straight defeat.
Now, defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's unit faces an even bigger test, against a Nebraska offense that ranks seventh nationally in total yards per game (494.4) and second in rushing (337.6).
"You want a great opportunity and you want a great challenge," Muschamp said.
It's not as though UT has been playing terribly on defense. Even after the Longhorns' two brief lapses, they rank sixth nationally in total defense, and 19th against the run.
But they've yet to face a threat quite like Martinez, who set a school single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 241 last week against Kansas State.
Said UT safety Blake Gideon: "They look every bit as good as advertised."
