LINCOLN — Is it too early to strike up the chorus in hyping the Nebraska receiving corps?
It may be a good time for the rest of the country to get to know Kenny Bell, Quincy Enunwa and Jamal Turner.
The trio combined for 19 catches, 284 yards in receiving yards and two touchdowns to spark a Nebraska offense that kept Minnesota’s defense on its heels all game long Saturday in Lincoln.
Bell and Turner are sophomores, Enunwa a junior — meaning all three return for the 2013 season.
“Oh yeah, they’re good players,” Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini said. “I think Quincy and Kenny have been doing it now for a couple of years. Jamal is really developing and he’s really starting to grow into the position.
“The beautiful thing is I think there’s a lot more out there. There’s still a lot more things he’s going to get better at, and that’s going to come with experience.”
Bell led the trio with 136 receiving yards on a career-high nine catches, including two scores. It was his third 100-yard game this season, including the games at UCLA and Ohio State.
Bell’s 789 receiving yards this season is a record for a sophomore at Nebraska, eclipsing Johnny Rodgers’ 665 yards in 1970. Bell now stands at No. 9 on NU’s career receiving yards chart with 1,250.
His touchdown grabs of 30 and 36 yards give him a team-leading eight touchdown catches this season. Turner caught a career-high six passes for 83 yards.
Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez said he has seen a change in Turner since he caught his first career touchdown pass at Michigan State two games ago.
“I’ve seen a whole different demeanor in him since that catch,” Martinez said.
Pelini said Martinez’s ability to read defenses made a difference in the passing game against the Gophers.
“I think he’s played at a pretty high level all year,” Pelini said. “I thought he executed really well.”
To read more, see Monday's Hastings Tribune or the Tribune e-edition.>>>
