BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Saturday, October 16, 2004 7:00 pm
So, you're wondering what in the world finally jump-started Isaiah Fluellen, the oft-injured, seldom-used, fleet Nebraska wide receiver.
Was he at last healthy? Did Fluellen have an exceptional week of practice? Was he looking to take advantage of an opportunity?
Perhaps. But fellow wide receiver Mark LeFlore may have had something to do with Fluellen's performance Saturday.
Before the game, back at the team motel, LeFlore told Fluellen he'd pay him if Fluellen scored a touchdown against Baylor.
He scored two, on consecutive plays.
"Yeah, I think I owe him 20 bucks," LeFlore said, smiling. "I got it. It's not a problem."
It's a debt LeFlore is more than happy to pay following Nebraska's 59-27 victory over Baylor at Memorial Stadium.
"I have to," LeFlore said. "You can't not do it. Then he'll hound me for it."
LeFlore and Fluellen, you see, are good friends, close teammates. They both were slowed by injuries LeFlore a turf toe, Fluellen hamstring problems and weren't even listed on the season's first depth chart.
LeFlore didn't catch his first pass until NU's third game, against Pittsburgh. He was the lone bright spot in a 70-10 loss last week to Texas Tech with a 74-yard touchdown reception.
Saturday, his buddy got into the mix, at long last.
"Isaiah, he's not a secret at all," LeFlore said. "He's one of the fastest, if not the fastest receiver on the team. Isaiah's been ready for three or four weeks now. He's the kind of person that whenever he gets the chance, he's going to make the most of it, and that's what he did today."
Fluellen hauled in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Joe Dailey Fluellen's first reception of the season late in the second quarter. Then, on the first play following a Jay Moore fumble recovery, Dailey went deep to Fluellen again, and Fluellen reached slightly for the ball, grabbing it down the middle of the field for a 45-yard touchdown. Only five seconds remained in the half.
"I've been patiently waiting. I know my time is coming," said Fluellen, whose first reception last year, against Southern Mississippi, also resulted in a touchdown. "We'll see how the rest of the season goes. I want to do the same thing I've been doing. I'm not going to change anything."
The two balls to Fluellen were examples of Nebraska's game plan to stretch the field vertically against Baylor.
"Baylor plays man-to-man coverage, and when you're a receiver, that's something you have to take advantage of," LeFlore said. "We had planned to take some shots on them."
Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said the Huskers always try to throw some deep balls, try to mix things up and take some shots down the field. But in last week's loss at Texas Tech, Nebraska had only one play LeFlore's touchdown that covered more than 15 yards.
That, Norvell said, won't cut it.
"If you throw the ball, you've got to have guys make plays for you," Norvell said, "and a lot of guys made plays for Joe today."
Like Matt Herian, who had a 43-yard reception, or Grant Mulkey, who caught a 31-yard touchdown pass and had another grab for 38 yards. LeFlore also had a catch for 19 yards, and I-back Cory Ross turned a screen pass into a 74-yard touchdown.
Oh, and then there's Fluellen.
"He's been working really hard. He's flashed at times in practice, it's just he hasn't put it all together," Norvell said. "He's like a lot of our guys. A lot of our guys have been working hard. We're just not quite there.
"The thing about our offense, it has to be everybody as a unit working together. It's not spot players. It's everybody. Joe counts on the receivers to be there for him, and they were there today."
LeFlore, for one, was happy Fluellen was among the group.
"He's been struggling all off season, and now he's back," LeFlore said. "Everyone on the team knew he was back, but this is the first time he's had an opportunity to make a play."
As for emptying LeFlore's pocketbook?
"I'm going to keep him to his word," Fluellen said. "Probably going to share it with my brothers."
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.