There are numerous reasons for Husker fans to be excited going into the season, for one, it’s a new season and as a Husker fan, you know this is the year your team can return to relevance. The other, It’s Matt Rhule’s year three, which everyone has made a far bigger story than needs to be. It’s also the first time Rhule went into fall camp without dealing with turmoil. In year one he had to ask for his tight end coach’s resignation and scramble to find a replacement within his staff. In year two, longtime assistant Evan Cooper resigned a month before fall camp. In year three he starts with a new staff but this time all the changes were made before winter conditioning, setting the foundation for this fall. The results, the coaching staff is far better, the player talent level is better, the culture and attitudes are better – everything’s better.
None of these things automatically equate to wins, but it’s all the right stuff needed for this team to take the next step and have success. There is a different feeling in Lincoln, a different vibe, something is happening. And because of that I think this is the year the Huskers turn the corner.
I’m encouraged due to hearing offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen use words like consistency, routine, explosive, and sustain.
“What you see with the routine plays are, more first downs, more explosive plays too because if you are just making routine play after routine play those things tend to go,” Holgorsen said.
For Holgorsen to say that means something, the man has been around, he’s led some prolific offensives and had good quarterbacks everywhere he’s been, guys like Clayton Tune, Geno Smith, Case Keenum, Graham Harrell, and Brandon Weedon. He’s also familiar with the wide receiver position coaching players like Tank Dell, Justin Blackmon, and Micheal Crabtree. He recognizes talent and knows how to use it.
Fans haven’t heard words like Holgorsen is using since coach Osborne. Those are all words used to describe the Nebraska teams of the nineties. Those teams were consistent, and if you want to talk routine and explosive, think no further than the 1995 Orange Bowl against Miami when fullback Cory Schlesinger broke free twice in the fourth quarter on runs of 14- yards and 15-yards to score touchdowns. A fullback run, a simple routine play that suddenly became explosive.
I’m not suggesting Nebraska is going to run the fullback. Although, Holgorsen suggested he would be using two-back sets this season due to the confidence he has in the running backs. In Holgorsen’s offense with Raiola’s talent and his receivers, routine five-yard outs or a tight end dragging across the middle become something besides a five- to ten-yard gain. Holgorsen believes the Husker have explosive players who can turn those plays into something big.
Holgorsen also isn’t backing down on his thoughts about QB Dylan Raiola, saying, “So, his leadership is outstanding. The play is fantastic. He’s making throws that I’ve never seen before, to be honest with you. So, I mean, he’s in a good spot, he’s ready for game day.”
Fans should like what they hear as Raiola is expected to take a big leap in year two. He has a year of experience in the Big Ten and will now be under Holgorsen’s direction for a full season. The offense has been simplified. He has an improved offensive line in front of him and has real weapons at the wide out position. He’s also worked on being able to scramble when needed, as Holgorsen pointed out.
“Yeah, I don’t worry about him in the pocket. You know he’s big, he’s physical, you know he can kind of bounce off people and stuff like that, but we do a lot of scrambling with him. You know, like whether it’s boots or nakeds, or just like him getting out of the pocket extending plays. I see that like really advanced right now compared to what it was last year. It was a focus for us – we’re making him do it. I’m like don’t throw this one, you need to scramble on this one, and so you know he’ll scramble. And we’re really getting the receivers to understand and buy into the play ain’t over, you need to get to where you need to be to make plays. So, his ability to extend plays I think has improved, him running down field to get first downs and stuff we don’t let him do that right now. That’s just going to be game time, if you got it and he needs it, then he can go get it. But I have seen improvement when it comes to that.”
The last two seasons the defense has carried Nebraska. That changes this season. For Nebraska to have the kind of season they want, and fans dream of, this offense will need to average more than 30 points per game. That doesn’t seem unrealistic, as Holgorsen’s offenses have only averaged less than 29.5 points per game one time in his career. If the Huskers can bump that number to 35, it will put them in the top twenty-five.
In comparison, Nebraska’s defense allowed an average of 19.5 points per game last season. The question is, can the defense at least duplicate that number or get better? I think they can but look for the offense to carry this team until the defense has time to develop. Defensive coordinator John Butler is going to be much more aggressive with blitzes and show multiple fronts and alignments. Like Holgorsen, he is going to utilize his talent, and the current talent says get after the quarterback.
I like where this team is at, and Matt Rhule’s demeanor after Saturdays’ practice indicates he does as well. Rhule was in perhaps the best mood he’s been in after fall camp since becoming the head man. It all bodes well for the upcoming season.
This is the year Husker fans.
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