Nebraska got another win. This time against Rutgers. It was ugly. There are people out there that don’t like hearing that. But what else can you call a win where offensively you gained 45 yards in the 3rd quarter, 10 yards in the 4th quarter, and had 2 punts blocked in the game. Nebraska was lucky. This was a game they could have lost and probably would have in the past.
Dylan Raiola had his first game where he looked like a freshman, going 2/9 passing for 14 yards and getting sacked 3 times in the 2nd half. His performance was due to multiple circumstances. For one, the wind was a factor. There was added pressure on the young QB to make plays when having the wind at his back, and it showed in the 2nd half. In Rhule’s post-game press conference he mentioned Greg Schiano’s prowess as a defensive mind, suggesting Rutgers made slight adjustments to their defense in the 2nd half that may have rattled Raiola. That showed too.
But even before that, Raiola had difficulty finding his top receivers. Banks had one reception while Neyor never made a catch. Also attributing to the passing struggles was the lack of a running game. I think Dylan was a little gun shy after throwing both a bad interception and getting hit with an intentional grounding penalty in the 2nd quarter. He kept his cool, but I thought you could see frustration in his body language after that. All and all, it was a tough day for the young QB. To his credit, I’m not sure a seasoned vet could have done much better.
Nebraska is 5-1, and Husker fans should be happy. But if you’re like me, rather than happiness, there is a sense of trepidation. Why? Indiana is up next, they are 6-0. After Indiana is Ohio State, and it’s difficult to see a win against the Buckeyes. If Nebraska doesn’t win against Indiana, and loses to Ohio State, they’ll be 5-3 and needing one win in their last four games to become bowl eligible. Sound familiar?
It forces me to once again say, Indiana feels like a must win game.
With the way we are currently playing, I would consider three of the last four games 50-50 ball games. Only UCLA at home feels winnable. The season is half gone and we have yet to see a complete game from this team. In one game, the offense carries them, the next it’s the defense. And let’s face it, other than Brain Buschini, the special teams are still ‘Chasing 3’ and lagging further behind every week. Rumor has it, Matt Rhule has taken over. We’ll see what that looks like coming out of the bye.
Against Rutgers, the offense once again went into hibernation in the second half. Other than the Purdue game, Nebraska scoring in the second half has been nonexistent.
I keep saying the running game needs to improve, and how can you argue with me. Before we played Purdue, they gave up 341 yards rushing to Oregon State. The Huskers rushed for 161 yards against the Boilermakers.
Rutgers gave up 207 yards rushing to Washington before we played them. The Huskers rushed for 97 yards against the Scarlet Knights.
Rhule suggested that when teams give up a ton of rushing yards, they fix things before their next opponent. I get that, but these teams have consistently given up rushing yards throughout the year. These weren’t single game anomalies. Nebraska should have had better success running the ball.
The running game needs to be a true threat to keep pressure off Raiola. Like Adrian Martinez before him, we are demanding too much from the quarterback position. He needs his supporting staff to take some of the heat off him.
We all know Nebraska’s defense deserves the credit for the Rutgers win. And when talking defense, Tony White is getting better each game. Rhule credited White for being flexible and changing things up by going to a four-man front and putting in two Jack linebackers. Part of White’s confidence in making such a move is Matt Rhule and John Butler’s knowledge as defensive coaches. Don’t be too eager for Tony White to get a head coaching job. I still say he’s a smart guy, and he sees the value in hanging around another year after this. He’s in an ideal position and he’ll stay until the perfect fit comes along.
The majority of Rutgers yardage and time of possession came on their first series. After that the Blackshirts controlled most of the game. Rutgers was 2/14 on 3rd downs and averaged 7.9 yards to gain on 2nd down. That’s a far cry from their 51% conversion rate on 3rd down and average of 3.0 yards to gain coming in.
Much of the Blackshirts success was due to defensive line play. Ty Robinson played 61 plays and had 1 sack, 2 tackles for losses and a batted pass. Nash Hutmacher had 1 sack, 2 solo tackles and 1 tackle for a loss. James ‘Sack Man’ Williams stood out making 5 total tackles, 4 solo, 2 sacks, 2 tackles for losses and 2 QB hurries. At this point in the season, it’s easy to say the defensive line is the strength of Nebraska’s team. The numbers validate that. The Huskers currently lead the B1G in sacks with 20, and tackles for losses with 42, and they have yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season. Granted, those numbers don’t all come from the defensive line, but that’s where everything starts.
At the end of July, I posted an article on Carriker Chronicles titled ‘Blackshirts Third & Five’. For those of you who read it, you may remember I picked Robinson, Hutmacher and Williams as my defensive linemen. I wrote, “Williams brings another element to the defense with his length and speed. After a year of winter conditioning and having a better understanding of what Knighton wants from him, Williams will show he is more than just an edge rusher. There will come a point this year when a momentum swing is needed, and Williams will be the guy that makes those big plays.” Go back and review the article for a better explanation.
My point is there are several guys on this team that can and will make a difference before year’s end. Williams isn’t done. He’ll show up again this season. And this game is the sort of thing that will make him hungry and fire up his teammates. If you don’t believe me, watch Ceyair Wright going forward. He’s another player I mentioned.
The off week came at just the right time as Nebraska has plenty to work on. The four things that need addressed. Getting Banks, Neyor and Fidone more involved in the passing game. Establishing a consistent running game, with better blocking and the backs seeing the holes. Getting special teams to an acceptable level. And of course, the main purpose of an open week, getting everyone healthy again. This is the time for players and coaches to reflect, build on things done well, and readjust as needed.
Up next, the Huskers are on the road against an Indiana team that is undefeated and loaded with confidence. A win here puts the Huskers at 6-1, getting the pressure of reaching bowl eligibility out of the way and building momentum going to Ohio State. Things have set up well for Nebraska so far this season. They need to take advantage of what they have accomplished and finish what they’ve started. I think they get their minds right and reach 6-1.
Good things are about to happen.
Go to Off The Cob (lyleharmon-otc.com) for more articles on Husker football.