Now that a few days have passed since Nebraska’s battle with Cincinnati, we can take a step back and really see what this team is about. The first thing that stands out is that this offense will not be flashy. It will not be about highlight reels or bombs down the field. What we saw Thursday night was an offense built on consistency. It may take a few weeks for all the parts to come together, but once it does, it is going to be tough to stop.
Dana Holgorsen has a very clear plan. His philosophy is simple but effective. Put the ball in the hands of your playmakers in space and force the defense to tackle them over and over. When you have players like Jacory Barney Jr, Jaylen Lloyd Hunter, Dane Key, Cortez Mills, Emmett Johnson, and Mekhi Nelson, that style becomes dangerous in a hurry. Defenses may know what is coming but that does not mean they can stop it.
We saw this on display against Cincinnati. Dylan Raiola was asked to throw the ball 42 times and he completed 33 of those passes. That is 33 times Cincinnati had to step up and bring a Husker to the ground. Holgorsen has always said that is his approach, “make them tackle us”. It is a relentless method that grinds down defenses, and when the Huskers get fully comfortable in it, it will produce points.
There were no deep passes against Cincinnati, and some fans wondered why. After all, when a defense plays seven yards off the ball you would think quick outs and slants are there all day. But there was a reason Holgorsen stayed patient. Cincinnati’s secondary alignment made it almost impossible to take a deep shot. Still, as the game went on and the safeties started creeping closer to the line of scrimmage because of Emmett Johnson’s 25 carries for 108 yards, you could feel a play action strike downfield begging to be called. With new weapons like Key and Hunter, those opportunities will come in future games. The staff is building this offense piece by piece and that patience will pay off.
On the defensive side, there were more questions. At times the line looked like it was getting pushed around. Cincinnati has an offensive line that averages 6 foot 4 and 310 pounds, which is Big Ten size, but they are not yet at the level of the elite fronts Nebraska will see later. Still, the Bearcats were able to make the Huskers look uncomfortable, and that cannot happen as the season rolls forward.
Nebraska did hold Tawee Walker to just 50 rushing yards, which is impressive because he is a Big Ten caliber back. But the quarterback’s legs hurt the defense, and that is an area that must improve. Nebraska will need to be more decisive with run blitzes and less reactive when a quarterback pulls the ball down. These next two weeks will give the defense time to grow.
Akron and Houston Christian are not juggernauts, but they do present chances to test the Huskers in exactly the areas that need work. Akron’s Sam Scott ran for 132 yards last week, so stopping him will be an early measuring stick. Nebraska has the talent, but it has to become more straightforward and confident when attacking the run.
All of this leads into week four, where a complete and balanced Michigan team awaits. That is the real test, and Nebraska knows it. These two upcoming games are the time to iron out the wrinkles, build confidence, and grease the gears of an offense that is built to wear people down. So do not freak out Husker fans. The offense will not look like what you are used to, but it is built with purpose. With a little time, it will be smooth, it will be relentless, and it will be exactly what Holgorsen promised. Holgorsen is an offensive genius, give him a few games to solve the equations.