Houston, We Have a Problem!

 

(Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

You like touchdowns?  How about them touchdowns!

Nebraska did something they haven’t done in a long-time last week, exercising some demons along the way.  They pitched a shutout for the first time since 2009.  They scored the most points in a game since 2012.  They also had 728 yards of offense, the most since 2014.

It was cathartic to Husker fans as much as anything.  In the second half we were able to see players that many of us have heard of, but they simply haven’t played many snaps.  Against Akron, many of them played prominent roles.  Rex Guthrie, Kade Pietrzak, Gabe Moore, Caleb Benning and Sua Lefotu were all players on defense that shined at one point or another.  On offense, TJ Lateef, Isaiah Mozee, and Mekhi Nelson all made significant contributions during the game. 

Part of the reason it was so relieving was because Nebraska has not really put a team far enough away that the backup players are able to get so much playing time.  Even bigger though, the non-starters kept the pedal to the metal when they got in the game, scoring three touchdowns of their own.

It was a throwback, to a time when Nebraska fans knew each player at each position, sometimes eight deep on the running back chart, because they were able to play in games before they ever became starters.  They were rewarded for their work in practice and when they were able to show off, they made the most of their opportunities.

It’s the best way to show depth, but it also gives players that aren’t starters an incentive to get on the field.  It makes you work harder in practice and it makes it apparent to the coaching staff that if you are forced into a game, you will provide the same amount of effort and skill as a starter if you are given the opportunity.

It is a bit wild in this day and age of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) that you are forced to worry to a certain extent that teams will see that depth and try to poach it off your roster with promises of more money and playing time.  However, I believe that it’s the price you must pay to have a deep and talented roster to survive and give yourself a chance to make the playoffs.  It may cost Nebraska some down the road, but it’s a tradeoff that Husker fans are happy to see, with some blowout games, reminding them of the past Husker glory.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 42, Akron 10. The actual score was Nebraska 68, Akron 0.  Ok, this is when I love to be really, really wrong.  Nebraska struggled to finish at the goal line in the first quarter, and they gave up a drive right before halftime, blocking a field goal to keep Akron off the board.  Other than that, the offense and the defense had little to no trouble with the Zips.  Nebraska may still have a long way to go for improvement in this season, but you saw the potential against a lessor opponent that we haven’t seen for a long time.  I expect this week to be another showcase.  I’ll be curious to see if Nebraska calls off the dogs a bit earlier this game.

Quick Notes:

Emmett Johnson…Ok, I see you, Emmett.  I don’t know if EJ can carry the ball as often as he has against the Big Ten, but so far, he has been dynamic and is coming into his own.  He has always been a good receiving back, but he has started to break longer runs and his toughness does not need to be questioned.  Back-to-back career highs in rushing bode well for him as he develops.  He is playing at a high level, ready to lead the rushing attack.

Jacory Barney....If Barney is playing hurt, I’d watch out for him when he gets healthy.  He posted over a hundred yards receiving and another 87 yards in punt returns.  He has blossomed into a go-to player for Dylan Raiola and his special teams play has sparked him and the team this year.  He has more punt return yards already than the whole team has had per season in at least the last four seasons.  As weapons go, Barney combined with Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter gives the Huskers the best receiving trio in at least a decade.

DeShon Singleton...…Singleton so far has been as the Swiss army knife that Nebraska needs to make the 3-3-5 defense hum.  He has made purposeful tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage and he has been very good in coverage.  With his size and athleticism, he acts like a linebacker, but he plays a combo corner/safety type role as well.  He has been very successful so far and provides a hammer from the back end of the defense.

Kade Pietrzak…The true freshman from Fargo, North Dakota blasted onto the scene making a tackle for a safety in the first quarter.  Pietrzak is explosive off the line of scrimmage and you can see why Nebraska had to fight off Oklahoma and Kansas State to get him to come to Nebraska.  He weighs in at 260 pounds according to the roster, but he plays bigger than that.  I don’t believe that he will redshirt this year, and he looks like he will be a big piece of the defensive line.  This kid is the type of top recruit that Matt Rhule needs to continue to land if Nebraska wants to get to the playoffs.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 59, Houston Christian 6

If this game goes half as well as last week, I suspect Nebraska won’t play their starters as long in this game.  Not that Houston Christian is as bad as Akron, they seem to be a heavy run team, which will be good for the defense to see and play.  On the flip side, they are an FCS team, and their talent level is at least two rungs below Nebraska.  I expect Nebraska to come out and score as much as they can in the first half so they can rest their starters for the start of Big Ten play.  Early morning games are always a bit sleepy, so if you are going to the game, be loud, be proud and GBR!!!

Akron Game Preview

Ok, so I went to Kansas City to watch Nebraska play Cincinnati.  Outside of the game a couple of items.

First, Arrowhead Stadium is old, someone told me it is the third oldest in the NFL, and since I know that Soldier Field and Lambeau Field are the oldest, I would guess that is accurate.  The stadium itself is built to hold in crowd noise, and I must admit, it was really…..really loud.  Probably as loud as I can remember hearing a sporting event.

Second, the scoreboards are awful.  The ribbon board never showed any statistics and it was nearly impossible to find the two places where they kept the game clock and play clock from where I sat in the lower bowl.  To top it off, the video boards are smaller than the ones at Nebraska high schools.  

On the flip side, it really felt like an old school game.  There weren’t 25 ads playing during commercial breaks for Aker Farm Equipment, Bryan Health or any other Nebraska commercialized and monetized item the University can throw on the video board.  I know it takes a lot of money to run the University and the athletic department, so I’m not upset, but the in-game experience with just a college band and few other distractions was a welcome break from the normal home Husker games.

Finally, I cannot stress this enough, it is hard to digest what is going on in a game when you are at the lower level of the stadium and you can’t get a bird’s eye view, like on TV, of what is really going on.  I thought Nebraska’s defensive line was bad, and for the most part they were, but not bad for the reasons I thought.  In watching the game, I thought they were getting manhandled, but rewatching on TV, they were getting up field, and they seemed to be winning their battles way more against the O-line, they just were not assignment sound.  After the review I felt much better about the future of the defensive line than I did leaving the stadium.

It also looked like Nebraska should be able to throw deep and I couldn’t figure out why we didn’t try to go over the top against the Bearcat defense.  What I couldn’t see is that they were playing mostly with a three-safety high cover that kept our offensive players in front of them and that they weren’t letting us go past without making sure Nebraska’s wide receivers were covered in full.  After the rewatch, it made me appreciate Dylan Raiola’s efficiency in the passing game.  He continuously hit open receivers, didn’t force much and played well.  It was difficult to see all that in person.

I say all of this as a reminder, not just to anyone reading this, but to myself as well that it was game one.  The biggest improvements should come between week 1 and week 2.  If that happens, and the team continues to improve week to week, it should be a very fun season.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 34, Cincinnati 17. The actual score was Nebraska 20, Cincinnati 17.  Nebraska dominated the middle two quarters of the game, and it was enough to come home with a victory.  The reality is, they should have probably scored at least one more touchdown, but they just as easily could have given up a free touchdown on an almost interception by Raiola on a swing pass on fourth down.  I felt like the offense could have played better, there were multiple times when beating one more defender would have been the route to a long touchdown.  Nebraska needs to make more big plays on offense.

Quick Notes:

Emmett Johnson…If you were looking for a player of the game, Johnson was it.  He carried the ball a career high 25 times and was targeted 10 times in the passing game.  It was an unusually large load for a running back but considering the youth and the minimal experience behind him, it was probably necessary.  Johnson is the bell cow at running back for sure, but he will need to be efficient and have about a third of the carries this week and next, so he has a chance to survive the Big Ten gauntlet.  If you were to tell me that there was a top three players Nebraska would struggle without, Johnson would be in the top three, easily.

Nyziah Hunter....Of the transfer receivers, Hunter really impressed me.  He made an acrobatic catch early in the game that if he had stayed on his feet, was an easy touchdown.  He then made a spectacular contested catch in the end zone for a touchdown right before halftime.  Dane Key is clearly a veteran that is going to be a big part of the offense, but having Hunter as the opposite outside receiver along with Jacory Barney in the slot gives Nebraska as good of a set of wide receivers as they have had in at least a decade.  This group should be enough for Dylan Raiola to have a big year in the passing game.  Hunter is really fun to watch, and he will score some big touchdowns this season.  

Ceyar Wright..…As I listened to Husker talk radio this week, it was great hearing everyone talk about how people weren’t sure that Wright even played.  That’s how great he was in coverage against the Cincinnati wide receivers.  Wright and Andrew Marshall shut down the passing game for the Blackshirts on the back end.  Throw in the great play of Donavan Jones and the pick by Malcom Hartzog and the defensive cover backs had what I would consider an excellent game.  Nebraska has some issues up front, but they certainly have the guys in the back end of the defense to keep them in any game.

Vincent Shavers Jr…Shavers wasn’t always where he should have been, but he made the play of the game by forcing a fumble in Cincinnatti territory right before half, recovered by Williams Nwaneri, that turned into a touchdown to give the Huskers a 10-point lead at halftime.  Shavers is the best linebacker on the team.  The thing that holds him back the most is experience.  The more he plays, the better he is going to get.  He plays fast and when he makes mistakes, he makes those fast as well which allows him to recover.  The Blackshirts inexperience showed up in Kansas City, but the potential is high with many of them.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 42, Akron 10

As an opening home game goes, you couldn’t ask for a better opponent to get healthy with.  I don’t mean to bag on the Zips, but Akron lost 10-0 to Wyoming last week and it wasn’t pretty.  Nebraska needs to put up some points in this game so their back up players can get valuable experience before conference play.  Nebraska’s youth clearly showed in the opening game.  It’s true, the starters are veterans in a lot of places, but there are so many young players in new roles and new situations, the repetitions are the biggest benefit of playing a team that isn’t that great.  Nebraska should dominate from the get-go, and I hope the offense opens it up and goes for the throat early so they can work on their game going forward.  As always, be loud, be proud and GBR!!!

Goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City Here I Come!

Since I last wrote a blog, Nebraska has won their bowl game, dropped their spring game, brought in a huge transfer class, had fall camp, handed out Blackshirts and single digit jerseys, and had recruits take pictures with a huge bull.

Talk about a full offseason!  

Now Nebraska gets to kickoff the season in Kansas City against the Cincinnati Bearcats, a game that was supposed to be played in Cincinnati but conveniently was moved to Kansas City to provide more revenue for the Bearcats.  Husker fans will be helping them out, filling out at a minimum 90% of the stadium on Thursday night.  

And what do our wandering eyes get to see on Thursday night?  A lot of change, but a lot of the same things as well.  

Dana Holgerson is now the full-time offensive coordinator.  John Butler is now the full-time defensive coordinator taking over for Tony White.  And you can also toss in Mike Ekeler as the new special teams coordinator as well.

On the flip side, it is the same thing as last season that could have the biggest change and impact on the Huskers.  It’s no secret that Dylan Raiola, playing as a true freshman, came with some bumps and bruises.  Now, the hope is that Raiola will blossom in year two, into the beacon of light that the program has been searching for since Bo Pelini left Nebraska.  

As much money as Nebraska poured into his surrounding cast mates, the time for Raiola to become a budding star is now.  Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter at wide receiver, Elijah Pritchett and Rocco Spindler on the offensive line are just a taste of the new players on the Husker roster.  Bringing back Emmett Johnson at running back and Jacory Barney at wide receiver, along with a strong tight end group should provide enough options for Raiola to open up the offense and keep teams guessing at which way the team will move the ball.

The Blackshirts added new players as well, although not all of them will play right away.  Linebackers Marques Watson-Trent and Dasan McCullough, along with cornerback Andrew Marshall headline a group that should provide immediate input for the defense, that must replace the likes of Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher to continue to have an impressive defense under Head Coach Matt Rhule.

This has been one of the most exciting off-season’s in the last decade for Nebraska.  Coach Rhule seems to have the culture in place that he wants, and the players and coaching staff that he worked so hard to put together.  They say hope springs eternal, but for the first time in a long time, I start to see the full picture coming into focus for Nebraska.  The question is, will this year be another small step, or a big leap?  Dylan Raiola probably has the most to do with answering that question. 

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 30, Boston College 27. The actual score was Nebraska 20, Boston College 15.  The game felt closer than it was, and Nebraska’s special teams continued to haunt the team, even in their bowl game.  That’s why Mike Ekeler was brought in to shore up that unit.  Nebraska arguably lost at least two games due to poor special teams last season.   It’s time for them to at least make that part neutral in 2025.  Getting the bowl win, and the “no postseason” monkey off of the teams back should free them up as well moving forward.

Quick Notes:

Emmett Johnson…Johnson entered the portal, oh so briefly, after last season.  Along with Dante Dowdell, Nebraska had a solid two headed monster by the end of 2024, but Dowdell also entered the portal and took the money that Kentucky offered and left Lincoln.  Despite all of this, Johnson decided to come back and should be the main leader of a backfield that is VERY young going into this season.  That doesn’t mean they don’t have options, they have plenty, but it does mean that they will have a lot of inexperience beyond Johnson.  Players like Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee will be forced into action and how they perform may tell us early if Nebraska will have depth to run the football to close out games.  Also, keep an eye on Wahoo native Conor Booth, I have a feeling he may end up getting carries as well this season.

Dylan Raiola....There are so many reasons why this year could be the year that Raiola blows up and becomes an All Big Ten player.  He has weapons around him, a top-notch offensive coordinator, a veteran offensive line and a year of playing in the Big Ten under his belt.  I remember Eric Crouch’s sophomore year in 1999, and how much he improved from his redshirt freshman season.  Raiola won’t have the team around him that Crouch did, but he could have just as much offensive success.  This team will reflect so much of what Raiola does, if you predict a big season from Nebraska, it will require a big season from the sophomore quarterback. Raiola continues to stir the Husker’s drink, and as he plays, so will go the Huskers.  

Keona Davis..…If the Blackshirts are going to be able to stop the run this year, Davis will need to be at the forefront of that effort.  Losing Robinson, Hutmacher, Jimari Butler and John Bullock will leave big shoes to fill for the defense in the run game.  I’m confident that Nebraska will be able to play the pass, and their pass rush should have more athletes than last season but being able to clog the middle was such a vital part of the defensive success.  Players like Davis, Riley Van Popple and Elijah Jeudy must leave a mark on this defensive season to continue any of that success.  It will be interesting to see how they start, as I feel like they will be much better as the season progresses.

Season Prediction…If you believe in the Matt Rhule third year jump, then folks, this season should be a great one for Husker fans!  I think Nebraska is still a season away from really blowing up, but that doesn't mean that this year won’t be a good one.  Despite all the NIL transfers and having Raiola back for a second season, this team is crazy young with around 90 total players that are sophomores, redshirt freshman or freshman.  If Nebraska improved their special teams play last year, they were likely 8-4 instead of 6-6.  I think this season, while maybe not at first, will have a much better special teams by the end of the year.  The downside is the defense will likely take a step back in league play.  If the offense improves enough to score 28 points per game, that will likely push Nebraska to 8 regular season wins.  Anything above that number would be gravy. If you go beyond that, you could be in playoff contention at the end of the season.  I’m going with 8-4 and another bowl game for the Big Red.  It’s not quite the leap Rhule normally has, but it might be the final push to the top of the hill that the Huskers need to get back into college football royalty.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 34, Cincinnatti 17

I could see this game being relatively close in the first half, but I’m guessing Nebraska enjoys the lead at halftime.  Cincinnatti is a good Big XII team, but Nebraska is and should be better than the mid-level team in a conference that is clearly a notch below the Big Ten.  Nebraska will be breaking a lot of opening day skids by beating a Power four conference foe.  The offense should be able to show off all their new toys and I expect to see some fireworks from the new punter/kicker combo.  I think Nebraska uses the Husker energy that will take over Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday and put an exclamation on the first game of the season.  It should be packed with Husker fans, hungry to push Nebraska to a big win. GBR!!!

Pinstripe Bowl Husker Preview

If you have been on a Husker football break since they lost versus Iowa on a crushing last minute field goal, it would be understandable.  If you haven’t been paying attention though, man have things changed.

Name, Image and Likeness, or more commonly referred to as NIL, has changed the entire landscape of college football, and in 2025, it will be changed like it’s on steroids.  With basically no rules, teams are spending money up front on players, knowing that Congress is attempting to set some parameters on the payouts that can be made starting as soon as next summer.

Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but the NCAA is also implementing a cap on players a team can have at 105.  This is a big blow to walk-ons.  Nebraska will no longer be able to carry a bigger roster than everyone else in the Big Ten.  Nebraska will be forced to let players that are on scholarship go as well as the walk-ons.  Throw in the fact that Nebraska lost their defensive coordinator Tony White to Florida State and the defensive line coach Terrance Knighton or “Pot Roast” as he is called, and Nebraska had a handful of players leave along with them.

And if that wasn’t enough, Nebraska went out and grabbed their own group of players from the transfer portal.  If you want to know how they have done so far, keep in mind that they pulled the number 6 overall player from the 2024 class on the defensive line (Williams Nwaneri, one spot above Dylan Raiola) and outbid teams like Georgia, Missouri, Kansas State and Miami for a list of other players that were highly coveted all over college football.

Where does that leave Nebraska overall?  Well in this new age of college football, cheering for certain players will lose its luster as many of them choose to move on.  They may be here one year, two years or five, but it’s going to be hard to put all your faith in a player that could easily be snatched up by the highest bidder the next season.  Nebraska will counter that by paying for top players from other schools to offset those losses.  That is the life of a college football team right now and moving forward.  It won’t be the same, but Nebraska seems to be keeping in line with the changes, which is all you can hope for right now.

Bleed Husker Red Tees

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 27, Iowa 20. The actual score was Iowa 13, Nebraska 10.  Nebraska dominated the game for all but one play on defense and it was super costly.  A long touchdown run by the Hawkeyes changed the game an altered Nebraska’s room for error.  Of course, it was Iowa’s special teams that caused them to come out ahead again, with Nebraska missing a field goal, fumbling a punt return and giving up a long field goal at the gun.  It’s not hard to see that Nebraska has better overall players than Iowa, but until they get coached up to the level that Iowa is at the least, Nebraska will continue to lose one score games to Iowa.

Quick Notes:

Emmett Johnson…Johnson ended up being Nebraska’s lead back at the end of the season and should play the most snaps in the bowl game against Boston College.  Johnson had an ok game against Iowa, but Dante Dowdell was the back that found the end zone.  Dowdell has since left for Kentucky, so Johnson can take over full time next fall.  If he improves as much from this last season into next season, Nebraska could have a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since Devine Ozigbo.  

Ty Robinson.…Robinson was a huge pain in the butt for many opponents this season, and Iowa took the brunt of Robinson’s pain as well.  Robinson ended up third team All-Big Ten, which in my opinion was a farce, he should have been first team.  Robinson may not play much in the bowl game, in fact I only expect him to play in the first half.  Nebraska will miss him immensely in 2025, he has been the best defensive lineman since Randy Gregory and probably the best defensive tackle since Jared Crick and Ndamukong Suh played together.  

Jacorey Barney Jr..…Barney will be the big gun in the bowl game and should be a big weapon for the Huskers next fall.  Nebraska added two big time transfers to the wide receiver room for next fall and two highly rated four-star players as well, but Barney will be the lead in that group.  If he and Jaylen Lloyd can team up with Jamal Banks and Carter Nelson, the wide receiver group should cause problems for Boston College.

Dylan Raiola…Raiola has started every game for Nebraska this fall.  It’s been a long time since Nebraska has been that fortunate.  Raiola has had his ups and downs, but there is no doubt that the future is bright for the Big Red as long as Raiola continues to improve.  Adding Dana Holgersen into the mix at offensive coordinator should help Raiola, as Holgersen’s offense is very quarterback friendly.  Nebraska continues to add weapons to the team as pass catchers and will also add some offensive lineman in the transfer portal.  If Nebraska’s offensive line improves along with the quarterback, the soon to be sophomore should have a great season in 2025.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 30, Boston College 27

Nebraska will be fully rested on offense and that should carry them to a victory.  Nebraska has lost a starting linebacker, defensive end and plenty of backups to the portal.  I would be lying if I said that the Blackshirts should dominate this game.  Boston College will put up points, but Nebraska should be able to match them.  Nebraska will get their first bowl win since beating UCLA in 2015.   It’s been a long, strange season and maybe it was a little disappointing, but I will miss Nebraska football mightily until it comes back to us in August.  Enjoy it and GBR!!!

Husker/Hawkeye Pregame Report and Prediction

Ok. I accept that win against Wisconsin. I bet you did too. And I bet you weren’t thinking, “man, I bet Nebraska puts up 44 against the Badgers!”

What the hell did we just see? The offense, that felt like it was stuck in mud for about 6 weeks, trotted themselves out there like a filly headed to the best track she could find and raced back and forth across the green pasture with the glee of a three-year-old kid eating their own bowl of ice cream.

It was amazing. All that pent up anger, all that pent up frustration, poured over Wisconsin like the gravy that they cover their cheese curds in.

The offensive line was fantastic and the play calling was a well-orchestrated symphony.

Alright, enough with the hyperbole, what really happened?

For one, Nebraska was able to get out in front, which made the play calling easier, because it was less predictable. Second, Nebraska ran the football like it hadn’t ran in conference play. They made the line of scrimmage their own personal space, and then the outside blockers, including the tight ends blew up any extra blitzers or linebackers trying to hit run fits. It was a thing of beauty.  

On top of that, Dylan Raiola looked like he did the first five weeks of the season. A future first round draft pick. All of the bad mojo and anguish of a team that was out of bullets on offense fell to wayside. It seems like a small miracle. And yet, when Dana Holgersen arrived, it put an immense amount of confidence in the offense and has allowed players to flourish.

We probably won’t ever be able to put our finger on it all as fans, but it was clearly the best situation imaginable for Husker Nation. It was a season that seemed all but lost two weeks ago and now it seems as if the sky is the limit. Granted, nothing is completely solved and this week against Iowa could still be a heartbreaking affair, but for a week, all things seemed possible for Nebraska. And for Husker fans that realize that this episode with Dylan Raiola may be fleeting, it at least let you dream that the next couple of years could be magic.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 17, Wisconsin 16. The actual score was Nebraska 44, Wisconsin 25. In some ways Wisconsin did what Nebraska has done so many times before, making an untimely mistake. Giving up a touchdown to the Huskers right before half wasn’t great, but to compound that with a fumble that allowed Nebraska to kick another field goal at the end of the half and really push the lead had to be frustrating for the Badgers. Nebraska finished with points on almost every possession in the middle two quarters and Wisconsin couldn’t recover. It was the best offensive output in the Matt Rhule era.

Quick Notes:

Emmett Johnson…It’s hard not to start with Johnson who had a career game against Wisconsin. Johnson ran with fire, becoming the first running back of the season to go over 100 yards rushing, but he also complemented that with 85 yards receiving. Johnson couldn’t find the end zone in this game, other than that, he played almost perfect. Johnson is playing not only for this season, but to be a feature back next season as well.  

Jacorey Barney Jr.…Barney was the Big Ten offensive freshman of the week in the Big Ten. Barney set the tone in the game with a huge kickoff return at the start. He broke the receiving record for a true freshman as well at Nebraska. Barney has been unleashed, and to me has followed the prediction of Bobby Newcombe almost to a tee. Barney takes some unbelievable shots as well, making very difficult catches look routine. Teams make a big effort to pop him, and he just absorbs that and fights on. The future is bright at wide receiver in Nebraska.  

Nate Boerkircher.…Boerkircher played more snaps against Wisconsin than he had all season. He took advantage of it. Boerkircher has always been a very solid back up at tight end, but this game in a more prominent role, he responded with two big catches, but also with some huge blocks on the perimeter. Putting tight ends in motion, including Luke Lindenmeyer, brought a bit of uncertainty to the Husker plays because it wasn’t apparent if it was a run or pass. The tight ends made a big difference in the offense.

Dylan Raiola…When you put up 44 points against Wisconsin and secure a bowl game for the first time in 8 seasons as a true freshman quarterback, it’s hard not to understate the impact of Raiola’s play this season. He has had some “freshman” moments for sure, but he also has played at a level that no other passing quarterback in my lifetime has done at Nebraska. Raiola was close to a 300-yard passing game, but not only that, he looked in total control on each play. Raiola guaranteed a Nebraska bowl game prior to last week and he delivered. Hard to quantify his play in the overall resurgence of the Husker offense, but his ability to throw the football is one of the best in the country.

Black Friday At Bleed Husker Red Tees!

Score Prediction: Nebraska 27, Iowa 20

I said it last week, but it really felt like Nebraska was either going 2-0 the last two weeks or 0-2. I still believe Nebraska will win this game. The offense won’t put up 44 on Iowa, but they have shown that they have a resiliency, and the play calling has been masterful. That’s not to say that Iowa won’t be primed to keep their foot on Nebraska’s neck again this year. It will be cold, and I expect a special team’s disaster on a punt for the Huskers, but Nebraska’s ability to bounce back has shown this team has the fight to absorb adversity and drive on. Iowa has a lot of injuries on offense, hopefully the Blackshirts show up and win this game on their own, GBR!!!

Badger Cheese

Dan Holgersen showed up in Lincoln about three weeks ago, but this week we finally got to hear from him in person.

And did we hear a lot!

Holgersen started calling out players for poor performance based on what he had watched on film.  Wide receivers not blocking and running backs not hitting an open hole against USC were a couple of items he mentioned.  He basically said the wideouts were blocking like “crap” in their previous games.

It made a lot of Husker fans happy to hear, because to be quite honest, most Husker obsessed fans were saying the same things.  It felt a lot like therapy to hear him talk about effort and the fact that he expects more.

It became even more obvious that a lot of the offensive players at skill positions simply had tuned out the other offensive coaches.  Who knows why, but it was disheartening to hear that either, A: Nebraska wasn’t playing as hard as they could, or B: They weren’t being coached well enough to understand what maximum effort is.

Matt Rhule has said all along that the standard is the standard.  To me, that means that he expects that standard to be high and those that don’t meet that standard won’t be playing.  Of course, after the last four losses, fans could tell that the standard wasn’t being met.  And for whatever reason nothing was changing.  

For the first time, it’s been hard to trust that Coach Rhule understood what that means to Husker fans.

Nebraska fans, for the most part, truly understand what it’s like to watch great football.  When they keep hearing that the coaching staff tell us that what we are seeing isn’t what we are seeing, it gets harder for fans to trust the process.  

Hiring Holgersen to come in and light a fire under the offense and bring in a new method of play calling shows that Rhule does see that the standard isn’t being met.  Hearing from Holgersen this week, we finally heard a coach tell everyone that the standard is much higher that what we have watched, and that he is looking to make changes to make that work.  It was a refreshing change for Husker fans.  Hopefully it resonates on the field the final two games of the season.

Bleed Husker Red Tees

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was USC 31, Nebraska 20.  The actual score was USC 28, Nebraska 20.  Nebraska was burnt by bad luck.  At least three passes could have, or should have, depending on your view, been intercepted.  All three of those plays either ended in a touchdown or extending drives to score touchdowns.  Even so, the defense and special teams did their part.  The offense continues to let the team down.  The defense has been so snake bit lately though, it’s hard to trust that they can get a stop when they need to.  Nebraska continues to play well enough to get beat by one score.

Quick Notes:

Ceyar Wright…Of all the newcomers to Nebraska in the offseason, Wright has made the most impact.  His play against his former team was inspired and kept Nebraska in the game until the end.  Wright has played at the level that we expected Tommi Hill to play at.  Speaking of Hill, he has been shut down for the last two games of the season, so it’s such a big deal that Wright is playing so well, Nebraska needs him to play at a high level.

Emmett Johnson…Johnson had a nice touchdown catch and run and made some nice inside runs, spinning himself into 5.5 yards per carry.  Dante Dowdell was banged up, so Johnson received the lion’s share of playing time.  He continues to be the most consistent running back on the roster.  If Nebraska has any chance to beat Wisconsin or Iowa, Johnson needs to have big games.  

Janiran Bonner…Bonner didn’t lead the team in catches or yards, and he didn’t score a touchdown, but he made a couple of plays that certainly got your attention.  He runs hard and is explosive.  If Holgersen is planning on playing some different guys and getting the ball to them, Nebraska could do worse than Bonner as he just seems to make positive plays.

Brian Buschini…Buschini has certainly had his ups and downs in his Husker career, but this season he has been fantastic.  He averaged 46 yards per punt against USC and pinned them back and took out a big part of their weapons on return.  Wisconsin and Iowa play field position games better than anyone in the country.  If Nebraska continues to struggle on offense, Buschini could be the difference between winning and losing.  So far, he has delivered.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 17, Wisconsin 16

Everything about this game screams that Nebraska should beat Wisconsin for the first time in over a decade.  They have been so close the last three seasons.  Last year’s overtime loss was particularly devastating because they led by two touchdowns early in the game only to watch it slip away in excruciating pain.  Nebraska has so many demons right now, it’s hard to tell which one is the most glaring, but beating Wisconsin would certainly show a ray of light that has been sorely missing.  If Nebraska is going to win a game, this one is the best opportunity.  I feel like it’s either 0-2 to close out, or 2-0.  This game sets the tone, so GBR!!!

New Husker Offensive Coordinator: Is Dan the Man?

So where were we?  Ah, yes, gearing up to play a losing UCLA team at home, after going toe to toe with Ohio State.  And then Nebraska had the ball once in the first 17 minutes at home versus the Bruins.  The crowd was out of the game, the defense couldn’t stop the Bruins and Dylan Raiola played his worst game of the season, putting a nail in the Huskers’ own coffin throwing a pick six to start the second half.

Man, what a swing of emotion coming out of Columbus.

But wait…there is more!  Unless you were living under a rock out in Rock County, you probably heard that Nebraska brought in a new offensive coordinator in Dana Holgersen.  Holgersen, formerly the head coach at Houston and West Virginia, comes in highly accomplished as a play caller and has been a head coach or offensive coordinator for many NFL quarterbacks and players in his career.

Bleed Husker Red Tees Sale!

So, what does that mean in Lincoln?  Well big picture, it allows Holgersen to have a shot to get to know Dylan Raiola before the offseason.  It also allows Nebraska to have a head start in replacing the offensive coordinator job before all the other teams in the nation start looking to make changes.  

Small picture though, I don’t know that it will mean much this fall.  Holgersen is said to be keeping the same playbook that Marcus Satterfield uses so that only he must learn it, and not the entire team.  How will that affect communication when he is trying to call plays?  If he wants a certain pass package, but isn’t sure of the name during the game, it could be costly in the tensest of situations.  Also, I don’t know that Holgersen will be able to figure out which players are cut out for pushing the Husker offense into the upper tier of the Big Ten, because the current cast of characters has them at the bottom.

It's possible that going on the road is a good thing coming out of this bye, because there has been so much distraction this week, the Huskers being away from Lincoln may allow them to shelter themselves from people that are certain to want to question them about the changes.  Head Coach Matt Rhule has kept the players away from the press this week, simply because he knows how distracting this change has to be in the midseason.

Throw in that this really hasn’t been tried before.  Bringing in a new play caller that isn’t already on staff just isn’t done in college football.  NFL?  Sure, but those are professional players that have the opportunity to work 18-hour days.  College kids can’t do that.  And will Holgersen help the running backs hit the right hole better?  Can he help the offensive line move the line of scrimmage better?  How about the wide receivers block better?  All of those are items that need fixed and Holgersen won’t be able to do that in two weeks.

If you include the special teams that continues to confound with inconsistencies, and this isn’t a scenario that screams “Nebraska wins in L.A!”  The Blackshirts are in for a mighty challenge this week as well, as USC has as good of offensive talent as anyone in the Big Ten.

Change has been on the table for the Huskers since the 5-1 start that is a distant memory at this point.  Unfortunately, it may have come too little, too late.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 31, UCLA 17.  The actual score was UCLA 27, Nebraska 20.  When the Huskers look back at 2024 this loss will burn the most.  UCLA played great and offensively, they really took the Huskers apart in the first half and on one drive in the third quarter.  Defensively, they blitzed Dylan Raiola mercilessly and Nebraska looked like a deer in the headlights.  Even with all that, Nebraska had a chance to tie the game on the last drive.  It’s games like this one that Huskers fans have endured over and over again the last decade.  Sometimes you wonder if it’s ever going to stop.

Quick Notes:

Dante Dowdell…Dowdell continues to find the end zone on offense, and sometimes it feels like he is the only one.  The issue is, between the 20’s, Dowdell is 2 yards and a cloud of dust way too often.  It almost seems like Dowdell is so focused on not fumbling that he misses holes and I’m not sure he is capable of making guys miss at the second level.  Dowdell has a big game this weekend.  USC is not a great run stopping team.  He needs to step up if Nebraska is going to have any chance to win.

Isaiah Neyor…Neyor hasn’t been perfect, but he at least is catching the ball when it is thrown to him.  Neyor is a mismatch, but too often he doesn’t run his routes with the intent that he needs to.  He still isn’t getting the separation that he needs early in the route.  Throw that in with below average blocking and Neyor has a long way to go.  That said, he is the best target on the outside and Nebraska needs to continue to give him chances down the field.  

Ty Robinson…I have to give Robinson a lot of credit.  He could have transferred to Oregon, Alabama, Michigan, you name it, this offseason, but he chose to stay a Husker.  He has been the most consistent player on a defense that runs really hot and then cold.  Robinson should be up for all conference honors this season, but probably won’t because Nebraska’s win total isn’t as high as it could be.  Don’t worry about that, enjoy Robinson, he has given his all for the program.  Hopefully he is rewarded at some point.

Tommi Hill…UCLA picked on Jamal Charles from the outset, and it really set them up for early success in the first half.  Hill had to come in, and it looked like he was as close to healthy as he has been since the Colorado game.  Hill is an NFL player, and it has really hurt the Blackshirts that their best defensive back has been out so much.  Hill will be needed against USC; they have the best wide receiver talent the Huskers will play this season outside of Ohio State.

Bleed Husker Red Tees Sales

Score Prediction: USC 31, Nebraska 20

Even coming out of a bye, I just don’t think the Huskers offense is up to the challenge this week.  They clearly have confidence issues, and you can tell that they don’t have anything that they run that they know they can have success.  Maybe I’m way off and Holgersen will waive his magic play calling wand and all will be well, but I don’t see it this week.  It doesn’t mean that all is lost, it just means that Nebraska will have two other chances to get bowl eligible.  They need to figure out what works this week and prepare it for Wisconsin at home the following Saturday.  It’s dark early in Nebraska, but it will always be GBR!!!