Full Steam Ahead!
If Nebraska ever gets back to the point that it is blowing out Big Ten teams with regularity, you will know the program has arrived. Until last Saturday, the Huskers have only had one Big Ten blowout in the last five years. That game was against Maryland in 2019. They handled Minnesota pretty well in Coach Scott Frost’s first season but haven’t beaten them since. In fact, since Nebraska came into the Big Ten, blowouts have been few and far between.
So why does last weeks game against Northwestern look any different than any other game going forward. Nebraska has failed to capitalize on momentum in any of the last half decade’s games. The longest winning streak in the last four losing seasons is two games.
I think the biggest thing is that Nebraska has played above par the last three weeks. As painful as losing two games to ranked teams on the road was, it was two ranked teams on the road. Going into the season, you would have thought that Nebraska was doing something right if they played those games with a chance to win it in the last minute of each game.
Now, the dark side of the coin is that you can’t just wish the Illinois game away. Nebraska played in that game and the taste it left in our mouths was as sour as a glass of milk left in the sun for three days. You can’t just wash that away. Nebraska has been their own worst enemy, as we all know, even in those close losses.
This time, things just feel different. Even if Nebraska doesn’t beat Michigan, I don’t expect them to be blown out. Nebraska should have a chance to win five of their last six games, because the Blackshirts are playing at a level that Nebraska fans haven’t seen in a decade. If Nebraska wins three of those games, I think you would say that it has been a successful rebound from an awful start.
That all starts this Saturday. If Nebraska is really “back” (I use that term loosely, we’ve been saying it since Bo Pelini took over) they should be able to go toe to toe with a top ten Michigan team at home. Nebraska in their heyday would never look at an opportunity like this and think they weren’t going to win at home. It’s been a long time since Husker fans could be confident that they would have a chance to knock off a top ten team. Last week was the first time in this Frost era that I think most of us have felt that feeling. Nebraska looked like they were “back”. Now we get to find out if they really are back!
ON WITH THE REWIND…
Last game prediction was Nebraska 24, Northwestern 17. The actual score was Nebraska 56, Northwestern 7. I mean we all watched the game and we all saw what happened. Hardly any mistakes by Nebraska, all the playmakers made plays and Northwestern looked like they were lost in a Big Red hurricane. Nebraska did nearly everything right. We’ve been waiting for it, the hammer finally fell.
Quick Notes:
Teddy Prochaska…When you are a true freshman, generally playing time is hard to come by in college. If you do get to play, you are probably pretty friggin’ awesome. To play at left tackle, you have to be in the top 5% of incoming players. Prochaska seemed to fit all those descriptions in his first collegiate start. Prochaska has all the tools that you look for in an offensive lineman. He really looks like he is ready to rock in the Big Ten. He will have a big challenge this week against Aidan Hutchinson. I have to admit, I think he is up for the challenge.
JoJo Domann…I always feel like JoJo just gets better as the season wears on. No different in 2021. Domann plays a position that requires a broad set of skills and he still stands out. That’s difficult to do. The Co-Big Ten player of the week on defense has made life miserable for offenses this year. His ability to cover wide receivers and make plays in the backfield make him a unicorn for the Huskers. He has been the most dynamic player on a defense packed with really solid players.
Garrett Nelson…I try not to get too excited about Nelson, but I can’t help it. I grew up 25 miles from Scottsbluff, so when someone from out west stands out, it’s hard not to get fired up. Nelson has been a favorite of mine as soon as he announced he was going to play for the Blackshirts. He has been outstanding on the outside and is starting to put his knowledge together with his outstanding stamina and energy. Again, another standout in a group with a lot of them.
Jaquez Yant…I think it’s safe to say that Nebraska wasn’t really expecting a game like that from Yant. They weren’t really expecting an offensive line to blow holes in the defense like they did against Northwestern either, but Yant certainly took advantage of it. I know, you all wonder why Frost waited half a year to play the kid, but the fact is, Frost said he couldn’t play more than two plays without being winded. If Yant is truly in shape and ready to run the rest of the season, it could give Nebraska another weapon that could push them into contention to try and win the Western Division.
I’m not convinced Nebraska will win this weekend like a lot of Husker fans. I still wonder if we have a bit of fool’s gold in last week’s game, in that the errors that have plagued them all year, simply won’t disappear every game moving forward. I will say that I’m encouraged that the offensive line played better than they have all year. I’m also encouraged that the defense is the strength of the team and should keep the Huskers in every game they play moving forward. Screw it, I’m picking the Huskers! Let’s go roll a Wolverine! GBR!!
No comments:
Post a Comment