Everything On The Line!

As if the bye week couldn’t have come at a worse time for Nebraska, just like clockwork a worn down and battered Husker team traveled to Minneapolis and lost another game in which they were favored.  It was inopportune because the Huskers clearly were flat, and their injury status was too much to overcome.   The needed that bye week the week before.  Just another bad timing issue that hit the Huskers this season.

So, when does the bright spot of the season occur?

I’ve been more convinced this season that Frost was getting the team into a place that they were ready to go on a run.  Playing top ten teams within one score and blowing out Northwestern made me think this team was on the cusp of something great.   The question now becomes, how wrong am I?

Nebraska clearly has a lot to play for the next four weeks.  They need three more wins to reach a bowl game.  At this point, that doesn’t seem likely.  In his career, Scott Frost hasn’t beat three of the teams that he is playing.  It would be a bit of a fluke to think he is going to beat even two of three.

That leaves us with another losing season.  I said at the beginning of the season that the ceiling was likely eight wins, but the floor could be three or four.  If Nebraska fails to win this week, the task to get to even four wins becomes so mountainous based on history, you have to wonder if Scott Frost will survive.  If Nebraska only wins three games with arguably Scott Frost’s most talented team, you wouldn’t be crazy to think he should be let go.

 Bring Back The Fullback Tee!

So just like every week, this is Scott Frost’s biggest game.  I don’t know that this narrative will stop the rest of the season.  That’s a precarious spot to be in when you have already had three losing seasons to start your career.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 38, Minnesota 17.  The actual score was Minnesota 30, Nebraska 23.  It was a prediction based on a healthy Adrian Martinez.  He clearly wasn’t healthy and Nebraska removed the quarterback running game from their plan.  Inability to strike from the goal line and missed field goals again cost Nebraska.  The Huskers are their own worst enemy, and continue to shoot themselves in the foot more often than not.

Carriker Chronicles Purdue Prediction

Quick Notes:

Austin Allen…Allen has been the best tight end at Nebraska for at least a decade, if not more.  He has improved to the point that he is like all the other Big Ten tight ends that have haunted Nebraska this last ten years.  You could argue that Allen has been the biggest receiving threat on the team, even though he isn’t always the main target.  If Nebraska continues to get the ball to Allen, it should open the field for other receivers.  

Adrian Martinez…I don’t always like that Nebraska doesn’t talk about injuries, because Martinez has been playing hurt most of the year.  His jaw was clearly injured against Michigan State.  He had a leg injury against Michigan.  Nebraska can only be as good as Martinez plays.  Martinez has been a horse trying to play through all of these injuries.  I suspect a week off will do him well, but the offensive line needs to keep him clean.  It’s the only way he will make it through the year.

Running Game…When Rahmir Johnson went out against Minnesota, the wind went out of Nebraska’s running game.  To be honest, if Johnson hadn’t claimed the top spot at running back this year, Nebraska may be in worse shape than they are.  The inability of Nebraska to establish more than one running back each season is baffling.  It would be different if we did not recruit the spot well, but there are a lot of running backs on the roster that were highly recruited.  Nebraska needs to figure this out during the offseason or the assistant coaches may need to be changed.

Pass Rush…You can argue that Nebraska’s defense has been a bright spot this season and that they are the main reason Nebraska has been competitive week in and week out.  They do have a weakness and it is the ability to put pressure on the quarterback.  This has been an issue since Randy Gregory and Maliek Collins left town.  Teams have figured this out and used it against Nebraska all year.  Quick drops and pop passes have left Nebraska vulnerable and forced the Huskers out of their normal base all season.  In my opinion it has cost Nebraska at a minimum three games this season.  To me, as much as the offensive red zone issues have held Nebraska back, the failure to get a consistent pass rush has been just as damaging.     

 Husker Manners Tee

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 27, Purdue 24 

It’s hard to guess what offense Nebraska will have game to game.  Defensively they have been consistent, and the bye should help as it seemed like the Huskers were gassed against Minnesota.  If Nebraska can use Martinez in the running game and everyone has healed up during the bye week, you would think that Nebraska should have an easy win at home.  I’m guessing it will be close unfortunately.  I think this week Nebraska only misses one field goal and one extra point to hold on. I’m off to tailgate and yell loud and GBR!!