Something happened though, something that we have not seen for a long time. Rutgers didn’t take advantage of Nebraska’s screw ups. The inability to move the ball on offense wasn’t offset by a myriad of defensive blunders. Nebraska continued to fight. The fought, almost to the point that I was surprised they weren’t down 24-0 at halftime. I let my mind wander. Could Nebraska come back?
I’ve harped often that in the last five years, something was missing in Lincoln. Nebraska was so close so many times but fell short way too often. There was a sense of dread under Scott Frost, wondering how Nebraska would blow it in the end. In a strange way, Mickey Joseph has cleared that hurdle in two weeks. Nebraska has bowed, but they have not been broken. At least not yet.
Nebraska’s defense has completely flipped the script from the first quarter of the season. They play with passion, energy, and a fight that they didn’t have until after Oklahoma. They also play with a sense of togetherness that we may not have seen this season without a change in coaching.
The other thing I noticed is that the team seems to be a team now. Special teams, defense, offense, all celebrating one another when they come off the field. I’m not saying it never happened under Coach Frost, but it seems like it stands out more.
The season is halfway over. Nebraska hits the meat of their schedule with a beat-up offensive line, limited running backs, a banged up tight end room. These are not markers of a team that is about to go on a run. In the past, I had a hard time seeing how Nebraska would win another game this season. After last week, I don’t know that I can tell which games Nebraska will win on their schedule, but for the first time in years, I feel like they will win more games. That has been a big change. You can thank Mickey Joseph for that. (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)
ON WITH THE REWIND…
Last game prediction was Nebraska 35, Rutgers 27. The actual score was Nebraska 14, Rutgers 13. So, I was a little off on how the offense would do last week. It happens. Nebraska could barely block long enough to hold Rutgers out of the backfield at all last week. They must improve or Casey Thompson won’t make it through six more games. On the flip side, the Blackshirts (even if they aren’t coming back this season, they earned them back in my mind) played with the fury of a team that wouldn’t be beat. Nebraska did what they had to do to win. It’s been a while since we have seen a game like that.
Quick Notes:
Trey Palmer…The best transfer in Nebraska history? Well maybe not yet, but Palmer is making the case. The former LSU Tiger has been everything the Huskers could have hoped for and more. He is on pace to shatter multiple receiver records for a season. Nebraska must continue to find other receivers to take pressure off of Palmer as teams start to shift coverage. If the Huskers can do that, Palmer can continue to make big plays when teams lose sight of him.
Garrett Nelson…People often ask me if I think Nelson will play in the NFL. I think there isn’t much doubt that he will. If he plays with the fire that he brings to the table every week, he will make a roster out of sheer will. Nelson is a throwback to the 90s if there ever was one. It’s unfortunate that he had to play so much when he was young and wasn’t quite ready. If he stays healthy, Nelson is Nebraska’s best chance for an All-Conference defensive player.
Luke Reimer…No one seems to have unleased themselves under Bill Busch as defensive coordinator, quite as much as Reimer. Reimer has always been fast, but he seems to be playing with more freedom and a better understanding of his role this season. Reimer is playing banged up this week, but if Nebraska has any chance to win, he must play at a high level.
Colton Feist…Talk about a walk on story to use to recruit small town Nebraska kids. Feist has been a huge blessing on the defensive line. The Yutan native played arguably his best game against Rutgers. Along with Ty Robinson and Devin Drew, the defensive tackles are starting to be a strength for the Huskers. If Nebraska is to have any chance against the run heavy teams at the back end of their schedule, these three will have to continue to stand tall.
At the beginning of the week, I thought Purdue would cover the two touchdowns they are favored by, possibly easy. After hearing about their injury woes, that may be worse than Nebraska’s, I think the Huskers will be in this game. Aiden O’Connell is likely the best quarterback in the Big Ten outside of Columbus, Ohio. He has tormented Nebraska fans for the last few years, and I doubt that stops this week. Nebraska will have to play sound in the defensive backfield to have any chance at winning this game. Nebraska should move the ball on offense and hopefully they will get their running game going enough to keep the ball away from O’Connell. I expect a hard-fought game, even if Nebraska comes up short. GBR!!
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