Seriously, with the luck the Huskers are having on offense, it’s a wonder that Nebraska has four wins. Down four receivers, two running backs and 3/5 of a starting offensive line, not to mention playing the backup quarterback to start the season, I’m wondering if we can make it through the last five
And yet, the Blackshirts, that group that just last season couldn’t stop a parked car, has been the biggest turnround in Lincoln since Bo Pelini started cranking out great defenses in the Big Twelve.
Nebraska has weathered the injury storm at a level I don’t think anyone could have predicted. Coach Rhule has managed the defense, so if Deshon Singelton or Luke Reimer go down, it’s next man up, and there isn’t much drop off, and sometimes you see guys making huge plays in their place.
This time though, the offensive line is where the team needs to hold it together. Justin Evans-Jenkins played great last week in place of Ethan Piper. Now he will be the starter. Teddy Prochaska now must replace Turner Corcoran at left tackle, a place that Nebraska protects the quarterback’s blind side. And Henry Lutovsky will replace Nouredin Nouili for at least a couple of games.
It’s like trying to play scrabble without a couple of the vowels. You can make it work, but it’s going to look a little lumpy.
It is no secret that Nebraska’s remaining schedule is not filled with the Murderer’s Row of talent, but they certainly end the season with three games against bowl teams.
If Nebraska can survive Purdue and Michigan State and somehow get to six wins, Matt Rhule will have made a hell of a start in his time in Lincoln. If he gets more than six, he should be getting votes for Big Ten coach of the year. This team has been punched in the mouth over an over with offensive injuries. If they can continue to play winning football into November, you have to feel, for the first time in a long time, that the Huskers are in good hands.
ON WITH THE REWIND…
Last game prediction was Nebraska 27, Northwestern 14. The actual score was Nebraska 17, Northwester 9. As well as Nebraska moved the ball up and down the field against Illinois, the offense looked just as disjointed against Northwestern. Luckily the Blackshirts continue to play at a high level. There were three plays in that game, two tackles from behind on broken plays by Malcom Hartzog and Omar Brown, and an epic breakup of a screen pass by Isaac Gifford, that kept the Huskers from losing. The defense may have to continue to play an extremely high level for Nebraska to get two more wins.
Quick Notes:
Malachi Coleman…All of us that have watched Lincoln East the last three or four years knew that Coleman was destined for big things on the gridiron. To see him score a touchdown in Memorial Stadium with the “N” on his helmet brought a lot of smiles to the south side of his hometown. Coleman is blessed with tremendous skill. If he and Haarberg can continue to find confidence in each other, big things will be in this kid’s future.
Isaac Gifford…Gifford has had some plays this season that he just missed making. A would-be interception at Minnesota that would have sealed the game and a blown assignment at Colorado stick out, because Gifford has been so stellar otherwise. Against Northwestern, Gifford’s big play to stuff a screen pass, blowing past two blockers and then making a solo tackle, is a play that will go down in Husker lore. Gifford has made so many strong tackles and covered so well, when he makes a mistake, it stands out. Gifford is the kind of playmaker the Huskers had in JoJo Domann. That is high praise indeed.
Nash Hutmacher…I’m starting to get worried that Hutmacher may end up leaving early for the NFL. That’s how great he has played in 2023. He has completely blown up the middle of the offensive line so many times, other players are starting to chomp at single coverage to get at the quarterback. Hutmacher may not make all the plays, but his presence along with Ty Robinson is making the Huskers pass rush as good as it has been since the last Husker winning season in 2016.
Emmitt Johnson…Nebraska needs a spark at running back, and Johnson may be the one to provide it. Most people look at Johnson’s size and think that he can’t be an every down back, but I don’t see it that way. His explosiveness out of the backfield allows his to get by the big fellas and force the linebackers to tackle low so they don’t get good angles to hit him. Now that he has started to put rushing numbers on the board, it will be interesting to see if Nebraska continues to utilize him as the main running back. He has impressed me so far. I look for him to break a long touchdown run this week against Purdue.
Score Prediction: Nebraska 24, Purdue 16
I have a caveat for this game. I don’t know that Nebraska’s offensive line will play well enough to keep the defense off the field. This is a game that Purdue has the weapons on offense to win. However, I trust Coach Rhule enough that he knows he will have an inexperienced offensive line and I expect him to use his running backs more in the run game and get Henrich Haarberg on the move to the edge. This should negate some of Purdue and their blitz game. I’m picking with my heart a little bit because I think this team has reached deep down and found a level, they didn’t know they had. I am predicting a defensive score to seal this game and Purdue will miss at least one field goal and the Huskers will be in victory formation at the end. GBR!!!
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