And “poof” just like that, Heinrich Haarberg is no longer the quarterback for the Huskers.
And almost just as fast, the Husker’s bowl hopes are dimming.
It’s likely to be Chubba Purdy’s show this week. It certainly can’t be Jeff Sims’ job, and even if he comes off the bench, you almost need to wonder how he can play?
The turnovers that have affected the Huskers this season are as wild as they were in 1999. I remember sitting in Potter, Nebraska when Nebraska lost to Ricky Williams in Texas that season. Every game was an adventure. How many fumbles would Nebraska have? This season has the same quality, the problem is, there is no Eric Crouch and there is no chance to finish 12 and 1.
I don’t blame head coach Matt Rhule for all of the turnovers. At a certain point as a coach, there isn’t much you can do, except try to match the play calling to the least expensive parts of the players skills. Sims can make a ton of plays, but he is so careless with the ball, that teams are just waiting on him to drop the ball or throw into triple coverage off his back foot. The same was true for Haarberg, teams were playing a center fielder on him, just waiting for him to float a ball over a receiver.
You can bet if teams are waiting for Nebraska to throw into coverage, they are just watching the quarterback’s eyes. Neither Sims, nor Haarberg can throw accurate enough to get away with telegraphing where they are going with the ball.
And yet the Blackshirts continue, game after game, to give the Huskers a chance to win each week. It’s amazing that they have played as well as they have and give credit to Coach Rhule and defensive coordinator Tony White. They have kept the team afloat, despite the most deflating plays by the offense.
Nebraska made a run in the middle of the season that showed what this team and this staff are capable of. Northwestern and Illinois have played great after playing Nebraska, so those wins were consequential. If Nebraska is going to get any of that momentum back, they simply must keep the turnovers under three this week. If not, the same three-point loss will haunt this team all offseason.
ON WITH THE REWIND…
Last game prediction was Nebraska 24, Maryland 20. The actual score was Maryland 13, Nebraska 10. Nebraska had so many opportunities to win this game on offense, and all three quarterbacks just spit the bit. Nebraska has such a good defense. It is crazy that this team can’t take advantage of just giving up 13 points. Nebraska has suffered a lot of injuries on offense, but worse than injuries, the quarterbacks have lost more games for this team than they have won. I’m back in “I’ll believe it when I see it” mode.
Quick Notes:
Emmett Johnson…Johnson has been so good since he started playing. He might not lead the team in rushing, and if he does, it might not even be 500 yards. However, he has been one of the few sparks that has been consistent, without making costly plays this year. Whatever happens the rest of the season, Johnson has made it known that he will be a factor in Lincoln for however long he wants to stick around. Nebraska needs to try and ride his surge to another victory.
Ty Robinson…As good as Nash Hutmacher has been this season, Robinson is now trading big plays with him, and exceeding Hutmacher with his play. That says a lot, because Hutmacher is playing at an all-conference level. I knew of Robinson’s dad when he played at Chadron State. And let me tell you, his dad was a hell of a basketball player. Ty has eclipsed his dad and has earned the right to go play in the NFL. He has left it all on the field this season.
Javin Wright…And just like that, another Blackshirt has shown up and made huge plays to keep the Huskers in a game. Wright has popped multiple times this season but had arguably his best game as a Husker against Maryland. His interception was as good of a play as any I’ve seen this season. Wright is just a Junior and him coming back next season will help keep the Blackshirts toward the top of the conference.
Billy Kemp…Amazingly enough, Kemp continues to make plays, despite the fact that every time someone throws him the ball, he is lucky if it is within 2 feet of him. Kemp won’t have the catches that he had at Virginia, but this season he has been the leader a young wide receiver corps has needed. Whatever Kemp does in his future, Nebraska owes him simply for being everything they could have hoped when the transferred in.
Score Prediction: Wisconsin 15, Nebraska 10
Each throw makes me hold my breath. And without the quarterback run game, the open receivers aren’t as open as they were. To go along with that, when they are open, the throws are 50/50 if they are even catchable. I know the Blackshirts will rise up to the occasion again, but I don’t know if you can trust Nebraska to keep the turnovers under four. If the Huskers can keep it to two or less, then flip this score, but like I said before, I’ll believe it when I see it. Can Chubba Purdy do what Jeff Sims and Heinrich Haarberg couldn’t? I’m not so sure. And yet I will still be watching NBC Saturday night, yelling at my tv hoping I can make a difference and GBR!!!
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