Another Chance for Husker Football to Break it Open…

So, the next offensive lineman left to play for Nebraska may have to turn out the stadium lights.

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.

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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.

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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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If you have warriors, now is the time…our football observations and predictions...

Is this a broken record?  How can this game against Northwestern be as important as the game on the road against Illinois?  How come Nebraska can’t just rest and know that being 11-point favorites at home is enough and that they can handle this game, grab a win, and move on to Purdue? (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

History.  

If we have learned anything the last eight years, we have learned that the Illinois, Northwestern, and Purdue games have been the Achilles heel for the Huskers.  

Purdue was Jeff Brohm and his ability to scheme our defense into giving up touchdowns at will when the Boilermakers needed one to win.  The quarterback, be it starer or third string, would make a completion when the game mattered most, often times to a wide-open receiver, because Nebraska would be caught with its pants down.

Illinois has always had talent, but in the last 8 years, they have beaten Nebraska as the underdog multiple times, stolen victory from the Huskers from sure defeat (2015 Tommy Armstrong still needs to just run the clock out).

And now, Northwestern.  Probably the one team in Nebraska’s time in the Big Ten, that the Huskers are as equally adept at making a game changing play at the end (a Hail Mary) as making an onside kick up eleven points and then watching that lead vanish as an otherwise good defense turns into boat with holes in it.

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Nebraska’s inability to consistently beat these three teams, and let’s throw Minnesota in there too, has kept them from being bowl eligible for 6 seasons.

Now that the Huskers have crossed Illinois off the list, comes the team that consistently gives Nebraska the craziest, closest games.  Northwestern is a program that has been held together with bailing wire, twine, and some duct tape this season.  Nebraska should take advantage of a porous run defense from the Wildcats.  And yet, Northwestern on offense completes third downs at a rate top ten teams are envious of, to go along with a good passing game. Again, it will be up to the Blackshirts to get off the field.

See, just when you think Nebraska has cleared their hurdles, another one pops up.  Someday Matt Rhule will have us all feeling comfortable about beating a team like this.  Right now, it still feels like second verse, same as the first.

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ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Illinois 27, Nebraska 21.  The actual score was Nebraska 20, Illinois 7.  When the Illini moved the ball down the field on their first possession, I wondered if the game would be another Michigan.  The Blackshirts blowing up the Illinois offense on consecutive goal to go plays at or inside the one-yard line completely flipped the script.  Illinois never recovered.  Nebraska bludgeoned them to death.  The only hold back on a 5-touchdown win was ghastly turnovers in the red zone and penalties on the offensive line.  There is still a LOT for the Huskers to work on, but man, beating up on a team like that on the road felt really good.

Quick Notes:

Marcus Washington…In case you thought losing Zavier Betts and Isaiah Garcia-Castenada wasn’t quite enough, the injury bug took out Marcus Washington for the rest of the season as well.  Washington was Nebraska’s best deep threat and was a big weapon for the Husker passing offense.  Nebraska will need to lean on Billy Kemp and Thomas Fidone a little heavier the remainder of the season.  Malachi Coleman has moved into the starting spot as a true freshman.  The former Lincoln East player needs to get his confidence going this week to help keep the offense from becoming that much more one dimensional.

John Bullock…The walk on from Omaha Creighton Prep continues to make plays for the Huskers.  With Luke Reimer out the last two weeks, Bullock has played well enough that Nebraska hasn’t skipped a beat.  Nebraska continues to be ranked in the top ten defenses in the country against the run.  With players like Bullock, Javin Wright, and Mikai Gbayor stepping in when needed, the depth at linebacker has been one of the more impressive performances of the season.

Jimari Butler…Butler is blossoming into a dog on the defense.  Butler came to Nebraska, having limited football experience.  He was a better high school basketball player.  However, coaches could see his potential as a defender and Butler is starting to come alive.  If Butler can continue to put pressure on the quarterback on obvious passing downs, the pass defense will continue to improve.  He is the one Blackshirt, not named Cam Lenhardt, that is starting to hit on all cylinders getting to the quarterback. 

Anthony Grant…Matt Rhule made it very clear during the bye week, that Grant simply cannot fumble in crucial moments any more this season.  It may be the difference between going to a bowl game or not.  The latest fumble against Illinois didn’t hurt Nebraska, but it put them in a position that the game was never truly put away until the final horn blew.  Grant can be the man on offense, but he can no longer be the goat.

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Score Prediction:  Nebraska 27, Northwestern 14

If you would have told me Nebraska would dominate Illinois offense as much as they did, I’d probably have said Nebraska could still win 8 games.  Without Luke Reimer and Deshon Singleton, the Blackshirts didn’t miss a beat.  Illinois simply could not run the football.  I don’t see another team on the schedule that should be able to bully Nebraska on the ground.  This especially is true with Northwestern.  The Huskers have to respect their passing game, but if they get the lead and make the Wildcats one dimensional, the flood gates should open, and Nebraska should cruise to a win and GBR!!!

Can Nebraska Put Champaign On Ice?

If you didn’t know last weekend happened to Nebraska football, would it really matterLosing to Michigan at home in a blowout, certainly felt painful, but outside of my dumb preidiction, many people thought the Huskers would get beat handily. (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!

So, is there any benefit to reviewing the game?  Probably not.  Nebraska did not come into the 2023 with their sights set on beating Michigan.  Nebraska had their sights set on beating Minnesota, Illinois, Purdue, and Northwestern. 

Matt Rhule had a fully padded practice the day after the loss to Michigan.  Coaches do not do that in this day and age.  Part of me wonders if that message was to the veterans.  If you don’t want to bring the energy against possibly the number one team in the nation, maybe you don’t want to play bad enough.  Now, Nebraska heads to Illinois at a crossroads.

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They didn’t meet the measuring stick of playing well against the best team they will play.  How they play this week may be the difference between playing in a bowl game or staying home one more year.  Nebraska is already the only Power five team not to play in a bowl game the last six years.  Another sub .500 season will be another link in a chain of pain for fans and the program alike.

A loss should give Matt Rhule the confidence to start the youth movement.  Heinrich Haarberg, the freshman receivers, young offensive lineman may all get playing time the rest of the way.  A win, and veteran players will have earned the right to go through a four-game schedule that has three more possible wins before the hard close at the end.  It is a teeter totter of emotion and planning to move forward.

 The Michigan game didn’t tell us how good this year’s Husker team is.  It is up to the Huskers to determine that themselves in Champaign.  Either way, this game will affect how the fans, the coaches and the team look at the rest of the season, moving forward.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Michigan 24, Nebraska 17.  The actual score was Michigan 45, Nebraska 7.  The first drive from the Wolverines resulted in a helmet catch off the defender.  A turnover on a quick batted ball and interception, made the game a two-touchdown lead.  Nebraska responded with a drive into Michigan territory, going for it in the red zone on fourth and short and not making it.  That was the game.  Michigan played perfect, Nebraska struggled to play at all.

Quick Notes:

On the Road…I thought it was longer ago, but the Huskers last road win as an underdog was the last game of last season.  They stole a game in Iowa City, riding Trey Palmer to victory.  Nebraska won’t have that advantage in this game, as their passing game is average at best.  This year, road victories will be had on the ground.  Do we see Jeff Sims return?  Do we see more running plays from the wide receivers?  I expect the offense to pull out a lot of tricks on Friday.

Deshon Singleton…A big blow with Singleton being out for a long stretch of the rest of the season.  Singleton and Omar Brown been a solid force for the Blackshirts.  With Singleton out, will Koby Bretz rise and take on Singleton’s role?  Is Phalen Sanford the man?  Will the Huskers move Quinton Newsome or Malcom Hartzog from corner to safety and have Tamon Lynum play corner?  Whatever happens, Illinois has a strong passing attack.  Nebraska’s defensive backs may be the difference between winning and losing this game.

Cameron Lenhardt…The Blackshirts pass rush has evaporated since Lenhardt was hurt against Northern Illinois.  Now they are moving Princewill Umanmielan to the “Jack” linebacker position and Lenhardt is back this week.  Illinois struggles to protect the quarterback, so the young kids will have opportunities to make plays.  The Huskers need a pass rush to win this game, or they will get picked apart. 

Joshua Fleeks…The former wide receiver from Baylor made the only scoring play against Michigan, bolting 74 yards on his only carry for a touchdown.  With all the injuries at running back, it will be interesting to see if Fleeks can provide a lift for the Huskers and allow Anthony Grant to rest during games and allow Emmett Johnson to grow into playing time.  He may be a nice find in a season that Nebraska needs to find some playmakers.

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Score Prediction:  Illinois 27, Nebraska 21

If this game was at home, I’d pick the Huskers.  On paper, Nebraska actually matches up really well against Illinois.  The problem is, they have a good quarterback in Luke Altmyer.  Nebraska is banged up on defense and will be without Luke Reimer and Deshon Singleton.  As well as the replacement Blackshirts have played, Illinois needs to win this game as bad as Nebraska does before their season goes down the drain.  Nebraska has not been able to get many red zone chances this year, and will need at least six to have a chance in this game.  I don’t see the Husker passing attack having much success on Friday night.  Let’s hope I’m wrong again this week!!  GBR!

Blackshirts Bring the Heat Today!

HOT!  That’s what Saturday will be.  It’s expected to be over 90 degrees in Lincoln as the Michigan Wolverines bring their number two ranking into Memorial Stadium.  Can the Huskers bring their own heat to the game and upset the Wolverines?

It was hot in the east side of the stadium for Louisiana Tech when the sun came out.  I had to go find some shade.  What couldn’t be shaded was Nebraska’s inability to pass the ball.

This weekend is going to be a test for the Huskers and their young quarterback, Heinrich Haarberg.

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Michigan doesn’t mess around on defense; they are stacked with veteran players at all three levels.  Nebraska, if they are going to have any chance to win, need to find their passing game.  Haarberg has been a running beast in his first two starts, but those long runs will be a lot shorter against a team that has future NFL players.

So how will Nebraska get the passing game going?  Something tells me that Nebraska has been very quiet this week about their plan, but I would bet that they will use the passing game as more of an extension of the run game this week.  Shorter, quicker reads and throws should be on the menu to get Haarberg into a rhythm.  It would help if Nebraska could run their play action and their read option plays consistently enough that they could make something out of them.  

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Louisiana Tech was able to mix up defenses, confusing Haarberg in the passing game.  Delayed blitzes, overload with numbers on the weak side and different stunts made it hard on the offensive line and Haarberg.

Michigan will have watched film, and I can guarantee they will do a lot of that and more defensively.

The Nebraska offensive line has improved a lot since last season.  They are allowing the Huskers to run the football at a high level.  The key to this week will be how they handle the best competition they have faced yet this season.  If they are able to help Haarberg have time to throw and allow him to get to the edge on running downs, Nebraska should be able to keep the game close.  If not, the score might not be a blow out, but Nebraska will struggle to score.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 33, Louisiana Tech 13.  The actual score was Nebraska 28, Louisiana Tech 14.  The Huskers offense didn’t get much going in the first half of the game, but they were able to hammer home a three-touchdown lead before the sky opened and let loose with the storms.  Nebraska gave up a late touchdown, but the defense overall continues to be the backbone of this 2023 Husker team.

Quick Notes:

Heinrich Haarberg…It’s go time for the Kearney quarterback.  He was able to get his “preseason” games in for his first two starts.  If Haarberg wants to take the job by the reigns, playing well against a potential playoff team like Michigan is the place to start.  Haarberg needs to protect the ball, make smart quick reads, and not put the defense in bad positions.

Deshon Singleton…Back and forth each week, I can’t decide if he or Omar Brown is the bigger presence in the defensive backfield.  Singleton seems to run downhill on running plays and plays lights out in coverage on passing downs.  Nebraska has the best safeties they have had since 2021 and maybe longer than that.  The Blackshirts have been incredible in stopping the run so far.  With Blake Corum coming into Lincoln, Singleton and Brown need to make sure they tackle to the ground.

Anthony Grant…Grant has been down this road before.  He has been the Husker’s starting running back in the Big Ten before.  He should be relatively fresh for Michigan.  If Nebraska is going to have any chance this weekend to pull the upset, Grant will need to keep the Huskers out of long third down and distance situations.  Pushing the run game up the field and not sideways will be the most important thing he can do.

Bryce Benhart…Benhart has been a whipping boy for the offensive line the last couple of seasons.  In the past he struggled in the run block game and simply looked like he couldn’t adjust to speed rushers.  Not this season.  Benhart was never given the chance to learn before he played and that was unfortunate, but he is healthy and playing at a level that allows Nebraska to leave him isolated on the right side.  That’s a big lift because Turner Corcoran has needed some help on the left side.  Benhart has played at an All-Big Ten level so far this season.  He has anchored the line and has been an offensive MVP.

Score Prediction:  Michigan 24, Nebraska 17

My heart says that the Blackshirts will show up and show out against Michigan.  When Matt Rhule was hired, I circled this game as a game that you can probably judge where the overall operation for the Huskers is headed.  Michigan plays like Nebraska wants to play, and the Blackshirts so far have delivered.  The offense hasn’t been pretty, but if they can sustain some drives, push the football downfield just enough to keep Michigan from teeing off on the run game, the Huskers can make this a game.  I think this will be Matt Rhule’s opportunity to show Husker Nation what we can look for in the future and hopefully it isn’t too distant! GBR!

Let's Double That Win Total Today!

That was fun!  No matter the game, anytime you can get a Husker win, it’s a great day.  That last win against Northern Illinois provided us with a new quarterback, an old running back and terrible news for the ball carriers moving forward. (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

Let’s start with Henrich Haarberg.  Haarberg was probably fifth string last year and before Logan Smothers and Casey Thompson headed elsewhere, was considered by many Husker fans to be playing the wrong position.  Even I thought that he might help Nebraska more at tight end.  He certainly is a great athlete.

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He showed that he can play quarterback.  He is a great runner, which was no surprise, but he came out and pushed the ball down the field and forced Northern Illinois to at least respect the pass.  To top it all off, he only accounted for one turnover.  The Blackshirts held serve for him after the fumble, and he came back and responded by putting up 35 total points, the most by the Huskers this season.

Where does that leave Jeff Sims?  Well, if Sims is healthy, I think you need to go back to him.  If he continues to falter, you at least have something you can build on with Haarberg, but Sims shouldn’t lose his job to injury.  What I do think is that Sims leash is much shorter than it was before.  Sims needs to cut the turnovers out, but he also needs a game at Memorial Stadium, and be allowed to get his feet under him at Nebraska.

I say all of this, knowing that Nebraska suffered devastating news on Monday, when Rahmir Johnson and Gabe Ervin Jr. were both announced to have season ending injuries.  For a team that wants to stop the run and run the football, it was about as bad of news that you could get.  

Nebraska has yet to really put it together on offense, but the one thing you had was experienced running backs to lean on through the season.  Now you are asking a redshirt freshman and true freshman to back up Anthony Grant.  The good news?  Grant has been the man before and he is a veteran runner that has proven it at the Big Ten level.  The bad news, Grant wore down last season.  Emmett Johnson and Kwinten Ives will need to spell Grant and they need to keep the snowball rolling downhill.  That means, no fumbles, few negative carries and helping to protect the quarterback in the passing game.

It's a long season.  Nebraska has found depth at quarterback, only to have it yanked from them at running back.  How Matt Rhule handles that, will be the difference between going to a bowl game and sitting at home again in December.

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ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 23, Northern Illinois 17.  The actual score was Nebraska 35, Northern Illinois 11.  Heinrich Haarberg was the story of this game, but the defense again played with their pants on fire.  The Blackshirts have become impossible to move the ball against on the ground.  While the sacks weren’t as plenty as they were in Boulder, they made Husky quarterback Rocky Lombardi look like an eighth year wasn’t going to help him.  If Nebraska can continue to shut down the run game, they are going to pull some upsets this season.

Quick Notes:

Heinrich Haarberg…For a first start, regardless of the opponent, you couldn’t ask for much more from Haarberg.  As a passer, he has a way to go, but at a runner, he is as physical as any quarterback in the run game since Jamal Lord.  Jeff Sims will be back for Michigan and may even play this week.  I know that I feel confident that if Haarberg has to play due to injury or poor play from Sims, that he will allow Nebraska to compete.  That is a big relief going forward.

Rahmir Johnson…Johnson has been one of my favorite players in his time at Nebraska.  It has always felt like he has never really caught a break in Lincoln.  Probably his most memorable season, Nebraska went 3-9, but Johnson ran hard and made big plays throughout the season.  He was great in pass protection and underutilized in the running game.  Gabe Ervin Jr. is a big loss as well, but I will miss Johnson if that was his last game in Lincoln.

Nash Hutmacher…As good as the Blackshirts have played, the player that has consistently stood out to me the most is the man in the middle.  Hutmacher is causing huge issues for offensive lines, often requiring double teams, and also collapsing the pocket on each play.  Nebraska hasn’t had someone take over at the nose this much since they went back to an odd man front.  I give Terrance Knighton a lot of credit, Hutmacher has been the leader on a strong defensive line that has surprised most with their depth and their impact for the Huskers.

Javin Wright…Wright has been bedeviled by injuries during his time in Lincoln, but he is making plays now.  Wright had his first pick last weekend, and continues to be a flex player, in coverage and stopping the run.  Wright has a high ceiling, everyone has always known that, but now he is starting to make plays that change the game.  He has been a great surprise moving from safety to linebacker.

Cornhusker Volleyball…As much fun as the Husker football win was last week, Husker volleyball deserves a shoutout.  Head Coach John Cook must be loving this team.  They are 10-0, went out to Palo Alto and dominated Stanford.  All of this without a senior, while playing four freshmen, that may be as good as anyone else they have played, at their respective positions.  If you aren’t a volleyball fan, or haven’t checked them out, please do.  They are super exciting to watch and cheer for!  

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 33, Louisiana Tech 13

This will be an interesting game for Nebraska.  I have a feeling Jeff Sims will sit out one more week and they will ride with Haarberg.  If that happens and Haarberg plays well again and Nebraska dominates this game, the water cooler talk will be high pitched going into the Michigan game.  If Sims plays and plays well, things should return to normal a bit.  Either way, I expect the Blackshirts to keep Tech off the board for the most part, but they may slip and give up a long pass for a touchdown.  Nebraska closes out their non-conference with their second win and move into the meat of the schedule in style, and GBR!

Finally Coming Home

Nebraska needs a break.  Not time away from football, but to catch a break in general.  They finally get that this week with their first home game of 2023.  Northern Illinois rolls into Lincoln for a night game, and Matt Rhule’s debut in Lincoln.  (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

Let’s face it, the first two weeks seemed like a forever grind on the road.  Dropping a game at Minnesota when victory was in hand and then coming apart at the seams in Boulder in the second half, the Huskers feel like they are a beat down franchise.

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As new coaches go at Nebraska, Matt Rhule has been more Scott Frost and Mike Riley, rather than Bo Pelini and Frank Solich.

I’m not saying Rhule is like Frost and Riley in any other aspect, other than the cycle of losses to start his career.  In fact, Rhule has been anything but like Frost and Riley in a couple of aspects.  Riley lost on a Hail Mary to BYU in his home opener in Lincoln.   Scott Frost came out of the gates in Lincoln with a cancelled game due to lighting (ominous) and then rolled off six straight losses in his first season.  Rhule didn’t get to start his career in Lincoln, and I don’t foresee losing his first half dozen games (although if that were to happen, I think the state of Nebraska might implode).

Another reason Rhule has not been like his previous two predecessors, is that he has assembled a defense worthy of the Blackshirts.  Whatever the shortcoming of the offense has been, and there have been many, the defense has come to play.  Tied for the lead nationally with 11 sacks after two games and having shut down two Power Five conference offenses in each game’s first half, the Blackshirts have given Nebraska every opportunity to win both games.

Special teams looked great against Minnesota but regressed against Colorado.  Something tells me that will be better at home this week.

That leads us to the problem.  Offensively, the Cornhuskers have been a mess.  Turnovers from quarterback Jeff Sims and the inability to sustain a consistent passing game have spelled disaster.  Matt Rhule is on the hook to figure out how not to waste a possible top 5 Big Ten defense in his first year.  Right now, we don’t have the answers, but Coach Rhule is paid 5.5 million dollars this season to figure it out.  

I think the biggest thing that needs to happen is Nebraska needs something to break wide open.  They need a confidence builder, be it a blocked kick, a long touchdown pass, or big touchdown runs from the running back position and a sustained lead.  Anything to take pressure off the quarterback.  

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If Nebraska can get that, and start building momentum, this team could be back in bowl contention by November.  If not, this season will be the seventh straight, were the Huskers seemed talented enough, but couldn’t catch the break that snowballs into a winning season.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 31, Colorado 23.  The actual score was Colorado 36, Nebraska 14. This game was a second half disaster that had a late kick start to disaster status right before the half.  The Blackshirts were pitching a shutout, and they had the Buffs on the run in the first half.  And just like that, Nebraska turns the ball over.  And over.  And over and then the route was on.  A game that was closer than anyone had any idea in the first 20 minutes, quickly gave way to one that wasn’t close at all.  It was like half the team showed up to play for Colorado.  Nebraska won’t win many games with that strategy.

Quick Notes:

Heinrich Haarberg…Jeff Sims left Boulder with a high ankle sprain.  In the process Haarberg got his first taste of NCAA football at quarterback.  This week Haarberg took most of the snaps in practice and is likely going to start against Northern Illinois.  It may be a blessing for Sims to get a break and not play his first game in Lincoln this week.  Sims has been downright awful in the passing game and the turnovers have cost Nebraska at least one win and made any chance of another a moot point.  If Nebraska can use Haarberg’s athleticism in the running game and try to make easy throws for him in the passing game and lean on Huskies with the running backs, Haarberg should be successful.  In fact, if HH doesn’t turn the ball over, it will be a vast improvement from the prior two weeks.

Gabe Ervin Jr..…Ervin Jr. looked like he was starting to get the feel of the running game in Boulder before the turnovers started flooding the Huskers out of the game.  The problem is, we still have not seen Ervin Jr. break a big, long touchdown run.  As teams start to key on the running game, it will be imperative for Ervin Jr., Rahmir Johnson, and Anthony Grant to provide some explosive plays.  That needs to start now, because the Big Ten West is not a world beater division this year and it’s the only way Nebraska will reach a bowl game.

Billy Kemp…Kemp finally got on the receiving stats page in Boulder.  He showed that he has great hands and nifty explosion when he caught the ball.  Kemp is a big-time play maker, but Nebraska needs to find more ways to get him the ball.  It didn’t work well last week because of mishandling of snaps, but the Huskers putting a player in motion pre snap seemed to allow Kemp the opportunity to work the underneath area of the field.  Nebraska needs to continue to do that and let Kemp cook.  He provides a needed spark every time he catches a pass.

Cam Lenhardt…Lenhardt has been everything you could have asked for so far from a freshman.  He started at Minnesota and had two sacks against Colorado.  For a freshman, against two teams that should be bowl eligible by years end, he has been a breath of fresh air, injecting more life into a defense that suddenly can get to the quarterback.

Mikai Gbayor…Gbayor (pronounced Bayor) made a great special teams tackle at Minnesota and then played outstanding against Colorado.  Gbayor was injured when he arrived at Nebraska and didn’t play his first two seasons in Lincoln.  He has found his stride under this new coaching staff and new linebacker coach Rob Dvoracek.  Adding Gbayor to a veteran linebacker room leads me to believe that this defensive staff is going to develop talent at an outstanding rate.

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 23, Northern Illinois 17

No matter what happens this week, Nebraska likely is starting a quarterback with little experience playing an entire game of college football.  On top of that, Heinrich Haarberg is a much better runner than passer at this point in his career.  I still think Nebraska will win, but I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot of freshman kicker Tristan Alvano this weekend.   I think Nebraska will limit the turnovers to a couple, and this week will cause three of their own.  The game won’t be in doubt but will likely be closer than we all want.  The Huskies score a late touchdown to cover, but Lincoln still celebrates Matt Rhule’s first win in Lincoln.  Cheers to Husker Nation and GBR!!

Just Beat Prime!

It was just like Nebraska football to do this to all the Husker fans.  Bring in a new coach, bust out a new, competent special teams, play outstanding Blackshirt defense, and then in stunning fashion, turn the ball over twice in the last 7 minutes of the game and blow what looked like a stellar opening performance from new head coach Matt Rhule. (Predictions are at the end if you don’t want to read the rest!)

Can you say you were surprised?  Let’s face it, Nebraska has been snake bit to the point that any lead is likely to be given up at any given moment.  Rewatching the game, how many things had to go wrong for Minnesota to win in that last half of the fourth quarter?  It was like a slow-motion bus crash.  

You have a fumble by Anthony Grant on a run that looked like it might help salt the game away.  The defense seems to match every effort on the drive that they give up the tying touchdown, even after an ill-time faced mask and even then, only giving up a circus catch touchdown on fourth down when the offensive tackle clearly jumped offside and there was no call.  Then Jeff Sims throws a ball off his back foot into triple coverage that gives the Gophers a shot to win in regulation when you just had to burn clock to go to overtime at the worst.

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It was like watching a three-year-old trying to ride a ten speed, after they master the big wheel.  It made no sense.

At least now we know what the key to the rest of the season is.  Nebraska must make the games shorter, keep the defense fresh and run the football as often as possible.  If Nebraska can continue to play at this pace on special teams and they can play defense like this against every opponent, they will have a chance to win all but maybe a couple games this season.  I have no reason to think that they won’t play special teams at a high level.  Defensively, the Blackshirts aren’t deep on the defensive line, at least with veterans, but they are at almost every other position, so it should be a strength the entire season.

Can the offense muster enough to make this team competitive?  I think they can.  They are drastically short on experience at the wide receiver position and the loss of Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda right after losing Zavier Betts is just devastating.  However, you can see that they have solid running backs and Jeff Sims is an outstanding runner at the quarterback position.  The tight end position will get better, and you may have to play the freshman wide receivers and let them earn it in the fire.  Nebraska simply must control turnovers in order to be successful.  They need to help Sims enough that he has one or two options on throwing downs and if they aren’t there, take off and try to avoid getting hit, or use the short passing game to the running backs and tight ends.  Whatever they did in the first game, don’t do that.

I saw a different team and a different approach than we have seen in the last seven years.  It was refreshing and it looked like it would be a winner.  And then the same thing happened as it had under the previous staffs and it brought us all back to reality.  It may take some time to get this bus rolling, but it seems like it is closer to the top of the hill than the bottom. 

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ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 24, Minnesota 21.  The actual score was Minnesota 13, Nebraska 10. For two days this game sat like a lump in my stomach.  Nebraska, especially the Blackshirts, played well enough to win that game and probably should have score 17 or 21 points depending on how you look at the terrible false starts inside the opponents 10-yard line. Nebraska is good enough to win these types of games.  Matt Rhule was hired to turn that around.  I give him more than one game to do it in.

Quick Notes:

Jeff Sims…Lets start with the bad.  Three interceptions, two of which were about as badly timed as you could imagine, make Sims look like he is a total transfer bust.  The good?  He is a running machine.  He had over 100 yards rushing in the game before the sack yardage was taken out.  He also was given three first half possessions and inside two minutes drove the Huskers down the field looking to take the lead into halftime.  Sims is a work in progress for sure.  The question is, was his bad play due to a good Gopher defense, or just Sims overall abilities in general?  He has a big stage this weekend to show it’s not the latter.

Rahmir Johnson.…Johnson continues to be a playmaker for Nebraska.  His return of the second half kickoff led to Nebraska marching right out and scoring on a trick play.  Johnson needs to have the ball in his hands more.  If that is at running back or wide receiver, so be it, but Nebraska needs to use him more like Colorado used Dylan Edwards.  Get him one on one with someone on the perimeter and let him cook.

Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher…Did these two deliver against Minnesota or what?  They most certainly did, and until Robinson’s poorly timed late hit on the quarterback, they were wreaking havoc on the Gopher offensive line.  If these two continue to play at that level all season, Nebraska will have its best interior defensive line since Maliek Collins and Vincent Valentine manned the middle.  It will be difficult to run on the Huskers if they can stay healthy.

Omar Brown…When Brown transferred in from Northern Iowa, everyone just assumed he would fit right in on the defense and be a starter or a big-time player right away.  Life doesn’t always happen that way, but now Brown is making his time at Nebraska count.  Brown played great against Minnesota, with seven tackles and his first interception for the Huskers.  If he and DeShon Singleton continue to play at a high level, the Blackshirts should have one of the stronger back ends on defense that they’ve had in a long time.

Score Prediction:  Nebraska 31, Colorado 23

If you followed the national media after Colorado’s upset over Texas Christian, you would think Nebraska is about to get a thrashing of epic proportion.  Having watched their game and Nebraska’s game, I’m a little more biased that Nebraska will make a big jump between week one and week two.  I also am giving Colorado more credit than I think they deserve because I think the Blackshirts are WAY better than TCU’s defense and I think the Huskers could cause their offense a lot of issues.  If Nebraska runs the football with any kind of success, they should control the clock and keep the CU offense off the field.  And if Nebraska limits their turnovers, I can see the Huskers winning this game by more than just a touchdown.  I may be one of the few that thinks this, but I think the Huskers are better than their week one showing and that the Buffaloes are about to find out that the Big Ten is a little harsher league than the Big Twelve.  No matter what, I’m pumped for the Huskers in Boulder this weekend and GBR!!

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