Goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City Here I Come!

Since I last wrote a blog, Nebraska has won their bowl game, dropped their spring game, brought in a huge transfer class, had fall camp, handed out Blackshirts and single digit jerseys, and had recruits take pictures with a huge bull.

Talk about a full offseason!  

Now Nebraska gets to kickoff the season in Kansas City against the Cincinnati Bearcats, a game that was supposed to be played in Cincinnati but conveniently was moved to Kansas City to provide more revenue for the Bearcats.  Husker fans will be helping them out, filling out at a minimum 90% of the stadium on Thursday night.  

And what do our wandering eyes get to see on Thursday night?  A lot of change, but a lot of the same things as well.  

Dana Holgerson is now the full-time offensive coordinator.  John Butler is now the full-time defensive coordinator taking over for Tony White.  And you can also toss in Mike Ekeler as the new special teams coordinator as well.

On the flip side, it is the same thing as last season that could have the biggest change and impact on the Huskers.  It’s no secret that Dylan Raiola, playing as a true freshman, came with some bumps and bruises.  Now, the hope is that Raiola will blossom in year two, into the beacon of light that the program has been searching for since Bo Pelini left Nebraska.  

As much money as Nebraska poured into his surrounding cast mates, the time for Raiola to become a budding star is now.  Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter at wide receiver, Elijah Pritchett and Rocco Spindler on the offensive line are just a taste of the new players on the Husker roster.  Bringing back Emmett Johnson at running back and Jacory Barney at wide receiver, along with a strong tight end group should provide enough options for Raiola to open up the offense and keep teams guessing at which way the team will move the ball.

The Blackshirts added new players as well, although not all of them will play right away.  Linebackers Marques Watson-Trent and Dasan McCullough, along with cornerback Andrew Marshall headline a group that should provide immediate input for the defense, that must replace the likes of Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher to continue to have an impressive defense under Head Coach Matt Rhule.

This has been one of the most exciting off-season’s in the last decade for Nebraska.  Coach Rhule seems to have the culture in place that he wants, and the players and coaching staff that he worked so hard to put together.  They say hope springs eternal, but for the first time in a long time, I start to see the full picture coming into focus for Nebraska.  The question is, will this year be another small step, or a big leap?  Dylan Raiola probably has the most to do with answering that question. 

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 30, Boston College 27. The actual score was Nebraska 20, Boston College 15.  The game felt closer than it was, and Nebraska’s special teams continued to haunt the team, even in their bowl game.  That’s why Mike Ekeler was brought in to shore up that unit.  Nebraska arguably lost at least two games due to poor special teams last season.   It’s time for them to at least make that part neutral in 2025.  Getting the bowl win, and the “no postseason” monkey off of the teams back should free them up as well moving forward.

Quick Notes:

Emmett Johnson…Johnson entered the portal, oh so briefly, after last season.  Along with Dante Dowdell, Nebraska had a solid two headed monster by the end of 2024, but Dowdell also entered the portal and took the money that Kentucky offered and left Lincoln.  Despite all of this, Johnson decided to come back and should be the main leader of a backfield that is VERY young going into this season.  That doesn’t mean they don’t have options, they have plenty, but it does mean that they will have a lot of inexperience beyond Johnson.  Players like Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee will be forced into action and how they perform may tell us early if Nebraska will have depth to run the football to close out games.  Also, keep an eye on Wahoo native Conor Booth, I have a feeling he may end up getting carries as well this season.

Dylan Raiola....There are so many reasons why this year could be the year that Raiola blows up and becomes an All Big Ten player.  He has weapons around him, a top-notch offensive coordinator, a veteran offensive line and a year of playing in the Big Ten under his belt.  I remember Eric Crouch’s sophomore year in 1999, and how much he improved from his redshirt freshman season.  Raiola won’t have the team around him that Crouch did, but he could have just as much offensive success.  This team will reflect so much of what Raiola does, if you predict a big season from Nebraska, it will require a big season from the sophomore quarterback. Raiola continues to stir the Husker’s drink, and as he plays, so will go the Huskers.  

Keona Davis..…If the Blackshirts are going to be able to stop the run this year, Davis will need to be at the forefront of that effort.  Losing Robinson, Hutmacher, Jimari Butler and John Bullock will leave big shoes to fill for the defense in the run game.  I’m confident that Nebraska will be able to play the pass, and their pass rush should have more athletes than last season but being able to clog the middle was such a vital part of the defensive success.  Players like Davis, Riley Van Popple and Elijah Jeudy must leave a mark on this defensive season to continue any of that success.  It will be interesting to see how they start, as I feel like they will be much better as the season progresses.

Season Prediction…If you believe in the Matt Rhule third year jump, then folks, this season should be a great one for Husker fans!  I think Nebraska is still a season away from really blowing up, but that doesn't mean that this year won’t be a good one.  Despite all the NIL transfers and having Raiola back for a second season, this team is crazy young with around 90 total players that are sophomores, redshirt freshman or freshman.  If Nebraska improved their special teams play last year, they were likely 8-4 instead of 6-6.  I think this season, while maybe not at first, will have a much better special teams by the end of the year.  The downside is the defense will likely take a step back in league play.  If the offense improves enough to score 28 points per game, that will likely push Nebraska to 8 regular season wins.  Anything above that number would be gravy. If you go beyond that, you could be in playoff contention at the end of the season.  I’m going with 8-4 and another bowl game for the Big Red.  It’s not quite the leap Rhule normally has, but it might be the final push to the top of the hill that the Huskers need to get back into college football royalty.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 34, Cincinnatti 17

I could see this game being relatively close in the first half, but I’m guessing Nebraska enjoys the lead at halftime.  Cincinnatti is a good Big XII team, but Nebraska is and should be better than the mid-level team in a conference that is clearly a notch below the Big Ten.  Nebraska will be breaking a lot of opening day skids by beating a Power four conference foe.  The offense should be able to show off all their new toys and I expect to see some fireworks from the new punter/kicker combo.  I think Nebraska uses the Husker energy that will take over Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday and put an exclamation on the first game of the season.  It should be packed with Husker fans, hungry to push Nebraska to a big win. GBR!!!

Pinstripe Bowl Husker Preview

If you have been on a Husker football break since they lost versus Iowa on a crushing last minute field goal, it would be understandable.  If you haven’t been paying attention though, man have things changed.

Name, Image and Likeness, or more commonly referred to as NIL, has changed the entire landscape of college football, and in 2025, it will be changed like it’s on steroids.  With basically no rules, teams are spending money up front on players, knowing that Congress is attempting to set some parameters on the payouts that can be made starting as soon as next summer.

Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but the NCAA is also implementing a cap on players a team can have at 105.  This is a big blow to walk-ons.  Nebraska will no longer be able to carry a bigger roster than everyone else in the Big Ten.  Nebraska will be forced to let players that are on scholarship go as well as the walk-ons.  Throw in the fact that Nebraska lost their defensive coordinator Tony White to Florida State and the defensive line coach Terrance Knighton or “Pot Roast” as he is called, and Nebraska had a handful of players leave along with them.

And if that wasn’t enough, Nebraska went out and grabbed their own group of players from the transfer portal.  If you want to know how they have done so far, keep in mind that they pulled the number 6 overall player from the 2024 class on the defensive line (Williams Nwaneri, one spot above Dylan Raiola) and outbid teams like Georgia, Missouri, Kansas State and Miami for a list of other players that were highly coveted all over college football.

Where does that leave Nebraska overall?  Well in this new age of college football, cheering for certain players will lose its luster as many of them choose to move on.  They may be here one year, two years or five, but it’s going to be hard to put all your faith in a player that could easily be snatched up by the highest bidder the next season.  Nebraska will counter that by paying for top players from other schools to offset those losses.  That is the life of a college football team right now and moving forward.  It won’t be the same, but Nebraska seems to be keeping in line with the changes, which is all you can hope for right now.

Bleed Husker Red Tees

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 27, Iowa 20. The actual score was Iowa 13, Nebraska 10.  Nebraska dominated the game for all but one play on defense and it was super costly.  A long touchdown run by the Hawkeyes changed the game an altered Nebraska’s room for error.  Of course, it was Iowa’s special teams that caused them to come out ahead again, with Nebraska missing a field goal, fumbling a punt return and giving up a long field goal at the gun.  It’s not hard to see that Nebraska has better overall players than Iowa, but until they get coached up to the level that Iowa is at the least, Nebraska will continue to lose one score games to Iowa.

Quick Notes:

Emmett Johnson…Johnson ended up being Nebraska’s lead back at the end of the season and should play the most snaps in the bowl game against Boston College.  Johnson had an ok game against Iowa, but Dante Dowdell was the back that found the end zone.  Dowdell has since left for Kentucky, so Johnson can take over full time next fall.  If he improves as much from this last season into next season, Nebraska could have a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since Devine Ozigbo.  

Ty Robinson.…Robinson was a huge pain in the butt for many opponents this season, and Iowa took the brunt of Robinson’s pain as well.  Robinson ended up third team All-Big Ten, which in my opinion was a farce, he should have been first team.  Robinson may not play much in the bowl game, in fact I only expect him to play in the first half.  Nebraska will miss him immensely in 2025, he has been the best defensive lineman since Randy Gregory and probably the best defensive tackle since Jared Crick and Ndamukong Suh played together.  

Jacorey Barney Jr..…Barney will be the big gun in the bowl game and should be a big weapon for the Huskers next fall.  Nebraska added two big time transfers to the wide receiver room for next fall and two highly rated four-star players as well, but Barney will be the lead in that group.  If he and Jaylen Lloyd can team up with Jamal Banks and Carter Nelson, the wide receiver group should cause problems for Boston College.

Dylan Raiola…Raiola has started every game for Nebraska this fall.  It’s been a long time since Nebraska has been that fortunate.  Raiola has had his ups and downs, but there is no doubt that the future is bright for the Big Red as long as Raiola continues to improve.  Adding Dana Holgersen into the mix at offensive coordinator should help Raiola, as Holgersen’s offense is very quarterback friendly.  Nebraska continues to add weapons to the team as pass catchers and will also add some offensive lineman in the transfer portal.  If Nebraska’s offensive line improves along with the quarterback, the soon to be sophomore should have a great season in 2025.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 30, Boston College 27

Nebraska will be fully rested on offense and that should carry them to a victory.  Nebraska has lost a starting linebacker, defensive end and plenty of backups to the portal.  I would be lying if I said that the Blackshirts should dominate this game.  Boston College will put up points, but Nebraska should be able to match them.  Nebraska will get their first bowl win since beating UCLA in 2015.   It’s been a long, strange season and maybe it was a little disappointing, but I will miss Nebraska football mightily until it comes back to us in August.  Enjoy it and GBR!!!

Husker/Hawkeye Pregame Report and Prediction

Ok. I accept that win against Wisconsin. I bet you did too. And I bet you weren’t thinking, “man, I bet Nebraska puts up 44 against the Badgers!”

What the hell did we just see? The offense, that felt like it was stuck in mud for about 6 weeks, trotted themselves out there like a filly headed to the best track she could find and raced back and forth across the green pasture with the glee of a three-year-old kid eating their own bowl of ice cream.

It was amazing. All that pent up anger, all that pent up frustration, poured over Wisconsin like the gravy that they cover their cheese curds in.

The offensive line was fantastic and the play calling was a well-orchestrated symphony.

Alright, enough with the hyperbole, what really happened?

For one, Nebraska was able to get out in front, which made the play calling easier, because it was less predictable. Second, Nebraska ran the football like it hadn’t ran in conference play. They made the line of scrimmage their own personal space, and then the outside blockers, including the tight ends blew up any extra blitzers or linebackers trying to hit run fits. It was a thing of beauty.  

On top of that, Dylan Raiola looked like he did the first five weeks of the season. A future first round draft pick. All of the bad mojo and anguish of a team that was out of bullets on offense fell to wayside. It seems like a small miracle. And yet, when Dana Holgersen arrived, it put an immense amount of confidence in the offense and has allowed players to flourish.

We probably won’t ever be able to put our finger on it all as fans, but it was clearly the best situation imaginable for Husker Nation. It was a season that seemed all but lost two weeks ago and now it seems as if the sky is the limit. Granted, nothing is completely solved and this week against Iowa could still be a heartbreaking affair, but for a week, all things seemed possible for Nebraska. And for Husker fans that realize that this episode with Dylan Raiola may be fleeting, it at least let you dream that the next couple of years could be magic.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 17, Wisconsin 16. The actual score was Nebraska 44, Wisconsin 25. In some ways Wisconsin did what Nebraska has done so many times before, making an untimely mistake. Giving up a touchdown to the Huskers right before half wasn’t great, but to compound that with a fumble that allowed Nebraska to kick another field goal at the end of the half and really push the lead had to be frustrating for the Badgers. Nebraska finished with points on almost every possession in the middle two quarters and Wisconsin couldn’t recover. It was the best offensive output in the Matt Rhule era.

Quick Notes:

Emmett Johnson…It’s hard not to start with Johnson who had a career game against Wisconsin. Johnson ran with fire, becoming the first running back of the season to go over 100 yards rushing, but he also complemented that with 85 yards receiving. Johnson couldn’t find the end zone in this game, other than that, he played almost perfect. Johnson is playing not only for this season, but to be a feature back next season as well.  

Jacorey Barney Jr.…Barney was the Big Ten offensive freshman of the week in the Big Ten. Barney set the tone in the game with a huge kickoff return at the start. He broke the receiving record for a true freshman as well at Nebraska. Barney has been unleashed, and to me has followed the prediction of Bobby Newcombe almost to a tee. Barney takes some unbelievable shots as well, making very difficult catches look routine. Teams make a big effort to pop him, and he just absorbs that and fights on. The future is bright at wide receiver in Nebraska.  

Nate Boerkircher.…Boerkircher played more snaps against Wisconsin than he had all season. He took advantage of it. Boerkircher has always been a very solid back up at tight end, but this game in a more prominent role, he responded with two big catches, but also with some huge blocks on the perimeter. Putting tight ends in motion, including Luke Lindenmeyer, brought a bit of uncertainty to the Husker plays because it wasn’t apparent if it was a run or pass. The tight ends made a big difference in the offense.

Dylan Raiola…When you put up 44 points against Wisconsin and secure a bowl game for the first time in 8 seasons as a true freshman quarterback, it’s hard not to understate the impact of Raiola’s play this season. He has had some “freshman” moments for sure, but he also has played at a level that no other passing quarterback in my lifetime has done at Nebraska. Raiola was close to a 300-yard passing game, but not only that, he looked in total control on each play. Raiola guaranteed a Nebraska bowl game prior to last week and he delivered. Hard to quantify his play in the overall resurgence of the Husker offense, but his ability to throw the football is one of the best in the country.

Black Friday At Bleed Husker Red Tees!

Score Prediction: Nebraska 27, Iowa 20

I said it last week, but it really felt like Nebraska was either going 2-0 the last two weeks or 0-2. I still believe Nebraska will win this game. The offense won’t put up 44 on Iowa, but they have shown that they have a resiliency, and the play calling has been masterful. That’s not to say that Iowa won’t be primed to keep their foot on Nebraska’s neck again this year. It will be cold, and I expect a special team’s disaster on a punt for the Huskers, but Nebraska’s ability to bounce back has shown this team has the fight to absorb adversity and drive on. Iowa has a lot of injuries on offense, hopefully the Blackshirts show up and win this game on their own, GBR!!!

Badger Cheese

Dan Holgersen showed up in Lincoln about three weeks ago, but this week we finally got to hear from him in person.

And did we hear a lot!

Holgersen started calling out players for poor performance based on what he had watched on film.  Wide receivers not blocking and running backs not hitting an open hole against USC were a couple of items he mentioned.  He basically said the wideouts were blocking like “crap” in their previous games.

It made a lot of Husker fans happy to hear, because to be quite honest, most Husker obsessed fans were saying the same things.  It felt a lot like therapy to hear him talk about effort and the fact that he expects more.

It became even more obvious that a lot of the offensive players at skill positions simply had tuned out the other offensive coaches.  Who knows why, but it was disheartening to hear that either, A: Nebraska wasn’t playing as hard as they could, or B: They weren’t being coached well enough to understand what maximum effort is.

Matt Rhule has said all along that the standard is the standard.  To me, that means that he expects that standard to be high and those that don’t meet that standard won’t be playing.  Of course, after the last four losses, fans could tell that the standard wasn’t being met.  And for whatever reason nothing was changing.  

For the first time, it’s been hard to trust that Coach Rhule understood what that means to Husker fans.

Nebraska fans, for the most part, truly understand what it’s like to watch great football.  When they keep hearing that the coaching staff tell us that what we are seeing isn’t what we are seeing, it gets harder for fans to trust the process.  

Hiring Holgersen to come in and light a fire under the offense and bring in a new method of play calling shows that Rhule does see that the standard isn’t being met.  Hearing from Holgersen this week, we finally heard a coach tell everyone that the standard is much higher that what we have watched, and that he is looking to make changes to make that work.  It was a refreshing change for Husker fans.  Hopefully it resonates on the field the final two games of the season.

Bleed Husker Red Tees

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was USC 31, Nebraska 20.  The actual score was USC 28, Nebraska 20.  Nebraska was burnt by bad luck.  At least three passes could have, or should have, depending on your view, been intercepted.  All three of those plays either ended in a touchdown or extending drives to score touchdowns.  Even so, the defense and special teams did their part.  The offense continues to let the team down.  The defense has been so snake bit lately though, it’s hard to trust that they can get a stop when they need to.  Nebraska continues to play well enough to get beat by one score.

Quick Notes:

Ceyar Wright…Of all the newcomers to Nebraska in the offseason, Wright has made the most impact.  His play against his former team was inspired and kept Nebraska in the game until the end.  Wright has played at the level that we expected Tommi Hill to play at.  Speaking of Hill, he has been shut down for the last two games of the season, so it’s such a big deal that Wright is playing so well, Nebraska needs him to play at a high level.

Emmett Johnson…Johnson had a nice touchdown catch and run and made some nice inside runs, spinning himself into 5.5 yards per carry.  Dante Dowdell was banged up, so Johnson received the lion’s share of playing time.  He continues to be the most consistent running back on the roster.  If Nebraska has any chance to beat Wisconsin or Iowa, Johnson needs to have big games.  

Janiran Bonner…Bonner didn’t lead the team in catches or yards, and he didn’t score a touchdown, but he made a couple of plays that certainly got your attention.  He runs hard and is explosive.  If Holgersen is planning on playing some different guys and getting the ball to them, Nebraska could do worse than Bonner as he just seems to make positive plays.

Brian Buschini…Buschini has certainly had his ups and downs in his Husker career, but this season he has been fantastic.  He averaged 46 yards per punt against USC and pinned them back and took out a big part of their weapons on return.  Wisconsin and Iowa play field position games better than anyone in the country.  If Nebraska continues to struggle on offense, Buschini could be the difference between winning and losing.  So far, he has delivered.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 17, Wisconsin 16

Everything about this game screams that Nebraska should beat Wisconsin for the first time in over a decade.  They have been so close the last three seasons.  Last year’s overtime loss was particularly devastating because they led by two touchdowns early in the game only to watch it slip away in excruciating pain.  Nebraska has so many demons right now, it’s hard to tell which one is the most glaring, but beating Wisconsin would certainly show a ray of light that has been sorely missing.  If Nebraska is going to win a game, this one is the best opportunity.  I feel like it’s either 0-2 to close out, or 2-0.  This game sets the tone, so GBR!!!

New Husker Offensive Coordinator: Is Dan the Man?

So where were we?  Ah, yes, gearing up to play a losing UCLA team at home, after going toe to toe with Ohio State.  And then Nebraska had the ball once in the first 17 minutes at home versus the Bruins.  The crowd was out of the game, the defense couldn’t stop the Bruins and Dylan Raiola played his worst game of the season, putting a nail in the Huskers’ own coffin throwing a pick six to start the second half.

Man, what a swing of emotion coming out of Columbus.

But wait…there is more!  Unless you were living under a rock out in Rock County, you probably heard that Nebraska brought in a new offensive coordinator in Dana Holgersen.  Holgersen, formerly the head coach at Houston and West Virginia, comes in highly accomplished as a play caller and has been a head coach or offensive coordinator for many NFL quarterbacks and players in his career.

Bleed Husker Red Tees Sale!

So, what does that mean in Lincoln?  Well big picture, it allows Holgersen to have a shot to get to know Dylan Raiola before the offseason.  It also allows Nebraska to have a head start in replacing the offensive coordinator job before all the other teams in the nation start looking to make changes.  

Small picture though, I don’t know that it will mean much this fall.  Holgersen is said to be keeping the same playbook that Marcus Satterfield uses so that only he must learn it, and not the entire team.  How will that affect communication when he is trying to call plays?  If he wants a certain pass package, but isn’t sure of the name during the game, it could be costly in the tensest of situations.  Also, I don’t know that Holgersen will be able to figure out which players are cut out for pushing the Husker offense into the upper tier of the Big Ten, because the current cast of characters has them at the bottom.

It's possible that going on the road is a good thing coming out of this bye, because there has been so much distraction this week, the Huskers being away from Lincoln may allow them to shelter themselves from people that are certain to want to question them about the changes.  Head Coach Matt Rhule has kept the players away from the press this week, simply because he knows how distracting this change has to be in the midseason.

Throw in that this really hasn’t been tried before.  Bringing in a new play caller that isn’t already on staff just isn’t done in college football.  NFL?  Sure, but those are professional players that have the opportunity to work 18-hour days.  College kids can’t do that.  And will Holgersen help the running backs hit the right hole better?  Can he help the offensive line move the line of scrimmage better?  How about the wide receivers block better?  All of those are items that need fixed and Holgersen won’t be able to do that in two weeks.

If you include the special teams that continues to confound with inconsistencies, and this isn’t a scenario that screams “Nebraska wins in L.A!”  The Blackshirts are in for a mighty challenge this week as well, as USC has as good of offensive talent as anyone in the Big Ten.

Change has been on the table for the Huskers since the 5-1 start that is a distant memory at this point.  Unfortunately, it may have come too little, too late.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 31, UCLA 17.  The actual score was UCLA 27, Nebraska 20.  When the Huskers look back at 2024 this loss will burn the most.  UCLA played great and offensively, they really took the Huskers apart in the first half and on one drive in the third quarter.  Defensively, they blitzed Dylan Raiola mercilessly and Nebraska looked like a deer in the headlights.  Even with all that, Nebraska had a chance to tie the game on the last drive.  It’s games like this one that Huskers fans have endured over and over again the last decade.  Sometimes you wonder if it’s ever going to stop.

Quick Notes:

Dante Dowdell…Dowdell continues to find the end zone on offense, and sometimes it feels like he is the only one.  The issue is, between the 20’s, Dowdell is 2 yards and a cloud of dust way too often.  It almost seems like Dowdell is so focused on not fumbling that he misses holes and I’m not sure he is capable of making guys miss at the second level.  Dowdell has a big game this weekend.  USC is not a great run stopping team.  He needs to step up if Nebraska is going to have any chance to win.

Isaiah Neyor…Neyor hasn’t been perfect, but he at least is catching the ball when it is thrown to him.  Neyor is a mismatch, but too often he doesn’t run his routes with the intent that he needs to.  He still isn’t getting the separation that he needs early in the route.  Throw that in with below average blocking and Neyor has a long way to go.  That said, he is the best target on the outside and Nebraska needs to continue to give him chances down the field.  

Ty Robinson…I have to give Robinson a lot of credit.  He could have transferred to Oregon, Alabama, Michigan, you name it, this offseason, but he chose to stay a Husker.  He has been the most consistent player on a defense that runs really hot and then cold.  Robinson should be up for all conference honors this season, but probably won’t because Nebraska’s win total isn’t as high as it could be.  Don’t worry about that, enjoy Robinson, he has given his all for the program.  Hopefully he is rewarded at some point.

Tommi Hill…UCLA picked on Jamal Charles from the outset, and it really set them up for early success in the first half.  Hill had to come in, and it looked like he was as close to healthy as he has been since the Colorado game.  Hill is an NFL player, and it has really hurt the Blackshirts that their best defensive back has been out so much.  Hill will be needed against USC; they have the best wide receiver talent the Huskers will play this season outside of Ohio State.

Bleed Husker Red Tees Sales

Score Prediction: USC 31, Nebraska 20

Even coming out of a bye, I just don’t think the Huskers offense is up to the challenge this week.  They clearly have confidence issues, and you can tell that they don’t have anything that they run that they know they can have success.  Maybe I’m way off and Holgersen will waive his magic play calling wand and all will be well, but I don’t see it this week.  It doesn’t mean that all is lost, it just means that Nebraska will have two other chances to get bowl eligible.  They need to figure out what works this week and prepare it for Wisconsin at home the following Saturday.  It’s dark early in Nebraska, but it will always be GBR!!!

Husker Nation Needs Bowl Eligibility

As the Huskers took Ohio State into the fourth quarter and led on the road in Columbus, I started to get a little twinge of, “are they actually going to do this?”

Nebraska has been rather mercurial as of late. Just when I thought they were ready to go show the world that they are ready to go to another level against Indiana, only to be blown out, I thought for sure they would get hammered by Ohio State, and yet, they played toe to toe with one of the best rosters in the country.

So goes an actual real life rebuild, I guess. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. (With apologies to Forrest Gump fans).

One thing I feel confident in as UCLA comes to Lincoln, is that the Blackshirts are for real. They may not be dominant, but they should carry Nebraska through November and hopefully help Nebraska become bowl eligible for the first time in eight seasons.

I feel much more confident about this November than the last one. Last season against Michigan State, you could tell the offense was out of gears. They really were limited to running the football and the passing game was almost nonexistent. This season is a lot different. As much as Dylan Raiola’s statistics haven’t been great in October, I honestly think he is improving. His decision making on audibles seems to be playing out as the coach’s hope. If he starts to hit open receivers a little more consistently, he will start to see a big jump in touchdown throws.

Nebraska sort of figured out the run game in the second half of Ohio State as well. Nebraska should use more stretch plays and continue to have a lead blocker in for Dante Dowdell. I could do with less screen plays of course, but they also have a time and a place. Throw in Thomas Fidone becoming a security blanket for Raiola and Jacory Barney leading the team in catches and all of a sudden Nebraska has found an identity on offense. If John Hohl keeps kicking field goals, Nebraska might just find themselves with a winning record in November.

First, they must get this 10,000-pound bowl game gorilla off of their back and it starts this Saturday against UCLA. I’ve said it before, Nebraska continues to knock on the door. This week they need to blow it off its hinges.

Bleed Husker Red Tees

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Ohio State 38, Nebraska 14. The actual score was Ohio State 21, Nebraska 17. Nebraska’s defensive line was the story of this game. I was as shocked as anyone with how well they handled Ohio States offensive line. If I was a Buckeye fan, I’d be a little worried that Nebraska exposed them. Nebraska gambled a few times to try and score touchdowns and turned the ball over on downs, but to be honest, some unbelievably bad spots of the ball probably cost Nebraska that game. It’s always going to be a little suspect playing in Columbus, but the refereeing was about as bad as I’ve ever seen it. Hard to pull off a big time upset going against something you have little control over.

Quick Notes:

Jacory Barney…Barney has established himself to be the go-to receiver on the offense. He clearly is getting the most opportunities each game and has quietly started the lead the team in catches. Barney gives Nebraska an edge on offense because of his quick feet and his toughness. If the rest of the team can follow his lead, the offense can take another step forward these last 4 games.

MJ Sherman…When Sherman transferred in from Georgia, I thought he would play immediately and probably provide instant production. When he didn’t last season, I thought he was just another in a long line of SEC transfers that busted at Nebraska. I was wrong on both accounts. Sherman has figured out what his role is at Nebraska and now as he plays free, he has started to make the game changing plays we all hoped he would. He tormented the Buckeyes in the backfield last week.  

Jimari Butler…Butler had about three plays against Ohio State that he looked unstoppable. One of them he was basically tackled, and he didn’t even get the benefit of a holding call. Butler can change the dynamic of the defensive line when he is healthy. Teams can’t afford to double team both Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher if Butler is disruptive. Ohio State couldn’t handle him with a tackle alone and Nebraska’s defense feasted. Maybe Butler is finally healthy.

John Hohl…The Lincoln native showed up big time in a national televised game, on the road, against a top ten team. And WOW what a difference it made for Nebraska. For the first time this year, I thought Nebraska should have just had Hohl attempt a field goal rather than going for it after Malcom Hartzog’s interception had the offense inside the Ohio State 10. It makes the offense’s job a lot easier knowing they have 3 points in their back pocket moving forward. Hohl has had some bad luck this season, but him putting it together might propel Nebraska into an extra win this year.

Malcom Hartzog…Just when you think the Blackshirt should have a seat on the bench, he makes a game changing interception. Hartzog is likely out against UCLA this week. Normally, I would say that’s ok, but Hartzog has a knack for finding picks as evidenced by his team leading total of four. He led the team in 2022 as well. Hartzog gets picked on a lot because of his size, but pound for pound he really is an asset for the Blackshirts. They will miss him while he is out.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 31, UCLA 17

I don’t know what to do. I’ve been so far off on score predictions lately; I should just put down that Nebraska will lose by a field goal and then they might win by three touchdowns. Nebraska is primed to break out on offense eventually and while I don’t know that UCLA will comply, I think the Husker fan base and this team are aching to get their sixth win of the year this week. I also think the Huskers found themselves in Columbus and will finally make it pay off at home. I also predict Dylan Raiola will throw three touchdown passes this weekend. A lot of the recent past will get buried in Lincoln this weekend, so GBR!!!

OSU Vs. Huskers Preview

If you like a good kick in the shins, then as a Husker fan, last week was right up your alley.

We are supposed to be past this at Nebraska, at least that is what many of us believed. You don’t think you are ever going on the road to get hammered by Indiana. I mean, come on. Indiana?

Last year when Michigan came into Nebraska and basically humiliated the Huskers, you could blame that on the Scott Frost culture, the fact that Nebraska had been beaten down for years on end and the fact that, as we know now, Michigan was blatantly cheating and figured out every team’s play calling. (Not that the cheating mattered, Michigan was going to kill Nebraska regardless of cheating.)

But who you do you blame now? It’s easy to start with Matt Rhule. How could he have not known that the Huskers weren’t ready? Marcus Satterfield, the offensive coordinator? Tony White the defensive coordinator? Ed Foley, the special teams coach?

Let’s face a fact, Nebraska played a game that we have become accustomed to seeing on a regular basis the last decade. Even Bo Pelini, who won 9 games each season was blown out multiple times. I doubt anyone forgets Nebraska’s one and only Big Ten championship appearance.

Bleed Husker Red Tees

So how and when does it stop? Well, I have a theory about that, but most Husker fans aren’t going to like it. Nebraska is just going to have to be patient with Matt Rhule. I know it sucks that Curt Cignetti has Indiana primed for a playoff run in his first year at Indiana. I get that first-year coaches across the country are winning at a level never before seen in college football. That is going to happen in this day and age of NIL and free agency that occurs, allowing coaches to bring kids from their prior successful stops into their new environments.

We will know at the end of the year if Matt Rhule is up to the task of winning at Nebraska. I’ve seen enough from him at Baylor and Temple to know that eventually he will get the program in a good spot. How high that spot is, well that is up for debate. The thing I’m reminded of about Baylor is that when he left, there were multiple NFL guys on his football team, but he took raw athletes and made hay with them. His first recruiting class is basically playing for the first time this season. It’s going to be at least another year before his overall impact on the program is felt from the Jimmie’s and the Joe’s side.

So, if the players on the field continue to get better, then it really is up to coaching. On that, I was sold on Matt Rhule until last weekend. He can easily turn it around by playing Ohio State competitively. And while I doubt Nebraska is there to compete with the Buckeyes on an even field this week, if they bounce back and get two more wins this season, that will basically meet the prediction that I had at the beginning of the year. All is not lost, and I think Rhule has shown the fortitude to make changes if needed to be successful. In today’s world of instant gratification, Husker fans are going to need to show some patience for this to work out. Hopefully Nebraska football will reward Husker Nation soon, otherwise that patience is about to wear thin.

ON WITH THE REWIND…

Last game prediction was Nebraska 31, Indiana 24. The actual score was Indiana 56, Nebraska 7. Tag me as someone else that didn’t see this coming. I had watched Indiana play two other games this season and nothing prepared me for them playing like this and on the flip side, Nebraska playing this poorly. It’s gut check week in Lincoln. And if I’m Coach Rhule, the first time a guy dogs it, he is out of the game. You can’t have anyone, especially veteran players hanging their head when things get tough.

Quick Notes:

Thomas Fidone II…The only bright spot in this game was Fidone and the fact that Nebraska used him in the passing game in a way that they haven’t all year. I still can’t forgive Fidone for his lousy blocking part of the time, but if he can provide a spark in the passing game, hopefully Dylan Raiola can use him as a security blanket, as opposed to the running back check down that every team has figured out.

Mikai Gbayor…Gbayor was about the only Blackshirt that showed up last weekend. He didn’t play great, but he had the lone sack on a blitz and made some stops that stemmed some of the tide. The linebackers didn’t play great, but they had little or no safety help in the running game and were left in limbo most of the game because of Indiana’s RPO offense. For the first time this season, John Bullock did not shine for the defense.

Dylan Raiola…Raiola finally had a freshman game. I talked about it in last weeks blog, but it’s a long season for a freshman, no matter how talented. Top it off with the fact that Raiola clearly isn’t healthy and has some sort of ankle issue and right now Nebraska can’t rely on him to be a star. He needs help in the running game, and it must come this week. If Raiola is truly hurt, then put Heinrich Haarberg on the field for a series or two. Nebraska needs a spark and if Raiola isn’t healthy, then it is ok to rest him.

Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Nebraska 14

It pains me to type this out, but these two schools are meeting at the worst possible time for Nebraska. Ohio State had a bye weekend and is coming off a close loss that they most certainly will be wanting to atone for, and Nebraska is a wounded duck right now. Nebraska will have to play a perfect game to have a chance, but I believe Ohio State is too talented and Nebraska has lost some of its mojo. It’s not a great week to try and get that back. Either way, I’ll be hooting and hollering for the Huskers and hope I’m wrong again this week and GBR!!!