For years, Nebraska Football has competed in ways that have surprised many. Why? Well, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, despite being 3-9, 4-8, and 5-7, have found ways to keep themselves competitive against top 10 teams. Nebraska has lost 28 straight against ranked opponents; however, despite this, the Huskers aren’t far from being elite. If the Huskers can fix one big issue, then they will compete again…
Nebraska Must Get Better in the Trenches
The 3-1 Huskers have been elite in one aspect of the game: passing. Nebraska, offensively, has been the 5th-best in the nation in passing yards per game. They have also been the best in the Big Ten so far. In addition to this, as for the secondary, Nebraska has so far had the best secondary in the country. Overall, the passing game has been nearly perfect for the Huskers. When it comes to rushing offense and defense, Nebraska falls off a cliff.
Emmett Johnson has been great, ranking 14th in the country in rushing yards after week 4. The offensive line has to get better, though, as Nebraska was unable to run the ball as much as it wanted to against Michigan. When it came to protecting Dylan Raiola, the offensive line failed massively, allowing seven sacks. Defensively, Nebraska was overwhelmed by Michigan’s rushing attack, which gained 290 yards against them. Nebraska lost to Michigan on the ground.
It Comes Down to the D-Line and O-Line
Overall, it comes down to protecting the quarterback and stopping the run game. For the offense, protecting Raiola shouldn’t be too hard, considering the Huskers’ O-Line was considered one of the best in the nation. Simply put, they need to get it together, and with the talent they have, they definitely should. As for the D-Line, it is much more concerning. The D-Line is young, with three huge players leaving from last season. Last season, Nebraska was elite when it came to stopping the run, ranking 8th in the country in doing so.
Nebraska can stop the run, but only if the D-Line can get better. The secondary is the most improved so far out of any team in the country. If the D-Line does remotely good, Nebraska’s defense can absolute destroy their relatively weak schedule. Nebraska has great players on the D-Line, but no veterans or proven players except for Dasan McCullough, who hasn’t done horrible. Nebraska has potential studs, one example: Williams Nwaneri, one of the best recruits in Nebraska history.
Nebraska’s Offense Is One of the Best in the Country
One thing is for sure, Dylan Raiola and the Huskers offense is one of the best in the country. Turnovers, missed opportunities, and overall some poor execution has led to some bad play. However, under Raiola and Johnson, the Huskers offense is one the best in the whole country. Teams like Michigan State, USC, and even elite Iowa and Penn State will have trouble Nebraska. Nebraska is closer than ever to being relevant again.
Even a relatively good D-Line and O-Line means Nebraska has 9-3 season or better in front of them. With an good offense, and a potentially good defense, Nebraska definitely shouldn’t written off yet. One loss isn’t the end of the world. Get over it, learn from it, and use it for an even more powerful team.
The one thing Nebraska didn’t do and haven’t done for most of the season is win in the trenches. BIG Ten football isn’t all about the trenches as many might think, as a deadly air attack or great secondary can and will achieve a team wins. However, at the same time, beating elite teams will be hard for the Huskers unless they improve on this one big thing. If they don’t improve, well, that simply means Nebraska has got some work to do. However, if they do, oh boy, watch out.
Main Image: © Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
