How Nebraska’s defense aims to slow Indiana’s juggernaut offense

Linebacker Javin Wright calls opponent film study “awareness tape” — figuring out an opponent’s tendencies, taking notes, and responding accordingly during a game.

“Just looking at what we’ve got to do to keep our eyes clean,” Wright said Tuesday as NU continued its preparation for No. 16 Indiana, the surprise, transfer-filled team that boasts one of the nation’s best offenses.

NU’s defenders, who comprise one of the nation’s best and most creative defenses, had a few extra days to study film of IU, and that’s probably a good thing. Nebraska may need one of its best efforts — and cleverest gameplans — to quiet a sold-out crowd and slow a fast-moving offense.

Even if Indiana (6-0, 3-0) hasn’t faced a defense anywhere near the caliber of Nebraska’s — national stats suggest it has not — the Hoosiers have posted video game numbers over six games.

Their 47.5 points per game ranks second nationally. Their 515.7 yards per game ranks fourth. IU is second nationally in first downs, seventh in third down conversion rate, sixth in red zone touchdown rate and 14th in sacks allowed.

“They operate so efficiently,” said NU defensive coordinator Tony White, whose unit hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown this season. IU averages nearly four of those per game. “They know exactly what they’re doing.”

White noted the downhill run game that averages nearly 200 yards per game plus the way IU uses its primary tight end, Zach Horton, all over the field, as a H-back, in-line blocker and even wideout.

But Indiana’s real strength is a passing game led by Ohio transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who has completed 74% of his passes — at 11 yards per attempt — to a group of backs and receivers who followed IU coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison, plus transfers from Wake Forest, Texas Tech and Ohio.

The best of them, White said, is Elijah Surratt, a JMU transfer who has 29 catches for 513 yards already in 2024. The 6-foot-2, 209-pounder is the biggest of IU’s receivers, but not the only big frame. He, like other Hoosier wideouts, are adept on deep and intermediate routes.

Nebraska’s pass defense will have to be sharp. Despite the injury absence of top corner Tommi Hill — who may return for Saturday — NU’s coverage steadily improved in wins over Purdue and Rutgers.

Against the Boilermakers, Husker linebacker John Bullock snagged a pick six and NU smothered Purdue’s receivers until a late garbage time drive. Rutgers, meanwhile, completed just 40.5% of its passes and threw two costly picks. Nebraska racked up nine combined sacks against those teams.

And the good pass rush, White said, is where the Huskers’ pass defense starts. White’s boss, coach Matt Rhule, wanted the defense to develop and hone a four-man rush in the offseason so seven defenders could drop into coverage. White still brings occasional blitzes, they’re less frequent than 2023. The approach has likely created more interceptions while improving NU’s sack rate.

“When you’re able to bring four guys and get pressure on the quarterback, it allows you to do all that stuff in the back end,” White said. “All those different coverages and all that kind of stuff.”

Those different coverages, and how NU plans to disguise them before the snap, is part of how the Huskers will play against Rourke, a fifth-year player who knows how to read defenses.

“We have a lot of guys that kind of understand offenses and how defenses should be run,” Bullock said. “So we’ve been working on our disguises a lot this week, and just what we want to show in certain coverages that’ll mess with his head a little bit more.”

Northwestern, which allowed 41 points and 380 passing yards to the Hoosiers, show a “two-high shell,” Bullock said, and played that scheme consistently. The Wildcats may have kept their safeties back to prevent the deep pass, but it didn’t give Rourke any trouble.

Nebraska’s linebackers could often be a bind, too, with the way IU uses run-pass option schemes to produce the illusion of a downhill run, only for Rourke to pull the ball and fire to receivers running behind the ‘backers. NU hasn’t been fooled often on such plays this season, but Indiana sells the run well.

Bullock said the Huskers have a plan for that, too.

“Usually he’s reading one guy, so he’ll look to a side,” Bullock said of Rourke. “Whichever side he’s reading, that’s usually where he’ll go. So we’re kind of taught this week to, if he’s reading you, then you got to sit. But if he’s not reading you can trigger because he won’t throw it.”

That’s the kind of in-game chess match Nebraska’s defense — seventh nationally in points allowed, sixth nationally in yards per play allowed — will have to win. And NU won’t have the advantage of a home crowd, like it did when it smothered Colorado and quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

The Huskers will have to pull off the upset away from home, slowing down an offense no foe has.

It’s a week for a lot of film study halls.

“They can do anything,” Wright said. “I give them mad respect, because there’s nothing they really they can do. So we just got to go in there and do what we what we do best.”