Matt Rhule explains his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Nebraska coach Matt Rhule picked up his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the year for what he said was holding a tablet.

“I was holding the iPad when I did it,” Rhule said of his fourth quarter conversation with an official. “You’re not supposed to show the iPad to the official but because I was holding it (the penalty was called).”

Rhule said he didn’t show the iPad to the official.

“It had nothing to do with the game,” Rhule said of the call. “… It was a well-called game.”

Rhule picked up his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the season. The first came at Purdue.

Thomas Fidone emerged from the tunnel underneath Indiana’s Memorial Stadium and shook his head.

The Nebraska tight end didn’t want to talk. He let his play do it Saturday in one of the few offensive bright spots in a 56-7 Husker loss.

The 6-foot-6, 255-pound junior produced his best day of the season with a career high in catches (six) and receiving yards (91). Of NU’s five pass plays of 15-plus yards, he was on the receiving end of three of them. A 25-yard jump ball in the second quarter, a 23-yard catch-and-run in the third and 28-yarder on a post in the fourth showcased the former top prospect in a variety of ways.

Fidone — who entered the day with 14 catches for 127 receiving yards — previously hadn’t logged more than three grabs or 46 yards in a game this fall. Nebraska hadn’t targeted him downfield as consistently all year.

Fidone was also critical on his team’s lone scoring drive. After missing a block on a Heinrich Haarberg option run halted near the goal line, he responded on the next snap by leveling an Indiana blocker to clear a path for Jacory Barney on his 7-yard run.

Nebraska’s tight end position remains without a touchdown this season. Nate Boerkircher (one catch for 25 yards in 2024) and Luke Lindenmeyer (one for 12) have also caught balls.

In a travel roster that coach Matt Rhule this week said was full of “hard decisions,” six Nebraska players made their road debuts this season. Most of them saw action too.

The team’s 74-man traveling party included new members in running back Kwinten Ives, offensive lineman Micah Mazzccua, linebacker Stefon Thompson, defensive back Rahmir Stewart and defensive linemen Sua Lefotu and Mason Goldman. All but Mazzccuaa — who was away from the team during the Purdue game — and Thompson are redshirt freshmen.

Huskers who were at Purdue but not suited in Bloomington are receiver Roman Mangini, offensive lineman Jacob Hood, linebackers Gage Stenger and Dylan Rogers and defensive backs Donovan Jones and Taveon Thompson.

Mazzccua, who has started at tackle this season, played at left tackle for some possessions Saturday. On defense, Thompson made three tackles while Stewart and Lefotu each added one. Ives saw two late carries, netting one rushing yard.

* Barney’s 7-yard score marked the second rushing touchdown of the season for the freshman receiver. He also caught a career-best eight passes for 32 yards. Fellow underclassman receiver Jaylen Lloyd added a career-high three catches for 36 yards.

* Senior rover Isaac Gifford logged a team-high eight tackles. It increases his career total to 207 and makes him the 43rd defender — and 10th defensive back — in school history to top 200 stops.