Matt Rhule on how Nebraska should respond to Indiana loss

With last week’s 49-point loss to Indiana in the books, the Huskers will set out this week to clean up the many areas of the game head coach Matt Rhule indicated they struggled in.

From perimeter blocking, which Rhule called a “deficiency,” to tackling and stopping the run, Rhule expects his players to do more in the coming weeks.

“If anything, 56-7 should snap you back to reality, right?” Rhule said. “We had some success defensively last game, and I’m more worried about success leading to complacency than I do about coming back from something hard.”

Nebraska won’t sit around and be “victims” in the aftermath of its loss to Indiana, Rhule said, as they will put improvements into action during practice this week. For players and coaches alike, responding to the recent adversity is paramount.

“There’s a challenge set to the coaches, there’s also a challenge to the players,” Rhule said. “These are grown men, like, you’re supposed to block that guy; block him.”

* Rhule said that he regretted opting to go for a fourth-and-8 on Nebraska’s opening drive of the second half rather than attempting a field goal. Trailing 28-7, the Huskers might’ve needed seven points to have any chance of winning the game — but getting any points on the board might’ve been just as important in hindsight.

“There’s a big part of me that wants to show the guys you’re always playing to win,” Rhule said. “It felt like a lot of times in that game we were playing not to lose.”

* Running back Rahmir Johnson and defensive back DeShon Singleton, who exited the Indiana game early. They are both in the concussion protocol and their status for the Ohio State game is yet to be determined.

* Rhule said “it took a lot of guts” for senior Micah Mazzccua, a player who’s only been a guard for the Huskers, to split reps with redshirt freshman Gunnar Gottula at left tackle.