Nebraska (5-3) goes to Champaign on Friday night needing one win for bowl eligibility, and the conversation this week is about identity. After a 5-0 start, the Huskers have lost three straight by a combined 13 points: 20-17 to Indiana, 17-14 at Oregon and 17-10 to Washington (Nebraska schedule).
The split
The Daily Nebraskan laid out the numbers Tuesday (Daily Nebraskan), and they are hard to ignore:
- During the 5-0 start, Nebraska was running the ball just under 40 times per game.
- Over the last three games, rushing yards per game have been cut in half, to 112.7, and yards per carry have dropped to 3.3.
- Nebraska is averaging 33 runs over that stretch, while pass attempts have climbed past 40 per game at a 54.5 percent completion rate.
- Anthony Colandrea’s passer rating was 160 through five games. Over the skid it is 100.8, with five interceptions, three of them against Washington.
- Colandrea has been sacked 11 times in the last three games after five sacks in the first five.
The part that stings: the extra throwing is not because Nebraska has been chasing games. Per the Daily Nebraskan, the Huskers trailed for a combined nine minutes and 11 seconds across all three losses. In the second quarter against Washington, Jamal Rule and Mekhi Nelson combined for two carries and one yard.
The staff question
Matt Rhule spent Monday backing his coaches, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen included (News Channel Nebraska). He also said publicly that he wants “true balance” and does not want to throw it 44 times a game. Friday is the first chance to see if the plan actually changes.
Our take
This offense looked like one of the best in the Big Ten in September because it could lean on Rule and Nelson and let Colandrea pick spots. Illinois is not the place to find a new identity. It is the place to go back to the old one.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. CT Friday on FOX.
Featured image: Photo: Sgt. Lisa Crawford, Nebraska National Guard. Public domain. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Co._B,_2-135th_GSAB_Huskers_Memorial_Stadium_flyover_(50631034412).jpg.
