PFF snap counts and grades for Nebraska’s offense vs. Iowa

Here are the final snap counts and grades for Nebraska’s offense against Iowa, courtesy of PFF.

HOL take: Logan Smothers had 16 designed runs for 77 yards and three QB scrambles for 6 yards. He produced Nebraska’s longest run of 24 yards on Friday, and six of his total 19 rushing attempts converted first downs.

The 16 designed runs were the most for an NU quarterback by far all year, as the previous high was 10 for Adrian Martinez at Michigan State. In fact, Martinez had just 78 total designed runs and scrambles on the year. His high attempt for any game was 12 at MSU. It was the only time he had 10+ rushing attempts. This really puts in perspective how they tried to build Friday around Smothers’s strengths.

Throwing the football, Iowa only brought more than four on six of 27 dropbacks, and he was pressured on a total of 10 of his 27 dropbacks.

Smothers was 2-of-3 on throws of 20+ yards for 68 yards and 4-of-5 on throws between 10 and 19 yards for 87 yards. On his one interception, PFF did not downgrade him on it, as the receiver ran the route off the wrong way.

Smothers was credited with both of NU’s turnovers, as he also had a fumble on an option play.

HOL take: Nebraska’s three running backs had just 17 carries for 65 yards (3.82 yards per carry) on Friday. The tailback was a non-factor in the second half, as they went nearly the entire fourth quarter without a carry. The Huskers had just 18 rushing yards on 16 attempts the entire second half.

Brody Belt had the longest run of the day for a back at 10 yards, while Jaquez Yant’s long was 8 yards. Yant converted four first downs and Belt had one.

In the receiving game, Belt was charged with the Huskers only dropped pass on the day. NU’s back had three catches for 15 yards. So the final stat line was 20 touches for 80 yards.

HOL take: Samori Toure was Smothers favorite target on Friday, has four of his six catches converted first downs. Toure’s long catch on the day was 28 yards and he finished the season with 46 for 897 yards in 12 games. He’s been by far the most productive offensive transfer the Huskers have brought in over the portal era.

Omar Manning had the game’s longest reception of 40 yards on his lone target. He finished the year with 26 catches for 380 yards.

HOL take: Austin Allen was targeted just two times but hauled in both for 55 yards. He finished with the all-time best tight end season in program history with 38 catches for 602 yards. He was targetted 48 times in the season. 27 of his 38 catches in 2021 converted first downs. His final season great on PFF is an 89.8, which leads the Big Ten. He also had the most receiving yards for all Big-Ten tight ends and should end up first or second-team All-Conference. It’s between him and Wisconsin’s Jake Ferguson.

Travis Vokolek had just one catch on one target. In nine games he was targeted just 14 times and hauled in 11 balls for 127 yards. One would think his role is going to increase dramatically in 2022.

Chancellor Brewington got his customary short-yardage goal-line snaps and made a bone-crushing block that does not really show on this grade out.

HOL take: Technically the offensive line was not charged with a sack, but the safety in the end zone should count as one. What jumps out to me is there were technically only three hurries in the game, but the line was charged with five QB hits on Smothers.

The five QB hits tied a season-high, as the Huskers also allowed five QB hits vs. Minnesota and Illinois as well.

This was the second game in a row the line was not charged with a quarterback sack. The three QB hurries also tied a season-low against FBS competition, as only three times this season against FBS teams the Husker line has allowed fewer than 10 QB hurries – Minnesota (7), Northwestern (7) and Iowa (3). To put that in perspective, the Huskers allowed 14 hurries at Illinois, 14 vs. Buffalo, 18 at Oklahoma, 21 at Michigan State and 14 at Wisconsin.

The question is has this group improved that much since then, or has Scott Frost done a better job of retooling the offense to help out his offensive line in protection?

We also saw Ethan Piper on the field for the first time since the Northwestern game. Both he and Broc Bando spelled Matt Sicterman and Bryce Benhart.