Why Matt Rhule is not concerned with Marcus Satterfield’s ‘stumped’ answer — and which analytics Nebraska tracks

But he defended on Thursday his offensive coordinator two days after Marcus Satterfield initially said he was “stumped” by a question related to ideal offensive yards per play.

“I don’t want Satt worried about the yards per play,” Rhule said in advance of the Huskers’ game at No. 4 Ohio State. “I want him worried about blocking No. 91 from Ohio State. So we have to be very in the moment.”

Satterfield on Tuesday was asked what a “target” yards-per-play average would be for the Huskers’ offense.

“Between four and six?” Satterfield said. “I honestly don’t know what leads the country in yards per play.”

Only one team — Kennesaw State — is below 4 yards per play in FBS. Miami, at 8.05 yards per play, leads the nation. Nebraska is 88th nationally at 5.54 yards per play.

“That’s a great question,” Satterfield continued. “You’ve stumped me. I don’t want to lie to you — I don’t know what’s leading the country, but I want it to be a little bit more than it is right now, for sure.”

Rhule on Thursday said he likes to track EPA — Expected Points Added — on offense and “havoc rate” on defense, which relates to how many sacks, tackles for loss, turnovers and pass breakups a defense creates. According to College Football Insiders, NU’s offense ranks 61st nationally in Expected Points Added average — that is, how efficient a team is at scoring from various spots on the field — while the defense ranks 26th.

“I’m really into that whole world but that’s more of a, for me, a bye week or postseason (study),” Rhule said. “When you’re in the week, it’s hey, ‘how do I get this guy, who’s got a hurt ankle, to block that guy?’ It’s not Madden.”

During the season, Rhule said, the team focuses more on turnover rate and creating explosive plays. In Big Ten games, NU ranks 10th in the conference 49 plays of 10 yards or more. Indiana has 77 such plays. Ohio State has 47 in one fewer league game.

“We have a lot of eight, nine, 10-play drives,” Rhule said. “That’s really, really, really hard to do over and over and over again. You’d like some four-play drives that result in a touchdown. That’s where we’ve been lacking. That’s where we’re trying to create them.”