Matt Rhule, Nebraska eviscerated by social media after scoreless first half vs. Purdue
Matt Rhule and Nebraska were looking for some juice to get back on track after a loss to Illinois. However, the Huskers have looked rather lifeless and otherwise out of sorts in a horrific first-half performance vs. Purdue.
Playing on the road in West Lafayette, Rhule even tried to add a bit more fire to his team with a pre-game “Oklahoma” drill on Saturday. Whatever the purpose of that drill, it did not yield the kind of results one would hope for to open the game.
Despite facing one of the worst rush defenses in the entire country, Nebraska has struggled to find its footing in the ground game. The only success in the rushing attack has come via Jacory Barney Jr. on the edges while Dante Dowdell and Rahmir Johnson have combined for just 15 yards on 9 carries.
Quarterback Dylan Raiola has been solid with an 11-for-19 passing effort for 161 yards, but some key penalties (and a few questionable ones) have halted Nebraska’s few promising opportunities. Even more worrisome, Nebraska has had 2 field goals blocked by Purdue, including one from shortrange just before halftime to keep things scoreless.
After a promising start to the season, a loss to Purdue would mean absolute panic for Rhule’s program with the Boilermakers looking like one of the worst teams in the country so far. Can things get worse in the 2nd half? We’ll find out, but fans are already freaking out.
Take a look:
#Nebraska is still tied with #Purdue in the second quarter. Time to bench Raiola. pic.twitter.com/4A1oaMLkHl
— Message Board Geniuses (@BoardGeniuses) September 28, 2024
Real tough first half for #Nebraska. #MeltdownAlert pic.twitter.com/1OiXZ0r3rv
— Message Board Geniuses (@BoardGeniuses) September 28, 2024