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Nebraska fans always knew Year 1 under Matt Rhule would entail some tough games and moments. The Week 5 loss to Michigan was the worst of the season so far, and the biggest question now is what’s to come throughout the rest of the B1G slate.
In a matchup against the league’s current gold standard, the Huskers fell considerably short and will try to regroup and build as much as possible through October and down the stretch.
Player of the Week: Nick Henrich
In a game as lopsided as this was, it’s hard to find positives from the performance. However, we’ll go with Henrich for his efforts with the defense. Henrich led the Huskers with 9 total tackles and tied for the team lead with 5 solo stops while adding a pass breakup in an otherwise forgettable defensive showing.
Newcomer of the Week: Josh Fleeks
If not for Fleeks, Nebraska would not have had a single highlight from the weekend. Instead, Fleeks provided a moment of flash for the Huskers, taking his lone carry 74 yards for Nebraska’s only touchdown. After the game, Rhule noted it’s worth considering if Fleeks deserves more touches and carries moving forward.
Biggest surprise: Rushing defense shredded
Nebraska’s strength to open the season as been its run defense. Unfortunately, that group could not hold up to the onslaught of the Wolverines.
Blake Corum led the way with 74 yards on 16 carries as Michigan gained 249 yards on 51 carries. The 4.9 yards per carry is almost double Nebraska’s season average while Corum, Kalel Mullings and JJ McCarthy each registered a run of at least 15 yards against the Huskers.
Biggest concern: Lack of an answer
Getting beat by an elite team is never a reason to hang your head. Unfortunately, Nebraska never found an answer to Michigan’s methodical destruction.
The Wolverines opened the game with an 11-play, 75-yard drive with the offense flexing its muscle. Roman Wilson capped the drive with a highlight-reel touchdown to get things rolling.
On the ensuing possession, Heinrich Haarberg had a ball batted into the air and intercepted. Michigan took that drive for a quick score.
The only chance for a response the Huskers had came on the next drive as Nebraska rolled into Michigan territory on 9 plays. Unfortunately, Nebraska was stopped on 4th-and-1 inside the red zone.
At the end of the day, Nebraska was simply not on par with Michigan across the board, and the Huskers never found a big play on either side of the ball to shake things up. With the team likely to be an underdog for most of the remaining games, Nebraska will need to find an answer to disrupt the opposition if things get rolling.
Developing trend: Kicking concerns
A recurring problem in Lincoln has surfaced once again with Tristan Alvano missing a 40-yard field goal during the loss to Michigan. Alvano is now 1-for-4 on the season. That field goal would not have mattered against the Wolverines, but a similar kick could have major ramifications down the stretch.
Key stat: 3-for-10 on 3rd down
Nebraska’s offense showed it could move the ball at times under Heinrich Haarberg. Unfortunately, the lack of sustained drives can be tied back to a 3-for-10 mark on 3rd down. On the flip side, Nebraska allowed Michigan to convert 8-of-13 on 3rd down as the Wolverines racked up 45 points.
First impressions for Week 6
Nebraska has no time to sit back as the Huskers turn around for a short week and Friday night road trip to Champaign. Illinois and Nebraska are both 2-3 overall and 0-2 in B1G play to start the season.
In fact, the Week 5 loss for the Illini was eerily similar to Bret Bielema’s program. Illinois lost to Purdue 44-19 as the team was a disaster on either side of the ball in the second half.
Now, both teams head to a Friday night matchup looking for answers and a spark to the team. The matchup is unlikely to impact the conference race, but it could yield a lot of answers for both programs.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.