Dave Feit: Folding at the Finish

Little things canceled out Nebraska’s positives and brought a familiar result vs. Wisconsin

Dave Feit | Nov 21, 2022

Kenny Larabee photo, KLIN

In this story:

Nebraska did so many things right Saturday.

They won the turnover battle and turned an interception into a touchdown. They committed only two penalties. The defense allowed just three points through three quarters. Nebraska answered a Wisconsin field goal with a touchdown. The Huskers successfully defended a pair of two-point conversion tries. NU didn't allow a Badger running back to reach 100 yards for the first time since Montee Ball ran for 90 yards in September 2012.*

*Sadly, this is true. Even worse, it is also the first time since 2016 that a Wisconsin back has been kept under 200 yards.

Nebraska did not trail for the first 59 minutes and 25 seconds of this game. And yet, when push came to shove, the Huskers folded.

A basic strategic error gave Wisconsin the wind at their backs for the decisive fourth quarter. NU squandered a chance at good field position with one of their two penalties. Needing first downs to run out the clock or force Wisconsin to burn time outs, the offense lost yardage and had to punt. The Huskers lost track of a third-string running back for a big reception.

Nebraska's Casey Thompson throws a second-quarter pass that went for a touchdown to Trey Palmer.

Nebraska's Chris Kolarevic upends Wisconsin punt returner Dean Engram in the fourth quarter.

Anthony Grant is tackled by Wisconsin linebacker Maema Njongmeta during the third quarter.

Nebraska wide receiver Trey Palmer catches a 10-yard pass in the second quarter

Nebraska tight end Travis Vokalek gains 12 yards on a pass from quarterback Casey Thompson in the third quarter.

Nebraska defenders Nash Hutmacher and Colton Feist corral Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi in the second quarter.

Running back Isaac Guerendo sets up Wisconsin's winning touchdown with a 27-yard reception to the Nebraska 7 yard line.

Nebraska tight end Travis Vokolek could not bring in this third-quarter pass from quarterback Casey Thompson.

Nebraska defenders Luke Reimer, Malcolm Hartzog, and Ty Robinson stop Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen for a short gain in the first quarter.

Nebraska wide receiver Trey Palmer celebrates his second TD.

Nebraska running back Anthony Grant rushes for an 11-yard gain in the first quarter.

Interim head coach Mickey Joseph leads the team onto the field.

Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson rushes for a 4-yard gain in the third quarter.

Nebraska running back Gabe Ervin Jr. rushes for a four-yard gain.

Nebraska's Casey Thompson fires a pass during the third quarter.

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz looks for a receiver.

Nebraska interim head coach Mickey Joseph shouts to players before the game.

Timmy Bleekrode kicks a Nebraska extra point.

Nebraska defensive lineman Colton Feist brings down Wisconsin wide receiver Dean Engram during the first quarter.

Nebraska defenders Nash Hutmacher, Garrett Nelson, Colton Feist and Luke Reimer combine to bring down Wisconsin running back Isaac Guerendo in the second quarter.

Nebraska defensive back Malcolm Hartzog brings down Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen in the second quarter.

Wisconsin running back Isaac Guerendo picks up yardage during the fourth quarter.

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz runs for yardage during the fourth quarter.

Casey Thompson hands the ball off to Husker running back Anthony Grant during the first quarter.

Isaac Gifford (23) and Myles Farmer (8) celebrate Wisconsin's missed field goal attempt in the second quarter / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin's Graham Mertz throws a pass during the second quarter.

Nebraska cornerback Malcolm Hartzog picks off a pass to set up Nebraska's second-quarter touchdown.

Wisconsin tight end Jack Eschenbach is brought down by Nebraska linebacker Ernest Hausmann during the second quarter.

Nebraska's Trey Palmer celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter.

Nebraska's Casey Thompson passes during the first quarter.

Nebraska defensive back Marques Buford Jr. signals to fans as he is driven off the field after being injured during the first quarter.

Malcolm Hartzog tackles Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen during the second quarter.

Braelon Allen is tackled by Nebraska's Isaac Gifford during the fourth quarter.

Anthony Grant is brought down by Wisconsin defenders during the second quarter.

Nebraska's Ochaun Mathis tries to bring down Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi during the fourth quarter.

Nebraska tight end Travis Vokolek picks up a first down on a third-quarter reception.

Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson runs with the ball during the third quarter.

Herbie Husker gets no argument here from Bucky Badger.

Interim head coach Mickey Joseph signals to Nebraska players during a timeout in the second quarter.

Wisconsin's Graham Mertz hands off to running back Brealon Allen during the first quarter.

Husker quarterback Casey Thompson runs with the ball during the first quarter.

Wisconsin players celebrate the victory and the Freedom Trophy that came with it.

Once again, the little things combined to bite the Huskers on the backside. Clearly, the Huskers have a deficiency in both front-line talent and reliable depth. But they also lack the ability to consistently execute the fundamental basics that are the building blocks of victory.

Badgers 15, Huskers 14. This was a classic Nebraska coulda/woulda/shoulda game that ended with an all-too-familiar feeling of frustration and dejection.

But we pull ourselves up, shake off the pain, and prepare for one last game on Black Friday.

Things I believe

That was the least amount of fans I've ever seen at a home game. The announced attendance Saturday's game was 86,000. The game was announced as a sellout: #389 in the historic streak.

But I'll be really curious to see the actual number of tickets scanned (i.e. tickets actually used at the gate). Because I believe it this was one the lowest attended home games of the century.

Every offseason, the Omaha World-Herald reports on the scanned ticket numbers. For reference, the 2021 night game against Michigan had 76,702 tickets scanned. The 2018 game against Illinois - another miserably cold game - had just 54,838 tickets scanned. I suspect 2022 Wisconsin will be lower.

At kickoff, my row had only nine of 27 seats full. Throughout the game, there was a large pocket of open seats in my section. Dozens of other sections around the stadium looked the same.

Look: I get it. It was cold (28 degrees at kickoff, with a wicked wind chill). Morning kickoffs seem to have smaller crowds than night games. Fans have other things going on. And I understand that this team (and program) is not very fun to watch right now. Some may have been trying to send a message, I don't know.

I truly believe each of the 25,000 no shows had a legitimate reason for not going to the game.

I'm not going to judge anybody who decided to not use their ticket(s). That kind of "you're not a real fan!" gatekeeping does more harm than good.

The future of the Sellout Streak lives in the student section. For as sparse as the overall attendance was on Saturday, the student section more than held their own.

Yes, the top 20 rows of their section were empty. But remember, all of their seating is first-come, first-served general admission. If the rest of the stadium had GA seating, there might not have been anybody sitting higher than row 70. Heck, they might not have even opened the 600 level to the public.

But I want to give credit to a core block of students. When I got to my seats, about 35 minutes before kickoff, the students had filled the lower part of their sections. I posted a picture of them on Twitter.

These students probably arrived an hour (or more) before kickoff on a ridiculously cold November morning to cheer on a three-win team trying to avoid their fifth straight home loss of the season. During the 4½ years I was at UNL, the Huskers lost only three times, and never at home.

We can - and did - talk about the legitimacy* and future of the Sellout Streak. But if the Streak is going to continue for years to come, the students are going to be the ones who pick up the slack as the older generations stop going to games.

*The Wisconsin game officially became a sellout on Thursday afternoon. If you think 50 or so Husker fans bought the remaining tickets on Thursday at face value - given the forecast and the hundreds of tickets available on the secondary market for less than $10 - I have some oceanfront property you may be interested in purchasing. But the Streak is now at 389!

Think about it: these students are showing up - in proportionately large numbers - to support a team that has not made a bowl game since some of them were in middle school.

The students deserve our admiration and thanks.

Scott Frost was right. Do you remember the Northwestern game in Ireland? It feels like that game was 12 years ago, not 12 weeks.

In the postgame press conference after the Aer Lingus Classic, then head coach Scott Frost said: "I think our offensive staff has to learn you've got to be a little more creative in this league."

Even though Frost walked that quote back the following week, the majority of the season has proved him to be correct.

Aside from the scripted plays, Nebraska's offense tends to be stagnant and predictable. A couple of basic Anthony Grant runs for a yard or two followed by a short crossing route (or sack). Three plays and punt. Throw in a couple deep balls to Trey Palmer and hope to hit a big play.

Aside from the tight end screen, there has been little of Nebraska's offense that a casual observer would say is consistently effective, let alone "creative."

On Saturday, Nebraska's two scoring drives were: 37 yards in 8 plays, and 79 yards (including 30 yards in Badger penalties) in 9 plays. The Huskers must scratch and claw for every yard.

When NU finds themselves in situations where some coaches would go for it on fourth down (such as 4th & 2 at midfield), the Huskers punt. I suspect this is because they are not confident in their ability to gain 3 yards at will.

The Mark Whipple era ends Friday in Iowa City. His hire, scheme, and clashes with his head coaches at Nebraska will remain a curiosity for years to come.

Things I don't know

Why did Nebraska choose to have the wind in their face for the fourth quarter? Let's set this up with two quick facts:

There was a steady breeze out of the north or northwest throughout the game. The game report says the wind was 18 mph. As somebody who sat in the south end zone, believe me: the wind was in my face the entire game.
Wisconsin won the opening kickoff and chose to defer. Nebraska took the ball for the first half. At halftime, Wisconsin took the ball. Nebraska chose to defend the north end zone, meaning Wisconsin would have the wind at their backs for the fourth quarter.

Make it make sense.

Let's look at a fourth-quarter sequence to see the impact:

Wisconsin scores to make the score 14-9. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty means the Badgers kickoff from their 20. With the wind at their back, the ball sails to the 19.

After that drive stalls, Nebraska has to punt. Brian Buschini's kick goes 34 yards into the wind. NU's defense forces a three and out, but Wisconsin's punt goes 52 yards. The Huskers go three and out and Buschini's punt is a low liner that gets returned to midfield. Wisconsin scores and takes the lead.

Even if Casey Thompson could have led a furious last-minute drive after Wisconsin took the lead, he probably would have needed to get the ball inside the Badger 20 to be in field goal range. (Wisconsin's kicker was short from 39 yards earlier in the game).

Look: I'm not saying Nebraska magically wins the game if they had the wind at their back in the fourth quarter.

I am saying that when the margin between winning and losing is as paper thin as it has been for the last six years, the little things make a big difference. Everybody knew this game was likely to be decided in the fourth quarter, so this was an easy decision that was blown.

What will Nebraska's roster size be in 2023? Saturday was Senior Day. Mickey Joseph allowed anybody to walk out and be recognized - even if they weren't a senior* and might return next season.

*Beau Psencik, the second player shown in the "2022 Seniors" video tribute, is technically a redshirt freshman. Five sophomores and 13 juniors also walked. The COVID season - and the free year of eligibility - has made it impossible to easily gauge how long a player has been in the program.

A total of 31 players were honored before the game. Nebraska started the 2022 season with a roster of 150 players. I question what value or competitive advantage Nebraska gets from having one of the largest rosters in the Big Ten.

In the Osborne era, large rosters allowed for multiple practice stations where dozens of players got daily reps. I cannot say if that has happened under Scott Frost or Mickey Joseph … but I have a guess.

I suspect the next head coach will trim the roster down to a more manageable number (100? 110?) that allows him to have walk-ons and scout team depth without having a bunch of dead weight.

Anything on the coaching search? At this point, it seems unlikely we get an announcement on the new coach before the end of the Iowa game.

Could an announcement come next Saturday or Sunday? A Saturday announcement could mean a guy who is not currently coaching (such as Matt Rhule) or Mickey Joseph.

By next Sunday, most teams will have completed their regular seasons, so that would (in theory) expand the possibilities to current coaches of other schools. If athletic director Trev Alberts is going to hire a current coach, it makes sense that he would do so once their regular season is complete.

A handful of teams will play in conference championship games on Saturday, Dec. 3. Your guess is as good as mine on if Nebraska could poach one of those coaches. Fans of Army coach Jeff Monken should note that the Army-Navy game isn't until Saturday, Dec. 10.

I say all of this to say that - like everybody else - I don't know a heck of a lot more than I did a month ago. I wrote this a week ago, and it's holding up as well as anything else you'll read on the coaching search.

If I had to guess, we'll know the coach's name before Dec.r 1. But if Nebraska does not have a coach hired by Dec. 12, I expect the governor to declare a state of emergency.

5 things I loved

Casey Thompson. His stats aren't that impressive, but Thompson was the reason Nebraska led 14-3 in the fourth quarter. He played like a warrior and took yet another beating.
Ernest Hausmann. The true freshman was thrown into a "sink or swim" situation due to some early season injuries. While his head went underwater a few times in the early games, he has fought back to be one of the best defenders on the field. A team-leading 12 tackles - 10 solo - on Saturday, and a bright future to come.
Malcolm Hartzog. Speaking of bright futures, how about the true freshman cornerback? He now leads the team in interceptions (3) despite being a starter for only half of the season.
Trey Palmer. On a day when neither team was very efficient through the air, Palmer led the game in catches, yards and touchdowns. I really wish he'd get a touch on a sweep, end around, screen pass or punt/kick return.
Isaac Gifford. Gifford has had a very strong - yet under the radar - year. His stats don't jump off the page (4 tackles and a pass breakup against the Badgers), but he's always in position, always in range to make a play. He's been bouncing between nickel and safety the last few weeks, which shows his knowledge and versatility. If he can make a leap next year ... look out.

Honorable mention: Brian Buschini, Garrett Nelson, Colton Feist, Nash Hutmacher, Ochaun Mathis, Travis Vokolek, all the seniors (and others) making their final appearance at Memorial Stadium, every fan who stayed until the end of the game.

5 areas for improvement

Mark Whipple. I'm not saying Whipple could have gotten 35 points and 400 yards of offense out of NU on Saturday. I am saying he could have found enough to maintain the lead and run out the clock.
Offensive line. You know the drill. Zero running game, poor pass protection, bring on the punter. Three sacks and 2.2 yards per carry is never going to get it done.
Kickoff returns. The opening kickoff was caught at the 11 and returned past the 25 (to the 27). When Wisconsin kicked off from their 20 due to a penalty, NU should have received great field position. Instead, a holding penalty pushed the Huskers back 10 yards to the 27. Two other returns did not go past the 25. I get wanting to make a big play, but sometimes - especially when the clock is against you - the best thing to do is to take the free yards.
Nick Herbig. Let me see if I have this right: The Badger linebacker was disqualified in the third quarter for a targeting hit on Casey Thompson. Then after a Wisconsin touchdown in the fourth quarter, he is flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for coming onto the field without a helmet. I miss the days when being kicked of the game meant you actually left the field.
My socks. Despite a double layer of socks - including a thick wool pair - my toes were numb by halftime. Hit me up with your recommendations for a good pair of cold-weather socks.

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Published Nov 21, 2022

DAVE FEIT

Dave Feit began writing for HuskerMax in 2011. Follow him on Twitter (@feitcanwrite) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/FeitCanWrite)