Dave Feit: Meaningful in the Moment

Husker team and fans needed Saturday night’s win over Indiana

Kenny Larabee photo, KLIN

It was a game that meant nothing. It was a game that meant everything.

Let's start with a hard truth: Despite being in a six-way tie for the lead, the 2022 Huskers aren't going to win the Big Ten West. The rest of the West may be awful, but Nebraska isn't exactly Alabama. Heck, the Huskers aren't even Alabama-Birmingham (currently 2-2, with a win at Georgia Southern).

But boy, this felt like a big win.

It had been 364 days since Nebraska last won a conference game (or beat an FBS-level opponent). In the 120 seasons where Nebraska has been a member of a football conference, 364 days was tied for the fourth-longest stretch without a conference win. Two of those were in the 1890s, (when the Bugeaters played just three conference games a year). The other two were in the Bill Jennings era, 60+ years ago.

The Cornhuskers still have a tough row to hoe to get to a bowl game. For all the "schedule is easier" talk of the summer, I struggle to find four games where I'm confident that Nebraska will win.

But if Nebraska can repeat Saturday's performance of competency in all three phases, they'll have a fighter's chance in every game.

This was a good win, a much-needed win, a win that is the highlight of the season so far. It's been a while since Nebraska entered the fourth quarter tied and ended up winning by two touchdowns. That's impressive. But I'd caution against overreacting to it.

This game won't earn Mickey Joseph the head coaching job. Yes, he has a better chance of getting the job than some of the names on your "hot board." But giving him the full-time job based on one win over a mediocre (or bad) Indiana team would be foolish. Trev Alberts understands this. Mickey Joseph understands this as well. He's in a season-long interview for a promotion, knowing he'll likely keep his current gig no matter what happens.

Trev and Mickey both understand the importance of playing the season out. Respecting the game, not quitting on the team, and doing their best for the fans who filled the stands to watch a 1-3 team play.

Did you see the jubilant videos from the locker room? Those kids needed a win in the worst way. I'm so happy for them.

I'm happy for the fans too. It's hard to pour so much into the program with such little return. This is the kind of win that staves off apathy and helps sell tickets.

In the big picture, this win likely means nothing, but in the moment, it sure felt like everything.

Things I believe

The Blackshirts should return. Would returning the Blackshirts - gone since an embarrassing loss to Georgia Southern - be an overreaction? Probably, considering the overall performance of the defense in games against FBS teams, as well as the relative impotence of the Hoosier offense. But I think this performance - seven 3 & outs, zero points and 61 yards in the second half, and more - is worthy of the mythical Blackshirt standard.

Returning the black practice jerseys won't magically fix the myriad of defensive issues, but it might provide a necessary spark for the second half of the season. If interim defensive coordinator Bill Busch thinks that was a worthy outing - and he should - I would hope the Blackshirts return.

This team will benefit from any scrap of confidence and positive energy they can find. Some Blackshirt swagger would help.

Defensive success is driven by NU's ability to pressure the quarterback. In the game, the Huskers were credited with three sacks and six quarterback hurries. Every time Nebraska sacked or hurried the QB, the Hoosier drive ended in a punt (or on downs).

It is no coincidence that the Hoosiers had their best offensive success late in the second quarter, when Nebraska's ability to generate pressure waned. Without pressure on the quarterback, Indiana completed six straight passes for 98 yards, as they scored two quick touchdowns to tie the game at 21.

The pressure ramped back up in the second half, and Indiana struggled to move the ball. The ability to create pressure is a great disruptor, which can be an equalizer for teams that are raw in the secondary.

The Ref Show almost made the game unwatchable. At one point in the second half, Nebraska had 21 points, Indiana had 21 points, and the refs had called 21 penalties. Indiana finished the game with 11 penalties for 92 yards. Nebraska has 12 for 111.

Maybe having that many flags is a natural byproduct of two struggling programs playing each other. Or maybe the officials could have done a better job of controlling the game, and not erring on the "if in doubt, throw a flag" mantra.

All I know is some of those calls - on both sides - were really bad. There were several unnecessary replay reviews, and there appeared to be some debate on the validity of the back-to-back unsportsmanlike penalty flags that led to Turner Corcoran's ejection.

Things I don't know

Did Nebraska win a game because of special teams? Nebraska blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown! They returned three punts for positive yardage! The first return - a season best 22 yards - led to a touchdown. Brian Buschini's average (39.1 on eight kicks) wasn't great, but he did land three inside the 20, including one that was knocked out of bounds at the two-yard line.

Meanwhile, Mr. Reliable Brendan Franke recorded five touchbacks on six kickoffs. The lone kickoff IU returned was tackled short of the 25, was a field position win. Timmy Bleekrode was 5-5 on PATs, and everything else was clean and uneventful.

After a season where special teams contributed to several losses, it is very nice to give them credit for a win.

Why did it take so long to shake up the offensive line? Let's address the elephant in the room: Bryce Benhart has been struggling at right tackle for most of the year. He's been decent at run blocking, but his pass protection - especially on blitzes - has been an on-going issue.

On the second quarter play where Chubba Purdy was sacked in the end zone, the pressure came from the right side. I'll let the Rob Zatechkas of the world tell me if the blame goes to Benhart, Anthony Grant or both. But defensive coordinators have figured out that the easiest path to the Nebraska backfield goes through the right side.

That sack appeared to be the straw that broke the camel's back. After that play, Benhart was replaced by Oklahoma State transfer Hunter Anthony. Even when left tackle Turner Corcoran was ejected, Benhart stayed on the bench as Brant Banks took over on the left side.

Here's my question: Why did it take so long to try something different? Especially considering how well the change worked. Anthony Grant ran the ball well behind the revamped line. And with the obvious exception of the play where he had to be helped off the field, Thompson had good pass protection.

Benhart did return to the game for a couple of series in the second half. He was called for a holding penalty on a passing play late in the third quarter. When NU needed to bleed the clock up 14 points in the fourth, Anthony was right tackle.

I'm not trying to be overly critical of a guy who is struggling. Rather, I'm trying to find out why the change took so long to happen.

Given the situation, why did Chubba Purdy come in when Casey Thompson was sent to the bench? It appeared as if Mark Whipple sat Casey Thompson for a series after Thompson took an unnecessary 13-yard sack on a 3rd & 2. While I don't agree with that decision, my question is about bringing in Chubba Purdy for the next series, considering the situation.

If you recall: Nebraska had 1st & 10 from their own 9. On first down, NU ran what technically was a zone read play, losing one yard. I say "technically” because in a post-Martinez world, defenses don't believe Thompson or Purdy will keep the ball. With them, a zone read is essentially a straight handoff. Grant gained two yards on second down before NU's porous offensive line allowed a sack in the end zone. Purdy fumbled, and Indiana recovered for a touchdown.

Now, let's replay that drive with Logan Smothers in the game. The zone read makes a lot more sense, as Smothers is a proven run threat. Maybe he keeps it and picks up five yards (it was so open he probably gets a first down). From there, who knows what happens?

To be clear: I'm not saying that Smothers should be the backup quarterback (and I'm definitely not defending the decision to bench Thompson), but given the situation and play call, I'd rather have a true run threat in the game. If Purdy's your guy, great. Run a play that suits his strengths.

5 Things I loved

1. Trey Palmer. WITH THREE PUNT RETURNS FOR 39 YARDS, PALMER SURPASSED NU'S 2021 TOTAL BY 12 YARDS!!! Oh yeah, he also had eight catches for 157 and a touchdown. Several of his receptions were critical to keeping drives moving. Palmer is on pace to have one of the greatest seasons by a Nebraska receiver. BUT LET'S HEAR IT FOR THOSE PUNT RETURNS!!!
2. Anthony Grant. Grant had an old-school, workhorse day with thirty-two (32!) carries for 136 yards. He showed off a dazzling array of spins, jump cuts, and ankle-breaking moves. There are still times I want him to get north or south a little quicker, but I can't argue with the results.
3. Casey Thompson. I really should put a defensive guy here but putting the heart and soul of the offense behind his two primary weapons is a great way to illustrate the firepower that Mark Whipple has to work with. We can nit-pick Thompson's decision making, accuracy, and the underthrown interception, but I'm thrilled with how well Thompson has played this year.
4. Luke Reimer. I'm not sure what was more impressive on his highlight reel play: the ability to make sure the hit was perfectly legal, or the presence of mind to grab the ball from the receiver for the interception. The stat sheet says Reimer had two pass breakups, but that undersells their impact. The first was in coverage 20 yards downfield where he ripped the ball out of the receiver's hands. The second was on Indiana's last play of the game where he dropped back and almost got his second interception of the night. NU's linebackers have had a rough season, so I'm happy to see them shine.
5. Third Down Conversions. The offense converted 7 of 16 (43.8%) of their third downs. The defense allowed 2 of 15 (13.3%) to be converted. That, my friends, is a recipe for winning a football game.

Honorable mention: Malcom Hartzog, Chancellor Blockington, Ty Robinson, Oliver Martin, Jimari Butler, Isaac Gifford, Chris Kolarevic, Tommi Hill, Mickey Joseph

5 Areas for improvement

1. Overcoming penalties. Nebraska was flagged on six different offensive possessions. Five of those possessions ended with a punt. As improved as the offense is in 2022, it's tough pick up an extra 5, 10, or 15 yards in a play or two.
2. Low snaps. There were several snaps that were low, or low and bit outside. They didn't seem to cause a big disruption, but it's something to keep an eye on.
3. Turner Corcoran. I have yet to see a good replay of what earned him the first unsportsmanlike penalty, so I can't say if it was valid or not. You can debate what happened on the second flag. Maybe he took a swing / swipe at the Indiana player. Maybe he was falling as he was finishing his block. Frankly, it doesn't matter. When you get that first flag - no matter if it was valid or not - you must be able to stay on the field. I'm hopeful that since the ejection happened in the first half that Corcoran will be able to play this Friday at Rutgers, but I don't know the rules for what technically could be considered a fighting ejection.
4. Intentional Grounding. The refs called intentional grounding three times. The first, on Thompson in the first quarter, was the correct call. The other two - on back-to-back drives in the second quarter - were poor. Indiana quarterback Connor Bazelak had a receiver in the area but overthrew him. Casey Thompson also had an intended receiver, but appeared to be hit as he threw, causing the pass to be errant. Neither of those were blatant "I'm throwing it away to avoid a sack" plays.
5. Thunderstruck. Remember a year ago when Nebraska brought "Thunderstruck" into our lives? They started playing Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", then stadium went dark, the fire cannons came out, and everything was awesome. That has now morphed into a four-song medley with lasers projected on the field, smoke machines, and every other bell and whistle that can be found. The end result reminds me of when Homer Simpson was tasked with designing a car. In theory, throwing in everything you have is a good idea. In practice, it ends up looking a lot like "The Homer". Thunderstruck wasn't broke, so don't try to fix it.

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