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Nebraska Offensive Line Shows Marked Improvement in Purdue Win

After a disastrous showing against Illinois, this is an encouraging sign for Nebraska football.

Tanner Johnson

Sep 28, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) jumps over Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Kydran Jenkins (4) for a touchdown during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Sep 28, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) jumps over Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Kydran Jenkins (4) for a touchdown during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
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A week ago, against Illinois, the Huskers' offensive line had a nightmare night, culminating in a disaster in overtime that fans will never forget.

It was a problem that had to be fixed going forward or Nebraska would not have much hope for a great season. But this past weekend, in the 28–10 victory over Purdue, the offensive line answered some of those questions.

For starters, in this game, the Huskers had 161 rushing yards compared to only 50 for Purdue. They averaged 5 yards per carry, which is up from 1.5 a week ago. The running game could not get going at all against Illinois, but the poor yards-per-carry average was not even the worst part. The Fighting Illini sacked quarterback Dylan Raiola six times for -52 yards. That is not a stat that can usually be overcome, and the Huskers could not overcome it. This week, albeit against an inferior team, they turned that number around.

The Husker O-line only gave up one sack the entire game, and Raiola had a much cleaner pocket to throw from. As a result, he was much more confident and mistake-free than when he was being bombarded from all angles and running for his life. Though the line can certainly play better than this, it was a good recovery performance and a step in the right direction.

The offensive line also showed its strength in the running game on fourth and goal from the one-yard line. The Huskers handed it to Dante Dowdell for a one-yard rushing touchdown that made a statement about who dominated the game up front.

The way Purdue's defensive front was flattened, Dowdell could have walked into the endzone instead of diving if he wanted to. That play was a demonstration of how the unit showed improvement after its embarassing showing against Illinois.

Even though it came against Purdue, that improvement is a good start.

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Tanner Johnson
TANNER JOHNSON

Tanner Johnson is a sports writer and journalist who has experience covering multiple sports, collegiate and professional. He reports on a national level using his knowledge of teams from all over the country. He has provided coverage for the Tennessee Titans, Tennessee Volunteers, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Florida State Seminoles. He is also a co-host of Triple Option A College Football Podcast. On this podcast, he provides a national coverage of college football and engages with fans and members of the media.

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