Three Key Matchups for Nebraska vs. Louisiana Tech

Who to watch when the Huskers host the Bulldogs for football in Lincoln

Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time this season Nebraska did NOT lose the turnover battle last week against Northern Illinois. If Nebraska finishes even or positive in the turnover margin in any remaining game on their schedule, they will likely win that game, but there also isn’t a single remaining game that they cannot lose if they lose the turnover battle. Turnovers are still the #1 concern for the Huskers going forward. Beyond that, here are some key matchups to watch for this week’s game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

1. Nebraska’s pass rush vs Louisiana Tech’s offensive line

Louisiana Tech’s running back room is as depleted and banged up as Nebraska’s. Also, like Nebraska, their starting QB, Hank Bachmeier (#19, Sr), is injured. Bachmeier had a prior history of injuries at Boise State, where he started for four years and continually missed games due to injuries. Now as a senior transfer to La Tech, he had to leave last week’s game against North Texas in the second half. He is a very good passer when healthy, but he is now dealing with a right-shoulder injury (which is his throwing shoulder), and it’s not yet known if he will be cleared to play on Saturday in Lincoln. Jack Turner (#10, Soph) replaced him in the third quarter and led a 17-point comeback in the fourth quarter to tie the game before North Texas eventually won it with a field goal. Turner has looked good when called upon … as long as he is well protected in the pocket.

With multiple RBs either out with injuries or being limited in practice, more of the burden of the offense will fall on the passing game. With Bachmeier questionable, that places an even higher burden on the Bulldogs’ pass protection. Head coach Sonny Cumbie is in his second year at La Tech, where he is trying to fully install a newer iteration of the pass-heavy offenses that he ran at Texas Tech as a QB (2000-04) and as an offensive coordinator at both TCU and Texas Tech (2013-2021). While he has excellent wide receivers already (more on that below), he has yet to have the consistent QB and offensive line play necessary to make it work.

 His current O-line is relatively small and quick and can be very effective, but they cannot match the size and strength of Nebraska’s defensive linemen. During his Monday press conference Coach Cumbie referred multiple times to the size and strength of the Nebraska defensive line, and that likely was because it is what jumped out at him most as a concern from watching game film. Nash Hutmacher (#0, Jr) and Ty Robinson (#9, Sr) will require double-teams from the Bulldogs’ O-line, which should free up somebody elsewhere. Even then, Hutmacher has consistently been able to collapse the pocket by pushing double-teams backwards. Whoever is playing defensive end on the other side will be 1-on-1 against a Tackle or else will absorb the blocking of a tackle and a tight end. The tradeoff of using the TE for that double-team is 1) it takes away one of their best receivers, and 2) it leaves the RB (who will be either young or inexperienced) alone in the backfield to pick up whichever player Coach White sends as the fourth pass rusher.

It will be difficult for the Bulldogs to keep the pocket together beyond three seconds. The La Tech QB will need to get rid of the ball quickly, and most of those passes will need to be towards either sideline. All of this will allow Nebraska’s LBs and DBs to play tighter and more aggressive football against those short passes.

Huge advantage: Nebraska

2. Nebraska’s defensive backs vs La Tech’s wide receivers

Nebraska fans who are old enough to remember Frank Solich’s head coaching debut in 1998 will recoil in a mixture of disgust and fear at what La Tech’s Troy Edwards was able to do that day against the Husker Blackshirts: He caught 21 passes for 3 TDs and 408 yards. The yardage total is still an NCAA record. Yes, Nebraska still won relatively easily that day, but it shook the confidence of Husker fans in their defense, which was loaded with future NFL stars at the time. This year’s potential version of Edwards is most likely Smoke Harris (#6, Sr), who is currently averaging 12 yards/reception with 3 TDs. 

Harris does not have great size (5’7” and 185 lbs), but he is sure-handed, elusive, and seems to always be open when needed. Harris is dangerous any time he touches the ball, which means that the short routes that will likely be required due to Nebraska’s pass rush can still be turned into big plays and even TDs from anywhere on the field. 

Besides Harris, the Bulldogs have other good receiving options including Nate Jones at tight end (#17, Jr) and Cyrus Allen (#1, Soph) at the other Slot-WR position. Koby Duru (#88, SR) has been the one larger-bodied WR who poses a more traditional deep threat with 2 TDs on 6 receptions with a 14-yard average, but Tru Edwards (#16, Jr) is another big-bodied deep threat who has yet to get going this season. It is also worth remembering that former Husker Decoldest Crawford (#11, Rd-Fr) is on the roster, though he has yet to make a catch this season.

Nebraska’s defensive backs are a strength of the team, but they will be tested this week as there will necessarily be times where they will be locked into one-on-one coverage with the Bulldogs’ receivers. With both the running backs coming out of the backfield and the tight end over the middle as legitimate threats to lock up Nebraska’s linebackers, there will be times when Quinton Newsome (#6, Sr) and Malcolm Hartzog (#13, So) are alone on an island with dangerous, big-play WRs. The quickest, most elusive WRs–Harris and Allen–will often be matched up with safeties and/or the rover.

There will likely be at least a few opportunities for big plays to be made by either side, but it’s hard to imagine that La Tech’s WRs won’t break free for big plays.

Slight advantage: Louisiana Tech

3. Nebraska’s running game vs La Tech’s defensive front

This is potentially the most lopsided matchup in Nebraska’s favor that you will see listed this year. Nebraska is currently ranked #21 in rushing offense in all of the FBS with an average of 209 yards/game. La Tech’s rush defense is ranked #121 (out of 130 teams) as they give up an average of 205 yards/game. Further driving the point home, Nebraska has played against two decent run-defenses–Minnesota and Northern Illinois–while La Tech has not played against a power rushing team similar to Nebraska’s.

As long as the Huskers can avoid turnovers–a big “if”--they should be able to run the ball with relative ease against the Bulldogs. This is a great opportunity for Anthony Grant (#23, Sr) to go over 100 yards and for the team to go over 250. Yes, Nebraska’s depth at RB is hurting with the season-ending injuries to Gabe Ervin and Rahmir Johnson, but whoever gets the ball on Saturday should have holes to run through and room to run.

Huge advantage: Nebraska

Conclusion: Nebraska will win. Limit turnovers to 1 or less, and Coach Rhule should get a chance to empty the bench in the second half. La Tech’s WRs are too good to hold them all day, so expect to see at least a couple of touchdowns or more on big plays, but Nebraska should score as often as they can hold onto the football. Nebraska 42, Louisiana Tech 17

For those who like trivia, here is some more info about Louisiana Tech that you may not remember or know:

• Bob Diaco, Nebraska’s (infamous) Defensive Coordinator in 2017, was the DC for Louisiana Tech in 2019.
• Besides Troy Edwards, other famous Bulldogs in the NFL include Terry Bradshaw, Willie Roaf, and Fred Dean.
• Future Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw did NOT start at QB at La Tech until after Phil Robertson (of Duck Dynasty fame) had walked away and made room for him to take over.
• Future country music star Trace Adkins was a walk-on offensive lineman at La Tech for one season before he left the team after suffering a knee injury.