Idaho State no threat but Huskers need big win to get backups time

On the surface, Nebraska’s home game on Saturday against Idaho State is the quintessential body bag game. Or, to put it another way, it’s the final tuneup before the team opens Big Ten competition on Sept. 29 at home against Wisconsin.

The Huskers need a convincing win not necessarily because beating Idaho State by 30, 40 or 50 points proves anything but more so to give backups quality playing time. Getting practice reps are one thing but one way to show coaches you are worthy of being considered for more playing time is to produce in a game.

Nebraska also has some other meaningful goals for this game. Running back Rex Burkhead, who was considered a darkhorse for the Heisman Trophy before the season, returns after a two-game absence. Well, essential three since Burkhead compiled 68 yards and a touchdown on three carries before leaving the season-opener against Southern Mississippi with a sprained ligament in his left knee. If nothing else, this game will be good for Burkhead to re-establish a rhythm before the Wisconsin game. Ameer Abdullah has filled in very capably in carrying 61 times for 367 yards and four touchdowns.

With Burkhead back in the fold and Abdullah proving to be more than capable of filling a void, where does Braylon Heard fit into the equation? The sophomore was heralded as the future of the Huskers’ rushing attack but after being lost in a star-studded depth chart, he was briefly switched to defensive back before returning to running back in time to reap increased touches due to Burkhead’s injury. Heard has averaged 6.8 yards per carry in three games. However, even though Heard has become a viable weapon, his place in the offense becomes unclear. If nothing else, Nebraska might have the most depth at running back than any team in the Big Ten.

On the defensive side, no sooner does Nebraska have a bounceback performance from its 36-30 loss to UCLA to a 42-13 win over Arkansas State do other concerns surface. UCLA’s spread attack exposed the lack of speed and tackling troubles in the open field for the Huskers defense.

To infuse more speed on defense, coordinator John Papuchis increased playing time for junior college transfer linebacker Zaire Anderson. However, Anderson has since been sidelined for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Nebraska’s linebacking corps is now looking even thinner and will likely rely more on newcomer David Santos and senior Sean Fisher, who was a disappointment in 2011.

Granted, some years the talent on the field will be better than others but personnel has nothing to do with making fundamental tackles, where the Huskers were far better last week and that trend needs to continue. 

How Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini carries himself also bears watching one week after leaving the stadium in an ambulance at halftime. Pelini complained of not feeling well in the first half and was seen by ESPN camera crews having his pulse checked by a member of the Nebraska athletic medicine staff. Pelini continued to coach through the end of the second quarter but there was no word of his symptoms. Nebraska defensive coordinator John Papuchis led the team onto the field for the third quarter and shared head coaching duties with offensive coordinator Tim Beck.

 

Pelini was later released from the hospital and said in a statement released through the athletic department that he underwent precautionary tests that “checked out just fine.”

Perhaps Pelini did indeed undergo tests for precautionary reasons but do mild flu-like symptoms do not require a trainer taking your pulse and being taken by ambulance to the hospital? While Pelini has his shortfalls as a head coach, you certainly can’t question his devotion to the team. It will be interesting to see if he is a little more reserved and calm on the sidelines this Saturday.

With Pelini ailing, Huskers respond

Husker players like running back Rex Burkhead and linebacker Will Compton preached before the season that it was equally important for players to become leaders as it is head coach Bo Pelini.

Short of going inside the huddle or locker-room, there is no true way to ascertain how effective player leadership came into play in the Huskers 42-13 home win over Arkansas State. However, considering Nebraska’s trend of faltering under adversity, seeing the team finish the victory after Pelini was taken by ambulance to a hospital while team was in the midst of its victory was encouraging.

Pelini complained of not feeling well in the first half and was seen by ESPN camera crews having his pulse checked by a member of the Nebraska athletic medicine staff. Pelini continued to coach through the end of the second quarter but there was no word of his symptoms. Nebraska defensive coordinator John Papuchis led the team onto the field for the third quarter and shared head coaching duties with offensive coordinator Tim Beck.

Pelini was later released from the hospital and said in a statement released through the athletic department that he underwent precautionary tests that “checked out just fine” and that he planned to work Sunday.

With Pelini failing to show after halftime, Papuchis fired up the defense in the third quarter as the offense was playing give-away and the Huskers put away a scrappy Arkansas State squad that managed just six offensive points. In fact, without the turnovers, the Huskers could well have blown them away 56-3. To highlight the job the defense did in the second half, the Red wolves ran just 25 plays, after 44 plays in the first half and 98 in their game last week. It helped that the offense controlled the clock in the second half, and managed some lengthy drives to tire an already suspect Arkansas State defense. Granted, this same opponent was throttled by Oregon and is not nearly as good as UCLA, but after the demoralizing 36-30 defeat last week to the Bruins, the Huskers needed a solid win and a confidence builder for the defense.

The offense did about all they needed to do in the first half with quarterback Taylor Martinez going 8 of 8 passing while running back Ameer Abdullah rushing for 81 yards. Meanwhile, wide receiver Kenny Bell conjured up memories of Irving Fryar with two acrobatic touchdown grabs. Fellow wide receiver Quincy Enunwa was unstoppable and the Nebraska offensive line got a good push. The third quarter, however, was quite forgettable as the Huskers committed three turnovers within a span of five minutes. That kind of sloppy play against an overmatched defense won’t cut it against a better club.

Martinez played well and his line checks were much more successful and reflected far more poise than seven days ago. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to go 13 for 14 passing and 10 for 13 on third down conversions (another big improvement over last week). Abdullah got a career high 30 touches and 167 yards and Braylon Heard saw action running and catching as well. Imani Cross continues to impress. The stiff-arm he gave on a 44-yard run in the fourth quarter was impressive. The experience these three running backs are getting with Burkhead out with a knee injury is invaluable and I’m sure it will pay dividends as entering Big 10 play. I also liked the play calls with all three of them in the game at the same time.

Arkansas State managed 101 yards and seven first downs in the opening quarter but finished with just 286 after netting only 89 yards total in the second half. The Red Wolves also helped the defense with multiple miscues (turnovers, penalties and dropped passes) which allowed the defense to gradually figure out the high paced attack.

The Husker defense is still vulnerable to the swing pass or anything quick outside. They also bite on all misdirection, and struggle to get back in the play. Nebraska caught an early break when Arkansas State curiously went for it on fourth down and eight at midfield on their opening drive and did not convert. The short field helped the Husker offense nab an early lead.

I was pleased with the intensity the defense began to demonstrate, especially in the second quarter, as the hitting and gang tackling missing so badly thus far this season began to appear. As the game wore on, the defense got better and Arkansas State got more desperate. To face three turnovers in the third quarter and not give ground was a key to the game. Eric Martin is awful hard on quarterbacks.

Zaire Anderson made a difference on the field with his speed as he gets to the ballcarrier when others have not. Cornerback Mohammed Seisay and linebacker David Santos also made their debuts and contributed. The defensive line seemed to benefit from Joe Carter and Kevin Williams, but Cameron Meredith continues to struggle and can't seem to catch anyone. The safety play was a highlight as Damion Stafford delivered the best hits (as well as a couple of whiffs) and P.J. Smith led the team in tackles and got the first interception of the season. We really need more of these if we are to be successful. The defensive adjustments seemed to work pretty well, but we probably won't know for sure until the Huskers play more solid competition. At least in this game, they sacked a quarterback who hadn't been sacked yet this season.

There isn't much to say about special teams except that Brett Maher seemed to have found his missing punting shoe as he nailed 2 punts averaging 57.5 yards and the kickoff teams managed decent coverage. Even if the ball missed Abdullah on the punt, he shouldn't have been that close to the ball anyway. We caught a couple of breaks on Arkansas State penalties that forced re-kicks and much improved field position.

All in all, a solid bounce-back win against a gritty opponent that the Huskers dominated. Another tune-up awaits next week against a very poor Idaho State team in which the goal may be to win and not get anybody else hurt. The Legends Division of the Big 10 is very winnable and all the Huskers need is to demonstrate more consistency on both sides of the ball. Nebraska significant offensive firepower and if the defense can effectively utilize the swift newcomers, the Huskers have a real shot at the title.

Will Saturday be the first of two trips to Pasadena?

The Huskers are headed to the Rose Bowl. The question is, will Saturday’s game against UCLA be their only trip or the first of two?

If Nebraska wins its first conference title since 1999, a return trip to Pasadena would likely await them.

Nebraska had a solid season-opening performance in a 49-20 home win over Southern Mississippi but the Huskers must continue that forward momentum if they are to continue to have visions of having a breakthrough season.

Yes, UCLA appears to be better under head coach Jim Mora but they are still a fair-to-middling Pac 12 club who is college football ticket # 2 in Los Angeles behind USC.

Although the Nebraska defense struggled at times, the Huskers won in large part because of what appears to be the “new and improved” version of quarterback Taylor Martinez, who went 26-for-34, passing for 354 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. The only downside was that running back Rex Burkhead left the game in the first quarter to an MCL sprain and is listed as questionable for the game against UCLA. Wide receiver Tim Marlowe will also be out until late October with a broken clavicle.

UCLA, meanwhile, blasted Rice 49-24 on the road as redshirt freshman quarterback Brett Hundley at went 21-for-28 for 202 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown. Hundley’s debut started in electrifying fashion as he rushed a 72-yard touchdown. Running back Jonathan Franklin rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns, and UCLA compiled 651 yards of total offense against the Owls.

This matchup certainly has intrigue and importance for both clubs. For Nebraska, the game is an opportunity to go on the road and establish itself as a legitimate top-10 team by beating what has been a talented but underachieving UCLA squad on its homefield.

For UCLA, if it can upset Nebraska it would be an opportunity to generate some momentum for what had become a downtrodden program. the game has the possibility to set a positive tone for new head coach Jim Mora, Jr. Yes, the Bruins represented the Pac-12 South in the inaugural conference championship game but that was more reflective of USC being on probation than anything the 6-8 Bruins did.

While it is easy to point to the quarterbacks, Martinez and Hundley will once again play vital roles in the outcome of Saturday’s contest. Even though Martinez looked dynamite as a passer against Southern Mississippi, teams are likely to still make sure to shut down the Nebraska ground game (even if Burkhead is out) and make Martinez beat them.

As for Hundley, it is no secret that mobile quarterbacks have given the Huskers fits. Hundley is definitely mobile as he carried 15 times for 84 yards against Rice.

The Nebraska offense that took the field last week in Lincoln will also need to be present in Pasadena. While Martinez’s numbers were tremendous, the Huskers also looked like a much different offense from last season, running out of the no-huddle with far more efficiency.

With the addition of fullback Mike Marrow and true freshman running back Imani Cross, Nebraska now has a between-the-tackles threat to compliment a speed threat posed by Ameer Abdullah and Braylon Heard. However, Abdullah runs between the tackles more than his 5-9, 175 pound frame would suggest. If the Nebraska offensive line can perform as it did a week ago, the offense will be difficult to stop. What stood out was that not only did the Huskers run and pass block well but avoided the untimely penalties that had hamstrung the offense in the past.

On the defensive side, Nebraska, Pelini teams versus mobile quarterbacks has become a mixture of punch-line and cliché. The notion against mobile quarterbacks is usually a mixture of “keep them in the pocket” or “rush four and drop seven.” Pelini usually prefers the latter approach, the problem is that Nebraska lacks the personnel its front four. In the win over Southern Mississippi, Nebraska’s best pass rush involved blitzing. However, I’m of the mind that even against a mobile quarterback the “keep them in the pocket” or “rush four and drop seven” is not necessarily the best approach because if a quarterback is on the run, he’s not going through his reads.

The Huskers last trip to the West Coast against a Pac-12 team thought to challenge NU ended in a rout, with Nebraska beating Washington 56-21. UCLA’s offense should be good enough to keep up and put points on the board but UCLA’s defense, which gave up 347 yards and 24 points to Rice, should struggle to stop Nebraska's offensive diversity.

In the Pelini era, the Huskers have lost one game per year against a team they have “no business losing to,” but those losses have normally come at home (see Iowa State 2009, Texas 2010, Northwestern 2011).

 

Being cautious with Burkhead would be the right thing

It sounds like the mystery of Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead’s status for Saturday’s game at UCLA will not be much of a mystery.

The senior running back sat out of practice Wednesday for the third straight day, recovering from a sprained MCL in his left knee.

However, “He's doing his work,” Nebraska running backs coach Ron Brown said. “He’s not just sitting still, doing nothing. We’ll see what happens during the rest of the week. He tends to be a fast healer, and when he comes back, he comes back strong. He doesn’t come back trying to feel his way through again.

“The main thing is, we want what's best for his health, obviously.”

Hopefully, head coach Bo Pelini learned from the situation surrounding quarterback Taylor Martinez in 2010. Then a freshman, Martinez’s early season play was drawing comparisons to former Husker great Eric Crouch (the 2001 Heisman Trophy winner). However, as Nebraska was on its way to beating Missouri 31-17, Martinez sustained a high ankle sprain and later turf toe. He sat out just two games, perhaps because Pelini did not feel like he could trust backup Cody Green, but was not the same player in part because the coaching staff’s insistence on playing him ensured that Martinez never healed sufficiently.

If Saturday’s game is any indication, sophomore Ameer Abdullah (15 carries, 81 yards) and freshman Imani Cross (11 carries, 62 yards) might afford the luxury of being cautious with Burkhead. The senior running back is co-main cog in the Husker engine along with Martinez.

I’m not surprised the Huskers are at least publically taking it cautious with Burkhead and think it is for the best since Nebraska appears to have a deeper of very good young running backs.

Even if you took Burkhead’s injury out of the equation, I felt Burkhead should be used judiciously until conference play began anyway. I think the Husker offense will still be able to produce without him. That’s not to say that he isn’t a valuable asset, but just that there is quality talent behind him.

Rice had over 300 yards of total offense against UCLA. I have to believe that NU will put up substantially better numbers even without Rex.

Granted, UCLA’s defense will never be mistaken for Alabama but Rice’s offense won’t draw any comparisons to Oregon either.

 

Solid win for openers but bigger goals lie ahead

The opening game is always a very special time filled with much uncertainty and nervous anticipation. This year the biggest questions were surrounding third year starting quarterback Taylor Martinez.

Without a Spring Game to gauge progress, we were left with rumors that Martinez had worked on and shown some improvement in his footwork and throwing motion. After game one, there appears to be some basis to those rumors. Granted, this Southern Miss defense returned only four starters from last year and will never be confused with Alabama, let alone Michigan State but a 49-20 season opening win that saw Martinez complete 26 of 34 passes for 354 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions is a tremendous way to open the season.

Even more than his improved footwork, Martinez had more zip and accuracy on his passes as he distributed the ball to ten different receivers. I know Husker fans love seeing their team pound teams into submission with the run but the pass can set up the run just as well if not better than the run setting up the pass. Martinez also seemed to have a much better presence in the pocket going through his progressions and reading his receivers better than ever before. It also helped that his receivers cooperated by catching about anything thrown close to them.

The biggest downside is the knee injury to running back Rex Burkhead, who left the game with a sprained MCL, which at its worst can sideline a player for eight weeks, at its lightest, only a few days. Husker head coach Bo Pelini said the sprain is the lowest grade, meaning, that Burkhead could be available for Saturday’s game at UCLA.

Burkhead’s injury came on his third carry of the game, a 9-yard run, when the Nebraska I-back was tackled by Southern Mississippi defensive end Jamie Collins. The good news was that sophomore Ameer Abdullah carried 15 times for 81 yards and caught four more passes for 39 yards including a touchdown.

Losing Burkhead is really a tough blow, but his being out may have been fortuitous in that it allowed other backs the opportunity to get needed game experience. Abdullah seemed to run stronger the longer he played. Braylon Heard also improved as he played and as the Southern Miss defense began to really tire. Imani Cross is a man-child. This kid will only get better. Mike Marrow is a load and it’s nice to see the fullback get some touches. Seven touchdowns distributed to seven players and very nice play by both the wide receivers and tight ends. Kenny Bell continues to improve, Quincy Enunwa is a stud, and Jamal Turner is exciting every time he touches the ball. Catch of the game, though, goes to Steven Osborne for his touchdown grab falling out of the end zone. Finally, the big boys up front who gave Martinez time to throw and opened holes to generate 632 yards of total offense deserve huge props. Most importantly, there were no false starts and only one offensive penalty to go along with no turnovers.

The defense showed why the Blackshirts have yet to be distributed. The good news is that the defense only gave up 13 points to a reasonably talented offensive unit. With Southern Miss having a new coach and new personnel, Pelini and defensive coordinator John Papuchis had to prepare for a little of everything. The defense, however, continues to be extremely vulnerable to mobile quarterbacks and giving up big chunks on third down. I don’t remember a three and out all day. Defensive end Cameron Meredith seemed slow trying to track down their QB. Cornerback Ciante Evans looks much improved over last year, and in general the secondary looked solid. When Southern Miss had to pass, the defense shut them down. I’ll take 7 for 19 for 75 yards from the opponents all year long. Linebacker Alonzo Whaley looked good and bad at times. Fellow linebacker Will Compton was generally solid, but the linebackers and defense in general were whiffing and trying to arm tackle way too much. We have a lot to clean up before we play a very capable UCLA offense with a very mobile quarterback next week in Pasadena.

We all know that the worst part of the game for the Huskers were the special teams which were anything but special. The 100 yard kickoff return was inexcusable and as everybody seemed out of position, it makes one wonder if they practiced at all during fall camp. Preseason All-American Brett Maher doesn’t need to worry about his press clippings in the near future. He left six points on the field with misses of two very makeable field goals and the shanked punt and kickoff out of bounds made me wonder what happened to disrupt his pregame preparation. He is much better than he showed and I am looking forward to him getting out of his two field goal misses in a row slump and performing like the star he can be. One highlight on special teams was reasonably decent punt and kickoff returns setting up good field position.

There are many things to be excited about with this year’s version of the Huskers. There are talented players on both sides of the ball and special team potential. We won handily on a day when many other Big Ten teams struggled (including Wisconsin). Every week we will learn a little more about how special this team can be. I’m also looking forward to the offense building on their sterling performance in the opener and the defense and special teams cleaning up the miscues.

Fullback prescence key to making option game better

In the wake of freshman running back Aaron Green transferring from Nebraska to TCU back in April, Omaha World Herald columnist Tom Shatel theorized, “Is Sausage Ball making a comeback at NU?”

The truth of the matter was the Green was caught in a logjam at running back and wanting playing time, which considering Nebraska already has running back Rex Burkhead and quarterback Taylor Martinez running the ball, there are not too many carries left.

Though speedy Ameer Abdullah could at times give Burkhead a breather, the additions of Mike Marrow (6-foot-2, 250) and freshman Imani Cross (6-1, 220) could give the Huskers an added dimension. Burkhead is neither a speed burner nor a power-back, just very steady and reliable. In addition, you also have returning junior C.J. Zimmerer (6-0, 230-pounds).

Since Cross is a true freshman, it will be interesting to see if he redshirts. And if he does not redshirt, will he get enough carries to make an impact.

The wild card of the equation is Marrow and Zimmerer, who are battling for the starting fullback position. Mike Marrow is set to make his Nebraska playing debut in 2012 after being on the sideline for the past three seasons. Marrow brings a different dimension to the Husker backfield with a powerful, bruising rushing style. Marrow, who is the son of Nebraska graduate assistant Vince Marrow, began his college career at Alabama, before transferring to Eastern Michigan and then to Nebraska. NCAA transfer rules have kept him out of action until this season.

Zimmerer has been a regular contributor on special teams the past two seasons, but the Omaha native will look to expand his role in 2012. The 6-0, 230-pound Zimmerer heads into fall camp as one of the top candidates to take over the starting fullback spot, which was occupied by Tyler Legate the past three seasons.

The reason why the fullback position becomes significant in Nebraska’s offense is because with the increasing number of teams running spread oriented offenses, the fullback is a position that for many teams has gone the way of the horse and buggy. While offensive coordinator Tim Beck and head coach Bo Pelini have publicly preached the desire to be “multiple,” Nebraska will be a running team. True, you might not see 400 yard rushing efforts but the Huskers will probably have about a 60-40 run-pass ratio.

In Beck’s first season, Nebraska ran its share of option whether it was zone read, pistol and yes, even the I-formation like fans had grown used to seeing for years. However, last season, only eight carries (all by Legate) went to the fullback. Oddly enough, the very first play of the season was a give to Legate. While a cynic would look at that play as pandering to the masses that long for the days of option football, the fullback will need to be more involved this season.

For an option play from the I-formation to work, it needs three components – fullback, quarterback and pitchman. The plays are rarely predetermined. The decision of who is to carry the ball is made during the play by the quarterback, who makes the decision whether to give the ball to the fullback or to keep the ball based on what the defensive end does. If the end pinches down, the quarterback pulls the ball. If the end runs straight upfield or directly at the quarterback, then the quarterback gives the ball to the fullback. On the keep track, the quarterback may run upfield for yardage or pitch the ball to another ball carrier, normally the halfback (otherwise known as the “pitch man’). Linebackers or defensive backs are normally assigned to the pitch man. If the linebacker converges on the quarterback, then he’ll pitch it to the running back. If the linebacker stays on the pitch man, then the quarterback’s job is to run upfield.

For Nebraska to run the triple option effectively out of the I-formation, all three components need to be a threat. Based on last year’s version of the triple-option, opponents could go after Martinez and Burkhead without even worrying about the fullback.

Examining the fine line of Burkhead's workload

The phrase uttered so often to maximizing an offense’s production is “get the ball into the hands of your best player.”

Though good things normally happen for the Nebraska offense when the ball is in running back Rex Burkhead’s hands, I actually think it’s a bad sign for the Husker offense if Burkhead puts up Heisman Trophy numbers. While Burkhead winning the Heisman is a longshot at best, giving him too many touches would actually mean the team is wasting other weapons it has at its disposal.

Burkhead had 284 carries and 21 receptions. He carried a school record 38 times in a 24-3 win over Michigan State. Granted, Burkhead held up well in spite of the workload but the following week had just 69 yards on 22 carries including a rare fumble in a 28-25 loss to Northwestern.

Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck has talked openly about reducing Burkhead’s workload a) to keep him fresh and b) to utilize other weapons the Husker offense has. However, you can also give Burkhead a similar number touches but have more of them become pass receptions because he can be dangerous if you get him the ball in space.

The most puzzling aspect of the 2011 season as it pertained to the running back position was the fact that the Huskers burned redshirts on three players (Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard). The threesome combined for just 91 carries and three receptions. Abdullah not redshirting was at least somewhat understandable because he was the primary kickoff and punt returner. However, it was readily apparent by midseason that either Green or Heard, probably the latter, should have redshirted. Heard has since moved to cornerback but is not back at running back as a result of Green transferring to TCU.

The question then becomes, how do you get Burkhead the touches he needs to make an impact but also integrate other weapons Nebraska has such as quarterback Taylor Martinez, tight end Kyler Reed and wide receivers Kenny Bell, Jamal Turner and Quincy Enunwa? Bell figures to be Nebraska’s biggest weapon not named Burkhead as he became Martinez’s go-to guy. Enunwa showed flashes of brilliance while Turner and Reed were like Claude Raines for most of the season – often times invisible. Utilizing those weapons will open up more space for Burkhead.

There’s a segment of Nebraska fans that believe pounding the ball down opponents throats with the running game is the way to go. You can still win with the ground game being your primary identity but the “run to set up the pass” motto is an outmoded idea. The pass can set up the run just as well if not better.

Burkhead has been described as “Superman” and “Legend” to go along with the obligatory “T-Rex.” The description of “Legend” is certainly saying something considering how many great Huskers have carried the ball such as Johnny Rodgers and Mike Rozier to name a couple. Well, Lawrence Phillips too. LP is a turd for disgracing the program off the field but I won’t take away from what he did on the field, regardless of whether or not he should have been there.

On one hand, you want Burkhead carrying the mail because 6 of 10 times he carries the ball the play is likely to result in a first down or a touchdown. Plus, Burkhead is very reliable in terms of ball security.

2012 Position Outlook: Running back

One story in a Wine Country Husker series, looking at position breakdowns for the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the 2012 season. Today, we look at running:





Looking back: Let’s start with the obvious, “What more can be said about Rex Burkhead that has not already been said?” Nebraska has had its legendary running backs like Mike Rozier, Johnny Rodgers, I.M. Hipp, and Lawrence Phillips but Burkhead has established his own place in Husker lore.

The junior from Plano, Texas carried 284 times for 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2011. He also caught 21 more passes for 177 yards and a pair of scores. At times, Burkhead flat out carried the load for the Huskers and he did it against some pretty stout Big Ten defensive units such as Michigan State, Ohio State, and Penn State. While I never met Burkhead in person, anyone who has publically spoken about him say he’s an even better person. Suffice it to say, Husker fans are blessed to have him for another year.

With the return of the option, we actually saw the fullback get a few carries but not the amount that will make fans forget Joel Mackovica. Legate had eight carries and four catches (two for touchdowns). The fullback carrying the ball, however, seemed to be more of an attempt to pander to the fans that long for the retro Tom Osborne playbook.

The most puzzling aspect of the 2011 season as it pertained to the running back position was the fact that the Huskers burned redshirts on three players (Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard). The threesome combined for just 91 carries and three receptions. Abdullah not redshirting was at least somewhat understandable because he was the primary kickoff and punt returner. However, it was readily apparent by midseason that either Green or Heard, probably the latter, should have redshirted.

Looking ahead: Burkhead is the unquestioned leader not only of this position but the entire offense. The tricky aspect will be getting Burkhead his steady diet of touches while also preserving him for the Big Ten grind.

Though his costly fumble in the Huskers 30-13 Capital Bowl loss played a role in the team unraveling, Abdullah showed enough promise early in the season to be that change of pace runner to compliment Burkhead.

Given that the option has returned as part of the Husker offense, losing Legate might be more of a concern that at first glance. For openers, there’s the role of lead blocking for the running back but also quarterback Taylor Martinez seems better suited on “load option” running plays that involve either a fullback or pulling guard.

Good win followed by clunker loss

Once or twice is an aberration but three times is a pattern. For the third time in as many seasons, Nebraska follows a feel good win with a clunker of a loss at home.


Rewind the clock to 2009, the Huskers rally from a 12-0 deficit after three quarters on a rainy night in Columbia, Mo., to beat Missouri 27-12. Keep in mind, Nebraska had lost four of its last six to the Tigers. The Huskers went to 4-1 but followed with consecutive home losses to Texas Tech (31-10) and Iowa State (9-7). The latter of which had a losing record early in the game.

In 2010, Nebraska ran roughshod over Kansas State in a 48-13 win at Manhatten, KS to go to 5-0 entering a home game against their chief tormentor (Texas). The Longhorns were on the heels of two straight losses at 3-2. Husker Nation was ready for payback. Nebraska, however, lost 20-13 to a Texas team that finished the season 5-7.

Now for the 2011 edition, Nebraska scores an impressive 24-3 home win over Michigan State. The talk after the game is how the disappointing Blackshirts are returning to form and how Nebraska controls its own destiny to reach the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis. The trip to Indy was a straight line entering Saturday’s home game against Northwestern (now 4-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) but in losing to Northwestern 28-25 the Huskers veered to an onramp in Des Moines, Iowa and suddenly need some direction getting back on to Interstate 80.

In the Bo Pelini era, many losses have been clearly defined on which side of the ball is more clearly to blame – offense or defense. In the case of Saturday, the blame is pretty equal. If Rex Burkhead and Quincey Enunwa don’t fumble from the 5 and 25 yard line going in, Nebraska wins the game. Period. End of sentence. Next report.

Northwestern entered the game 95th in run defense while Nebraska was No. 9 in rush offense. However, the Wildcats bottled up Nebraska’s ground game, holding them to 118 yards on 33 carries. The Husker offense also wasted a brilliant passing game of quarterback Taylor Martinez, who completed 29 of 38 for 298 yards, two scores and no picks. Too bad his receivers dropped four passes. Martinez has been heavily criticized as a passer but was flawless in his decision making.

My biggest criticism of offensive coordinator Tim Beck is that why are Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green, Braylon Heard and Jamal Turner getting a combined one touch? Granted, Burkhead is the bellcow of the offense if you are going to burn redshirts on Abdullah, Green and Heard why are they seldom in the game?

And on the defensive side, Nebraska spent a lot of the first quarter on the field as much for their inability to get stops and the offense’s inability to move the chains. At one point in the first quarter, the Wildcats had nine first downs to Nebraska’s one. That heavy load eventually exacted a toll on the Blackshirts. The Huskers had coverage breakdowns against the pass and couldn’t stop the run when they had momentum on their side.

And it was game, set, match.

Will the Huskers put Burkhead on a pitch, err carry count?

The adjectives have rolled of the tongues of many after Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead carried 35 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns to lead the No. 9 Huskers to a crucial 24-3 win over No. 13 Michigan State.


Burkhead has been described as “Superman” and “Legend” to go along with the obligatory “T-Rex.” The description of “Legend” is certainly saying something considering how many great Huskers have carried the ball such as Johnny Rodgers and Mike Rozier to name a couple. Well, Lawrence Phillips too. LP is an asshole for disgracing the program off the field but I won’t take away from what he did on the field, regardless of whether or not he should have been there.

Anyhow ….

Lincoln Journal Star columnist Steve Sipple caught up with former Husker running backs Tony Davis and Rozier. Davis was a fan favorite from 1973 to 1975 and earned the nickname “Tough Tony.” As for Rozier, all you have to say is 1983 Heisman Trophy winner.

"Rex has wonderful, wonderful body control," Davis told Sipple. "But the thing that's most impressive to me is his down and distance awareness and his ability to get what's needed to move the chains. He does that on as productive a basis as I've ever seen at that position, ever."

“You tell me a back that when it's third-and-4 or third-and-whatever gets the first down more often than Rex Burkhead."

Added Rozier in his interview with Sipple: “He’ll either put his head down and go through them or go around them. He's not scared to get hit. Some running backs, you can look at them and tell they're scared to get hit. They're curled up when they get hit. You've got to run through the hit, you know what I mean? You've got to give the hit.”

Burkhead, who is a junior, is not overly fast or powerful but defenders very seldom get a clean shot on him. However, after a 35 carry game against a very stout Michigan State defense does Nebraska perhaps dial his workload down? The Huskers face a Northwestern defense that is 95th in run defense followed by a road trip to face a Penn State defense that is No. 1 in the Big Ten followed by another road test at Michgan?

On one hand, you want Burkhead carrying the mail because 6 of 10 times he carries the ball the play is likely to result in a first down or a touchdown. Plus, Burkhead is very reliable in terms of ball security.

However, considering that Nebraska burned three redshirts at running back behind Burkhead (Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard), why not rely on them to preserve Burkhead to a degree. That approach is no different than if you have a relief pitcher in baseball throw 50 pitches, you are not likely to want him throwing 50 more one game later.

Point being, the Michigan State game is only the start of Nebraska's challenging homestretch, and the games get tougher in the next two weeks. Do you want a banged up Burkhead facing a tough as nails Penn State front seven?

Again, Burkhead should get the majority of the carries this week against Northwestern but have him get say, 20 with Abdullah, Green and Heard getting say 6-8 apiece?

Second half look ahead

In two of Bo Pelini's first three seasons as Nebraska's football head coach, the Huskers had a penchant for being a strong second half team.


In 2008, the Huskers were 3-3 but finished the campaign winning six of their last seven games (including a 26-21 win over Clemson in the Gator Bowl) to conclue the season 9-4. In 2009, the Huskers were 4-3 but again finished the season with six wins in their last seven games (including a 33-0 Holiday Bowl win over Arizona) to finish 10-4. Last season, however, Nebraska was not a second half team. At least not in the final third. The Huskers were 9-1 at one point but lost three of their last four games (including a 19-7 loss to Washington in the Holiday Bowl) to finish 10-4.

As the Huskers begin the second half of 2011 with a 5-1 record entering Saturday's game at Minnesota, the question begs, which second half team will we see? 2008/2009 or 2010? Hopefully, the former. Since Pelini took over as the head coach, Nebraska is 15-3 in the second half of its regular season schedule but for that trend to continue the Huskers need to improve.

Despite the team's 5-1 record, many Nebraska fans have been disappointed in the team's play, so much so that they have referred to the team as overrated and has a bleak future. Overrated? Perhaps so. Bleak future? Get real.

True, Nebraska looked hoorible in a 48-17 loss to Wisconsin and in the first half of their 34-27 come-from-behind win over Ohio State but I believe Nebraska will have a good second half to the season. What it means as far as wins and losses? Who knows.

On the offensive side, the Huskers have had their moments of struggling but in general progressed ahead of schedule despite having a new coordinator (Tim Beck) and more collective yout than recent memory.

Through quarterback Taylor Martinez has the lightening speed, running back Rex Burkhead is the foundation of the offense. Burkhead could carry the offense if necessary but freshman Ameer Abdullah's speed is a nice compliment to Burkhead's steadiness. Since the days of 30-carry per game running backs are a thing of the past, having a good one-two punch becomes important.

Though Martinez will never be confused with Tom Brady as a passer, he is better than his critics are willing to acknowledge but for the Husker passing game to work, the ground game has to be on point.

While the Husker offense has improved, the defense has been the weak link and I bet you thought you would have never heard those words uttered about a Pelini coached team.

The Huskers will have to make due without defensive tackle Jared Crick, who was a preseason All-American. Crick will miss the rest of the season because of a torn pectoral muscle. His replacements (note the plural) will be Terrance Moore, Thad Randle and Chase Rome at defensive tackle in the second half of the season.

Despite losing Crick, I believe Nebraska will play much better defensively in the second half of the season. Pelini has been a great defensive mind his entire career and didn't suddenly become a dummy. Nebraska probably will not be the dominant unit it was in 2009 but I've got to think that a close evaluation by Pelini during the bye week will help this defense perform closer to the unit it was in 2009 and to a lesser extent 2010.

Cornerback/converted wide receiver Stanly Jean-Baptiste's interception led to the game-winning touchdown against Ohio State. The bye probably did him some good as well in terms of further adjusting to a new position.

Jean-Baptiste played in his first game as a cornerback against Ohio State. Jean-Baptiste played wide receiver for the first part of the 2011 season before switching to cornerback.

The Huskers, however, have a much tougher slate in the second half than they did in the first. Nebraska should win aturday's game at Minnesota going away. The Huskers then come home for Michigan State, who most people believe is the toughest remaining game for the Huskers. However, there are three things to keep in mind: a) The Spartans come to Lincoln, b) Michogan State will be coming to Lincoln after consecutive tough contests against Michigan and Wisconsin, c) Nebraska will have had a bye and a trip to Minnesota. Will those three factors translate into a Husker win? Who knows but they are no small advantages.

After Michigan State, Northwestern comes to town. Wildcats quarterback Dan Persa can be a headache for most any defense but given the fact that they rank 1-1st nationally in total defense, Northwestern will be hard-pressed to come into Lincoln and win.

Then, back-to-back road tests at Penn State and Michigan await. even though the former has looked suspect at times, they have a very stout defense. The latter meanwhile has a mobile quarterback in Denard Robinson, the type of quarterback Nebraska has had problems defending.

The Huskers then close the regular season at home against Iowa. The Hawkeyes have a terrible defense but a favorable remaining schedule of Indiana, at Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, and at Purdue entering the Nebraska game should keep them in the mix for a Legends Division title.

Many Husker fans had visions of a trip to the Rose Bowl in the team's first Big Ten season. That goal is definitely within reach but the Huskers are also flawed enough to have one or two losses.

Tuneups are over, time for Big Ten play

Four up, four down for the No. 9 ranked Nebraska football team. The Huskers wrapped up the nonleague part of their slate with a 38-14 road win at Wyoming. Up next, the much anticipated Big Ten opener against the No. 6 rated Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wisc. Just my gut feeling but the Badgers, who rolled to a 59-10 win over South Dakota, are likely to be a slight favorite over Nebraska.

Though the Huskers clinged to a 14-7 halftime lead on Saturday, they were never in serious danger of losing as their depth and talent advantage wore down the Cowboys. The score very easily could have been 45-14 but Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini opted to take a knee in the final minute even though the Huskers had first-and-goal at the Wyoming 2. The Cowboys didn't do themselves any favors by committing seven penalties for 68 yards, 30 of which came on Nebraska's first drive of the second half, but the truth of the matter is the Huskers were the better team.

For the second time in as many weeks, the Husker offense take a quantum leap forward. This time thanks to running back Rex Burkhead's 170 yards rushing on 15 carries and two scores. Burkhead pounded the Cowboys into submission for most of the game. When Wyoming cut the lead too 31-14 midway through the fourth quarter, the Huskers turned to the speedy trio of true reshman running backs (Ameer Abdullah, Braylon Heard and Aaron Green). Abdullah had three carries for 36 yards. Green added 19 yards on three carries while Heard added 33 yards on nine yards including a touchdown. That power and speed approach to the running game is very akin to a hard throwing pitcher that can also change speeds.

While it is generally assumed that Nebraska will go as far as quarterback Taylor Martinez will take, Burkhead, however, might just be the hub of the offense's wheel because his reliability supplies the foundation for the offense.

Speaking of Martinez, his maturity is somewhat similar to a basketball player that has sacrificed scoring to become a more complete player to supply things like passing, reboundig and defense. Martinez's numbers Saturday look pedestrian on the surface. He was 12 of 21 for 157 yards, one touchdown and no interception as a passer. As a runner, he carred 12 times for 37 yards and a score. While Martinez is far from a finished product, his decision-making continues to improve and the fact that Nebraska can win a game without the benefit of Martinez lighting up the stat sheet is a huge plus because that was not the case last season.

Defensively, the Huskers were are from perfect in yielding 310 yards of total offense and 14 points but that's a huge improvement over the previous two games when they gave up over 28 points and 400 yards of total offense in each game. The Blackshirts are a far cry from the 2009 defense but on Saturday they also had to go without defensve tackle Jared Crick (concussion) and welcomed back cornerback Alfonzo Dennard to the lineup.

Though Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith completed just 17 of 33 passes for 166 yards, the Huskers had too many busted coverages that a better team would have capitalized on.

The Huskers got a lot of different players into the game so what does Saturday's win mean for the trip to Madison? Well, nothing really because every game is its own entity. The whole argument of "Well, if they play that way next week, they'll get beat" or "If they play that way next week they'll win" does not carry any weight.

Wisconsin has looked more impressive than the Huskers. As Pelini said in his potgame press conference, "There are no great teams." Nebraska does not need a perfect game to beat the Badgers but it needs to be on point more than it has all season.