Final game thoughts.
Lots not play anymore of these late, late games against teams that throw on every down and go no huddle. Almost a four hour game mercifully ends at 1:20 CT but the truth is that the game was really over by 10 O’Clock.
Nebraska used a couple of huge plays early in the first quarter to take any hope of an upset right out of the Fresno State team and what little crowd they had. From there, Nebraska played like a cat playing with a captured mouse content to keep the mouse alive long enough to make a game of it.
As I said at halftime, this was a strange game with plenty of positives and a few concerning issues.
The big plays were great. The third down TD pass to Westerkamp on the opening series. The TD run by Abdullah on the next series. The 86 yard punt return TD by Pierson-El was great tonic for Huskers fans. Then another big punt return on the next play led to a FG.
But with all the big plays, it seemed that our defense was on the field for almost all of the first half and the offense had difficulty maintaining any real rhythm.
The drive by NU out of the lockerroom in the second half was very encouraging. That was probably Tommy Armstrong’s best drive capped off with a TD catch by TE Cethan Carter. In fact, NU would have two TDs from their TEs in this game.
Another solid development was that we may have found the next walk-on WR in Lane Hovey. Hovey was huge in the second half with a couple of big catches. His play on third and long after we had fumbled the kickoff at our own two was a backbreaker for Fresno State. Imani Cross took the next carry to the house and NU drove 98 yards on four plays.
A punt return TD, two TE TD catches, the return of Randy Gregory, some exceptional punting by Sam Foltz (an emerging star), a sack by Marcus Newby, and lots of big plays by several young players on both sides of the ball . . . so what are the issues?
There is just something about this team that seems a little odd.
Running the football was tough sledding tonight. It took a long time to get Abdullah his 100 yards. He had a rough night outside of his TD run. Need to get that shored up.
There were numerous penalties on the offensive line tonight. A couple were drive killers.
Armstrong missed a couple of open receivers both by throwing too long or by throwing to the wrong guy. There were a couple of noticible dropped passes—one by Sam Cotton and one by Alonzo Moore. Moore had a chance to really come up big but somehow he just can’t seem to make a play in spite of his obvious talent. He is starting to remind me more and more of Jamal Turner in that respect.
Terrell Newby with a fumble. Ball security is going to be the issue blocking him from his potential. He has got to get better at it.
As good as Pierson-El looked on his punt returns, his fumble of the kickoff and then fumble of the next punt are concerning. What I don’t like is the sequence of his kickoff fumble. Moore drops a pass. The defense gives up two big plays for a quick TD. Then Moore fumbles the kickoff. Too much piling on there for my taste. What I did like was how NU responded from there. The key third down pass and reception by Hovey and the long run by Cross.
Perhaps it is just me, but I felt Cross might have actually been more effective than Abdullah tonight if he had a chance. I would have liked to see more of Cross banging into the line throughout the game.
Perhaps the most concerning thing is that we still have not forced a REAL turnover. Yes, Cooper intercepted the pass on the last play against McNeese State but that was a free-for-all at the end of the game that didn’t mean anything. This defense played well tonight and it was good to see some pressure but the lack of turnovers created is a bit mind-boggling.
But more of the good.
A couple of players flashed tonight. It was great to see Cockrell blow up a play in the red zone. Josh Kalu is going to be an absolute star by the time his career is over. Chris Jones got in the game and looked very good as well. I like the looks of him.
Credit Vincent Valentine with a great game. Greg McMullen continues to look great. But the thought of Marcus Newby and Randy Gregory being in there together consistently on third down passing plays has to give Husker fans plenty to dream about as they try to catch up on their sleep.
Oh, and Trevor Roach had a whale of a game on special teams and looked good at LB to boot.
Have I mentioned Nate Gerry has been making plays all over the field. On the flip-side, Cooper just doesn’t look right to me. I wonder how healed his injury actually is.
Lots of young players played tonight against Fresno State’s #1 offense and defense. They held up pretty well and got some valuable experience. Good to see Fyfe his first TD pass and Christian Bailey his first catch and a TD to boot.
But two questions . . . really.
Santos . . . what the . . . was that on the punt play?
On-side kick, Fresno? Really?
The garbage pale games are over. Time for Miami and the Big Ten schedule. I still don’t quite know what to make of this team. They are still a work in progress, I guess.
I guess we will know a lot more next week. For tonight, they bounced back pretty well from the McNeese State fiasco. Now it is a late trip home and back to work (after some rest undoubtedly.)
Bring on Miami. I really, really, really want to beat these guys.
For now, enjoy the win, Husker fans.
Take care all.
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