Scouting the Illinois-Miami (Ohio) game

[husker_fan_from_sweden]

Defense- Simple bend but don't break 4-3 scheme. Average team speed on the perimeter with an interior line that occasionally was pushed around. Quincy and Ameer/Imani should break quite a few tackles with this team for how much they arm tackle and whiff. For a Miami offense predicated on the run, the pad level of the front seven was high enough for them to find some success converting first downs with qb draws and read option plays.

D-line- plays aggressively enough to get caught on draws and screens whenever they guess the pass. They aren't nearly as conditioned as nebraskas o-line and should tire out by the 3rd quarter.

 

Linebackers- rarely did they ever come up field and make a play in the backfield. Good, but not great agility which opens up a host of option and toss sweep opportunities for our rb's.

 

Secondary- Miami isn't exactly an air assault squad, but on a few seperate plays, the left corner and strong safety bit on the run which left plenty of open space for play action passes.

 

Offense- Their RT will lean forward slightly on running plays, LT will rock in his stance ever so slightly to get set up in pass protection. The whole o-line finished their blocks about 20% of the time excluding cut blocks. Wideouts aren't speedsters but can get open and block decently.

Aaron Bailey is probably the biggest running threat, scheelhase is the better drop back passer at this point in time.

They peppered in a lot of trick plays which if they continue the trend, our discipline on defense will either make us look really prepared and sharp, or really bad.

 

Takeaway: We have to tackle in space and quickly disrupt the play to stop their trick plays in its tracks. Our offense should pound the rock and throw in supplement to a good ground game. I'll be looking for runs to our left and up the middle all day in what should be a back and forth offensive battle.

Prediction: 49-28 nebraska

 

Note: I only saw the first half since the second turned ugly in a hurry.

[HuskerLuke]

I'm actually pretty concerned about this game. Aside from a derpy opener against some directional Illinois school, they've looked solid. Destroyed an ok Cincy team. Kept it competitive against a really good UW team, and destroyed a bad Miami (OH) team.

 

I think we should and will win, but make no mistake, this is a huge game. The season is essentially over if we lose this one, and it is definitely losable if some of the worst parts of September show up again.

[husker_fan_from_sweden]

I'm actually pretty concerned about this game. Aside from a derpy opener against some directional Illinois school, they've looked solid. Destroyed an ok Cincy team. Kept it competitive against a really good UW team, and destroyed a bad Miami (OH) team.

 

I think we should and will win, but make no mistake, this is a huge game. The season is essentially over if we lose this one, and it is definitely losable if some of the worst parts of September show up again.

I'm gonna try to give the huskers the benefit of the doubt with the bye week. Let's hope they put the time to good use...

[tmfr15]

When it comes to pessimism, I usually take the cake. And even I have us getting past Illinois. Some have even suggested that we lose to Iowa. We could finish 7-5, but those two games along with Minn and Purdue, are in the bag.

[BigRedBuster]

I'm actually pretty concerned about this game. Aside from a derpy opener against some directional Illinois school, they've looked solid. Destroyed an ok Cincy team. Kept it competitive against a really good UW team, and destroyed a bad Miami (OH) team.

 

I think we should and will win, but make no mistake, this is a huge game. The season is essentially over if we lose this one, and it is definitely losable if some of the worst parts of September show up again.

 

 

I agree with the bolded part but I find myself agreeing with the rest also. This is a huge game for Nebraska. Either good or bad, this game can set the tone for the next 3-4 games....or more.

[ADS]

Miami (OH) is a terrible team, so it's tough to take away anything concrete from that game. I do think we win, and do it by 14+ points. They will score on us, but our offense will , imo, score more. The defense will play good enough to stop them a couple of times, maybe forcing a turnover or two.

[NUinID]

I'm actually pretty concerned about this game. Aside from a derpy opener against some directional Illinois school, they've looked solid. Destroyed an ok Cincy team. Kept it competitive against a really good UW team, and destroyed a bad Miami (OH) team.

 

I think we should and will win, but make no mistake, this is a huge game. The season is essentially over if we lose this one, and it is definitely losable if some of the worst parts of September show up again.

 

Did you actually watch the Washington game or are you looking only at the score? Washington had like 3 turnovers in Illinois territory and they basically doubled them up in yardage. Sheelhause look like he did last year in that game.

[BIG ERN]

Miami of Ohio is terrible. Below are some key numbers to take away from the Washington game.

 

Illinois C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT Scheelhaase 9/25 156 6.2 1 1

 

Illinois CAR YDS AVG TD LG Young 13 58 4.5 0 14

 

Washington C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT Price 28/35 342 9.8 2 0

 

Washington CAR YDS AVG TD LG Sankey 35 208 5.9 1 25

 

Washington had almost 300 more yards than Illinois - scored ended up being 34-24....so they were greatly out played and still kept the game close. Washington is for sure better than we are right now, but I think we win 38-27.

[VectorVictor]

When it comes to pessimism, I usually take the cake. And even I have us getting past Illinois. Some have even suggested that we lose to Iowa. We could finish 7-5, but those two games along with Minn and Purdue, are in the bag.

 

[Abdullah the Butcher]

Their I backs are dangerous, the Ferguson kid could cause havoc. Illinois uses him as an all purpose back, he has 200 yards rushing and 262 receiving.

[TGHusker]

Every game that remains will be interesting - I'm concerned about this one - again a mobile qb against a weak D = anything can happen. Oh the mobile qb is on the other side, the weak D is NU - who would have thought when we joined the Big 10

[HuskerLuke]

Every game that remains will be interesting - I'm concerned about this one - again a mobile qb against a weak D = anything can happen. Oh the mobile qb is on the other side, the weak D is NU - who would have thought when we joined the Big 10

 

Agreed. Except Purdue. If we struggle with Purdue, I'm quitting Husker football.