Third-and-two, third-and-10; it doesn’t really matter. Nebraska has not been consistent moving the chains when it needs to. The Huskers are 15 for 47 on third down this season, 13th in the Big Ten and 112th in college football.
Early in Saturday’s 21-17 loss to Northern Illinois, Nebraska faced third-and-two on consecutive drives. Both times, the Huskers failed to convert, first on a run and then on a pass.
“Third-and-two, you’re thinking, ‘This is great,’ ” Langsdorf said. “And when you can’t even get those, that’s killer.”
Nebraska needed an average of 6 yards on third down against Northern Illinois. Which is actually not bad in Langsdorf’s book. Third-and-6 falls under third and manageable, he said.
But for whatever reason, be it pass or run, Nebraska’s not been able to find third-down plays that work through three games.
In the run game, NU averages 1.38 yards per carry on third down. Langsdorf’s called up seven run plays this season on third and three or less and converted on six of those tries. But on third-and-anything beyond three yards, the Huskers average negative yards per play when they run the ball. That includes the six times Tanner Lee’s been sacked.
