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NU Football: Run-defense numbers prove alarming
BY DIRK CHATELAIN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
• On the Web: W-H Big Red Page
• On the Web: Big 12 Football
• On the Web: Big 12 Football Stats
• On the Web: NU Football
• On the Web: Ball State Football
RELATED
• On the Web: W-H Big Red Page
• On the Web: Big 12 Football
• On the Web: Big 12 Football Stats
• On the Web: NU Football
• On the Web: Ball State Football
A defense that can't stop the run.
NU's Cortney Grixby tries to run down USC's C.J. Gable on this long, first-quarter play.Is there any more damaging football weakness? After Southern California's offense hammered the Blackshirts into submission Saturday, a startling stat sheet revealed the damage.
In the first three quarters, USC ran 25 times for 278 yards, an average of 11.1 yards per rush.
Actually, Nebraska was worse than those numbers indicate. Nine of those 25 plays came inside NU's 10-yard line, when the Huskers stacked the box. They gained just 15 yards.
The other 16 carries — when USC had room to run — produced an incredible 263 yards. That's 16.4 yards per rush.
A thorough video review of the game revealed glaring inadequacies throughout the defensive lineup.
It's not a stretch to say the NU defensive front was manhandled one-on-one. Three of the players up front who played significant minutes touched a Trojan running back a combined two times in these 16 plays.
The soft front four allowed USC linemen to go after NU linebackers, who appeared often to misjudge a play's direction. The linebackers funneled toward piles of linemen unable to find the ball.
In the secondary, defensive backs played passively and missed key tackles.
Sixteen plays, 263 yards, an easy USC victory.
NU Football: Run-defense numbers prove alarming
BY DIRK CHATELAIN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
• On the Web: W-H Big Red Page
• On the Web: Big 12 Football
• On the Web: Big 12 Football Stats
• On the Web: NU Football
• On the Web: Ball State Football
RELATED
• On the Web: W-H Big Red Page
• On the Web: Big 12 Football
• On the Web: Big 12 Football Stats
• On the Web: NU Football
• On the Web: Ball State Football
A defense that can't stop the run.
NU's Cortney Grixby tries to run down USC's C.J. Gable on this long, first-quarter play.Is there any more damaging football weakness? After Southern California's offense hammered the Blackshirts into submission Saturday, a startling stat sheet revealed the damage.
In the first three quarters, USC ran 25 times for 278 yards, an average of 11.1 yards per rush.
Actually, Nebraska was worse than those numbers indicate. Nine of those 25 plays came inside NU's 10-yard line, when the Huskers stacked the box. They gained just 15 yards.
The other 16 carries — when USC had room to run — produced an incredible 263 yards. That's 16.4 yards per rush.
A thorough video review of the game revealed glaring inadequacies throughout the defensive lineup.
It's not a stretch to say the NU defensive front was manhandled one-on-one. Three of the players up front who played significant minutes touched a Trojan running back a combined two times in these 16 plays.
The soft front four allowed USC linemen to go after NU linebackers, who appeared often to misjudge a play's direction. The linebackers funneled toward piles of linemen unable to find the ball.
In the secondary, defensive backs played passively and missed key tackles.
Sixteen plays, 263 yards, an easy USC victory.