Minnesota: What Did We Learn?

The Duke said:
I agree with you about the Friday night games.

According to the Big Ten:
Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin are the Big Ten teams that do not play Friday night games, while Iowa has an exception for home games and will only play on Friday nights on Labor Day or Black Friday weekends. These allowances are made due to factors like high school football traditions, traffic concerns on campus, and avoiding the unique logistical challenges of scheduling a game when classes are in session.

In my opinion it is absolute B.S. that certain teams in the Big Ten do not have to play these games while the rest of the conference members do. Either everyone should have to play a Friday night game or no one does.
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Minnesota seemed to have no issue getting up for a game on a Friday night. Frankly I think this take is one big ole sad excuse to make up for the real frustration- which is supporting an undisciplined football team with poor fundamentals and very few difference makers.
 
lo country said:
I learned I was fooled. Rhule is a great salesman, but failed to deliver last nite.

Appears the desire to keep Dylan (by keeping Donnie) has doomed the Rhule experiment. Tom Brady with Gronk, Edleman and Amendola with this line would look horrible. I "feel" Dylan could be good, but with our OL he looks slow, processes slow, looks down receiver and has no mental clock. If Donie leaving means he leaves I am good with that. I like a mobile QB.

D was embarrassed all night night. Poor angles, missed tackles, no pressure, no fire and no clue. Coaches or talent?

16 to runs to 38 passes (per post from @Mavric). Dana and his BS speak about running to help Dylan, wish I'd run EJ 2 weeks ago.....And that stat.. He can pack his air raid O and leave.

Rhule has some decisions to make. I am all N with more NIL, BUT that comes with firing some guys.

Teams continue to beat us by copying Nebraska playbook form old. Physical, disciplined, relentless.....We need to find a coach that wants to simply recreate the wheel. It wasn't ever broke. Don't fix it. Embrace it.
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We are a better football program with a serviceable line and a solid qb vs. a program with a 5 star qb and one of the worst lines in the nation.
 
we are stuck with rhule and raiola so lets hope they figure it out by next year. this year is pretty much looking to be another average bowl game at best.
 
gossamorharpy said:
We are a better football program with a serviceable line and a solid qb vs. a program with a 5 star qb and one of the worst lines in the nation.
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This is what I'm coming to grips with. Many want to point to Raiola's completion percentage as a reason no one should look the direction of a different option.

For me its a bit of grey area, but I think I'd be comfortable giving up 10% from the completion total for quality scrambling/running. Granted, I wouldn't want that missing 10% to result in more than just a few additional turnovers.

Edit: I don't mean this to be a direct shot at Raiola. I just think the way he's been coached (to model his game from statuesque pocket passers) does not align with the the current strengths of this team.
 
gossamorharpy said:
Minnesota seemed to have no issue getting up for a game on a Friday night. Frankly I think this take is one big ole sad excuse to make up for the real frustration- which is supporting an undisciplined football team with poor fundamentals and very few difference makers.
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You make a very fair point. Minnesota didn't have a bye week before this game and thouroughly out-coached and out-played Nebraska in every fashion.

I do still think it's not a good look for the Big Ten when Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin literally don't have to play these mid-season Friday night games while the other conference members do.
 
The Duke said:
You make a very fair point. Minnesota didn't have a bye week before this game and thouroughly out-coached and out-played Nebraska in every fashion.

I do still think it's not a good look for the Big Ten when Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin literally don't have to play these mid-season Friday night games while the other conference members do.
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Yah the double standard for select schools is pretty annoying. I actually like the Friday night game, great opportunity to play solid football and have more viewers for a solid game.

Sadly I think we were losing last nights game whether it was a Friday at minny or a Saturday afternoon game in Lincoln
 
First, let me say that I too was born into a football teams clothing and I am older than Rhule.

I remember listening to 70's teams on the radio and watched the 80s and 90's teams on TV. I watched them struggle in the early 2000's and lose their identity in the 10's and 20's. As a season ticket holder for 25 years I was excited about Rhule and was really excited about the prospects of this year.. I drank the kool-aid last week...

I learned several things after this game unfortunately..

Penn St. will not want Matt Rhule

Nebraska will not pony up more cash for this type of product in year 3

Holgorsen needs to decide what type of offense he wants to run, and get there. (a pocket passer with a line that cant pass block doesn't work anywhere)

Donovan Raiola is a BUST and most likely should have been let go last year. This position has been an issue for YEARS.

If the perceived threat is that Dylan would leave if Donovan was let go, then so be it. That just tells me that he was never N.

GBR...!!
 
Football may be more enjoyable to watch where we are the big dog in a small conference and maybe become a G5 participant in the playoff. But even going back to the Big 12 is unrealistic. We sure can’t seem to compete with the big dogs or mid size dogs in the Big 10
 
BoSolich said:
i refuse to believe dylan is unable to throw the ball away on some of these sacks. there's no way our offensive line can be this bad.

i am starting to wonder if dylan only cares about his stats rather than making the right play.
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You win as a team and you lose as a team.

O-Line:
When you lose your Left Tackle (from a foolish penalty) and one of your Guards (broken hand) your O-line is going to have some issues.


Play Calling:
As an offensive coordinator if you know you have lost two of your starting lineman and you can see that they are struggling to protect your QB in pass-pro then you need to help them out by leaning on the run game, calling more screens & draws, and going to a quick pass game. Holgorsen did not have a great night last night.


QB Decision Making:
Dylan has a very talented arm but at times can be selfish with his decision making.

There are many plays where we all have seen him hold the ball way too long. He's got a gun-slinger mentality and thinks he can make any play even when it breaks down (see last night's miraculous falling flip-play and left-handed pass.) Yes these can be wow plays when they work, but at other times when they don't work it can really hurt the team.

Again, he has a very talented arm, but his decision making too often lowers his game-mangement grade.


Run Game Physicallity:
I've always said, a good sign of a great running offense is when you need 2 or 3 yards can you consistently get it - even when the defense knows what's coming?

Nebraska has struggled since Game 1 with it's physicallity in the run game. Whether that has been in our red zone running game or simply needing to convert a critical 3rd & 2, Nebraska just can't consistently line up under-center and knock an opposing defense off the ball to get those yards.

This is a pass first offense. Losing a power-back in Dowdell in the offseason and not finding suitable replacement has been obvious all year.


Defense:
John Butler has coached a best in the nation pass defense. Matt Rhule's preference to run a 3-3-5 base leads to this.

However, a 3-3-5 is susceptible in the running game, and that showed up last night against Minnesota. There are times Nebraska has been in some 3-4 and 4 down lineman packages, but for the most part this is a 3-down lineman defense where the 4th & 5th rusher are disguised. This is great against weaker opponents and passing teams, but if you go against a physical running offense it will get exposed and that's exactly what happend to Nebraska last night.

I really hope Nebraska will look at switching to a 4-down lineman based defense for next season.


Special Teams:
This unit has been rock solid and a major upgrade this season. Mike Ekeler has easily earned a raise. Pay the man.
 
The Duke said:
You make a very fair point. Minnesota didn't have a bye week before this game and thouroughly out-coached and out-played Nebraska in every fashion.

I do still think it's not a good look for the Big Ten when Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin literally don't have to play these mid-season Friday night games while the other conference members do.
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I realize it's one day less of practice, but these Friday night games are great for teams looking to make a statement. You have all of college football watching. It worked out great for Louisville last night, and could have bolstered the hype the Husker's were generating. Good teams love the spotlight. Nebraska is not a good team. It's not Friday's fault.
 
TGHusker said:
Football may be more enjoyable to watch where we are the big dog in a small conference and maybe become a G5 participant in the playoff. But even going back to the Big 12 is unrealistic. We sure can’t seem to compete with the big dogs or mid size dogs in the Big 10
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As critical as I am I don’t think we’re that far off. Look how quick our special teams unit turned around by inserting a coach with an actual track record in big time football. The talent and young depth is there to be in that group of teams behind Ohio state and oregon.

A new OL and RB coach would do wonders with this team. Defense I don’t have an opinion on yet- think we all called out in the offseason the loss of Ty and Nash, plus t white/t knight and the transfers out of the program was going to mean rough sledding upfront.
 
Guy Chamberlin said:
I realize it's one day less of practice, but these Friday night games are great for teams looking to make a statement. You have all of college football watching. It worked out great for Louisville last night, and could have bolstered the hype the Husker's were generating. Good teams love the spotlight. Nebraska is not a good team. It's not Friday's fault.
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Oh absolutely! Nebraska had a golden opportunity last night to make a statement and flat-out got embarrassed.

I don't have a problem with Nebraska playing the occasional Thursday or Friday night games.

I do have a problem with a conference that gives some of its members a hall-pass from never having to play these games on a short week.
 
I learned that Friday night is traditionally for high school football and that was what I saw from Nebraska…high school football. And not even good high school football.

I see a lot of people talking about how Nebraska is losing to less talented teams and players but maybe the Nebraska talent is what’s missing. What I’m seeing is a lot of hype and little results.

Failed as a developmental program…failing to buy your way to the top…what’s left?
 
So many good points raised so far! As I have had a night to sleep on it, here are my takeaways.

1. Matt Rhule is much closer to Mike Riley than many people realize. He simply has better oratory/preacher skills. While I do believe he has made the players believe in themselves more, his executive decision making is average at best, including his decision to retain Donovan Raiola. He also seems to struggle with X's and O's and what is needed to win in this day and age.

2. John Butler was a bad hire...period. Failure to put any pressure on Minnesota the entire game, especially in the 2nd half, is mind boggling. The entire defense looked lost and unprepared and they simply give up way too many big plays.

3. Dana had his worse game plan since he has been at Nebraska. He seemed to call the wrong play at the wrong time consistently throughout the game. The fact that Buffalo scored more points than Nebraska is a joke. Rutgers even put up 28 against Minnesota's defense.

4. The O-line may be the worst at Nebraska in modern history. As of last night they were tied for the most sacks allowed in the nation. That is simply unacceptable. In this era of NIL and the transfer portal, there is no reason a Nebraska offensive line should be near the bottom of college football.

5. Mike Eckeler has continued to be the lone bright spot on this staff. What he has done with special teams is remarkable.

6. I think the most probably scenario for the rest of the season is to finish 2-3 which puts Nebraska at 7-5. If that is the case, Rhule needs to be on the hot seat. That would put him at 19-18 at Nebraska over 3 years...and again hovering around .500 just like MIke Riley. I am loving the success of Curt Cignetti as he has proven with the right coach and mentality any program can get turned around quickly. Gone are the days where a program must hold onto a meandering coach for fear of how long it would take a new guy to show improvement.
 
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