Here’s the “seeing progress” part: Nebraska gave up 4.2 yards per carry against an all-Big Ten schedule.
Here’s the eyebrow-raising, eyeball-emoji-warranting part: With a 23.4% stuff rate on carries from opposing running backs, Nebraska ranked 28th nationally, and with a 56.8% success rate allowed on third-and-shorts and fourth-and-shorts (2 yards to go or less), Nebraska ranked 10th nationally.
In 2019, the Huskers stopped those short-yardage runs only 19% of the time. In 2018, they “stuffed” runs only 15% of the time. Both were some of the worst marks in the country in their respective seasons.
Big picture, the run defense is absolutely trending in the right direction.
