What I learned.
That was the first time Nebraska actually looked like a B1G team IMO. Defense was improved. They tackled better, hit with bad intentions and swarmed to the ball. They should be good enough to keep us in all conference games except for probably Michigan.
Unfortunately the offense also looked like a B1G West team, ala Minnesota or Iowa. Of course you should win games like that but 4 turnovers will do that to ya. Hoping Sims can improve on his decision making and field vision but not counting on it. Sadly I think we will be one dimensional yet again with our only real threat being the QBs legs. Lord knows the OL isn’t going to magically transform but hoping they can at least improve some.
Special teams didn’t look like special needs for the first time in a long time. I like that we’re not going to raise the white surrender flag on kick and punt returns. And both kickers looked good.
Apparently I’m in the minority but I, for the most part, liked what I saw. I don’t blame Rhule for going for the TD at the end of the first half. Yeah, in hindsight, people will question it but when you’ve been where this program has been for the last ten year, f#&% it, go for it. Just please do it better next time. The only coaching decision I had an issue with was going with butterfingers the RB when he fumbled. Sorry but he wouldn’t see the field on my team unless we were up by 21.
B1G officiating is still lousy and seemingly biased against the Huskers. Not blaming the loss on it but 1) we did score a TD that they didn’t get right on review. 2) Minn did hold us quite a few times without a flag. 3) we still might be the only team in the conference to be called for disconcerting signals, again. 4) Minn had a couple false starts that were not flagged…they seemed to catch all of ours. There was only one call that went our way when they missed that PI. It is what it is. We have to play better to overcome that BS.