What did we learn-Game 4 Rutgers

I learned that this win might have exposed the team even more than the two losses.

Rutgers was set up for Nebraska to right the ship, but even given a modest 26 passing attempts and generally solid run support, Tanner Lee was terribly inefficient. Going three and out to end the first half and start the second half was inexcusable, given what this team needs to prove. Diaco seems to be making the right adjustments. We're complaining about which of three pretty solid running backs deserves more carries. Those are things to build on. But you know....Rutgers. 

The ceiling for this team appears to be low. I'm not sure why they'd be the favorite in any game left on the schedule. 

But then I saw the team wildly celebrating on the sideline in the fourth quarter. Players congratulating players who made good plays to lock up a 10 point win against a Big 10 doormat. And I realized I could and would root for the Huskers like I always do.

 
Up to the point of the Pix Six:

16 rushes for 74 yards, 4.6 ypa

6/15 passing, 51 yards, 3.4 ypa 2 INTs, led directly to 10 Rutgers points

Nebraska trails 17-14

After the Pick Six:

31 rushes for 123 yards, 4.0 ypa

7/11 passing for 58 yards, 5.3 ypa, 0 INTs

Huskers outscore Rutgers 13-0

This doesn't seem like that hard of a formula to figure out.  Even though we were roughly 50/50 before the Pick Six, the running game was still working much better than the passing game even BEFORE you take the INTs into account.  

But Langs likes to throw the ball.  So throw he does.  Until we are shown to be so terrible at throwing the ball that we are losing at home in the third quarter to Rutgers.  Then we can finally do what we are better at doing and get out of there with a win.

 
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Mavric said:
Up to the point of the Pix Six:

16 rushes for 74 yards, 4.6 ypa

6/15 passing, 51 yards, 3.4 ypa 2 INTs, led directly to 10 Rutgers points

Nebraska trails 17-10

After the Pick Six:

31 rushes for 123 yards, 4.0 ypa

7/11 passing for 58 yards, 5.3 ypa, 0 INTs

Huskers outscore Rutgers 17-0

This doesn't seem like that hard of a formula to figure out.  Even though we were roughly 50/50 before the Pick Six, the running game was still working much better than the passing game even BEFORE you take the INTs into account.  

But Langs likes to throw the ball.  So throw he does.  Until we are shown to be so terrible at throwing the ball that we are losing at home in the third quarter to Rutgers.  Then we can finally do what we are better at doing and get out of there with a win.
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It was 17-14 after the Pick Six, but that's just me nitpicking.

However, the above is a great analysis.  We have heard more talk from Riley about making things simpler for his QB.  Why do they make it so hard on their QB's to begin with?  Why not have their QB's and the rest of the offense master part of the offense, before expanding it further?

 
As an addendum, this isn't a new phenomana.  Most of Riley's best wins here (not that there have been a lot) have come on the back of a strong rushing attack.

2015 Michigan State - 36 runs for 179 yards against the #11 rushing defense in the country

2015 UCLA - 62 runs for 326 yards

2016 Oregon - 47 runs for 228 yards

So this shouldn't be news to Langsdorf.  But he doesn't seem to be able to get himself to believe it until it's absolutely forced on him.

 
I just heard this on a The Bottom Line podcast from earlier today.  Nebraska is averaging 17.5 incompletions per game, which ranks 116th in college football.  Based on NU's average of 75.8 plays per game, that's 23% of the offensive plays that are getting no yards production.  It's no wonder why the offense is struggling.

 
I learned that the sooner Riley is let go the sooner I can maybe begin to enjoy Husker wins again.  At this point wins really don't mean long term success of the program.  This win against Rutgers was a moral victory and nothing else.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Going three and out to end the first half and start the second half was inexcusable, given what this team needs to prove
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That was really disappointing to me. I think I posted something real quick in the game thread about this, but after the punt return my first thought was that we could end the game right there. Being able to get the last possession before half and the first possession in the second half is one of the few ways in this game to get back to back possessions. Nebraska does get the stop on a questionable 4th and 1 , but they burned it down to 2 minutes. Then it goes as you say. Just really a wasted opportunity.

 
I'm surprised people see any separation at all between Wilbon and Ozigbo.  I don't.   They both have their strengths and weaknesses, but they compliment each other well.  Both are role players.  Bryant is your complete back, Wilbon is the shifty change-of-pace guy.  Ozigbo is the ground-and-pound closer.

Having 3 good options at RB and apparently 0 good options at QB, it's pretty damn obvious being a run-heavy team should be the way to go.  I'm all for balance, but you can't be balanced if you can't throw the ball.

 
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In my what I've learned or learning is that it seems the QB's are getting not improvement from Langs as the QB coach.  Armstrong was the same QB after two years with Langs and it seems that after one year Tanner Lee is no better than he was a Tulane.   It's no wonder the young guys are sitting on the bench as they are probably not getting the kind of coaching that is needed to help them develop.

 
mnhusker said:
In my what I've learned or learning is that it seems the QB's are getting not improvement from Langs as the QB coach.  Armstrong was the same QB after two years with Langs and it seems that after one year Tanner Lee is no better than he was a Tulane.   It's no wonder the young guys are sitting on the bench as they are probably not getting the kind of coaching that is needed to help them develop.
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I've had the same complaints about past Husker OC's as QB Coach. It is standard in college athletics because you only have so many coaching spots and because of the importance of the QB to the offense. I also think OCs are just more comfortable having that direct connection with their most important piece.

I'd just rather it not be this way. You see a number of QBs across the country use part of their offseason to train with private QB coaches. This isn't just a Nebraska thing. It seems there is a serious hole in this area of the game.

 
What happened to there being a QB coach?  I recall Turner Gill from many years ago having that job, then he headed off to be a HC (and didn't do well at Buffalo).

 
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