It seems to be the same song and dance for the Huskers. Matt Rhule’s squad loses another one-score game inside Memorial Stadium. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Cornhuskers 27-20. How can Nebraska correct its issues during the bye week?
A New Option At Quarterback
Dylan Raiola wasn’t comfortable at all on Saturday. The Bruins blitz packages worked to perfection, leading to the freshman quarterback forcing throws or overthrowing his receivers. But it wasn’t all bad. He did have a great throw to Jacory Barney Jr in double coverage. This play allowed Nebraska to drum up a quick score by handing it to running back Dante Dowdell on a fullback dive. However, the spark that the program’s offense had would fade quickly. Raiola’s eagerness to make big plays led to his downfall in the pocket. He could have made easy completions to either tight end Thomas Fidone, or slot receiver Jaylen Lloyd. Instead, the freshman wiped out these opportunities by scrambling in the pocket. This allowed UCLA’s defensive lineman to rack up easy sacks. Junior quarterback Henrich Haarberg was more consistent with his reads, which allowed him to give the Cornhuskers a fighting chance at the end of the game. But it wasn’t enough. With less than a minute left, Barney dropped what would have been a first-down pass. Is this a sign that Rhule is willing to go with Haarberg? Or will they try to gain bowl eligibility with Raiola at the helm? It’s a major decision that will have to be decided during the Huskers bye week.
UCLA with the pick-six on Dylan Raiola👀
(via @CFBONFOX)
pic.twitter.com/42CMsqWPPd— On3 (@On3sports) November 2, 2024
The Defensive Line
The Huskers defensive line should have dominated against UCLA. But this didn’t happen. The Bruins put up 139 rushing yards against Nebraska’s front. In large part, this was due to the efforts of UCLA’s senior quarterback Ethan Garbers. He had 56 rushing yards on the day, and he got out of a sack on a 57-yard scamper. This eventually led to a field goal by sophomore Mateen Bhaghani. In the second half, defensive coordinator Tony White was able to generate pressure against him. Senior defensive lineman Ty Robinson brought the California native down once. But this didn’t hamper the Bruin’s offense. Instead, Garbers rebounded to deliver a 48-yard touchdown pass to freshman Kwazi Gilmer. If Robinson isn’t getting pressure, defensive line coach Terrance Knighton will have to utilize other options during the Huskers’ bye week. Nebraska has stacked up plenty of depth at this position with players like James Williams and Cameron Lenhardt. It will be interesting to see if Knighton utilizes them in packages against USC.
Read more about how Nebraska’s defensive line did against Ohio State in Which Huskers Stood Out In The Win Vs Ohio State?
Secondary Play
John Butler’s unit has been hit with a rash of injuries. After being a key cog in NU’s win over Colorado, senior cornerback Tommi Hill went down with an injury against Illinois. This led former USC transfer Ceyair Wright to take over duties at cornerback. By all accounts, he was a solid replacement for Hill. In just three starts, Wright has totaled 25 tackles, one sack, one interception, and one forced fumble. We should expect him to become even more of a contributor on defense. Hill was part of the unit who gave up several long passes by Garbers. Safety Malcolm Hartzog should play fewer minutes as well. He’s still recovering from the hamstring injury he sustained against Ohio State. This would be the perfect opportunity to give redshirt freshman Jeremiah Charles. He’s been a starter before, but the coaching staff has never put him in a permanent role. Is now the time to do so?
Can Nebraska’s Offense Find Its Identity?
A big issue with Nebraska’s offense is the lack of an identity within Marcus Satterfield’s offense. The criticism is warranted, because the Cornhuskers screen game generates almost no good yardage. This was evident when Ohio State’s defensive line was easily able to overpower NU’s blocking wide receivers. In the aftermath of the loss to the Buckeyes, he took heat for his decisions. This was enough to stop him from running these schemes against UCLA. But then, another interesting problem presented itself. After a few successful run plays by Dowdell, Satterfield would script pass plays. The mistrust of his play sheet is concerning. And if the Huskers’ bye week doesn’t clarify things, co-offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas will have to assume control.
