Rohr’s Four: Four reactions, impressions, reflections, concerns and questions after Nebraska’s 20-17 win over Cincinnati in Kansas City Thursday.
1-There’s no place like home. Except when you’re on the road and it feels like home
The game was technically Cincinnati’s home game. They wore the dark jerseys (though red was a curious choice facing Nebraska) and their marching band provided entertainment. But only a few minutes wandering the parking lots around G.E.H.A. Field at Arrowhead Stadium removed any doubt: the home-field advantage belonged to Nebraska. The legendary Sea of Red flooded south, clogging the Highway 2/I-29 interchange to the tune of a miles-long back-up a whole seven hours before kickoff. I-29 traffic was similarly slowed to a crawl. The crowds in the parking lots were almost exclusively Husker fans, with Bearcat fans’ appearances as rare as an all-vegan tailgate. And upon entering the stadium, those Husker fans made a difference. It was clear on three false starts by Cincinnati. It was a rocking, raucous atmosphere that led to one of the happier nights for Nebraska Football in some time.
The move to the Big Ten was an objectively good move for Nebraska Football. In an era where money means more than anything, the departure from the Big 12 secured the Huskers’ financial future for years to come and NU’s place at the big-boy table of college athletics. While geographic neighbors Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State have to worry about their futures every time the winds of conference realignment rustle, Nebraska can merely sit back and watch, knowing that they’re as secure as they can be.
But one of the things that was sacrificed in the conference move was the easy road trip for Husker fans. It was a staple of the fall in the Big 12 days to load up the family and/or friends, some beverages to quaff and some meats to grill in the family SUV, leave just as the sun was rising and the Huskers Radio Network pregame was starting, settle in town just in time to fire up the grill and down a couple cold ones, then head into the stadium just in time for kickoff at Kansas, K-State, Mizzou or Iowa State. And then take in the game, pack up and head home. Now that the Huskers are in the Big Ten, only two Big Ten trips would be seen as same-day drivable: Iowa and Minnesota. And Minnesota is a stretch.
It felt like a win in-and-of-itself to overrun an out-of-town stadium. But with the far-flung Big Ten and the on-field fortunes making a flight to and from a city (never mind hotel, taxis and game tickets) seem like a bad investment, those chances are fewer and farther between. So it felt good, at least for one night, to overrun a somewhat unfamiliar stadium and have Husker fans make their presence felt.
Nebraska’s non-conference opponents since joining the Big Ten have had a strong nostalgic bent: Oklahoma and Colorado, with future contracts to face the Sooners and Oklahoma State. While it’s not something that can be repeated every year, I’m hoping Kansas City stays in the rotation, whether it’s a one-off event like the game against Cincinnati or a part of a larger contract, say a three-gamer with both teams getting one home game then the neutral-site game in KC. It was a blast. Arrowhead is a phenomenal place to watch a game. The fans came. Let’s do it again sometime.
2-Cornhuskers clutch in close games
Much has been made about Nebraska’s struggles in close games. Even the transition to Matt Rhule hadn’t fixed it, at least through last regular season, as the heartbreaking loss to Iowa last November dropped NU to 2-10 under Rhule in one-score games. But after hanging to win the Pinstripe Bowl 20-15 over Boston College, the Huskers held off a late Cincinnati charge to win 20-17 in KC.
Rhule has spoken often about the greater player ownership in the program this year. Whether that maturity has totally slain Nebraska’s demons in close and late games is still up for debate. But the idea that it’s a given that the Huskers will fold any time it’s close and late has been squashed.
That mental strength was best displayed by Malcolm Hartzog, Jr. So often before, a player made a mistake, let it compound into another one, which led to another player making a mistake, leading to another heartbreaking loss. Late in the fourth quarter Thursday, Hartzog committed a defensive holding penalty that moved the Bearcats to the edge of field-goal range. The thought crossed my mind that this could lead to the “patented Nebraska late-game collapse” that we’ve seen so often. But instead, Hartzog shook it off, read Brendan Sorsby’s eyes, and chased down an interception that clinched the game for the Huskers.
This is not to say that Nebraska will never lose a close game again. And in both the win over Cincinnati and over BC, the Huskers built up a big lead and saw their opponent get back in the game. The best way to never lose a one-score game is to never be in one in the first place. By their very nature, one-score games lead to random outcomes, since the margins are so tight. But at least the Huskers have two positive games to draw from for confidence the next time it’s close and late for the Huskers. And it’s gonna be close late plenty for Nebraska this year.
3-Is Dylan going downfield enough?
Rare is the occasion that a quarterback hitting 79 percent of his passes leaves something to be desired, especially with no interceptions and no fumbles lost. But Dylan Raiola has always had monstrous expectations on his back, and the fact that 33-for-42 performance in front his friend, Patrick Mahomes, netted only 243 yards and less than six yards an attempt raised some questions. His longest completion against Cincinnati went for just 24 yards. In his last 10 games, Raiola has had just five completions of 30 yards or longer.
That said, this is not a concern, not just yet. All summer long, Rhule and offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen emphasized the need for the offense to make the routine plays, that the big plays would spring naturally from consistent execution. Nebraska moved the ball effectively all game. Raiola’s early deep-ball exploits last year (four 30+-passes in the first four games) put defenses on notice that they needed to be ready to defend deep against Raiola.
Last year’s wide receivers struggled to get clear of man coverage. This year’s wide receivers, especially Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter, showed themselves to be a step above last year’s tandem, Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor, even if they weren’t able to get open deep against Cincy’s umbrella coverage. It doesn’t seem as if the arm talent Raiola showed early in his career has disappeared, either. Plus, with Emmett Johnson asserting himself in the run game, teams will have to devote more help to slowing him down near the line of scrimmage, opening things up down the field.
In short, it may be something to track in the coming games, but Nebraska’s lack of a deep ball Thursday night isn’t something to worry about, just yet.
4-D-Line a work in progress
If I had one concern from Thursday night, it would Nebraska’s defensive line. This is biased, of course, by what the Huskers lost in the offseason. Ty Robinson was a force inside. Nash Hutmacher was a blocker-eating black hole in the middle. And Jimari Butler emerged as a force on the outside. I had my questions coming in about that group, questions that had certainly reached Rhule, who said his D-Line would be “hell on wheels” at Big Ten Media Days.
At best, on Thursday, the Huskers’ defensive front was mild discomfort on skis.
The Bearcats cracked open Nebraska’s defensive line to the tune of 6.7 yards per carry. Other than high-talent transfer Williams Nwaneri, the Huskers had trouble controlling the line of scrimmage, making only two tackles for loss with one only quarterback hurry. And if the Bearcats offensive line was able to do that to NU, what will bigger units like Michigan and Iowa be able to do?
Two caveats: Cincinnati had a mobile quarterback. Sorsby’s scrambling was the best, and probably only, consistent weapon the Bearcats had when they had the ball. And, of course, it’s only the first game for a retooled unit.
But if Nebraska is to execute Rhule’s patented third-year jump, their level of play will have to improve. The Huskers’ secondary is strong and veteran, and Nebraska’s linebackers were plenty active Thursday night. But the Big Ten, more than any other league, is a trenches league. In the cold winds of November, you either have to run the ball or stop the run. Thursday night’s left me wondering if Nebraska’s defensive line will equal to the task this year. They have two games to figure it out before Michigan.