Time for the Kind of Game These Players Live For
Nebraska vs. Michigan. Now that’s a helmet-to-helmet matchup.
“We turn to this week. We’ve won five of our last six, so our guys are starting to understand the process and the standard we set last year,” Husker head coach Matt Rhule said Monday. “They weren’t giddy yesterday, they weren’t happy about certain things. There are still areas we need to improve.”
Areas for Improvement
Rhule called out a few key areas that need attention, starting with kickoffs.
“Obviously our kickoffs – we can’t keep kicking the ball out of bounds,” he said. Nebraska has done it at least once every game this season, twice from John Hohl and once from Tristan Alvano, giving opponents the ball at the 35-yard line. “When we do kick the ball properly, our coverage has been solid, but we need to improve.”
Finishing in the red zone has also been inconsistent.
“We’re at 69% on red zone touchdowns. Our goal is 70% – we consider that a College Football Playoff-level number. Inside the 5-yard line, we’re six of our last nine drives, and three of those we didn’t score. Those numbers should be much higher. That’s an area we have to get better at.”
So far this season, the Huskers have had five drives inside the 6-yard line where they failed to score a touchdown, including three where they didn’t score at all.
Michigan’s Run Game Challenge
Michigan ranks 15th nationally in rushing, averaging over 242 yards per game.
“They have a mobile quarterback, which showed up in the first game against Cincinnati,” Rhule said. “They use tempo and the sugar huddle – things we haven’t seen in our last two games. We need to prepare for all of that. There’s a lot to work on. I love the way our guys are approaching it. Now the Big Ten season begins, and we’re excited.”
No Time for Comparisons
Rhule was cautious about comparing this Michigan team to the 2023 Wolverines, who won the national championship.
“I wouldn’t spend a lot of time comparing – they’re different,” he said. “They still follow the same core philosophies. They’re 15th in rushing offense and 25th in rushing defense. They’re going to have elite play up front on both sides of the ball.”
Bryce Underwood Adds a New Dimension
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood rushed for 114 yards on nine carries in the 63-3 win over Central Michigan.
“The quarterback brought a dynamic element as their leading rusher,” Rhule said. “That hadn’t really happened in the first two games. Now they’re using his legs and skill set more, which adds another element. Their core philosophy remains controlling the lines of scrimmage, and they’ve done that effectively so far.”
Michigan interim coach Biff Poggi echoed that point.
“I don’t think anything changed,” Poggi said. “It takes time to learn about your team. The games are where you really learn. Coaches don’t win games, plays don’t win games – players win games. We’re letting our players play, all of them.”
Michigan’s Coaching Situation
This will be Michigan’s second game without head coach Sherrone Moore, who is serving a two-game suspension due to an NCAA sign-stealing investigation.
Rhule was measured in his assessment.
“I’m not sure how challenging that is for them. I’ve never been through that, so I don’t know. They’ve experienced something similar before, so they know what to do. On our staff, we all do our jobs professionally. How they’re handling it, though, I can’t say.”
Nebraska’s Non-Conference Prep
Reflecting on the non-conference schedule, Rhule said it has been valuable preparation.
“Cincinnati has proven to be a strong team. Watching them, I saw what Brendan Sorsby did. Even against an FCS opponent, they’ve thrown for almost 600 yards in the last two games. I think we’ve been able to see some things defensively and have had three weeks to prepare. The work week leading up to the game is what makes your team better.”
Maturity Shines Through
Rhule praised his players’ approach over the past three weeks.
“They’ve been mature about understanding what we need to improve on each week. Right now, every guy knows what areas need work, and that will continue throughout the year. The games themselves are one thing, but the Big Ten is a whole other level. Our guys have put in the work.”
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