Dave Feit: A Season at a Crossroads?

Nebraska's clunker in Minnesota leaves more questions than answers

Dylan Raiola was pressured all night, including this play where he improvised with a left-handed completion to tight end Luke Lindenmeyer. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

On Friday night in Minneapolis, Sir Paul McCartney performed for a sold-out crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium. For more than two and a half hours, he played many of the hits from his legendary career including "Help!", "Getting Better", "Maybe I'm Amazed", "Band on the Run", and more.

Two miles east, at Huntington Bank Stadium, Nebraska put on a different kind of show. They played a lot of their greatest hits from their eight losing seasons in the past decade: "The O Line Needs Help!", "We Are Not Getting Better", "Maybe I'm Amazed (But Not in a Good Way)", and "QB on the Run".*

*The Beatles fan in me really wishes Elijah Jeudy would have had a big play.

The game was an absolute stinker. An unmitigated disaster that left more questions than answers, and erased several things we thought we knew. The only silver lining is that we may not see the all-white uniforms for a long time.*

*As I wrote this week, my opposition to the so-called "Surrender Whites" is based more on style than superstition. The Huskers could have worn uniforms inspired by the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and it would not have made any difference. But if another dreadful performance helps keep them in the closet, then l say let it be.

Friday's loss reminded me a lot of another painful Gopher victory: 2020's 24-17 win. Coming into both games, it felt like Nebraska should have a decided advantage. But the Huskers stubbornly chose to ignore things that worked to do things that repeatedly failed.

For many fans - myself included - the 2020 loss was a turning point in how Scott Frost was viewed as a head coach. Losing that game - in that way - erased a lot of the remaining belief I had that the "can't miss" hire would ever be able to get it done.

I don't think it is overly dramatic to say that the 2025 season - and, by extension, Rhule's tenure - is also at a crossroads. Five games to determine how we judge this season and Rhule's progress in the rebuild.

Minnesota defensive lineman Anthony Smith celebrates with fans after the Gophers' win. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

I sense the mood shifting within the fan base. The first week of the "Rhule to Penn State?" speculation caused many folks to reflect on how they would feel if Rhule left to coach his alma mater. Going into the game, a common sentiment I saw was - as McCartney sang - "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on." If Rhule went home, fans would put their faith in Troy Dannen to hire a good replacement (or possibly, an improvement).

Friday's loss amplified these feelings within the fan base. Part of that is the manic nature of fans - especially after a painful loss. There are many Husker fans who currently cannot see a scenario where Nebraska wins another game this season.

I find that silly.

Yes, Nebraska was soundly defeated. Their white pants were pulled down on national television. But this was not a repeat of Minnesota 2020. At the time, Frost was 11-19 with nothing to suggest that he would be able to get his head above water.

Meanwhile, Rhule is (double checks notes) 5-2 on the season. He has a proven track record of success and a young, but talented roster. I refuse to believe that these coaches and players are going to roll over and play dead. The season's best-case scenario (sneaking into the College Football Playoff) is gone, but we don't need to start predicting a six-game losing streak.

The Big Ten standings show an upper crust of teams (Ohio State and Indiana), a clear cellar (Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Rutgers, and Michigan State), and 11 teams in the Helter Skelter middle. Any of them is capable of beating - or losing to - anybody else. I believe this is the reality of the 18-team super conference in the age of parity. 

The keys are improvement and/or hiding flaws. Nebraska failed at both on Friday, but Saturday is another opportunity to live and let die.

Things I believe

Dana Holgorsen called a horrible game.

Insanity, the old saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

By that definition, Nebraska's offensive game plan was truly insane.

Not counting sacks or scrambles by Raiola, just 16 of NU's offensive snaps were running plays. Thirteen of those (81%) came on first down, two on second, and one on a failed fourth down attempt. The Huskers running on first down was almost as predictable as getting sacked on second down (five times, plus a scramble for zero yards).

In theory, I understand a pass-heavy game plan. Minnesota entered the game without three members of its secondary, including a starter. But none of that matters if the quarterback is on the turf before the WRs can get open.

Nebraska's trio of top wide receivers (Jacory Barney, Nyziah Hunter, and Dane Key) combined for 41 yards on six catches. Hunter (who dropped a perfectly placed deep ball in the second half) had five catches for 40 yards.

Meanwhile, Emmett Johnson was having a productive night. Early in the third quarter, he gained 23 yards on back-to-back plays (a reception and a run). Momentum was swinging toward NU. But Johnson did not touch the ball on the next six plays (the end of that drive and a three-and-out on the next possession). Those plays lost a total of 11 yards. That is on Holgorsen.

It was obvious early on that a) Minnesota was going to bring pressure, and b) be able to get home. Holgorsen has a tremendous offensive mind, and a roster of talented and speedy players. Surely, he can find ways to work around that issue.

John Butler knows what the problem is.

When Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler spoke to the media Tuesday, he correctly diagnosed Minnesota's offensive issues and accurately predicted their game plan against NU:

"I know the backs have been hurt a little bit, so they’ve gotten away from the run game… But I think they’re going to try to run the football on us again. I think you’d be a fool not to try that on us. We’ve got to try to establish the line of scrimmage and then do a good job of affecting this young quarterback who makes a lot of good throws."

Unfortunately, his defense could not do anything about it.

The Gophers set the tone on their first carry - a four-yard gain. Darius Taylor ran for 148 yards, including a 71-yarder that looked very easy. Minnesota could reliably get 3-4 yards anytime they wanted to. Honestly, I'm still shocked that P.J. Fleck punted from midfield on fourth-and-one. Twice!

Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey completed 16 of his 20 passes against the Huskers. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

There was little pressure on quarterback Drake Lindsey. The Huskers recorded one sack and were credited with one QB hurry. This allowed him to complete 16 of 20 passes as Minnesota was content to do what the Huskers have previously done: dink and dunk down the field, chewing up clock.

As previously noted, the offense did not do the defense any favors. Going three and out after the defense endures a 14 play, 98-yard drive is hard to overcome.

Tip your cap to P.J. Fleck.

In trying to figure out what happened - how Nebraska looked so bad for most of the night - I've considered a lot of things.

I don't think Nebraska lost because the players and/or staff were distracted by the Penn State speculation. It wasn't this team - freshly ranked in the top 25 - getting too full of themselves. I won't blame the travel or the short week either.

Instead, I believe we have to give credit to Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck.

One loss can happen to anybody. Two or three losses can be coincidental. But six straight defeats tell me that one side has a clear advantage. Recruiting rankings suggest Nebraska has the edge in talent. But the Gophers are clearly doing all the right things when the two teams meet.

As much as it pains me to say it*, we need to give Fleck his flowers for always having a plan to exploit Nebraska's weaknesses, and for having teams capable of doing it for 60 minutes.

*I am not - nor do I ever expect to be - a fan of Fleck or his schtick. I'd rather get hit in the head with one of his oars than pay him compliments, but here we are.

Eventually, Husker teams and fans will learn to underestimate Fleck at their own risk.

Things I don't know

What happened to complementary football?

For much of the season, Nebraska's three units have been playing complementary football. The special teams give good field position to the offense. The offense scores points to take pressure off the defense. The defense forces punts, which are returned by the special teams, and the cycle repeats. All five of Nebraska's wins have featured elements of complementary play.

But this sequence from the third quarter was the polar opposite of complementary. Minnesota had a 14-play, 98-yard touchdown drive. The Blackshirts struggled to put themselves in a position to get off the field. The kickoff was caught at the five and returned 12 yards to the 17. When you can get the ball at the 25 with a fair catch, anything less is a failure.

Minnesota's touchdown drive took eight minutes and 43 seconds. The defense needed to catch their breath and regain their composure. But the offense came out and tried to throw it three times. Raiola was under pressure on all three. He gained five yards on first down, zero on second down, and was sacked for an eight-yard loss on third. Nebraska punted the ball back to Minnesota after possessing it for just 132 seconds. To nobody's surprise, Minnesota went down the field and scored another touchdown.

Let's be blunt: none of Nebraska's three units is individually strong enough to get away with doing whatever it wants with no consideration for the other two. For this team to have a chance at winning, offense, defense, and special teams need to complement each other. If one unit is struggling, the other two need to work harder to carry the load - not play hero ball and put the entire team in a worse spot.

What can Nebraska do about its porous pass blocking?

As you likely know, Nebraska gave up nine sacks Friday. One out of every six offensive plays ended in a sack of Dylan Raiola. That makes 25 sacks in five games against power conference opponents.

There are multiple reasons for why the sack numbers are so high, but we won't rehash them here. The sacks are a failure of the entire offensive unit, not just the line or the quarterback. But with five more games guaranteed, something must be done to stop the bleeding. Losing 63 yards on sacks in a game is not sustainable. A few suggestions, based on things that Nebraska did not do Friday night:

• Run the dadgum ball. NU has shown competence in their running game.
• Call better pass plays. Complex, deep developing routes aren't going to work when the QB has somebody in his lap when he finishes his drop.
• Get the ball out quick. Find a playmaker and get the ball in their hands ASAP.
• Draws, screens, and other blitz beaters. Use a defense's pressure against them.
• Don't panic. I know… very easy for me to say from behind a keyboard, but there are times when Raiola can step into the pocket, roll away from pressure, or throw the ball into the third row without going into the fetal position.

You'll notice I'm not suggesting that Raiola try to force passes or do more of the improvisational stuff (diving flip passes or left-handed throws) to avoid sacks. More often than not, those things result in turnovers or penalties. I remain of the opinion that Raiola has been coached to avoid turnovers, even if it means taking a sack or two. For the most part, I agree with this conservative strategy.

But Nebraska cannot take four or more sacks in a game and expect to win.

Are we done with the Matt Rhule-to-Penn State rumors?

I know… we should be talking about the game, but this topic has dominated everything since PSU fired James Franklin a week ago.

Without rehashing the various talking points and parsing every word that Rhule has said, the entire situation boils down to two fundamental questions:

1. Is Penn State going to offer the job to Matt Rhule? It doesn't matter if Rhule is their first or 41st choice. Coaching searches are 100% speculation until an offer is made. I'm squarely in the camp that says why fire Franklin for a guy who has a worse record overall and in big games. Having been a Nebraska fan since the Osborne days, I completely understand how a fan base can have a infatuation with hiring somebody who "knows our culture" and can "restore the glory days". But I don't see Rhule being considered a home run hire by the PSU fan base… and that was before his team laid a gigantic egg in primetime.
2. If offered, would Matt Rhule take the job? This one is trickier - but it is a moot point until an offer comes. There are pros and cons on both sides: His family's growing roots here in the state, lessons he may have learned from following a homecoming hire that failed miserably (Frost), and the notion that the job here is not done yet. But, as Dorothy said, "there's no place like home"… even if the last guy got run out of town six games after coaching in the CFP Semifinals.

I'm already tired of the daily discourse, but I understand that the Rhule to PSU rumors are not going away until a) Penn State hires somebody who is not Matt Rhule, or b) Troy Dannen announces a raise / extension / system to provide the financial support Rhule discussed last Monday. A loss to Minnesota means that the latter is unlikely to happen until after Black Friday, if at all.

Huskerigami Update

A “Huskerigami” is a final score combination (win or lose) that has never happened in the 130+ year history of Nebraska football.

Final score: 24-6

Is that a Huskerigami? No. It has happened twice before. The first time was a home win over Illinois in 1905. The most recent was a home win over Kansas State in 1913. That game is notable for Kansas State's objection to Nebraska lineman Clinton Ross, a black man described as "Nebraska's greatest lineman."

5 Things I loved

1. Archie Wilson. It is never a good sign when the punter occupies the top spot on this list. But this is well-earned. Five punts for a 44.6-yard average, with a long of 53, and one that was downed at the two.
2. Emmett Johnson. In an alternate dimension, Nebraska keeps feeding EJ - who was averaging over five yards per touch - keeping their defense off the field, slowing down the pass rush, and making play action passes more efficient. As it was, Johnson picked up 100 yards of total offense in his homecoming.
3. Javin Wright. Let's step back and look at the big picture of what Javin Wright is doing. He has overcome multiple career-threatening injuries to become one of the best and most consistent players on the defense. His line on Friday (12 tackles, one TFL, and a pass breakup) is a typical day at the office.
4. Dasan McCullough. The stats (three total tackles) don't show it, but he might have been Nebraska's best defender Friday night. He had relentless pursuit from sideline to sideline.
5. Luke Lindenmeyer. Four catches for a team-high 52 yards. He is a very reliable safety valve that should be used more.

Honorable mention: Quinn Clark, Kyle Cunanan, Marques Watson-Trent, Keona Davis, Dylan Raiola's circus throws, Jeremiah Charles, DeShon Singleton, Ceyair Wright, both teams supporting those with breast cancer, and Minnesota honoring the memory of Greg Sharpe.

5 Areas for improvement

1. Pass blocking. No team can win when its QB is sacked nine times. Yes, losing two starters early (Rocco Spindler and Elijah Pritchett) hurt, but there were some fundamental breakdowns in communication, passion, and effort. I'm guessing you have seen the clip from the final play where Minnesota rushed two and managed to get a sack against four offensive linemen. Woof.
2. Tackling. Think about how many drives would be impacted if the first Husker there made the stop. Nebraska's ability to tackle one on one in the open field is becoming a serious concern.
3. Red zone offense. The Huskers' ongoing red zone struggles came back to bite them. The Huskers took that ball inside the 20 twice. Both times, their next three plays netted a one-yard loss and a field goal attempt. That overly simplified version masks the level of struggle NU faced.
4. Officiating. Look: if you want to tell me the Pritchett ejection for targeting is a letter-of-the-law correct call, fine. I won't argue that it was a stupid, needlessly aggressive play that could have gotten somebody hurt. But let's also spend some time paying attention to other clear penalties happening in plain sight.
5. Tim Brando. I've been a fan of Brando's folksy, doesn't take himself too seriously style for years. I've enjoyed many late-night sickos games with him behind the mic. But he has become a tough hang in the last year. I don't expect him to know who Nebraska’s coach was in 2006 (it was not Bo Pelini), but when he comes back on to apologize / correct the record, I do expect him to name the proper Callahan. Thank goodness for the ability to sync up the Husker radio crew with the TV broadcast.

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