How Every Nebraska Offensive Player Graded Out Against Rutgers on PFF

Offensive renaissance, or Rutgers?

That's what fans ultimately need to decide. Either way, there's little doubt Nebraska's offense looked as polished Saturday as it has since the Maryland win. For what it's worth, that was 43 days ago, but the Huskers won't complain. They can celebrate reaching bowl eligibility before turning their attention to Ohio State.

In total, 33 players saw action on offense in Nebraska's 31-point win. Here are their final snap counts and grades, courtesy of Pro Football Focus. (Defensive grades can be found here.)

Player	Class	Snaps	Pass	Run	Overall
Colandrea	4th	61	25	6	85.7
Lateef	2nd	7	3	1	52.0

Quarterback

Senior quarterback Anthony Colandrea had himself a get-right game, accounting for 254 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns.

More importantly, he led the offense on several long scoring drives. NU had touchdown drives of 94, 90, 51 and 57 yards, while Colandrea also led a 43-yard drive that resulted in a field goal.

It was an efficient day for QB1, who completed 15 of 22 passing attempts for 188 yards. However, the game plan seemed designed to keep things that way. Even so, I'll give credit where credit is due, as Colandrea found the open man more often than not. He finished the game having completed 12 of 15 passes thrown 10 or fewer yards downfield.

Colandrea ran the ball nine times. Three of those attempts converted first downs, and 34 of his 66 rushing yards came after contact.

Player	Class	Snaps	Run	Pass	Overall
Rule	1st	37	23	9	73.4
Mozee	2nd	20	3	13	67.9
Nelson	3rd	7	3	2	84.8
Ives	4th	3	2	1	63.8
Booth	2nd	1	0	0	60.0

Running Back

Many left Saturday's game feeling great about what freshman running back Jamal Rule can eventually become. They likely felt the same about what the Huskers' offense can become as well.

Nebraska's running backs were asked to carry the ball just 22 times against Illinois the week before. However, that changed in a big way on the East Coast. Rule carried the ball 22 times on his own, totaling 103 yards, an average of 4.7 yards per attempt.

Additionally, Mekhi Nelson had three rushing attempts. For the second straight week, he made the most of his opportunity and has now scored two rushing touchdowns on his last four carries. I'd like to see him get more involved, as he's clearly a player with a knack for finding the end zone.

The running back group also did an exceptionally good job of finding yards in the passing game. Isaiah Mozee led all Huskers with four receptions and finished with 48 receiving yards. Nelson and Rule combined for two more receptions and an additional 12 yards.

Player	Class	Snaps	Targets	Catches	Drops	Run Block	Overall
Barney	3rd	48	5	3	-	74.6	65.6
Gilmer	3rd	48	1	-	-	46.2	50.7
Hunter	4th	33	2	1	-	68.6	56.0
Clark	3rd	28	1	-	-	52.5	53.0
Mills	2nd	5	-	-	-	60.0	57.2
Bell	4th	4	1	1	-	60.0	60.2
Mangini	5th	3	-	-	-	60.0	57.8

Wide Receiver

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For a team that entered the season with an air-raid-based offensive play-caller, it's a bit astounding how unproductive NU's wide receiver corps has become. Part of that can be attributed to the game plan, yet we've repeatedly seen big plays in the passing game fail to be made.

Most notably, there was a would-be touchdown pass to Jacory Barney, whom PFF did not charge with a drop. Still, Barney caught three passes for 28 yards, leading the Huskers' wide receiver room in Saturday's win.

UCLA transfer Kwazi Gilmer, who was once on pace to break Nebraska's single-season receptions and receiving touchdowns records, failed to catch a pass against the Scarlet Knights. Though he was targeted just once in Week 11, the same player who recorded back-to-back 100-yard outings and three combined touchdowns against Michigan State and Maryland has now totaled just 111 yards and zero touchdowns over his last three games.

Player	Class	Snaps	Targets	Catches	Drops	Run Block	Overall
Lindenmeyer	5th	42	4	3	-	66.2	83.2
Nelson	3rd	21	2	2	-	66.7	83.2
Hammerbeck	2nd	16	-	-	-	61.5	60.2
Bonner	5th	15	-	-	-	47.2	48.7
Sorensen	1st	4	-	-	-	68.6	63.8
Ingwerson	3rd	2	-	-	-	55.1	45.4
King	3rd	1	-	-	-	-	60.0
Whittington	3rd	1	-	-	-	59.7	60.0

Tight End/Fullback

It was fifth-year tight end Luke Lindenmeyer who picked up some of the production from the wide receiver room. The Nebraska native caught three passes for 52 yards and scored the second touchdown of his 2026 campaign.

Junior tight end Carter Nelson has now caught two touchdowns passes in the last three games, both coming on mid- to-high red zone plays where he used his 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame to make the catch.

Nelson's 13-yard touchdown reception was one to remember. He also recorded NU's longest play from scrimmage in the game, a 40-yard gain. The Nebraska native finished with two receptions for 53 yards and a score.

Player	Class	Snaps	Pressures	Penalties	Run Block	Pass Block	Overall
Pyle	2nd	64	-	1	61.9	78.9	61.1
Evans	5th	64	1 Hurry	1	60.9	68.1	59.2
Black	4th	56	-	-	63.3	84.3	66.3
Pritchett	5th	50	2 Hurries	-	59.3	55.1	59.3
Gottula	4th	45	1 Hurry	-	51.7	79.5	57.4
Babalade	4th	35	-	-	82.4	79.2	85.5
Ainsworth	1st	7	-	-	70.3	77.6	71.5
Taumua	3rd	7	-	-	56.9	76.1	59.7
Knaak	5th	5	-	-	59.1	73.7	59.9
Mubenga	4th	4	-	-	66.0	-	66.3
Sledge	4th	4	-	-	60.0	73.0	60.2

Offensive Line

The Huskers' offensive line did a good job of keeping Colandrea upright throughout the game. The Scarlet Knights blitzed on 12 of Nebraska's 24 pass drops, and Colandrea was pressured just four times.

The O-line also helped the Big Red assert their will in the running game. Nebraska totaled 237 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 43 attempts, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

South Carolina transfer Tree Babalade led the way with an 85.5 overall grade. He was followed by true freshman offensive lineman Hayden Ainsworth, who played seven snaps.

As a team, Nebraska earned an 81.8 pass-blocking grade and a 65.3 run-blocking grade. LSU transfer Paul Mubenga played just four snaps before suffering an injury early in the Huskers' first offensive drive. He was replaced by sophomore Gibson Pyle, who has now played 146 snaps over the last two weeks.

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