How Every Nebraska Offensive Player Graded Out Against Indiana on PFF

Dana Holgorsen had his unit playing about as efficiently as it could, and it still wasn't enough.

Nebraska controlled the ball for 39:33 in Saturday's contest and totaled 391 yards of offense, yet fell just short of a potential program-changing win against Indiana. In many ways, it was an offensive masterclass, aside from failing to capitalize on a few key scoring opportunities in the red zone.

Only 19 players on offense saw the field against the Hoosiers. Here are their final snap counts and grades, courtesy of Pro Football Focus. (Go here for the defensive grades.)

Player	Class	Snaps	Pass	Run	Overall
Colandrea	4th	87	58	7	56.5

Quarterback

There's little doubt Holgorsen had his unit ready to play from the very start, as quarterback Anthony Colandrea led the Huskers on a 13-play, 66-yard drive that resulted in a field goal to open the game.

For much of the first half, Nebraska looked capable of moving the ball consistently against a Hoosiers defense that entered the contest ranked fourth nationally in fewest yards allowed.

Colandrea was a significant reason why, totaling 310 all-purpose yards and scoring a rushing touchdown by the end of the game. His mobility was once again a difference-maker for the Big Red. The senior signal-caller converted five first downs with his legs and scored a 39-yard rushing touchdown, Nebraska's longest play from scrimmage all afternoon.

Nebraska had every opportunity to win, and Colandrea's performance was a driving force behind it all. Although he left a few plays on the field that will likely leave him scratching his head when reviewing the film, he played well enough that NU could have walked off the field 6-0. Yet here they are at 5-1 (2-1 Big Ten).

Player	Class	Snaps	Run	Pass	Overall
Rule	1st	42	15	20	61.5
Mozee	2nd	24	1	19	51.0
Nelson	3rd	19	4	11	67.8

Running Back

The Huskers' running back rotation was their most compact of the year, as only three ball carriers saw the field. Saturday marked freshman running back Jamal Rule's first snaps since the first quarter against Michigan State on Sept. 26, and the North Carolina native totaled 53 yards on 15 carries.

Nebraska's top three running backs combined for 71 rushing yards on 20 carries, which simply isn't enough. Even so, they managed to make several impact plays. Rule's longest carry went for 13 yards, while Mekhi Nelson added a 10-yard run and the Huskers' longest passing play, a 28-yard gain.

Isaiah Mozee again saw an extended role, playing 24 offensive snaps. The sophomore had just one rushing attempt, which went for no gain, but he is clearly a player Holgorsen wants to involve more.

Of the 71 rushing yards NU's running backs accounted for, 66 came after contact. None of these players are Emmett Johnson just yet. Simply put, the Cornhuskers need to create bigger holes in the run game to become more productive on the ground.

Player	Class	Snaps	Targets	Catches	Drops	Run Block	Overall
Gilmer	3rd	84	9	3	2	68.5	51.9
Barney	3rd	82	13	9	-	58.5	71.3
Hunter	3rd	51	6	5	-	58.9	67.1
Clark	3rd	17	1	1	-	60.2	53.4
Bell	4th	11	1	1	-	60.6	57.0

Wide Receiver

The Big Red totaled 263 passing yards against Indiana. However, against the most talented secondary they've faced this season, Nebraska's wide receivers struggled to beat the Hoosiers over the top.

It wasn't for a lack of effort, though. Colandrea attempted six passes of 20-plus yards downfield but failed to connect on any of them. Even so, NU made several plays in the passing game that were encouraging to see.

Nyziah Hunter had his most productive outing of 2026, totaling 53 all-purpose yards and a rushing touchdown on seven touches, while Jacory Barney recorded his second 100-yard receiving performance of the year. On the other end of the spectrum, Kwazi Gilmer had his least productive game of the year.

There's still plenty of room to improve, but Nebraska got enough production from its pass-catching corps to have a chance to win. Should they continue to see that type of production for the remainder of the year, the Huskers will be just fine.

Player	Class	Snaps	Targets	Catches	Drops	Run Block	Overall
Lindenmeyer	5th	85	8	7	-	54.5	57.5
Bonner	5th	11	-	-	-	58.0	55.2
Hammerbeck	2nd	6	-	-	-	60.8	58.7
Ingwerson	3rd	3	-	-	-	-	-

Tight End/Fullback

Luke Lindenmeyer tied his career high with seven receptions against Indiana. Perhaps more impressive was that he did so on just eight targets. His efficiency was off the charts, as was his production after the catch. Despite averaging just 6.4 yards per reception, he gained an average of 4.3 yards after the catch.

I expected the fifth-year Nebraska native to have an opportunity to make an impact in this game, knowing Indiana surrendered 194 receiving yards to tight ends against Northwestern in its Big Ten opener. Lindenmeyer delivered his most productive outing of 2026, and it wouldn't be surprising to see his role in the passing game continue to grow.

Player	Class	Snaps	Sacks	QB Hits	Hurries	Penalties	Run Block	Pass Block	Overall
Babalade	4th	87	1	-	2	1	58.7	68.4	63.9
Pritchett	5th	87	-	1	1	-	51.3	71.9	59.7
Evans	5th	87	-	-	-	1	50.3	76.3	57.5
Black	4th	87	-	-	2	-	43.6	44.3	47.7
Gottula	4th	47	-	-	-	-	49.7	70.5	55.4
Mubenga	4th	40	-	-	-	-	66.2	80.7	68.6

Offensive Line

For the second straight week, the Huskers recorded their worst run-blocking grade of the season. Nebraska graded out at 61.7 against Maryland and 46.6 against Indiana. Neither mark is encouraging, yet it's remarkable that NU still managed to outgain the Hoosiers 128-65 on the ground.

As mentioned earlier, nearly 93% of Nebraska's rushing production from its running backs came after contact. Even so, the Huskers played with the lead for the vast majority of the game.

Only six offensive linemen saw action against the Hoosiers, four of whom played every snap. Gunnar Gottula started at left guard, while LSU transfer Paul Mubenga filled a rotational role. On 55 total dropbacks by Colandrea, Indiana blitzed 20 times. Although he was sacked five times, PFF charged Nebraska's protection unit with just one sack allowed. The Huskers were also charged with four hurries and one quarterback hit.

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