BChristophersonSTAFF
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The Husker defense has definitely had its moments this season, though there were troubles getting off the field in key moments against Purdue and enough leaky run yards to keep the Boilermakers on schedule much of the day.
The bottom line is the Blackshirts will need to be great, which they have put on display at times this year like the second half against Michigan State, for Nebraska to surprise anyone down the stretch, and certainly Saturday against Ohio State.
What are the bullet-point items defensive coordinator Erik Chinander would like to see improve on the run to the finish line?
"I think we need to cause some more turnovers. We've gotten some picks, which is good. We need to cause some more forced fumbles. We need to sack the quarterback a little bit more."
And third down.
"When you look back statistically on college football ... that 33 percent kind of gets you into that top group. And, like, last game we were 35.7 or something like that. So get off the field one more time, or two more times on third down, and that makes a huge difference in the football game. So I think those are the areas you want to see continue to improve."
Nebraska's third-down defense is allowing conversions 37 percent of the time, which ranks 47th nationally and 8th in the Big Ten. That stat is one bugaboo for Ohio State's defense, which actually ranks 100th on the money down.
But that's not the number that Chinander would be thinking about: Ohio State's offense is converting third downs 54 percent of the time. That's No. 3 nationally and first in the league.
– Myles Farmer "stepped in there and did a really good job" for the most part, Chinander said. "He didn't have a splash play necessarily in the last game, but a lot of times when a brand-new starter gets injected into the game, if you don't notice him a lot that's probably a good thing."
– Chinander thinks David Bell is one of the best receivers in the country, so he was proud of Cam Taylor-Britt and others limiting him to 74 yards. "They're an offense that has lived off explosive plays for the last five yards, and I think there was one ... and that was one, a 21-yard throw."
As for Taylor-Britt's future next year, the conversation with Chinander will wait until after the season. Right now, "those conversations don't help the young man, they don't help me. I don't want that young man thinking about those types of things while he's preparing for Ohio State or whoever he needs to prepare for."
Chinander said it will be an honest conversation when it does come up. "I always want to do right by the young man."
– The Huskers did replace Quinton Newsome with Braxton Clark late in that game. Nebraska was getting hit with some of those short throws that kept adding up. Newsome jumped up to get a Blackshirt a few weeks ago, but Clark has remained nearby in that competition.
Is that a position up for grabs again?
"Braxton deserves to play some. He's done really well in practice. Braxton's really good in coverage, and he deserves to get in there a little bit. We can rotate some of those guys through, and obviously you're getting towards the end of the season where guys are playing a lot of reps ... so Braxton deserves to play some football."
– C.J. Stroud had the question marks floating around him early, but the Ohio State QB has been producing the right answers of late. He's completing at a 67.1 percent clip with his bevy of talented receivers and averaging 10.4 yards per completion. The TD/INT ratio is 23/3.
"Early in the year he looked like he wasn't quite what he is now," Chinander said. "He looks like he has command of the offense now." The coach complimented Stroud for having a big arm, working through his reads quickly, and knowing where to go with the ball even when he does get pressure.
– Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson is also learning as this season goes. Chinander can tell by the film that the back is doing more now than just putting his foot into the ground and going. Although he can do that too. He's finding the holes and excelling in the system, averaging more than 104 yards rushing per game.
– Chinander's defenders were expressing enthusiasm at Monday's press conference about the practice that day and the week ahead despite the 3-6 record.
"I told you guys at the beginning of the year and I still believe it: We're playing really good defense. We have a really good culture in that room. We have really good people in that room. Those kids ... they love the game, they love being around each other. They know what we're trying to do. They want to come to work. They want to play for each other. They want to play for the fans. They want to play to play for Nebraska.
"I just love the culture that we have in that room, and these kids, they're not going to do anything differently. They're not going to say, 'Woe is me. Well, we lost a couple games.' They don't care. 'Right back back to work. Let's play again.' Just because they love to be out there, they love to play this game and they want to continue to develop."
Chinander notes that some weeks they've played exceptional football, with some that weren't quite up to standard. "But the old guys want to leave it all out there for Nebraska. They young guys want to continue to develop and be really good in the years to come. I just like the group we have on defense, and I'm thankful for them and I commend them for their attitude and their workmanlike approach they have week to week."
