The Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini on Friday night in Champaign, earning head coach Matt Rhule his first Big Ten victory. The contest was far from beautiful, but the Huskers will gladly take the 20-7 result as they improved to 3-3 on Rhule’s first campaign in Lincoln.
What did we learn about the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday night?
“Bloody Sunday” Paid Off
After a woeful performance and blowout loss against Michigan, Nebraska moved a scrimmage that is usually held on Tuesday to Sunday. The most physically demanding practice the Huskers have each week occurred the day after the game against Michigan and drew some raised eyebrows. Rhule commented on the decision after beating Illinois, “Working hard is never a punishment. Grinding this week is never a punishment. I’m just happy they got some success this week so I can sit there and say, ‘Hey, was Sunday worth it?’ Not I told you so, but I told you so”. For a new coaching staff attempting to instill a new culture in Lincoln, affirmation through positive results is vital.
Heinrich Haarberg’s Legs Making a Difference
The Nebraska Cornhuskers brought Jeff Sims from Georgia Tech as a transfer to lead the offense. After opening the season as the starting quarterback and continuing to turn the ball over, Sims was benched in favor of Heinrich Haarberg. Haarberg is not quite the athlete Sims is, but he is providing a threat with his mobility, and he led the Huskers with 82 yards rushing on 18 attempts. Haarberg now has five runs of at least 20 yards on the season, and the quarterback running game is probably the best part of the Nebraska offense. Haarberg was only 12 for 24 for 154 yards, plus he had an interception as the offense only mustered 312 yards.
Nebraska’s Defense Continues To Be A Strength
The famous “Blackshirts” defense has been a ghost of the past for the past several seasons, but this particular unit deserves a lot of credit. They took some bruises against Colorado and Michigan, but much of that could be attributed to an offense that could not help. On Friday night, Nebraska held Illinois to just 21 rushing yards and only 4.7 yards per play. That included a goal-line stand in the first quarter, and Illinois had only 58 yards on its first five drives of the second half as Nebraska established a lead they did not relinquish. The defense forced two turnovers, along with three turnovers on downs.
The Cornhuskers are now 3-3 entering a bye week, and they have a real chance to reach a bowl game in Rhule’s first season. Nebraska hosts Northwestern and Purdue after the off week and still has games against Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
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