Nebraska football is all-in Wednesday when the underdog 7-5 Huskers play 10-2 and 15th-ranked Utah in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium.
The Huskers want to take another step in development under Matt Rhule.
Of course they do. No surprise there. And to quote a Beatles’ song: “I’ve got to admit it’s getting better (better), A little better all the time (it can’t get no worse).”
They’re making progress, “if anyone understands what we walked into,” Rhule said during media availability before the team left for Las Vegas the day after Christmas.
The program was “dead for 10 years,” he said. “We’re building.” It’s not a “reset.”
Actually, it was effectively “dead” for eight years before Rhule arrived in 2023, with seven losing seasons and just two bowl games, the first despite a losing record.
But we’re looking at the big picture. Nebraska is playing in a second-consecutive bowl, and its regular-season record has improved by one win in each of Rhule’s three seasons.
Nebraska hadn’t had back-to-back winning seasons since Bo Pelini was coach (2008-14). His teams always won at least nine games and went to bowls. The last time a Pelini team won back-to-back bowls was 2008-09. That’s on the line for the Huskers Wednesday.
Want a little more context? Nebraska posted its first shutout in 16 seasons (Akron, 68-0) and scored 50 or more twice in 18 seasons (Akron and Houston Christian, 59-7). You have to consider the opponents, and the fact Dylan Raiola was the quarterback and Emmett Johnson the running back. Nevertheless…
Raiola and Johnson are gone, of course, and the Huskers will also be without notables offensive guard Rocco Spindler, Jack linebacker Dasan McCullough and rover DeShon Singleton, all involving injuries. Utah won’t have starting offensive tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu and defensive ends Logan Fano and John Henry-Daley, the first three opt-outs for the NFL Draft, Henry-Daley because of injury.
Oh yes, and Kyle Whittingham has stepped down after 21 seasons as head coach at Utah and has signed on to become Michigan’s head coach. Welcome to the Big Ten.
So Whittingham will be at the Michigan-Texas Cheez-It Gator Bowl game instead of the Las Vegas Bowl Wednesday afternoon. How’s that for some Utes’ emotional drama? Morgan Scalley, who served as defensive coordinator and coached safeties, is Whittingham’s successor.
In any case, the absence of the tackles will almost certainly affect Utah’s running game, which ranked second nationally, averaging 269.8 yards per game on the ground. Nebraska has been susceptible to the run, allowing, on average, 171.3 yards per game and giving up 26 rushing touchdowns.
With the firing of defensive coordinator John Butler and defensive line coach Terry Bradden, Phil Simpson has taken on defensive line responsibilities — along with Rhule. To this point, Rhule said, he realized he “didn’t insert myself enough.” This is one way he’s inserting himself.
Temporary hire Dave Tollefson, a former NFL defensive lineman, is also working with the line.
True freshman TJ Lateef, now healthy, will be making his fourth start at quarterback. By this point, “we have a great feel for what TJ can do,” said Rhule. He’s completed 59-of-95 passes for 722 yards and four touchdowns, without an interception, and run for 98 yards and three touchdowns, on 17 carries.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier has passed for 2,180 yards and 22 touchdowns, with five interceptions, and rushed for 687 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s the first Ute quarterback to throw for more than 2,000 yards and run for 600 yards since Alex Smith in 2004.
Replacing All-American Johnson at running back won’t be easy. But four players are competing at the position: Isaiah Mozee, Mekhi Nelson, Kwinten Ives and Kenneth Williams.
In addition to the rushing average, Utah ranks sixth nationally in scoring offense and scoring defense. Nebraska faces a significant challenge in taking another step, in the short term.
The Huskers opened as a two-touchdown underdog in the game, kickoff slated for 2:30 p.m. CT with television coverage by ESPN. Even so, they’re all-in to win. To use a quote from a General Electric commercial long ago: “Progress is our most important product.”
