Matt Rhule was extremely complimentary of Nebraska football’s next opponent, North Dakota, during his weekly news conference Monday. No surprise there.
The same could be said of the Huskers’ first two opponents, Ohio and Bowling Green, and was beforehand. Still, “I think the football team we’re playing against is as well-coached and disciplined and well-playing, executing a team as I’ve seen in a while,” he said of the Fighting Hawks.
Granted, North Dakota is an FCS program. But the Fighting Hawks could be the biggest nonconference challenge, even though the early lines were comparable to those for the previous two games. But North Dakota is 3-0, outscoring opponents 151-70, and ranked 6th in the FCS.
Senior quarterback Jerry Kaminski operates behind a veteran offensive line, which includes fifth-year Trace Thaden, among eight Nebraskans on the roster. He’s a “fantastic player,” said Rhule.
Thaden is from Millard West.
Another of the Nebraskans, from Millard South, is senior edge Lance Rucker, a captain. However, he’s sidelined by a foot injury suffered in fall camp and is not expected back until mid-October.
Rucker’s jersey number is 0. Like the Huskers, single-digit numbers are awarded, in this case following spring practice. Kaminski’s jersey number is 1. Kaminski “makes the whole thing go,” Rhule said. He has completed 61-of-79 passes (77.2%) for 801 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Wide receiver Korey Tai has caught 12 passes for 274 yards and four touchdowns. Deng Deng has caught 11 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown, Caleb Goodloe eight for 132 and a score. Deng and Goodloe are also wide receivers. Deng is 6-foot-4, 224 pounds.
Sophomore Charles Langama and junior Matt Lawson have both carried the ball 29 times, Langama for 254 yards and two touchdowns, Lawson for 155 yards and three touchdowns.
“They have great mixes of power-run football. They can run the football … they can get into the spread and sling it,” Rhule said. “They are an elite running team.”
And as Kaminski’s numbers indicate, the Fighting Hawks can throw the ball, too. “When you watch Kaminiski, he’s got great weapons. They can drop back, they can throw the football,” said Rhule. In “12 personnel, 11 personnel, they can play-action off it, and play-action is a tremendous equalizer.
“They can throw the RPOs … when I watch Kaminski, he is a tremendous facilitator of getting the ball to the open guy. He goes to many different people.”
North Dakota has a top-10 offense in the FCS and a top-15 defense, according to Rhule.
In Rucker’s absence, senior linebacker Ethan Boll leads the defense with15 tackles, including 11 solo, two for loss and one of the team’s six sacks.
Kaminski got the most attention during Rhule’s media availability, though. “When you see a man like Kaminski, you can see he understands exactly what these play calls are looking for, and he gets the ball to the right guy, and then their players make plays,” said Rhule.
Let’s get back to some sense of reality, though. North Dakota’s victories have come against Long Island University (42-21), St. Thomas (62-26) and Portland State (47-23). The Fighting Hawks scored all 42 points in the first half against LIU and 41 in the first half against St. Thomas. They would probably be in the FCS top 10 defensively “if they played four-deep in each of the first two games,” Rhule said.
But again, this is an FCS opponent, and Nebraska is 16-0 all-time against FCS opponents, including 2-0 against North Dakota, winning 38-17 in 2022 (though the score was tied at 17 late in the third quarter) and 33-0 in 1961.
Nevertheless, “I love watching guys that play with great techniques and precision,” said Rhule. “I love their play style, and when I say play style, I mean how physical and violent they play.”
Those are expectations for his own team.
