SLOW IT DOWN
Nebraska’s defense has seen this before, the offensive approach of the last three opponents: control the ball by running it, shorten the time the Husker offense has the ball.
Rutgers might be challenging with that approach. The 4-0 Scarlet Knights rank first in the Big Ten and eighth nationally in time of possession, averaging just over two minutes more than Nebraska per game. But more to the point here, they rank third in the Big Ten and 12th nationally in rushing offense, averaging 237.8 yards per game on the ground.
They convert 51 percent on third down.
Those numbers are easy to overlook when you glance at Rutgers’ most recent game, a 21-18 victory against Washington, because the Scarlet Knights were out-yarded 521 to 299. They gave up 521 yards. But Washington “was one-for-five for touchdowns in the red zone,” Coach Matt Rhule said Monday.
And despite the yardage, Rutgers had a time-of-possession advantage.
The strength of the Scarlet Knights’ offense is running back. They have “two of the best backs we’ll see,” said Rhule, senior Kyle Monangai and sophomore Samuel Brown V.
Monangai, who’s not physically imposing at 5-foot-9, 209 pounds, is “probably the best one we’ve seen to date,” Nebraska offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said.
“His feet never stop, even after contact,” said Husker defensive lineman Jimari Butler. “He just keeps driving. That’s probably the thing that sticks out the most.
“He’s a smaller guy, but he’s a very powerful runner.”
Monangai ranks third nationally, averaging 147.3 rushing yards per game. He’s rushed for 589 yards and six touchdowns, and has 11 career games with 100 or more rushing yards.
“He’s like the Matrix,” Rhule said. “Nothing ever hits him. He’s running and he has such elite body balance, and contact balance. He sees it coming, so no one ever gets a true shot on him. It’s always a glancing blow. I think he’s really, really, really a great player.”
Brown, who’s 6-foot-1, 222 pounds, has carried 33 times for 172 yards and three touchdowns. He’s also caught a touchdown pass, his only reception.
Rhule expects Nebraska to be the more physical team, something Rutgers also could challenge. Offensively, “you watch their guys when there’s a pile,” he said. “Their guys are running into the pile, trying to knock it forward. That’s the kind of offense people play against us. ‘We’re going to get 3, 4, 5 yards to stay on the field and try to wear you down.’”
Enough of Rutgers.
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Freshman wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. led the Huskers in rushing and all-purpose yards against Purdue. He carried only four times for 66 yards, 25 of them on a fourth-quarter touchdown. He also caught two passes for 28 yards and returned a kickoff 8 yards.
Sophomore running back Emmett Johnson was second in all-purpose yards with 50 rushing on eight carries and 48 yards on three receptions.
Given Johnson’s performance, Rhule was asked if he’s rethinking how he uses the running backs. Donte Dowdell has started three games, Rahmir Johnson two. “I said last week that we’d like to get him (Emmett) more involved, maybe a little bit earlier we should have,” Rhule said.
However, starting a power runner like the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Dowdell, opens up things for Emmett, who’s 5-foot-11, 200, and Rahmir, 5-foot-10, 200, as well. Asking them to do what Dowdell does physically early on, “they’re not going to be explosive late in the game,” said Rhule. “Having big backs, you just have to understand that they’re setting the tone for the run game.
Mike Babcock
