Last week I wrote that Nebraska would be a much stiffer test than Iowa, and that an offensive collapse in Lincoln could put bowl eligibility out of reach again. For 56 minutes, that’s exactly what it looked like. Then Washington scored 14 points in the dying moments and won 17-10, improving to 5-3 overall. Nebraska led 7-3 in the fourth quarter, and with a first and goal from the 5, still managed to lose the game. To the grades (ratings).
Passing Offense: 6/10
Quarterback: 6/10
Offensive line: 4/10
Receivers: 8/10
Elijah
Brown earned the start, but this was the first time his real lack of improvisation and play making showed itself. He went 19/30 for 136 yards (4.5 yards per attempt) with Nebraska playing tight man coverage and bringing blitzers consistently. He was never able to find the rhythm he had against Iowa and Purdue. To his credit, he handled the pressure reasonably well and didn’t turn it over. But the offense had three points through three quarters, and a lot of that was on a quarterback who couldn’t create.
Demond Williams replaced him in the fourth quarter. His impressive scramble on third and 15 extended the drive that won the game, and his aboslutely ridiculous throw on fourth and 18, milliseconds from getting sacked, was exactly the type of playmaking spark this offense lacked all game. Two plays later he found Chris Lawson for a touchdown. He finished 7/13 for 99 yards and a touchdown, and ran four times for 28 yards, including the longest rush of the day. Fisch should get some credit for the way he handled it in game. Brown got a full chance to run the offense, and Williams came in when the game needed a spark in the dire moments.
The offensive line was bad. Nebraska finished with four sacks and nine tackles for loss, and Washington’s negative plays buried drives. Six false starts is unacceptable, and particularly surprising that half were from John Mills, the best player on the line. One penalty turned a manageable third down unmanageable and killed the drive. Lincoln is a tough place to play, but this has been a problem all year.
Chris Lawson was the offense and team MVP. Twelve catches for 155 yards is nearly 60 percent of Washington’s 235 passing yards. His fourth and 18 catch, in which he somehow contorted his body to haul in the ball and stay in bounds against tight coverage, is arguably the play of the season. Two plays later he spun out of a tackle and dove for the winning touchdown. The problem is that not only it takes these Herculean efforts to advance the football, but also nobody else showed up. The rest of the receivers combined for 14 catches for 80 yards. Dezmen Roebuck was targeted a ton but could never shake loose for a big play.
Rushing Offense: 1/10
Running backs: 2/10
Offensive Line: 1/10
There’s really nothing to say. This offense just can’t run the ball against any but the worst defenses in the country. Injuries are not an excuse anymore.
Passing Defense: 8/10
Pass rush: 7/10
Secondary: 9.5/10
This was the best performance of the year from the secondary. Anthony Colandrea went 24/44 for 255 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. The Huskies picked him off on each of Nebraska’s first two possessions, and Emmanuel Karnley, who also broke up two passes, had maybe his best game. Alex McLaughlin was the star of the defense, with nine tackles and the pick six that ended the game. He was a physical presence all game.
The pass rush gets a lower grade. Two sacks on 45 drop backs isn’t going to scare anyone, but they did come at the right times. Derek Colman-Brusa’s sack on first and goal from the 5 pushed Nebraska back and ended in a missed field goal. ZRS was everywhere and had ten tackles and a sack. The Huskies still aren’t getting home consistently, but they did enough. However, I don’t think aggressively rushing Colandrea was in the game plan. The game plan likely favored being disciplined in their rush lanes and not letting him get out of the pocket.
Rushing Defense: 6.5/10
Nebraska ran 29 times for 132 yards for 4.6 yards per carry. That’s not dominant, and Nebraska moved the ball more than the score suggests, finishing with 387 yards of total offense. But the defense bent without breaking, kept Colandrea in check as a runner, and held Nebraska to just one touchdown. Coach Matt Rhule definitely wants his teams to be known more for their overall physicality and running the ball, and the Huskies met the challenge. The Huskies finished with only four tackles for loss, but didn’t let Nebraska rushers get loose often.
Special Teams: 9/10
Hunter Green yet again dazzled with his punting. Eight punts, a nearly 50 yard average, a long of 63, and five inside the 20. Not bad. Nebraska rarely had a short field, and this game is possibly lost without him. Tyler Robles also hit a 50 yard field goal. Chris Lawson cemented his unofficial player of the game status as he hustled to recover Nebraska’s onside kick attempt to seal the win. It was a play that demonstrated both his awareness and skill. The only slight blemish was Nebraska averaging over 11 yards a piece on four punt returns.
Coaching: 8/10
Jedd Fisch got a lot of things right Saturday night, and seemed to lean in to the ugly nature of the game. He punted in a couple of spots, on fourth and 1 from their own 39 and fourth and 5 from Nebraska’s 42, where a few years ago, I believe he would have gone for it. He seemed to try to play to the team’s strengths instead of fruitlessly believing in a broken offense. Ideally Washington builds a program that just can just straight up win most Big Ten match ups without having to resort to Saturday’s ugliness, but that’s for another article.
The false starts/procedural penalties and the nonexistent run game are still glaring issues, and the offense scored only three points in three quarters. If not for an extremely low percentage fourth and 18 conversion, Washington loses this game. So while I don’t believe the offense specifically made a ton of progress Saturday night, the coaching staff’s willingness to rely on special teams and defense to win the game was a step in the right direction.
Still, the Huskies are 5-3 and one win from bowl eligibility. They come home to face Penn State, which finally got its first conference win, then travel to Michigan State, still winless in the Big Ten. Fisch indicated Williams will likely start against the Nittany Lions. However, if the offense stalls again, don’t be surprised if Brown gets another look.
