Nebraska Cornhuskers Football: Previewing the Illinois offense
Let’s face it, the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team has struggled on defense in every game this season. It’s the main reason why they are (2-2) after four games. The Huskers are giving up 26 points per game, and most of it can be attributed to their pass defense. Overall, the Huskers have the 98th ranked defense in the country, but Writing Illini notes a couple of standout players this season. While they only give up 73.5 yards per game on the ground, opposing quarterbacks have had their way with the current crop of “Blackshirts.” Through four games, the Huskers are giving up 379.5 yards passing.
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Therefore, it doesn’t bode well when Wes Lunt and the Illinois offense take the field on Saturday. The Fighting Illini have been a balanced team, while getting off to a (3-1) start, but they may change their offensive game plan against the Huskers. As a team, the Fighting Illini pass for 243 yards per game. It’s not overly impressive, but they have the ability to throw the ball extremely well. If they are unable to move the ball with running back Josh Ferguson, Illinois can always turn into a one-dimensional passing team.
However, the Fighting Illini don’t want to become predictable at all. In their four games, the offense averages 42 pass attempts, and 40 rushing attempts per outing. They also produce around four offensive touchdowns per game, with an even split between passing touchdowns and rushing touchdowns.
Wes Lunt
Lunt has been a consistent 60 percent passer during his three years in college. However, he’s never played more than eight games in a season. His numbers aren’t nearly as explosive with Bill Cubit as head coach, but the Fighting Illini have found a system that works so far. The short passing game has been efficient except for their game against North Carolina. Therefore, Lunt’s numbers would be much better if the team showed up for their lone road contest. Still, the Huskers won’t have the luxury of the home crowd on Saturday.
While Nebraska gives up 60 percent passing against opponents, their main struggles have occurred vs the deep pass. Geronimo Allison is a player Illinois will look to exploit against the Huskers’ secondary. Allison has 24 catches for 362 yards, with one touchdown. His 15 yards per catch is the best of the regular rotation wide receivers. Although the rest of the pass catchers aren’t stretching the field on a consistent basis, we’ll know if the Fighting Illini has a concerted effort to get behind the defense early.
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Marchie Murdock is second on the team with 18 receptions for 166 yards. He’s tied for the team lead with two touchdown catches. Tight end Tyler White also has a pair of touchdown receptions, but he will miss the conference opener due to a concussion. White’s absence will hurt Illinois’ offense in the red zone.
The Fighting Illini have two running backs that share the load for their balanced attack. While Ferguson is the main attraction, freshman Ke’Shawn Vaughn has been a welcomed addition to the running game. Ferguson has never carried the ball more than 146 times in a single season, but he’s also had two seasons with 50 receptions. He’s a serious threat out of the backfield, and that could cause terrible problems for Nebraska’s linebackers.
Overall, the Illinois offense will not shy away from getting into a shootout with the Huskers. They average 34 points per game, so they shouldn’t have a problem in a high scoring affair. However, they would rather keep their balanced attack, without falling behind early.
In either case, the game should come down to the final moments. So far, the history of the series between Nebraska and Illinois has been one-sided. Therefore, the Huskers have a lot to live up to on Saturday.