Can Tommy Armstrong bounce back for Huskers?
Given all of the circumstances, Tommy Armstrong played his worst game in a Nebraska Cornhuskers uniform. Throughout the first month of the season, Armstrong was the best he’s ever been in the passing game. While a few bad throws and decisions plagued the Huskers’ offense, Armstrong was proving to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
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All of that changed during the loss to Illinois. Tommy Armstrong finished the game 10/31 passing for 105 yards, including one interception. The receivers didn’t help Armstrong one bit last Saturday. However, Armstrong could have made a couple of plays to help the Huskers win the Big Ten opener. Their miscues are one of the reasons why the Huskers are so low in the Big Ten rankings.
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Currently, Armstrong has 11 touchdowns and six interceptions on the season. Despite not reaching the end zone last week, he is still the Big Ten leader in total touchdowns. Still, no one is concerned about stats right now. His 1371 passing yards mean nothing. Why? Because the Huskers keep losing the close ones.
Right now, Nebraska is (2-3) on the season, and they’ve had a chance to win every game. If they were undefeated, feelings around the program would be a little different. If they weren’t as good as the teams they lost to, feelings would be different. Instead, Nebraska is closer to a team that chokes games away in the final seconds.
Tommy Armstrong
The only person to stem this tide is Tommy Armstrong. If you have to run for a first down to keep the chains moving, get it done. If you have to take a sack in the final minute, so be it. As a quarterback, you should know the time and score. Even if the coaches are making bad decisions, Armstrong doesn’t have to compound the mistake. If the trend continues, Nebraska will find themselves on the wrong side of the score again on Saturday.
So far, the Wisconsin Badgers have played great defense this season. However, their offense hasn’t been as explosive as they’ve been in the past. Therefore, Armstrong can’t have any turnovers. Throughout the season, Armstrong’s interceptions have stopped the Huskers momentum. In the last two games, he started the second half with a turnover. The Huskers can’t afford to do that against the Badgers.
The entire season is on the line for the Huskers. For them to play a full 60 minutes of football, Armstrong has to have a mistake-free game. After all, coming into the season, it was all about consistency from the quarterback position. Now it’s about mental and physical toughness in the Big Ten home opener.