Nebraska Cornhuskers: Breaking down Minnesota Golden Gophers defense
When the Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-4) take the field against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-2) on Saturday, they’ll be facing one of the strongest defenses in college football. This can’t be good news for a Huskers team struggling to score points since Big Ten play started.
Over the last couple of years, the Golden Gophers have had the Huskers’ number. Last season, Minnesota knocked off the Nebraska Cornhuskers 28-24 in Lincoln. In 2013, Minnesota defeated the Huskers 34-23. Those two victories signaled a changing of the guard in the Big Ten. Prior to those contests, the Huskers dominated the series in coach Jerry Kills first two seasons. The Huskers won 38-14 in 2012, and 41-14 in 2011. Defense has been the key for the Golden Gophers good fortune.
Read More: Is Tommy Armstrong the right QB for Nebraska?
Overall, the Golden Gophers give up 19.7 points per game this season. During the season opening loss to TCU, Minnesota held the Horned Frogs to 23 points. In six games, the Golden Gophers haven’t let up more than 27 points in a game. Although their worst performance came in a shutout loss to Northwestern, the Gophers’ offense had two key turnovers, creating easy points for Northwestern. Otherwise, plenty of teams have had difficult times sustaining long drives on a consistent basis.
Defensive tackle Steven Richardson is one of the leaders on a stout defensive line. The sophomore leads the team with seven tackles for loss. He also has 3.5 sacks this season. However, he is not alone in a dominant front seven. Overall, the Golden Gophers have nine sacks on the season. It’s one of the reasons why they have a great pass defense. Minnesota is ranked in the top 15 defending the pass, and their scheme can cause fits.
The Golden Gophers only give up 163 yards passing per game this season. Meanwhile, the Huskers recent struggles are a direct result of a poor passing game. Tommy Armstrong is only completing 35 percent of his passes in conference play. In addition, the Huskers have lacked big play ability in October. They are only averaging 117 passing yards per game in the Big Ten, so Minnesota doesn’t have to be overly concerned with the Huskers’ big play potential.
Despite Nebraska’s lack of success in the passing game, Minnesota will see at least 30 pass attempts from Tommy Armstrong. Coming into the game, the Golden Gophers have picked off four passes by four different players. The Gophers also have 27 pass breakups in six games. Senior Eric Murray leads the Golden Gophers with four breakups, in addition to his two forced fumbles. Murray is also fifth on the team with 26 tackles.
Throughout the game, the Golden Gophers are going to test the Nebraska Cornhuskers physically. While the pass defense receives a lot of the press, Minnesota is tough against the run. Opponents have rushed for 142 yards per game against Minnesota. It almost makes their opponents one-dimensional. The Gophers also hold teams to under four yards per carry. With Nebraska known for shying away from the run, this game could fall right into Minnesota’s hands.