Husker Football: Read between Lines to See Offense’s Woes

It all starts up front. That’s been a mantra of Husker football for decades now, and why wouldn’t it be? When a program creates elite offensive linemen one after another to the point where the unit gets a nickname, hang your hat on that slogan.

The sputtering of Nebraska’s offensive excellence in 2014 eventually comes back to that old chestnut. It all starts up front.

Football can be a complicated game once you get down to the X’s and O’s. However, whether or not a player can do their job is amazingly black and white, especially when it comes to the offense’s hosses.

Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

The starting offensive line that Nebraska has been trotting out can’t block properly and, quite frankly, it’s hindering the Huskers.

Thank your lucky scarlet stars once more for Ameer Abdullah. Without a once-in-a-lifetime back, no one else is getting through the mass of bodies that forms once Nebraska’s offensive line meets its opponent.

Yes, it’s easy to say “the coaches see them every day in practice” or “take their word that the starting five grades out the best”.

While I don’t have the actual grading scale that the Husker coaches have, I can see the numbers that are most important: yardage and points.

Let’s revisit Nebraska’s tussle with Northwestern. You know, the one the Wildcats led 17-14 at halftime.

Once the second half started, Mike Moudy took over for left guard Jake Cotton (a captain), Ryne Reeves relieved Mark Pelini at center, Chongo Kondolo took over for Moudy at right guard and Givens Price usurped Zach Sterup.

From that point on, the game was done. The Wildcats had no answer and were shuffled around like playing cards.

Clearly, I wasn’t the only one who noticed the drastic lineup change and how it helped the Big Red go from barely hanging on to booting Northwestern back to the locker room.

"“The Huskers trailed 17-14, rushing for just 79 yards in the first 30 minutes. On the second possession of the third quarter, Moudy moved to the left side. Reeves entered. Kondolo and Price took the right side. The next three drives produced 185 yards and three touchdowns.” – Mitch Sherman, ESPN.com"

Simple question: Why aren’t these “reserves” starting?

Husker football great and former New York Giant Rob Zatechka had similar thoughts. From his DocTalk podcast (Episode No. 13):

"“Once they really got going there pretty early in the second quarter, they never should’ve taken Reeves, Kondolo and Price out of that game.”"

When asked by host Travis Justice who his starting five would be, Zatechka chose Alex Lewis, Moudy, Reeves, Kondolo and Price (left to right). 

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Putting aside speculation about why the current first string is allowed to exist, one person is suffering from its presence who absolutely doesn’t deserve to: Ameer Abdullah.

The group above not only gives Nebraska’s offense a chance to be more consistently productive, but also provides a better chance for Abdullah to succeed and the Huskers to win by proxy.

Considering the Big Red needs as much help as it can get to grab a seat at the College Football Playoff’s table, the switch needs to be made. Now.