Nebraska Football: Secondary play concerning in loss to Ohio State

The Nebraska football secondary just could not get the  job done on Saturday.

There were a lot of good things on Saturday for Nebraska football, and there were also some bad things. One of the bad things was the passing defense of Nebraska.

I understand that they were playing against Justin Fields. He is one of the top quarterbacks in the country, and for good reason. I also understand that Ohio State has great receivers. They are a top unit in the country for a reason. Defending the offense of Ohio State is not an easy task it all. I get it. There’s a reason that they came into Saturday’s game ranked fifth in the country as a program.

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However, the Nebraska pass defense made life too easy for Fields. He went 20-of-21 on the day, for 276 yards and two touchdowns. He was able to roam in and out of the pocket with ease and also aim the ball exactly where he wanted it.

His top target on Saturday was Garrett Wilson. He caught seven passes for 129 yards and four touchdowns. Fields was able to do whatever he wanted in the pocket, and that was a problem for Nebraska football.

I understand giving the Ohio State wide receivers a cushion of sorts. They are very explosive, and they can make life difficult with their speed. However, Nebraska gave up big chunks of yardage through the air, and that was a little bit concerning. They played back on the Ohio State wide receivers and the Buckeyes made them pay for  it.  Hopefully , this is not a trend that will continue into Wisconsin next week.

As a whole, the secondary struggles were a bit concerning. With the way the Big Ten plays, offenses are going to be wide open. They are going to throw the football, and they are going to try to look for the big play. Saturday, Nebraska looked like they did not have the secondary be able to handle a wide-open offense. Maybe it was something Erik Chinander added into the game plan, so as to not give up the big play. However, they ended up giving big plays anyway.

On Saturday, the secondary looked slow. They didn’t perform as well in comparison to the linebackers and defensive lineman. The secondary was a vulnerable spot, and I hope it doesn’t  trend in that direction. Last year at times it was a problem for Nebraska as well.  Hopefully, they can improve before it is too late.