Nebraska Football: Heinrich Haarberg the hero in Matt Rhule’s first Husker victory
At times, the Nebraska football team had fans very nervous but in the end, Heinrich Haarberg’s first start was a massive success.
After an 0-2 start to the season that had people talking about Nebraska football already needing to make a change on the coaching staff, the Huskers finally looked like the team people hoped they would under Matt Rhule.
Running an offense that still has some kinks to work out, homegrown hero Heinrich Haarberg absolutely played better on Saturday night than anyone had any business expecting.
Most importantly for Haarberg, he looked like someone who had a command on the offense. And he didn’t look like someone who was particularly nervous in his first start, at home, playing for a team he grew up rooting for.
His numbers weren’t eye-popping but they were good enough that the rest of the Big Ten likely took notice. Haarberg completed 14 of 24 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 21 times for 98 yards and a touchdown.
He also led an option offense that looked like the attack Matt Rhule and Marcus Satterfield have been trying to run all season.
While Haarberg was the hero of the Nebraska football team on offense, it was once again the Blackshirts that came out and showed what the strength of this team needs to be in order for the Huskers to go bowling this season.
Nebraska football Blackshirts dominate
Tony White’s unit once again showed that the days of Erik Chinander’s bend and then break defense are over. In it’s place is an aggressive, swarming defense had veteran Northern Illinois quarterback Rocky Lombardi off kilter all night.
Lombardi completed just 11 of 28 passes for a minuscule 78 yards. He also threw a pick (and really threw two) and more often than not, looked very uncomfortable in the pocket.
If not for a late drive against Nebraska football’s defensive backups led by Ethan Hampton, the Huskies’ only score would have been thanks to a blindside sack in the first quarter that forced a Haarberg fumble.
Even after turnover, the Blackshirts were able to limit the damage and forced a field goal.
Take away the garbage time drive that was all about pride for the MAC team, the Huskers would have held the Huskies to less than 100 total yards. As it was they allowed 149 yards.
They allowed 26 yards rushing. That’s three games in a row where the Nebraska football team allowed less than 60 yards on the ground.
Yes it was against a Northern Illinois team that lost to an FCS squad last week but a win is a win. And it’s something for a Nebraska football team just trying to find its footing, to build on.