Heading into Saturday night's match-up with Akron, the Nebraska football team has a lot to clean up in all three phases of the game. Even after the win last week against Cincinnati, the Husker coaches, and players, really don't seem satisfied...at all.
Husker fans, for the most part, are glad to just get away with a victory. The Zips come into Lincoln this week 0-1. Here are 3 things the Cornhuskers need to do to stay undefeated.
Get the Nebraska football running game going early and often
During the season opener, Emmett Johnson carried almost the entire load on his shoulders. Johnson had 32 total touches with 135 all-purpose yards. All other running backs, combined, had 3 touches for 0 yards. Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen explained that it was a hard-fought, close game.
"He was rollin' man, he played his tail off", referring to Emmett Johnson, and the reason the other backs didn't get as much work. Holgorsen went on to say that Emmett was good in all phases of what the running backs are supposed to do. "He was the player of the game...in my mind".
With all that said, Holgorsen concedes that the Huskers need to change how many touches Johnson gets going forward. When asked about getting some of the other guys into the game more, Holgorsen replied, "have to, have to". Dana reiterated that the game was so close, he wanted a guy that he could trust in there.
In regards to the other backs, Holgorsen said, "we've got 2 freshmen on the sidelines, you know, we handed the ball to Izaiah, twice early...and it didn't look good". Dana also said with Emmett's experience, "we gotta do what we gotta do to win the game, you know, but yeah, that can't keep happening"!
The Blackshirts need to be The Blackshirts
There were times in the season opener where Nebraska's defense looked really good. There were multiple 3 and outs on drives, and the defense only gave up 17 points to a Power-4 opponent. However, the 2 touchdown drives that Cincinnati did have, they made it look very easy. In the 2nd half of the Husker season opener, the defense gave up an average of over 6 yards per rush. If our defense is doing that once we enter Big Ten play, it won't be as favorable of an outcome as it was against the Bearcats.
The Blackshirts must return to being the Blackshirts! That's all-out effort on every play from every player. That's swarming to the ball, getting 11 to the ball, and getting the ball from the opponent. That's relentless pressure on the Quarterback, and getting sacks, or forcing early throws that can lead to interceptions. The Blackshirts need to be The Blackshirts...starting against Akron!
Nebraska football has to find its identity
My third, and in my opinion, most important key to tomorrow night's game is for the Husker players to just be yourselves. Let's be honest, Akron is one of the worst teams in all of college football in 2025. They are the only team that has a post-season bowl ban because they failed to reach the minimum APR (Academic Progress Rate) score. With that, and many transfer portal departures, the Zips are simply outmanned. Nebraska needs to play like they are the better team, know that they're the better team...because they ARE the better team! If Dylan, Emmett, Jacory & company...just be themselves, everything else will take care of itself.
Same can be said for the defense, guys like Elijah Jeudy, Williams Nwaneri, Cam Lenhardt, and Riley Van Poppel, just need to be themselves, remember your training, and do your job. If you do that, then guys like Vincent Shavers, Dason McCullough and Javin Wright can make things happen. Our secondary only allowed 69 passing yards in the season opener. It will be very hard to improve upon that, but the talent, and experience back there is undeniable. ALL the players have to be themselves against Akron, and everything will be fine!
So here's to the first home game at Memorial Stadium for the 2025 season, the first night game of 2025 at Memorial Stadium...and the first Light Show of 2025 at Memorial Stadium. Because, as Coach Rhule said..."There BETTER be a light show"!! I'm taking Nebraska football in a blowout...48-7!