Nebraska Football fans are desperately waiting to end the bowl game drought. Despite a promising start to Matt Rhule's tenure as head coach, the team's performance mirrored that of his predecessors, encountering familiar challenges towards the end of the season.
To become bowl-eligible, the Huskers must address three major weaknesses as they enter the upcoming 2024 season.
Nebraska football needs to fix the quarterback play
In his defense, Nebraska native Heinrich Haarberg played relatively well once he took over the job from Jeff Sims. Notably, Haarberg proved he could be explosive rushing the football.
Yet Nebraska football's offensive struggles were evident in its disappointing 126th ranking in total passing offense.
Of course, injuries played a factor here. Marcus Washington was hurt for most of the season, forcing freshman wide receivers to start games. Regardless, the most impressive quarterback was probably Chubba Purdy, though he threw costly interceptions like Haarberg and Sims.
Rhule has maintained the quarterback battle is "open," implying Haarberg has an opportunity to start, but fans know well that incoming freshman Dylan Raiola has the advantage.
If the Huskers are going to win games and earn a bowl invitation, they must solve the quarterback problem. Start Dylan Raiola.
The offensive line needs to keep growing
The quarterback's best friends are his offensive linemen. Nebraska allowed 30 sacks, ranking 93rd in the nation.
Like the sack category, the Huskers struggled in the red zone, ranking 127th in red zone offense. While the offensive line can't be blamed solely for this, it is important not to overlook these stats. The offensive line is supposed to finish a drive and bolster their team to a touchdown, so neglecting to score points is crucial.
Rhule needs to demand more from his big men and set higher expectations. Protecting Raiola, who will most likely be the starter, is imperative.
Kicking game might be biggest concern
Freshman Tristan Alvano struggled last season. The stats show it. Nebraska ranked 110th in field goal percentage. Sure, one can argue that the team should never rely on a kicker to secure a win, but Alvano's missed kicks played a role in the loss column.
Nebraska has to figure out its kicking game, and if Alvano struggles again, Rhule must make a change. Husker fans are well aware that Big Ten games often come down to a late-game field goal.
Punter Brian Buschini ranked (a not-so-nice) 69th, averaging 40.7 yards with each punt. While his stats are better than Alvano's, his punting could use some improvement.
By improving in these three areas, Nebraska football could increase its total wins and potentially secure a long-awaited bowl invitation.