Analyzing the Enemy: Nebraska Cornhuskers and A New Rivalry

Home to 312 consecutive sellouts, the chilling tunnel walk, and a heaving sea of red, Nebraska's Memorial Stadium will welcome the Ohio State Buckeyes through its arched gates for the first time in history on Saturday. Nebraska and Ohio State have only played twice before, in 1955 and 1956, the Buckeyes winning both games at home under Woody Hayes. Since then, the Cornhuskers have ascended college football's hierarchy, winning five national championships and numerous conference titles.

Following a turbulent 2010 off-season, Nebraska decided to leave the Big 12 and join the Big Ten, casting aside decades worth of tradition and rivalry for fairer revenue-sharing and membership in a conference not dominated by Texas. Nebraska's first conference game as a Big Ten school, a 48-17 loss last weekend against Wisconsin, has left a bitter taste in Cornhusker fans' mouths, and many are furious at head coach Bo Pelini, who fell to 1-6 against top ten teams.

Pelini, a former Buckeye safety, can view this game as an audition for his alma mater's head coaching job, which has certainly opened up after Luke Fickell's poor performance. The two coaches are almost parallels of one another, defensive gurus whose offensive staffs have let them down.

The Huskers, after pouring points upon Washington and Wyoming the preceding weeks, collapsed against Wisconsin, only gaining 223 non-garbage time yards. Quarterback Taylor Martinez struggled in new offensive coordinator Tim Beck's pseudo-option offense, throwing three interceptions and a 50% completion percentage.

Nebraska's biggest shock, however, came on defense, where they couldn't stop Russell Wilson and the Badger power run. The vaunted Blackshirts, which Pelini resuscitated from Bill Callahan's clammy hands, were embarrassed on national television. Wisconsin averaged almost 7 yards per play, 12.8 per pass, and scored 41 points before the 4th quarter.

Now Pelini and Fickell, each coming off tough losses, must compete to salvage their respective seasons, Pelini battling for a Big Ten title, Fickell merely hoping for a bowl game.

The Cornhusker Offense

Shawn Watson, Nebraska's beleaguered offensive coordinator for four seasons, found himself demoted by Bo Pelini this spring, with running backs coach Tim Beck replacing him as play-caller. Watson left for Louisville, and Beck promised a quicker, more explosive option offense. The results have been mixed.

Against FCS Chattanooga, Taylor Martinez and talented back Rex Burkhead stretched their legs, running for 215 yards and four touchdowns, masking Martinez's considerable passing struggles (50% completion percentage, 116 yards, 5.3 yards per pass).

The pattern continued against Fresno State and Washington. Martinez and Burkhead ran wild, and the Husker passing game wobbled. Martinez completed the same percentage of passes, 47.6%, in each game, tossing two interceptions against Fresno. Finally, facing Wyoming's 92nd-ranked passing defense, Martinez breached the 50% completion percentage mark, connecting on 12 of 21 passes.

Receiver Quincy Enunwa, 6''2, 120 lbs, and tight end Kyler Reed, 6''3, 230 lbs, are possession options, but they've scarcely figured into the passing game, each catching fewer than ten passes. Jamel Turner, a true freshman, provides the spark lacking outside Martinez's legs, averaging 17 yards per catch. So far, Beck has had trouble getting the ball into his skill position players' hands, which he cited as a goal in spring practice.

Beyond Martinez and Burkhead, the Husker's strength lies in its offensive line, a hefty group that averages 6''5 and 303 lbs. Offensive line coach Barney Cotton tore into the starters following the  season opener, but he praised their improved performance, at least leading up to last weekend's stumble.

Ohio State's defensive line, which has flirted with four defensive tackles as starters, should continue with their strategy of bulk, clogging Nebraska's run lanes and forcing Martinez's hand as a passer.

Scoring When Your Quarterback Can't Pass, a Cornhusker Story

Tim Beck  leaned heavily on the rush the first three games, placing Martinez in a position to succeed. Oddly, Beck strayed from this successful script last weekend, throwing 14 times in a 15-play stretch, in which Martinez tossed three interceptions, after Nebraska opened the game with two consecutive, balanced touchdown drives. Having learned a lesson against Wisconsin, we can reasonably assume that Beck will return to the Huskers' strength, the option, this Saturday.

Here, we see Nebraska run an inside zone-read from the Pistol formation, with tailback Rex Burkhead aligned three yards directly behind Martinez.

Martinez reads the C-gap defender, a linebacker Wyoming walked down to the line of scrimmage, and hands the ball to Burkhead after seeing him hesitate.

Out of the same Pistol look, Nebraska runs a play-action pass, rolling Martinez away from the fake and dragging a receiver across the field.

The Cornhuskers also dabble in the option from under center, a fitting nod to Tom Osborne, Tommie Frazier, and the '90s.

The Cornhusker Defense

Bo Pelini revived the Blackshirts upon arrival, improving the Cornhusker total defense from 112th in Bill Callahan's final season to 55th in 2008. The trajectory continued the next year, and the Huskers haven't ranked lower than 11th since Pelini's initial season. So far, though, Nebraska has suffered its first significant defensive regression in the Pelini era, ranking 64th in total defense and 73rd in scoring. 

Utilizing an aggressive 4-3 scheme throughout his career, Pelini is most known for crafting great defensive tackles, from Glenn Dorsey to Ndamukong Suh. Jared Crick was tabbed as the next first-round tackle molded by Pelini, but according to scouts he's struggled this season, failing to pressure the quarterback "as his talent warrants."

Weakside linebacker Lavonte David, graduate of Miami Northwestern High School, chose Nebraska after attending Junior College, and he's grown into an All-American candidate. David set the school tackling record last season, 152, and he's continued to impress this year, leading the Huskers in tackles and tackles-for-loss.

Defensive backs coach Carl Pelini, brother to Bo, replaced first-round pick Prince Amukama with redshirt freshman corner Corey Cooper, a change that has predictably weakened the Husker secondary. Returning corner Alfonzo Dennard is quite good, but safeties Austin Cassidy and Daimon Stafford are first-time starters and have weakened the once fearsome Husker pass defense, which ranked 5th nationally in 2010.

If this were the 2010 Ohio State Buckeyes, with Terrelle Pryor, DeVier Posey, and Dane Sanzenbacher, then I'd highlight how vulnerable the Huskers have looked against BCS competition, but a comparison to Chattanooga may be more apt. Although Nebraska has given up over 6 yards per play against both Washington and Wisconsin, I have little hope for similar success from Ohio State's torpid offense. The Buckeyes ineptitude will hold them back, even if the Huskers are in the weakest state they've seen since Pelini's inaugural season.

Score Predictions

Chip: Nebraska 17 - Ohio State 10

Tyler: Nebraska 24 - Ohio State 10

Ben: Nebraska 27 - Ohio State 10