Linebacking corps has big game
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BY TOMMY DAHLK / Lincoln Journal Star
Against Louisiana Tech, Nebraska’s starting linebackers really didn’t get an opportunity to show their stuff, as the Bulldogs avoided testing the experienced unit.
That wasn’t the case against Nicholls State on Saturday, because the linebackers had the task of stopping the Colonels’ triple-option attack.
The Blackshirts did their part and held Nicholls State to just 187 yards rushing and seven first downs in the 56-7 blowout.
Besides a 49-yard run by Grant Thorne early in the fourth quarter, senior linebacker Stewart Bradley was satisfied with the NU defense’s performance.
“Other than the big play, I was happy with how we played,” Bradley said. “We gave them some yards because of our mistakes.”
Bradley finished with four tackles, recovered two fumbles and broke up a pass.
The starting linebackers combined for 13 tackles Saturday, nearly doubling the output they had against Louisiana Tech in the opener.
Senior defensive end Jay Moore said it was the team’s goal to let the linebackers make plays.
“That was our whole game plan,” Moore said. “Our front four needed to keep their lineman off our linebackers.”
The Colonels ran the ball 47 times and, other than Thorne’s long scamper, the Huskers held Nicholls State to 3 yards per rush on the other 46 plays.
Moore said it was quite the challenge getting ready for this game.
“It was a tough task just preparing because you don’t see this type of offense very much in college football,” Moore said. “They stress every position on the field.”
Bradley agreed that it was different to face this type of offense, but said it really wasn’t too big of a challenge to shift gears for a run-based offense.
“It’s still just tackling and blocking,” Bradley said. “It’s still football. This game gave everyone a chance to make tackles. Open-field tackling is all about confidence. Solid tackling in a game is different from scrimmage.”
Will it be hard to now shift focus to Southern Cal and its high-powered offense?
Defensive line coach John Blake thinks his team won’t have a problem, and this week’s aim of stopping Nicholls State’s run-oriented offense won’t set the Huskers back in preparation for USC’s pass-happy attack.
“Our offense does the same thing they do with the West Coast offense,” Blake said. “So we’ll be prepared because we know how it works.”
The linebackers saw plenty of action Saturday. Unfortunately, the Husker secondary wasn’t challenged, as Nicholls State attempted only three passes and completed none.
Additionally, the already-thin secondary got another scare in the first half when junior cornerback Andre Jones, who took over after starter Zack Bowman was lost for the season with a torn ACL, suffered a minor head injury.
Jones was able to return later in the game and will be key when the Huskers try to stop USC’s Dwayne Jarrett next week.
Although the defensive backs didn’t get a lot of chances to defend the pass, junior strong safety Tierre Green, who had five solo tackles Saturday, said the secondary will be prepared for the Trojans.
“We’ll be ready, don’t worry about it,” Green said.
Reach Tommy Dahlk at 473-7431 or tdahlk@journalstar.com
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