NU Report Card, 9/17: USC
RUNNING GAME (C)
Nebraska ran on every first-down play in the first half, and not necessarily with a lot of success. The best such play was a 5-yard run by Marlon Lucky on the final series before halftime. Others netted 1, 2, 1, 2, zero, zero, 2 and zero yards. Kenny Wilson continues to show improvement. Nothing from Cody Glenn, even on short-yardage plays at the goal line. Interesting. The fumble to start the third quarter was debilitating.
PASSING GAME (D)
Nebraska didn’t meaningfully try to throw the football until the final minute of the third quarter. Until then, the most successful pass plays had come from punter Dan Titchener, and Zac Taylor’s shovel pass to Brandon Jackson. Things got going a little bit with long passes to Terrence Nunn (21 yards) and Matt Herian (36 yards) late in the third quarter, but even then, Taylor was scrambling and seemed out of rhythm.
AGAINST THE RUN (B)
Not bad, until late in the game. The Trojans had a couple of good runs early, but the Blackshirts also came up with some key stops on short-yardage situations in the first half. Bo Ruud’s tackle on third-and-2 on the opening series was key, and the Huskers also stopped the Trojans on second-and-1 and third-and-1, forcing a punt on the Trojans’ second series. USC, though, churned out a couple of key first downs in the fourth quarter via the ground.
AGAINST THE PASS (C)
The Trojans had great success utilizing the swing pass and rolling out John David Booty in the first half, therefore preventing the Blackshirts from pressuring Booty much. As expected, Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett won the battle against NU cornerbacks Andre Jones and Cortney Grixby.
SPECIAL TEAMS (A)
Dan Titchener looked to be the player of the game early on. In case you’re wondering, no, he didn’t play quarterback in high school. But the pass to Todd Peterson on the fake punt wasn’t too shabby. Also, a great pooch punt to pin USC inside the 5-yard line. Titchener continues to be a pleasant surprise. A 31-yard punt return by Terrence Nunn set up the Huskers’ first score, a 38-yard field goal by Jordan Condon. Coverage was solid on kickoffs and punts.
GAME MANAGEMENT AND PENALTIES (B)
The holding penalty on Josh Mueller in the second quarter was a huge momentum buster. The Huskers seemed to have something working with the ground game, and the penalty negated a 15-yard run. Not only that, it put NU in first-and-20, and on second-and-20, the Trojans were able to pin their ears back and maul Taylor. The personal foul face-mask penalty pushed along USC on it second TD drive.
PLAY CALLING (D)
Where’s Matt Herian? Maurice Purify? Nate Swift? Why not test the young USC safeties, or at least try, preferably before the final seconds of the third quarter? Nebraska ran on every single first down until late in the third quarter … and on most second downs. Even on third-and-5, down 21-3, Bill Callahan chose to run. It ended in a fourth-and-9. Trying to establish the run, control the clock and shorten the game was OK for the first half. But that needed to change in the third quarter, and it didn’t. Nebraska chose to run out the final 2-plus minutes in the first half, probably because USC had a momentum surge. Understandable, but on the other hand, why not let Taylor try to direct a 2-minute drive against a good team?
OVERALL (C)
This was somewhat reminiscent of the Oklahoma game two years ago, when Callahan appeared scared of a blowout and tried to run the ball and shorten clock and get out of town. That was OK then. But this was supposed to be more of a test, remember? This wasn’t the blowout many national pundits expected, but still, the gap between USC and Nebraska is quite noticeable. That, however, shouldn’t have anything to say about NU winning the Big 12 North.
Nebraska ran on every first-down play in the first half, and not necessarily with a lot of success. The best such play was a 5-yard run by Marlon Lucky on the final series before halftime. Others netted 1, 2, 1, 2, zero, zero, 2 and zero yards. Kenny Wilson continues to show improvement. Nothing from Cody Glenn, even on short-yardage plays at the goal line. Interesting. The fumble to start the third quarter was debilitating.
PASSING GAME (D)
Nebraska didn’t meaningfully try to throw the football until the final minute of the third quarter. Until then, the most successful pass plays had come from punter Dan Titchener, and Zac Taylor’s shovel pass to Brandon Jackson. Things got going a little bit with long passes to Terrence Nunn (21 yards) and Matt Herian (36 yards) late in the third quarter, but even then, Taylor was scrambling and seemed out of rhythm.
AGAINST THE RUN (B)
Not bad, until late in the game. The Trojans had a couple of good runs early, but the Blackshirts also came up with some key stops on short-yardage situations in the first half. Bo Ruud’s tackle on third-and-2 on the opening series was key, and the Huskers also stopped the Trojans on second-and-1 and third-and-1, forcing a punt on the Trojans’ second series. USC, though, churned out a couple of key first downs in the fourth quarter via the ground.
AGAINST THE PASS (C)
The Trojans had great success utilizing the swing pass and rolling out John David Booty in the first half, therefore preventing the Blackshirts from pressuring Booty much. As expected, Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett won the battle against NU cornerbacks Andre Jones and Cortney Grixby.
SPECIAL TEAMS (A)
Dan Titchener looked to be the player of the game early on. In case you’re wondering, no, he didn’t play quarterback in high school. But the pass to Todd Peterson on the fake punt wasn’t too shabby. Also, a great pooch punt to pin USC inside the 5-yard line. Titchener continues to be a pleasant surprise. A 31-yard punt return by Terrence Nunn set up the Huskers’ first score, a 38-yard field goal by Jordan Condon. Coverage was solid on kickoffs and punts.
GAME MANAGEMENT AND PENALTIES (B)
The holding penalty on Josh Mueller in the second quarter was a huge momentum buster. The Huskers seemed to have something working with the ground game, and the penalty negated a 15-yard run. Not only that, it put NU in first-and-20, and on second-and-20, the Trojans were able to pin their ears back and maul Taylor. The personal foul face-mask penalty pushed along USC on it second TD drive.
PLAY CALLING (D)
Where’s Matt Herian? Maurice Purify? Nate Swift? Why not test the young USC safeties, or at least try, preferably before the final seconds of the third quarter? Nebraska ran on every single first down until late in the third quarter … and on most second downs. Even on third-and-5, down 21-3, Bill Callahan chose to run. It ended in a fourth-and-9. Trying to establish the run, control the clock and shorten the game was OK for the first half. But that needed to change in the third quarter, and it didn’t. Nebraska chose to run out the final 2-plus minutes in the first half, probably because USC had a momentum surge. Understandable, but on the other hand, why not let Taylor try to direct a 2-minute drive against a good team?
OVERALL (C)
This was somewhat reminiscent of the Oklahoma game two years ago, when Callahan appeared scared of a blowout and tried to run the ball and shorten clock and get out of town. That was OK then. But this was supposed to be more of a test, remember? This wasn’t the blowout many national pundits expected, but still, the gap between USC and Nebraska is quite noticeable. That, however, shouldn’t have anything to say about NU winning the Big 12 North.
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