Kicking game comes back to kick Huskers' tail

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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star

AMES, Iowa — These are the cold, hard facts.

Nebraska loses to Iowa State by seven points. Nebraska's senior place-kicker, Sandro DeAngelis, misses a 24-yard field goal, has a 33-yard field-goal attempt blocked, and has an extra-point attempt blocked.

You do the math.

"We left seven points out there on the field," Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. "To me, that's disheartening."

Yes, you could point the finger of blame a variety of directions in the wake of Nebraska's 34-27 loss Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium.

But there's no arguing that better execution in special teams, particularly the kicking game, could've provided a different outcome.

"Three kicks like that, they cause you problems," Nebraska kickers coach Scott Downing said. "It's points off the board."

Downing said the snaps and holds were solid. DeAngelis said he felt the kicks were solid, too.

"The balls felt good," DeAngelis said. "It's kind of like a golfer. After you swing and make contact, you know whether you hit a good, solid ball. I felt like I hit good, solid balls all day today."

There were early signs, though, that problems could surface.

DeAngelis' first extra-point attempt was deflected but still sailed through the uprights.

From there, things deteriorated.

DeAngelis pushed his 24-yard field goal wide-left in the second quarter. Nebraska got the ball back following a Daniel Bullocks interception return to the ISU 23, but the drive stalled.

Nebraska called on DeAngelis again. But Iowa State found a hole in the Huskers' line of protection, and Shawn Moorhead bolted through and swatted the kick away. It was Iowa State's third blocked field goal this season.

The Cyclones then got their third extra-point attempt block this year — all by Nebraska native Nick Leaders — following Nebraska's third touchdown. It was DeAngelis' first missed extra-point attempt this season.

"I would say he didn't hit it as well as he could have," Downing said. "He might have hit it just a little bit up on the ball, and it might have been a little bit lower than it should've been."

Said DeAngelis: "I'm sure it was a low ball. I need to do a better job of that."

Nebraska also had two high punt snaps, although punter Sam Koch fielded both balls nicely and got both kicks away. He finished with a 44.5-yard average on six attempts.

Special-teams coach Bill Busch said long snapper Lane Kelly suffered a sternum injury early in the game, which may have contributed to the high snaps.

"He battled the game and finished things out for us. He's our best player in that spot," Busch said. "And Sam did a great job."

Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.