At least nudge the rock
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By the Lincoln Journal Star
The Huskers talked often last year about needing to “pound the rock.” That’s football talk for “We need a good run game.”
But pounding the rock no longer seems in the lexicon around Husker camp.
“Do we pound it?” junior running back Marlon Lucky said. “No, we don’t pound it.”
No. 52 Phillip Dillard, 6-1, 250, linebacker
There was Phillip Dillard last Saturday, pumping his fists, yelling.
Just looking at him, you couldn’t have known his team was down a couple scores. He had just made a good play and he was loving it.
“Don’t let anything steal your joy, is what my mom used to tell me,” Dillard said. “No matter what, winning or losing, I am out there talking and having fun.”
The Huskers will need all that emotion from the Oklahoma native today. The sophomore has moved into a starting linebacker role and become one of the more spirited players on the team.
He’s now seventh on the team in tackles with 26. This, he said, is no time to pout.
“If people see you down, then they start to think it is OK to be down,” Dillard said. “I do not like to have my head down. I like to bring emotion winning or losing.”
Cowboy to watch
No. 11 Zac Robinson, 6-3, 205, quarterback
Here comes more danger for the Husker defense.
Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson can beat you with his arm and his legs, a combination that didn’t exactly bode well for the Huskers last week.
Missouri’s Chase Daniel made several cameos in Husker nightmares this week.
Robinson suffered a concussion against Texas A&M last week, but he’s expected to start today over Bobby Reid, who lit up the Huskers last year.
Though Reid is thought to have better arm strength, Robinson is probably the more scary option for Nebraska. He’s a better runner than Reid, averaging almost 10 carries in his four starts.
Three weeks ago, in a 49-45 win against Texas Tech, Robinson had 327 total yards and scored four touchdowns - two with his arm, two with his feet.
“Who knows?” OSU offensive coordinator Larry Fedora told The Oklahoman. “I think the kid has a chance to be really good.”
- Brian Christopherson
Could they at least try to nudge it, though?
Nebraska has put up 464 rushing yards in the past five games combined. That Nebraska threw the ball on three early third-and-shorts against Missouri spoke plenty about this team’s lack of confidence to defeat a team by rushing the ball.
The Huskers don’t have to live by the run, but they have to be capable of using the ground game to pick up a third-and-2. Oklahoma State’s defense is giving up only 2.9 yards a carry.
There’s a challenge. Nebraska players and coaches have spoken this season about how they know they can run the ball. Week 7 would be a fine time to start proving it.
Numbers that frighten
Halfway through the season, the Husker defense is putting up statistics that are historically bad. Nebraska is last in the conference in total defense (96th), scoring defense (75th), rushing defense (97th) and tackles-for-loss (83rd).
What makes matters tougher: The Huskers have to try to bounce back from last week’s misery in Missouri against an Oklahoma State offense ranked 10th nationally in rushing offense and 14th in total offense. OSU is one of only 11 major-college football teams to average both 200 yards rushing and passing. Last year, the Cowboys scored 41 points against the Huskers while rallying from a 16-0 deficit to win.
It won’t be pretty if the Husker defense allows another 40-spot this week. Watch Nebraska’s D-line early and often. If those guys are getting handled, it’ll be a long day. And if Oklahoma State’s offense is turning third downs into first downs, an even longer day.
‘Biggest game of our lives’
And now for some good news for the Huskers. Haven’t heard that sentence in a while, have you? Well, here it is: OSU’s defense has been almost as dreadful, statistically, as Nebraska’s.
The Cowboys are 92nd in total defense and 11th in the conference. They’re good against the run, but woeful against the pass.
Sounds like this might be a shootout? Yeah, maybe. Then again, we thought Nebraska-Missouri would be that. The Husker offense can’t have any more off weeks.
How big is this one today? According to offensive lineman Matt Slauson: “This next game is the biggest game of our lives right now. ... This game is going to be the turnaround game.”
Can this storm be calmed?
A sign of the Apocalypse: With six regular-season games left, some Husker fans are asking if this team will win another game. Ridiculous talk, you say? Maybe, but you better be on the lookout for locusts and falling frogs, just in case.
It’s been a weird fall in Lincoln and today might be the oddest day yet. Memorial Stadium will be a captivating place to be. On a day the 1997 national championship team is honored, the current Huskers try to ward off a meltdown.
Are things really that bad down on Stadium Drive? Check back at about 3 p.m. Oklahoma State has not won in Lincoln in 47 years. The Huskers have lost many streaks in recent years, but this is one this team can’t afford to give up. Not today, not with the clouds that already hang over the season. A win calms the mood for one week at least.
A loss? That’s a storm that can’t be pushed away by any words at a Tuesday press conference.
— Brian Christopherson
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