BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, October 7, 2005 7:00 pm
The fact Nebraska held Texas Tech to 118 yards of total offense in the second half of Saturday’s 34-31 Red Raider victory proves two things.
One, the Blackshirts are indeed capable of slowing down the nation’s top-ranked offense. And two, they can do it by making any necessary adjustments throughout the game.
The problem against Texas Tech, though, was that Nebraska fell behind 21-0 before beginning to implement some of those different defensive looks.
Most notable was an aggressive 3-4 look, with three linemen and four linebackers playing close to the line. The Huskers blitzed more frequently and more effectively out of the formation, and some shifting along the defensive line seemed to cause problems for the Red Raiders.
“It confused them,” Nebraska defensive tackle Ola Dagunduro said. “They could never block the blitz we put in the second half.”
Where was that defense in the first quarter, when Tech quarterback Cody Hodges completed 14 of 16 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown?
Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said he didn’t want to show his hand too early.
“We had to be smart,” Cosgrove said. “We had to get into the flow of the game, to see what they were going to try to do, see what adjustments they would make with our disguises.”
Nebraska had two key stops in the third quarter, when Tech began two drives in NU territory following Husker turnovers. The net result on the two drives combined? One yard and two field goals. In the eight plays run before those field goals, Hodges was sacked three times and threw two incompletions.
“We just adjusted to their speed,” Nebraska linebacker Corey McKeon said. “We were done trying to contain them, and we started dictating what we wanted to do. Instead of sitting back and letting them do whatever they wanted, we went at ‘em, and I think it made a big difference.”
The Blackshirts kept Texas Tech out of the end zone in the second half … until 12 seconds remained. That’s when Hodges rolled to his left under pressure and fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to Joel Filani for the game-winning score.
“We thought we’d get a fade route,” Cosgrove said. “It’s the first time they’ve motioned like that all year, but our kids made the adjustment to it.
“It was a long play … we were just a little bit away.”
Ruud said Hodges didn’t necessarily make a spectacular play, but obviously the right play.
“It was just a smart play by him to roll out and give his receiver a chance by throwing away from the defense,” Ruud said. “We were confident going in (to that last play). We knew we could shut them down. He got out of the pocket, and he made a good play.”
Ruud produced one of two pivotal defensive plays in the fourth quarter that could’ve sealed a Nebraska victory. He scooped up a fumble by Hodges and returned it 41 yards, setting up a field goal.
Ruud, though, seemed destined for the end zone before he admittedly tired and tried to pitch the ball to McKeon. The ball was fumbled out of bounds, with Nebraska retaining possession. A touchdown return, though, would’ve given the Huskers an eight-point lead, assuming the extra point.
Also, LeKevin Smith lost the ball after intercepting a tipped pass in the final 2 minutes. Smith tried returning the ball instead of falling to a knee, in which case Nebraska could’ve run out the clock. But Smith had the ball jarred loose, and the Red Raiders recovered at the Nebraska 19.
“I was hoping he would go down,” Cosgrove said. “It’s a reaction. Any of us would do that. It was a heck of a play.”
Hodges, who at times hurt Nebraska with his mobility, picking up chunks of yardage on the ground, finished 34-of-45 through the air with 368 passing yards and four touchdowns. Filani had 11 catches for 163 yards.
“They just got a couple little crap routes on us that Texas Tech runs,” McKeon said. “They throw these little three-yard ins, three-yard outs, stuff that’s hard to defend. They got a few lucky slips on us. We should’ve been tackling, bringing them to the ground. We didn’t, and they got a few extra yards.”
But it was nothing like last year’s 70-10 debacle.
“Last year’s loss was an embarrassment,” Ruud said. “This year’s loss was a heartbreaker. It’s different. We know this year we had the game won. We did what we were supposed to.”
Reach Brian Rosenthal at 473-7436 or brosenthal@journalstar.com.