Report card: Nebraska vs. Iowa State
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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
RUNNING GAME (A)
For once this season, the rotation of the three running backs seemed to pay dividends. Nebraska was simply stronger in the fourth quarter, when Roy Helu broke a 50-yard run, and Quentin Castille had carries of 10 and 19 yards. That’s after starter Marlon Lucky had already run for 74 yards. “I told coach I’m tired of our backs being mediocre,” Castille said. “Coaches let us loose this week and just let us play.”
PASSING GAME (A)
Ganz completed 72.9 percent of his passes for the game (27of 37) and 80 percent before halftime (21 of 26). He leads the way for an offense that has found a nice rhythm. “It has a lot to do with our QB,” Shawn Watson said. “He’ll cut you up.”
-- Steven M. Sipple
Nate Swift, NU wide receiver
Swift wasn’t supposed to challenge Johnny Rodgers’ career record so soon. He needed 15 catches to tie. He had eight, all before halftime, helping NU take control.
-- Brian Rosenthal
Ndamukong Suh, NU defensive lineman
Suh did very well disrupting the Cyclone offense. His best highlight was when he busted through early in the fourth quarter and smacked running back J.J. Bass for a 5-yard loss. On the play, Suh beat his man so bad he almost stole the handoff.
-- Brian Christopherson
Ricky Thenarse, NU junior safety
The noted special teams ‘hammer’ laid the wood on Devin McDowell when ISU’s punt returner tried to slip past him with a fourth-quarter spin move. McDowell fumbled, Niles Paul recovered and the NU offense turned Thenarse’s gift into a short TD.
-- Curt McKeever
Pick a receiver. Any receiver. He was wide-, wide-open in the first half. That made things easy for quarterback Joe Ganz, who hit seven different receivers before halftime. It should’ve been eight, but that deep pass fell off the hands of tight end Dreu Young. Great play by Nate Swift, too, bouncing off a defender on NU’s first touchdown.
AGAINST THE RUN (B)
Nebraska gets downgraded for that one play. You know which one, too. “It’s a basic play to defend,” Bo Pelini said of Alexander Robinson’s 67-yard TD run two plays into the second half. “We didn’t execute.” Otherwise, the Huskers shut down ISU on the ground, with some impressive plays from the defensive line. Four of NU’s five tackles for loss came from the front four.
AGAINST THE PASS (A)
Nebraska had seven pass breakups and didn’t allow a pass longer than 16 yards. That’s progress. It seemed odd, though, that ISU consistently threw 2 or 3 yards short of the stick on third down. Pressure wasn’t the greatest, although Zach Potter blindsided Austen Arnaud one time.
SPECIAL TEAMS (B)
Inconsistency with punting would seem to be a bit of a concern at this point in the season. That’s two shanked punts in three games, one each by Jake Wesch and Dan Titchener. Wesch rebounded with a 50-yard punt, and Titchener averaged 39 yards on two punts. Which guy would you trust? Coverage on kickoff returns was better, and a great hit by Rickey Thenarse.
GAME MANAGEMENT (B)
Can the Huskers go an entire game with zero personal fouls or unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties? Quentin Castille said something he shouldn’t have at the end of a fourth-quarter play. Otherwise, much improved on the penalties — four for 45 yards — but the turnovers were a downer. Without them, Nebraska scores in the 50s.
PLAY CALLING (A)
Nebraska’s scoring drives the last two weeks have averaged 10.2 plays and 73.6 yards, so somebody’s doing something right. Nice wrinkle, Shawn Watson, with the direct-snap play to Lucky. It’d behoove future opponents to think about Lucky’s ability to throw out of that formation, too. A little conservative in the third quarter. No Swift the second half?
OVERALL (B)
Nebraska ended a five-game losing streak on the road. Huskers were never seriously threatened. So why not an ‘A’ for this effort? The third-quarter lapse was troublesome, and so were three turnovers. Feels good to hear nitpicking after a 35-7 victory, doesn’t it? Overall, a positive performance at a critical crossroad in the season. This was a fork in the road. NU heeded Yogi’s advice, and took it.
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