Coming out of nonconference play and into the Big Ten slate, Nebraska’s defense hadn’t been perfect — see the fourth quarter against Colorado, for example — but overall through three games, Erik Chinander’s unit had been able to hang its hat on two things: stopping the run and making big plays.
The trouble against the run in Big Ten play has been well-documented. NU is allowing 267 rushing yards (5.9 per attempt) per game against league foes. But the lack of big plays — primarily turnovers and sacks — has been equally as glaring.
What started off as a group that produced a steady stream of takeaways and big plays has seen the tap go dangerously dry as a potent Indiana offense comes to town this weekend.
The Blackshirts forced a Big Ten-best nine takeaways in three nonconference games, which was powered by a five-turnover outing in a season-opening rout of South Alabama.
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Steve Sipple and Parker Gabriel give insights on player injuries and alternative jerseys after practice on Oct. 22, 2019.
Against the Big Ten, the Huskers ranks dead last in takeaways (two) and join undefeated Minnesota as one of the lone two teams in the conference that have yet to recover a fumble.
After 10 sacks in the opening three games, Nebraska has only posted six in the past four games, including three that came in a blowout loss to Ohio State.
“Not nearly good enough,†Chinander surmised simply on Tuesday. “We just got to keep working. We’ve got to be better up front, we’ve got to be better in the back end, we’ve got to make some plays on the football.â€
Part of the problem is a lack of opportunity, particularly in the sack department. Minnesota had given up 16 sacks entering Oct. 5’s game against Nebraska, but the Gophers barely needed to put Tanner Morgan in harm’s way because their offense ran the ball so effectively.
“When they’re in the lead and in that type of weather, there’s really no reason for them to put the ball in a situation where we can create turnovers, so they just are going to keep running the football and stay in more of a four-minute mode,†defensive line coach Tony Tuioti said. “So for us, it’s really about winning first and second down and getting teams into long pass situations so we can try to get after the quarterback.â€
Nebraska also doesn’t have a deep stable of options that have proven capable of getting to the quarterback with regularity. Early in the season, Chinander made some hay by bringing defensive backs, particularly Lamar Jackson, off the edge. But bringing extra defenders against talented offenses is always a gamble, particularly a player like Jackson, who has been perhaps Nebraska’s best cover man this fall.
Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander talks about bye week and needing to be better after practice on Oct. 22, 2019
That allows offenses to focus on the players they want to and not worry so much about others wreaking too much havoc.
“There were a couple of games in there where teams are sliding the protection toward (senior outside linebacker Alex Davis),†outside linebackers coach Jovan Dewitt said. “So when they slide the protection to you, as an outside backer, it’s real hard to get a sack on that.
“He’s gotten chipped a lot, too, with a running back and a tackle. So what they’ve done is done a good job of trying to eliminate the guy you want off the edge and forcing someone else to make the play.â€
The Huskers simply don’t have enough someone elses.
“I think we got some guys that can rush the passer,†Chinander said. “We obviously are going to try to find some guys that are dominant pass rushers. We have some guys that can do that. Unfortunately, the last couple weeks we haven’t really earned the right to do that. We haven’t done a good enough job on first down to warrant a second and long or a third and long.
“So that’s part of it too — getting them in a must-pass situation, and we haven’t done a great job of that.â€
Both turnovers the Huskers have forced in Big Ten play turned into points. NU engineered a 79-yard touchdown drive after a second-quarter Cam Taylor-Britt interception against Illinois to get back to within 21-14. Of course, Jackson’s interception with a minute remaining in a 10-all game against Northwestern was a true game-changer and set up Lane McCallum’s game-winning field goal.
Those types of plays have been much too few and much too far between the past month, though.
“I think turnovers can happen at all times,†Chinander said. “Right now, you’re not getting enough guys to the football. When guys get to the football, that’s when turnovers get caused. That’s when tipped balls and overthrows get caused, and guys catch tips. That’s where fumbles get stripped.â€