LINCOLN — The World-Herald's Sam McKewon is handing out his Husker Report Card, assessing Nebraska's performance in several areas. Here are the grades coming out of the Huskers' win over Rutgers. * * * When Nebraska committed to running the ball — and at times, it did — you had to like what you saw.
Short-yardage third down conversions featuring a jumbo offensive line that included Micah Mazzccua. A nice power counter — NU’s run it all year — that ripped off 18 yards. Good offensive line movement.
The Huskers had 86 yards at halftime and, by game’s end 97 yards. Nebraska’s variety of formations and play calls keeps defenses guessing just enough. GRADE: C+ Dylan Raiola’s passes into intermediate range are often a thing of beauty, and he had another — for 31 yards — to Jahmal Banks.
Raiola made one of his first misreads of the year, too, on the slant pattern to Husker receiver Isaiah Neyor, Rutgers linebacker Flip Dixon sank underneath the throw and picked it off. Raiola’s 36-yard screen to Rahmir Johnson was a masterwork of execution. Some of Raiola’s second half passes — when he turned down open receivers in the flat to throw across his body to trailing crossers — were not.
Raiola took bad sacks and struggled to see Rutgers’ coverage. This will be good teaching tape for him. GRADE: C- It took exactly one Kyle Monangai run — in which he juked NU safety Isaac Gifford and danced 17 yards — to know Nebraska’s run defense had a challenge on it.
