LINCOLN — One of the fun things about watching Jacory Barney is determining whether he’ll get credited for a run or a pass. Nebraska’s quickest receiver often hovers right around the line of the scrimmage when he gets the ball. When he does, he plays with what coach Matt Rhule calls “joy.
” The Rewind would say he plays like an live electric wire, dancing on the street. Approach him with caution — you never know which direction he’ll take. If Dylan Raiola was the recruiting coup of the Rhule era, Barney’s decision spurn hometown (and quite good) Miami (Fla.
) to head to Nebraska sits as a second No. 2 coup. And in the transfer portal era, what Barney — NU’s leader in all-purpose yards with 216 — puts on film will attract, well, interest.
It’s good Nebraska has a robust NIL operation. But Barney, on Saturday night, offered a testimonial that would sell a lot of prospective recruits on Huskerville. “Everything I envisioned it as,” Barney said of his experience after Nebraska’s 34-3 win over Northern Iowa.
“I’m getting playing time, which is what I like, being around good guys and being around coaches that believe in me and letting be an impact in the program early. That’s what I expected.” Sounds like old times around NU.
Felt like it, too, in the last nonconference game of the year. The Huskers scored right away, had a two-score lead before the end of the first quarter, and covered a betting line that had grown to 301⁄2 points by kickoff. And yet the press box and social media feeds buzzed with the word “off.
” It fueled the first question of Rhule’s presser, focused on UNI holding the ball for 38 minutes and NU running just 48 plays. “It was 48 plays because we went right down and scored,” Rhule said, chuckling. “Three possessions — and we scored on three possessions.
” Rhule then noted UNI’s opening 10-minute drive and the “master class” from the Panthers’ coaching staff to bleed clock and play keep-away from NU. But his point had been made: Don’t look a 31-point gift horse in the mouth. Duly noted.
“We want to score, get a lead if we can, play defense and run the football,” Rhule said. “I want everyone to say ‘Why are you guys so boring in the fourth quarter?’ and we win.” It’s just that ugly 31-point wins have been rare around here over the last decade.
Either NU is hitting on all cylinders — the 52-7 smashing of Northwestern in 2021 — or finding a way to bumble to a closer-than-necessary game. Time was, Nebraska’s intermittent struggles on Saturday night — with tackling, with red zone playcalling and execution — were dominoes that tipped toward a tense fourth quarter. Husker safety Isaac Gifford has experienced some of those games, and he was clearly torn between wanting NU’s defense to be more dominant while noting, hey, UNI scored all of three points.
“You can’t just be mad at yourself,” Gifford said. That’s a good word. And moving into Big Ten play, the right note to strike, because the close games are coming.
Nebraska would take nine one-point wins to the bank and a College Football Playoff berth. Already, Nebraska is facing one more ranked team — No. 24 Illinois — than it bargained for before the season, and Indiana’s 42-13 smashing of UCLA foretells good things about the Hoosiers’ poll chances.
Should Rutgers win at Virginia Tech next week, it likely enters the rankings. USC’s a top-ten team. Ohio State is a top-three team.
Iowa’s offense can actually move the ball. Potholes abound. And a stubbed toe in West Lafayette or against the Bruins would harken back to recent times, when Nebraska fans couldn’t count on a consistent football team.
At the moment, Husker Nation has a consistent team. NU’s defense still runs and hits hard, especially quarterbacks. Its offense has big-play weapons — including Barney — that fits offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield’s sweet tooth for aggressive playcalling and the strength of Raiola’s arm.
No. 15 has looked pretty smooth so far. He’ll get tested and banged around by Big Ten defenses and have to respond.
Early returns look good. But league play has a way of clarifying things. Every team from hereon out has highly-paid assistants, competitive NIL funds and playmakers who could start at Nebraska.
Northern Iowa probably did not. “When it comes to conference play,” Rhule said, “you never know where you are until you get there.” On with the Rewind.
Quarterback Dylan Raiola: He throws a well-paced, catchable short pass, and the talent for doing this, considering some of the Nebraska quarterbacks who have struggled with it, should not be underestimated. Linebacker John Bullock: He missed a few tackles but plays with a thrilling, last-play-ever relentlessness. He nearly had a second half pick six, too, sitting perfectly on a slant route off a run-pass option.
Cornerback Tommi Hill: Got targeted once and gave up no receptions. This coming week, he’ll likely draw Illinois receiver Pat Bryant, who has 15 grabs for 235 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Emmett Johnson: Rhule called Johnson NU's “closer” for his penchant for late, fourth quarter runs like the one he sprung for a 36-yard touchdown.
Perhaps Johnson should get a closer look at being Nebraska’s “starter,” too, considering he averages 9.5 yards per carry. Safety Isaac Gifford: Hustler who erased a few of UNI’s better-designed quarterback runs by chasing down UNI quarterback Aidan Dunne.
He led all defenders with 10 tackles. Linebacker Stefon Thompson: Strong fill-in effort for starter Mikai Gbayor, who missed the first half due to a target suspension. Thompson likely earned more playing time after logging 47 snaps and tackling well.
Right guard Henry Lutovsky: Filled in for right guard Micah Mazzccua — who did not play due to a coach’s decision — and played well. Lutovsky could be the starter going forward, based on Rhule’s tone. Tight end Carter Nelson: Nebraska is bringing him along slowly in non-conference play, which makes sense, given his adjustment to the collegiate level and 11-man football.
But, if he’s a problem for opposing defenses now, what’ll he be in November? Cornerback Amare Sanders: Nice late pass breakup to help keep Northern Iowa out of the end zone. 12: Here’s a weird one. Nebraska leads the nation in gaining 12 first downs by penalty.
They don’t go down as completions, but Raiola’s passes and NU’s scheme draws a lot of pass interference penalties, each of which is worth a first down. Four first downs per game derived from penalties is a hard trend to keep up, but Nebraska is well ahead of its pace in 2023, when it had 18 such first downs all season. Over the last several years, 22 is the high water mark from 2016.
15: Different receivers have catches already in 2024, which is equal to the number in 2022 and just two fewer than all of last season, when the Huskers suffered countless injuries at receiver. Translation: NU has depth among its pass-catchers. That Nebraska basically has two shifts of wideouts — Isaiah Neyor, Jacory Barney, Jahmal Banks and Janiran Bonner in its first group, Jaylen Lloyd, Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda and Carter Nelson in the second — is a terrific luxury.
20.33: Yards per opponent kickoff return, which ranks 15th in the Big Ten and 96th nationally — and not in a good way. NU has shuffled through multiple kickoff guys and their touchback rate — 31.
58% is intentionally low, because NU likes to cover kicks. But Colorado and now Northern Iowa almost broke long kickoffs for scores. Something to watch heading into league play.
Twice: Since joining the Big Ten, has Nebraska won all of its home games in a season. NU did so in 2016 and 2012. The Huskers’ longest home winning streak, during the Big Ten era, is 10 games — a Black Friday win over Iowa in 2011, all seven in 2012, and wins over Wyoming and Southern Mississippi in 2013.
UCLA ended the streak. Since then, Nebraska has had streaks of eight and six and four and now, currently, three. NU’s longest home winning streak spanned more than seven years, between 1991 and 1998, and included NU’s three most recent national title teams.
100%: That’s Illinois’ red zone scoring rate through three games. Twelve trips, 12 scores — eight touchdowns, four field goals. Along with five other teams, that rate obviously leads the Big Ten.
NU ranks 15th, at 78.57%. The Huskers have scored on 11 of 14 trips with eight TDs and three field goals.
The 57.14% touchdown rate ranks 12th in the league and 81st nationally; on multiple occasions, short passes to Thomas Fidone, intended by design and end zone proximity to score, did not. After each game, I ask fans on my Facebook page to provide feedback.
Selected and edited responses follow. Chris Foix: “Offense losing focus as the game goes along is not new. Raiola, Rhule and Satterfield need to keep setting the expectations for that unit to play with focus for 60 minutes.
” Nate Schanou: “UNI was loading the box on defense which left the pass game open. I wasn’t too concerned with the lack of run game, holes did open up later but the offensive line is still the weakest position on the team.” Eric Gerken: “UNI was more physical than Colorado and that seemed to surprise the Huskers.
It also felt a little like the UTEP game where it felt like they intentionally put a few things on tape to make sure future opponents have to account for certain looks.” >> Purdue laid one hell of an egg in a 66-7 loss to a Notre Dame team smarting from its own upset loss to Northern Illinois. Sure, the Irish hit on almost all of their cylinders — while losing two of their offensive linemen during the game.
But Purdue allowed 362 yards — and 8.2 yards per pop — to Notre Dame. And its offensive line looked feckless against ND’s pass rush.
“They were the more physical football team — and it wasn’t close,” PU coach Ryan Walters said. >> Wisconsin fared only slightly better in its 42-10 loss to Alabama. The Badgers lost quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to a knee injury early in the game, and backup Braedyn Locke, capable enough in 2023, appeared out of his depth.
UW gets a week off before a trip to USC. At this moment, that contest doesn’t look favorable. UW coach Luke Fickell repeatedly called the game an “ass whoopin.
” >> Indiana looks like a team that darn well could be 6-0 when NU visits Bloomington. The Hoosiers beat UCLA 42-13, held a decent Bruins’ attack to 238 yards, and has Charlotte, Maryland and a trip to Northwestern coming up. Hot, sunny and a NU campus buzzing with Football Friday vibes.
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