Steven Sipple: Same old Nebraska? Matt Rhule doesn’t want to hear it, says team simply needs to be better next week
MINNEAPOLIS — Same old Nebraska. That’s what many Husker football fans are saying right now. But Matt Rhule doesn’t want to hear it.
He’s trying to teach a program how to win, trying to teach a program how to finish. It’s a program that last played in a bowl game in 2016. It’s a program that often hasn’t been able to get out of its own way. During the past half-dozen years in particular, it’s a program that often has self-destructed in remarkable ways.
Yeah, it plays good teams close, but can’t get over the hump.
Such a common damned refrain.
That certainly was the case Thursday night. Nebraska had seven penalties and four turnovers — including two crushing ones late in the fourth quarter — as Minnesota escaped with a 13-10 win before 53,629 spectators at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Yeah, same old Nebraska.
Only don’t tell that to Rhule.
He reminded everyone that as Nebraska’s first-year head coach, he’s on the front end of a building project. In that context, it’s easier for him to look on the bright side.
In maybe a few days, Nebraska fans can look at this game and see plenty to be optimistic about.
Patience, folks. There is indeed a lot of reasons for optimism.
But, my heavens, this stings for Nebraska fans. In the moment, especially in that dreadful fourth quarter, this felt awful for one of the most fervent fan bases in all of sports.
Jeff Sims has rough debut for Huskers
With 2 1/2 minutes left in the game, Nebraska took over possession at its 25-yard line while staring at a 10-10 tie. Its new quarterback, Jeff Sims, had a chance to orchestrate a memorable win.
Instead, he will head into next week’s game with a lot of difficult questions to answer.
He threw three interceptions, a malady that plagued him as Georgia Tech’s starter.
Brace for trouble from Sims, skeptics said.
There it was. On a second-and-6 from Minnesota’s 46, Sims didn’t put enough mustard on a pass that was intercepted by Tyler Nubin, who charged forward and stepped in front of the intended receiver. The Gophers took over at their 49.
A Nebraska defense that played exceptionally well for most of the night — Minnesota finished with a scant 55 rushing yards — couldn’t hold firm. The Gophers worked their way in position for Dragan Kesich’s 47-yard field goal to win as time expired.
Same old Nebraska.
Sims threw 30 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions for Georgia Tech in his three seasons there. Although he’s an excellent runner, he wants to be known as a pass-first quarterback.
This performance — he finished 11-for-19 for 114 yards and a touchdown, with the three picks — won’t help him in that regard.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound junior ran 19 times for 91 yards. Yes, 19 times. Granted, he was sacked three times. But Nebraska leaned hard on his running ability. To a certain extent, that’s OK. Nebraska had a win in its grasp and frittered it away. But Sims running 15-plus times a game doesn’t seem sustainable. When the weather turns cold, the hits feel different. The ground gets harder.
Nebraska offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield simply has to find more options.
He simply can’t lean this hard on Sims all season and expect much success.
Anthony Grant’s fumble issue costs NU dearly
Even so, Nebraska was in prime position to pull of a major win. The Husker defense shut down the Gophers for much of the second half. As they took over possession with 7:17 remaining, P.J. Fleck’s crew had mustered only 61 total yards in the second half.
Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White’s 3-3-5 showed plenty of promise. Bottom line, it did enough to win, allowing only 13 points. That should be enough.
It would have been enough if Nebraska hadn’t self-destructed.
With Nebraska leading 10-3 with about five minutes left in the game, Husker running back Anthony Grant fumbled away the ball near midfield. Gophers defensive back Justin Walley punched the ball loose, an excellent play, and Minnesota eventually tied the game at 10.
“They made a play at the end that we need to make,” Rhule said.
Thing is, Grant opened the season third on the depth chart because of — you guessed it — his fumble issues in August. So, why was he in the game? Rhule said it was because he runs that particular play well. To be sure, Grant was on his way to a nice gain. Then, disaster struck.
Same old Nebraska.
Gabe Ervin (seven carries, 55 yards) was available. He wasn’t hurt. Hindsight is 20/20, I get it. But Grant being in the game at that point was a curious move by Rhule and his staff.
Give Nebraska credit for resilience
I’ll say it again: Nebraska fans saw a lot to be optimistic about.
But they also have plenty to second guess. Plenty to relive from this game that will only prolong frustration.
For instance, Nebraska blew a golden opportunity to lead 7-3 at halftime. Facing second-and-goal at Minnesota’s 1 with 11 seconds remaining, junior guard Ethan Piper jumped offsides. One play later, Sims threw off his back foot, the ball fluttered a bit, and Tre’Von Jones intercepted it.
All Sims had to do was throw it into the stands and let Tristan Alvano kick a chip-shot field goal.
Ah, but Nebraska did show resilience in the form of some impressive complementary football. Rahmir Johnson scooted 63 yards with a kickoff return to open the second half. Sims then gunned a 34-yard touchdown pass to Alex Bullock on a play that almost went awry.
Sims dropped Grant’s throwback lateral pass, but picked up the bounce and gunned it into the end zone, giving Nebraska a 7-3 lead and a sudden surge of confidence.
Nebraska’s defense then forced a three-and-out.
This didn’t look like the same old Nebraska.
In the end, though, that was the feeling by many Husker faithful.
Again, Rhule doesn’t want to hear it. He’s not thinking about the past.
“I’m thinking about what’s next,” he said.
For many Nebraska fans, that’s easier said than done.
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