The Wisconsin Badgers and the Nebraska Cornhuskers will take the field this Saturday in a clash of Big Ten West programs looking for their first conference win. The Wisconsin football team is looking to right the ship, and the Huskers are next in line.
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To gain some insight on the Nebraska football season so far, we sat down with Lyle Harrison, the editor over at Husker Corner, Fansided’s Nebraska website. Be sure to check them out at HuskerCorner.com and give them a follow on Twitter.
Here’s what Harrison had to tell us about the Huskers season so far:
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BOH: What were the preseason expectations for this team? What did fans think the Huskers were capable of heading into the season?
HC: Expectations were for 8-9 wins which are still attainable, but hopes were for a huge season under the new coaching staff. There was plenty of excitement over the offense, and how the receivers would adapt. The loss of De’Mornay Pierson-El in fall camp put a damper on the passing game, but they might have been the best unit until Saturday’s loss at Illinois.
BOH: The Huskers have now lost three very close games this season, including an overtime loss to Miami (FL) and two heartbreaking last-second losses to BYU and Illinois. How do you justify those losses — bad luck, poor coaching, talent disparity — or something else?
HC: With a fairly tough non conference schedule, there was still a possibility of going undefeated. However, BYU’s Hail Mary was a sign of things to come. It’s not bad luck that Nebraska has lost these games. They’ve yet to put together a solid four quarters of play. The talent on the team is fine. The losses have come via schemes and decisions.
BOH: How have the Huskers been able to replace a very talented running back in Ameer Abdullah and a standout defensive player like Randy Gregory?
Betsided
HC: For the most part, the Huskers have replaced Ameer Abdullah adequately. Since the I-backs aren’t getting the ball a lot, there’s no way to measure stats fairly. Maybe the offense would run the ball more with Abdullah in the lineup, but that’s not a certainty. The coaching staff seems intent on getting the passing game flourishing.
It’s hard to say if Nebraska is missing Randy Gregory. While they’ve had plenty of injuries along the defensive line, the Huskers have been good against the run. The front four is playing excellent this season, and it’s the obvious strength of a struggling defense.
BOH: What phase of the game — offense, defense, special teams — does this Cornhusker team hang its hat on?
HC: Offense. Nebraska has had trouble against the pass in every game. Meanwhile, the offense has been solid throughout. Coming into the Big Ten opener, Tommy Armstrong was leading the league with 11 touchdown passes, but he struggled in game 1. If Armstrong and the receivers aren’t connecting, it’s hard for the offense to produce on a consistent basis.
BOH: Is there a player or players on Nebraska who was relatively unknown before the season who is breaking out for the Huskers?
HC: Freedom Akinmoladun. The redshirt freshman defensive end was supposed to get spot snaps this season. He played well in the BYU game, and received starts in the last four games due to an injury to Jack Gangwish. He already has 4.5 sacks.
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Stay tuned to Badger of Honor and Husker Corner throughout the week as both sites will be bringing you plenty about the impending matchup. Stay tuned as well for part two of our Q&As, which will feature specifically the matchup between the Badgers and Huskers.