Let’s focus in on one specific matchup for Saturday’s Nebraska-Michigan game.
Husker coaches have reminded not all sacks fall directly on the O-line.
Obviously on Saturday, whichever Husker QB is out there (Heinrich Haarberg has seemed most at full strength from the coach’s comments) has to be smart and know when to unload the ball before taking a loss.
There were sacks in recent weeks that could’ve been avoided.
But man oh man, Nebraska’s O-linemen have to be stout.
Obviously the Huskers need to get that run game kicking up some highway dirt, even if it’s understood the 234.8 yards per game (ranking sixth nationally) will be hard to sniff against a Michigan defense that ranks 12th nationally in that category (80.0 yards per game) and second in the Big Ten behind only the Huskers.
I know, I know, the competition Michigan has faced hasn’t been stellar.
But the Wolverines were expected to be very, very good defensively and they seem to be.
They’re 26th in the country on third downs, getting off the field 32.0 percent of the time.
They’re also second nationally in red zone touchdown conversions allowed.
First off, teams have been in the red zone only six times against the Wolverines.
And only one touchdown has been scored in those trips.
Any points at all have been allowed on only half of those efforts. Rutgers scored a long touchdown early against Michigan and never scored again.
Points per game allowed: First nationally. We’re talking 5.8.
So, yeah. This is tough stuff.