For the second time in Nebraska’s three conference games, the Huskers were bitten by fumbles late in games.
Against Minnesota, the turnovers were a big part of the recipe that resulted in a Nebraska loss after the Huskers seemed in control of the game for most of the second half.
Nebraska had its chances to take a three-score lead late against Illinois, but the Huskers turned the ball over on three consecutive drives. Fumbles by Anthony Grant and Emmett Johnson came inside the Illinois 20-yard line.
“What I told the team,” Rhule said, “is that some point it has to stop. It’s been eight years here going back to the 9-4 year was the last year we had a positive turnover margin, so there’s all these different voices saying it.”
Rhule didn’t let his defense off the hook Tuesday, noting that the Blackshirts have only forced six turnovers in six games, but said the turnovers inside the red zone are “ridiculous.”
Rhule said that Nebraska walked through its four-minute offense on Thursday before the Illinois game, but that players weren’t talking about that in the huddle on Friday.
“It’s the same problems that are still there that were at Minnesota,” Rhule said. “We’ve got to continue to clean them up. My point is that they were the same issues on defense, the same issues on special teams and on offense. Everybody has their issues and as a team we have to clean up some things so we can be better against Northwestern.”
Rhule said he talked again with senior running back Anthony Grant about his fumbling issues. Grant had fumbling issues in fall camp, and put the ball on the ground late against Minnesota that the Golden Gophers converted into points. With a pair of running backs on the shelf for the season, it’s imperative that Grant get the issues ironed out soon, Rhule said.
Rhule said Grant has improved his ability as a pass blocker and route runner, but must get his ball security issues under control.
“Anthony, he’s got to improve that,” Rhule said. “He’s not in the doghouse, in case people take things the wrong way. He’s got a skill that’s not showing up. It’s very simple. It’s all technical. I have to get that fixed for Anthony. Anthony has to get that fixed for Anthony. You can’t fumble the ball in practice on Tuesday, then fumble again on Wednesday and fumble it on Saturday thinking you’re going to play the next week. I think the bye week comes at a great time because Anthony can really work on that this week. He has such great vision and he has all these things. There’s one skill preventing him from playing at the level he can play at.
“I’m counting on Anthony. We need him to step up and simply cover the top of the ball. I don’t know what else to do than say what I just said because I’ve said it to him. He hears it. He’s a really good player. He could probably play for many years after this, but you’re not playing for Bill Belichick if you fumble the ball, so we need him this week to really make a step.”
Rhule said he gave such an expansive answer about ball security during his media appearance to make sure that his players hear it again.
“We’re going to trust him as a really good player that he can get it corrected,” Rhule said of Grant.