Nebraska is now 5-0 after taking down Maryland 48-23. That marks the Huskers’ first 5-0 start since 2016. Nebraska also won its first two Big Ten games by double digits and scored 30-plus points. That said, this game was more chaotic than the Huskers’ win over Michigan State last week.
Nebraska fell behind 16-7 in the first quarter, then 23-14 in the second quarter, largely due to penalties, missed tackles and assignments, and an unbalanced offense. Though the Huskers course-corrected, this recent outing shows that Nebraska isn’t a first-half team, or first-quarter team, to be more exact.
Here is the report card for Nebraska’s chaotic win over Maryland.
Quarterback: B-
Anthony Colandrea played another uneven game for Nebraska, though he once again put the team on his back at times. He threw 26-of-39 for 238 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 108 yards on 10 carries. But he also threw one pick, took two sacks, and missed a number of throws, or put them in spots that halted receivers’ momentum.
The pick occurred in the first quarter and, unlike the one against Bowling Green, Colandrea did put the ball in harm’s way. Granted, it only added to the frustrating first 15 minutes Nebraska was enduring. So only letting one pass get picked was a silver lining.
But even though Colandrea avoided throwing another pick, missing a few open receivers at times or not hitting them in stride is another area of concern. However, it was windy in Lincoln, and Colandrea did have to stay on his toes in the backfield at times, so there is some leeway.
Plus, Colandrea more than made up for his missed throws by leading the team in rushing for the second week in a row. He picked up multiple first downs, broke out a run of over 50 yards and even hurdled a player. That kind of play will be needed next week against Indiana if Nebraska wants a chance.
Colandrea’s mobility and composure make him a literal gamechanger for the Huskers’ offense. However, he needs to be careful with his throws, or else more missed opportunities and interceptions may come his way.
Running Backs: B-
As mentioned, Colandrea led the Huskers on the ground for the second week in a row. That spells trouble for a team whose identity is the run game. Though Nebraska’s running backs did account for over a hundred rushing yards in the win over the Terrapins, it took five backs and none of them exceeded 50 yards.
Isaiah Mozee and Mekhi Nelson did contribute the bulk of the rushing, though, combining for 85 yards on 22 carries on the ground. But even then, a good chunk of their yardage came on a couple of big runs. Mozee picked up 46 yards on eight carries but had a long of 13. Nelson finished with 39 yards on 14 carries with a long of 19.
Maryland’s defense shut them down multiple times, with Mozee finding more success than Nelson at times. Whether it was keeping them from going outside or breaching the backfield from the start, the Terrapins knew how to get to the running backs.
Granted, Mozee and Nelson did also grab a few receptions, combining for 44 yards on seven catches. Vincent Genatone even found paydirt for the second straight week, scoring in the red zone. But now the group faces an Indiana defense that’s held its last four opponents to under 100 yards rushing. Even if Jamal Rule returns for this upcoming game, the path to a successful outing is becoming treacherous.
Wide Receivers: B+
Kwazi Gilmer once again led Nebraska’s receiving corps, topping last week’s performance. He hauled in career highs in receptions (11) and receiving yards (147) for the Huskers. This, plus his two touchdowns, helped Nebraska’s offense find its rhythm despite a rough start.
However, the rest of the group accounted for eight catches for 47 yards. Now, to be fair, the first quarter’s chaos did result in an uneven passing game. Plus, Gilmer did tear up the field at times, sometimes even alone. But when a defense targets one receiver 17 times in a game, it’s only so long before it cuts that off.
Though Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith are single-handedly crushing opposing defenses as well, the Colandrea-Gilmer duo cannot become the main identity of the passing offense. Now that isn’t to say Gilmer shouldn’t see action nor the rest of the group hasn’t earned touches.
Luke Lindenmeyer hauled in a touchdown and picked up a key first down for Nebraska, despite finishing with three catches for 20 yards. Nyziah Hunter also caught two for 17 yards, including a 12-yarder. Jacory Barney Jr. even snatched two receptions for 11 yards. Though not as flashy as Gilmer, it still helped keep the offense moving.
At the same time, a number of holding penalties, a personal foul by a receiver, and a few missed blocks moved the offense backward as well. A lot of these upcoming opponents aren’t flawless against the pass. But if the Huskers do want to find success, they need to be both clean and not become too reliant on one player.
Offensive Line: B-
At times, the pipeline couldn’t stand its ground against Maryland or open up big holes for major runs. On top of that, the line suffered multiple false starts, and Colandrea took two sacks.
To do that against a Maryland team that struggled against offenses over the last few weeks is not a good sign for this group. Though the Huskers scored 48 points, turnovers and a withering Maryland team played a part in that.
The pipeline had its moments in the run game, with Nelson and Mozee picking up some yardage. Even a few of Colandrea’s runs came from a good front. Colandrea also got time in the pocket for much of the game, throwing for 238 yards and three touchdowns.
But again, this line has struggled in the first half against Big Ten teams two weeks in a row. Now, Nebraska enters the gauntlet and every game from here comes down to who wins the battle in the trenches. If the pipeline can’t hold its ground from start to finish against Maryland or Michigan State, Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State will be even tougher.
Defensive Line: B
It’s not often a defensive lineman gets an interception. But Kade Pietrzak picked off Washington on the first play of a drive. That was due to a combination of a good dropback by Pietrzak and the defense forcing the ball out quick.
That was the game plan for the line, and it did a solid job. Washington at times got flustered and made mistakes because of the line. Nebraska also managed to slow down the run game. However, Washington did have time in the pocket at times, and Maryland broke out some runs.
The pieces are there for this group to continue dominating the line. But the challenges only get harder from here on out. If the line wants to compete with the best teams in the nation, they need to keep the pressure up from start to finish.
Linebackers: B
Much like the defensive line, the second level brought the pressure. Owen Chambliss co-led the Huskers in tackles, totaling eight alongside defensive back Donovan Jones. Vincent Shavers Jr. also recorded Nebraska’s only sack of the game. Beyond that, nothing crucial happened against the Huskers that was solely on a linebacker.
All of this allowed for the defense to stand its ground despite the early hardships. But those hardships show there is still much work to be done on defense. If Maryland and Michigan State can find success in early drives, then so can teams like Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State.
For the second level, protecting the outside and up the middle from the run remains the top priority. If the linebackers can apply pressure early and keep the ball in front of them, then the Blackshirts stand a better chance against these top 25 teams.
Defensive Backs: B
The group responsible for the play of the game came in the second quarter. Dwayne McDougle III’s 81-yard house call completely shifted the momentum for the Huskers, who limited Malik Washington’s passing for the rest of the game.
Though the quarterback finished with 23 completions for 254 yards and a touchdown, most of his success occurred in the first quarter. Washington finished 11-of-18 for 177 yards and a touchdown in the opening 15 minutes. He ended the day 23-of-44. Though the line and second level helped by bringing pressure, the secondary’s ability to limit Washington’s play was critical.
That doesn’t entirely make up for the fact that the Huskers still allowed 254 yards, 177 of those yards being the first quarter no less. A couple of blown coverages and a failed attempt at jumping a route helped propel Maryland ahead on the scoreboard. The secondary also drew a couple of penalties that negated a third-down stop and a sack. On top of that, a few missed tackles allowed for big runs.
With Indiana capitalizing on those mishaps in its win over Rutgers, it needs to avoid them this week. If the group can be as aggressive as it was this week, and not trade big plays for it, then it could get some stops against the Hoosiers.
Special Teams: B-
A group that swung back and forth like a pendulum, Nebraska’s third phase both made mistakes, but also big plays. The best example was on Maryland’s first two drives.
The Huskers drew a running-into-the-punter penalty on the opening drive, which led to a field goal. But then, Nebraska fully blocked the punt on the preceding drive, leading to a touchdown for the home team.
The back-and-forth continued, though. A kick-catch interference penalty, a missed field goal, and a missed extra point didn’t hurt the Huskers in this game. But it may do so if they continue. Kyle Cunanan is now 0-for-3 from beyond 50 yards, a problem that can become crucial later on in the season or even this coming week.
Nebraska did get a couple of punt returns for over 10 yards. Barney even picked up 22 on one return. Though the Huskers haven’t yet broken out a bigger return, they are heading in the right direction.
Archie Wilson also totaled 218 punting yards on five boots, including a 50-yarder. That is a good sign for Nebraska’s punt team if the offense continues to stall out at times, so long as it doesn’t allow a punt block.
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This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Report card from Nebraska’s chaotic win over Maryland