With no Rutgers wide receivers in sight, Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Malcolm Hartzog (13) intercepts a pass by Rutgers quarterback Evan Simon (3) late in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, in Piscataway, New Jersey. Nebraska won, 14-13. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media) via TNS
What’s happened so far in 2023?
Nebraska’s inaugural season under the helm of Matt Rhule (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) quickly got off to a rocky start against Minnesota Aug. 31, with a 13-10 loss to the Golden Gophers that did not see the Cornhuskers break the plane until the third quarter. In week two, Nebraska then suffered a 36-14 rout by the Colorado Buffaloes, with Shedeur Sanders throwing for nearly 400 yards on the Cornhuskers secondary. Perhaps the biggest blow to Nebraska, however, was the loss of its two running backs, sophomore Gabe Ervin Jr. and junior Rahmir Johnson, which came the following week. Ervin dislocated his shoulder and Johnson dislocated his hip — both season-ending injuries in Nebraska’s first win of the season over Northern Illinois. Despite the loss of their two featured backs, the Cornhuskers managed a nearly 300-yard rushing performance from the duo of quarterback Heinrich Haarberg and running back Anthony Grant in their 28-14 win over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in week four.
Key offensive player:
The highest-rated recruit to sign with Nebraska since 2008, the Cornhuskers offense will look to sophomore tight end Thomas Fidone II to finally have his breakout season after redshirting his first two years due to injury. Despite uncertainty in the quarterback room, Fidone leads the Cornhuskers with three receiving touchdowns and has shown the ability to be a red zone threat for an offense that will likely need all its playmakers to emerge Saturday as No. 2 Michigan marches into Lincoln, Nebraska. Expect Nebraska’s offense to look to Fidone early and often in hopes of establishing momentum against a solid Wolverines defense.
Key defensive player:
Though Nebraska’s offense has much to prove, its defense — particularly the front seven led by junior Nash Hutmacher — has been a bright spot. Hutmacher has already logged 1.5 sacks and 17 total tackles, but his biggest impact is likely in his leadership. Hutmacher wears the jersey number zero and was one of 10 Huskers to earn a single-digit number in a team vote, selecting him as one of Nebraska’s “toughest” players, according to Nebraska Football. Hutmacher will look to elevate what could be a promising Nebraska run defense in what is likely a career-defining year for him.
Weaknesses:
Nebraska football’s weaknesses feel deeply rooted at this point and can likely be attributed to everything ranging from a competitive Big Ten Conference to its last two head coaches combining for a 35-50 record. While the days of Tommie Frazier likely won’t return to Lincoln in the near future, Nebraska’s chances to potentially turn the program around under a promising new coach and favorable schedule at least set it up for an opportunity to finish with a better record than previous years.
