3 games. Three game-winning field goals. 3 losses, 13-10. That’s the legacy of head coach Matt Rhule’s first season in Lincoln.
On October 28, Nebraska improved to 5-3 and grabbed its sixth win with four chances remaining. Fans were very excited about the show’s performance. The season will end in less than a month. The Huskers lost all four games by a combined 16 points.
“We’re not there yet,” Rhule said after the game. “That’s why I’m so proud of them. They fight, they fight, and we don’t make excuses. We just came back. I think that’s the key to moving forward.”
There is no question that the rules have made progress in their first year. Nebraska played a meaningful game against Iowa State for the first time since 2019. They persevered against a team ranked 17th in the country and had many chances to win.
“You could tell everyone wanted it,” junior defensive lineman Ty Robinson said after the game. “We knew all week that with tenacity, discipline and involvement, this was going to be our game. Unfortunately, sometimes that’s not how football works.”
The 2023 Huskers have an aura that wasn’t present during the Frost era. There was real hope for this team. Perhaps it was unfair. Bowl game aspirations may have been too lofty.
Why would a first-year rule be expected to do something that Frost didn’t? Considering the myriad injuries and true freshmen playing a key role, it’s hard to imagine this coaching staff being able to wipe out the losing culture in one offseason.
“We know this program is really great,” senior guard Noureddine Nouri said after the game. “I know I’m going to destroy everyone in front of me in the next few classes.”
Many of the seniors who stood on the podium felt the same way.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what Nebraska does.” [Rhule’s] Here we are,” senior defensive back Omar Brown said after the game. “We accepted what he told us. He helped a lot of people.”
If the Huskers had finished 3-9 with a number of blowout losses, 2023 would have been seen as over. A typical year of rule rebuilding. But the pain of another bowl-less season is only made worse by how close they got.
In a particularly vulnerable Big Ten West, Nebraska was just a few turnovers away from heading to Indianapolis. It will continue for many years to come.
For a fan base hungry for postseason play, Friday’s loss feels like a throwback. And so it is. However, with most of the same players returning from the previous regime, Rhule had a difficult hill to climb.
“People always think they solve things by saying, ‘Get that player,’ but there’s a lot of good players here,” Rhule said. “To correct losses in these close games, we also need to ask each player to improve by a half point.”
Whether Rhule believes it or not, multiple recruiting classes may be needed to steer the ship in the right direction. The current roster has been on the losing side of countless one-score games. As a precaution, one more senior was sent off.
Somehow, the Huskers found a surprising new way to lose. Junior cornerback Tommy Hill intercepted a pass with 31 seconds left, giving the Huskers a chance and a dream. Still, Iowa won regulation on senior kicker Marshall Meader’s first try of the year. Some things never change.
“We had some chances late,” Rhule said. “We didn’t make it. What affected us all year long affected us.”
No matter how good the coaching staff is, Nebraska players have to learn how to hold the ball. Three more perks were added on Friday, bringing the season total to 31.
Sophomore quarterback Chubba Purdy, who at times looked like the best QB on the roster, ended this loss the same way as the previous two games: a devastating interception. He also inexplicably fumbled on the ground twice, but his arm remains a cause for optimism.
Purdy finished the game with 189 yards and a touchdown through the air, and made several huge third-down throws. He looked comfortable in areas where other Nebraska quarterbacks would throw passes over receivers’ heads. It’s hard to ask for anything more against a pass defense that ranks 10th in the nation.
“I thought [Purdy] It was a little sporadic early on,” Ruhl said. “There wasn’t a lot of pressure, so we told him to calm down and play. I thought he started doing that.”
In the second quarter, Purdy connected with freshman receiver Jalen Lloyd for his second 50+ yard bomb in recent weeks. It was the highlight of the day, reminiscent of Trey Palmer’s big catch a year ago.
Being compared to Nebraska’s all-time single-season receiving leader is a promising sign for the young speedster. The Huskers will have a talented wide receiver room in the coming years.
Aside from deep shots, Nebraska only had one drive longer than 25 yards. The offense’s inability to advance down the field reared its ugly head once again. For the third time this season, holding the opponent to 13 points wasn’t enough.
The Blackshirts stepped up in the second half, but really struggled early on. Iowa had 200 yards from scrimmage and could have had a three-possession lead at the break if not for several red zone stops and two blocked field goals.
Nebraska’s No. 6 ranked run defense was battered and bruised all day. Junior running back Leshon Williams’ 22-yard scamper in the fourth quarter capped off his 111-yard gain on the day. His offensive line consistently won at the point of attack.
Iowa was also dominant defensively. Nebraska had just 75 yards rushing, its lowest performance of the season by a wide margin.
Still, the Huskers had several chances to win late. The Blackshirts forced four three-and-outs and five punts in the second half. But for the second straight week, freshman kicker Tristan Albano missed a field goal, giving up three points.
It’s the missed opportunities that will haunt Rhule and his peers this offseason. They coached well enough to compete with every team on their schedule (except Michigan, but I’m not sure who’s counting). Their record of 5 wins and 7 losses tells a different story. The ghosts of the previous regime have carried over into the current one.
Now, the long offseason begins. Expectations will soar in 2024. Nebraska must be ready to meet expectations next August.
“It’s only up from here,” Robinson said. “I think this coaching staff has put in a lot of time and effort and has given us a lot of potential to grow a lot next year.”
sports@dailynebraskan.com