THE GOOD ...
- DRIVING: Nebraska put a number of sustained drives together against Iowa State. Much has been made of NU's attempt to find an offensive identity, and putting together the Texas Tech and the Iowa State games, apparently they've found one. Use the short pass to set up the run, grind the clock, and keep their offense off the field.
- THE RIGHT BALANCE: When you look at the rushing and receiving totals, it looks like NU is badly unbalanced in favor of the pass. But check out the attempts, and you'll see that it's almost 50/50 in run/pass ratio. It's the attempts, not the yardage, that establishes a balance to an attack. For the first time this season, it appeared that NU stayed with the run even when it wasn't producing immediately.
- WILD 'HUSKER: OK, I'll admit it. Putting Marlon Lucky in a shotgun and giving him the direct snap was a gimmick. But it sure was fun. And it puts the skeleton in place for a lot of other plays to run from that set - plays that opponents in the future will have to take time to scheme for. Plus, how cool is it to call something "Wild 'Husker" in the first place?
THE BAD ...
- THIRD QUARTER WOES: Nebraska struggled yet again coming out of the half. In this game, it looked at bit like NU was comfortable with a lead and let up on the gas pedal a little bit. But it's a disturbingly consistent pattern that needs to be addressed going forward.
- TURNOVERS: Yes, NU finally got their elusive turnover, and yes, a turnover was was ended the game in Nebraska's favor. But NU also left the ball on the ground way too many times, including a turnover at the end of the first half that prevented Nebraska from landing a knockout punch. Ball security is still an issue for this squad, and one that needs to fixed in a hurry.
- PUNTING: Apparently Jake Wesch wasn't the answer. Nebraska's punting game was just as bad against the 'Clones as it has been all season. I know punters and kickers never get the respect, but Iowa State's punter did a great job of establishing field position and putting them in a position to be successful. Unfortunately for ISU, there wasn't much they could do with it.
... AND THE AFTERGLOW.
Iowa State decided this season to go for a "throwback" uniform look - which worked out well for Nebraska, as this game felt very much like a throwback to the time where ISU was a guaranteed win for NU. From the opening quarter, Nebraska was never in jeopardy of losing this contest, even when ISU showed signs of life in the third quarter. Nebraska has now put two solid performances together on the road in conference, which might be more than the previous coaching staff had in four years.
THE BIG PICTURE.
For those of you feeling like Nebraska is "back," please take a deep breath. Iowa State is not the benchmark by which this program should be judged. Yes, this is a good win, and yes, it's a good sign that Nebraska can dominate an inferior opponent. But Nebraska isn't "back," and won't be until they get past the high-water mark they had pre-Black Friday, before the 62-21 loss to Colorado in 2001. All the evidence now points in the right direction, including a bowl game this year and hope for the future that wasn't present after the Missouri debacle. But there's still a long way to go for the Scarlet and Cream.
THE NEXT GAME: Baylor @ Nebraska (-10). Baylor's Robert Griffin is a special talent, and the Bears' defense has played surprisingly well. But apart from Griffin, there's not a lot of talent in green and gold. It's a big ask for Baylor to come to Lincoln to face a Nebraska team that has found a little bit of mojo and identity. Ironically, the road trip may have been a good tonic for Nebraska to get better after back-to-back losses at home. Now we'll see how well Bo Pelini and company handle a little success. Absent overconfidence, Nebraska should have enough to win comfortably. Take the 'Huskers, give the points in this one.
GBR, baby.
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