Nebraska’s defense had been living on reputation for most of the season. Friday night in Champaign, Illinois put that reputation under a brighter light.
The Huskers gave up 24 points in a 24-13 loss, the most they had allowed all year, and the secondary in particular had a rough night. Illinois completed 15 of 25 passes against Nebraska’s defensive backs for 228 yards and three touchdowns, while the unit also accounted for five of the Huskers’ nine missed tackles. Dwayne McDougle was charged with three of those misses.
That said, the front held up better than the final score might suggest. Nebraska generated 21 pressures, with the defensive line responsible for 16 of them, and Cam Lenhardt and Jordan Ochoa split the team’s two sacks.
Even without Anthony Jones for a second straight week, the Blackshirts limited Illinois to 84 rushing yards on 29 carries, a 2.9-yard average. Illinois had been averaging more than 164 rushing yards entering the game, so Nebraska did enough against the run to stay in the fight.
The bigger problem came through the air and on special teams, where Illinois made the plays that swung the game.
Owen Chambliss’ absence was felt immediately. Nebraska’s defense looked different once he left with an injury, which says plenty about how important the veteran linebacker has been. Sophomore Dawson Merritt stepped into his biggest role since the season opener against Ohio, but on 17 defensive snaps he posted the lowest overall grade of his college career.
The linebacker group still had bright spots. Vincent Shavers was active all night, finishing with three quarterback hurries and a team-high seven tackles. Dexter Foster also turned in a strong performance, playing his most snaps since the Maryland game and earning the highest overall grade of any Nebraska defender.
There was also disappointment on the back end beyond the numbers. Jamir Conn’s return never happened, despite expectations that the senior defensive back would be back after the injury he suffered against Indiana. Conn had been playing at a high level before that setback, but he did not see the field Friday.
Andrew Marshall, meanwhile, has been one of Nebraska’s better stories this season, but opponents have started to test him more often on passing downs. Over the last three games, the Midseason All-American has been targeted 24 times, allowing 13 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns.
In all, 23 Nebraska defenders played against Illinois, and the final grades reflected a defense that was sturdy in some spots and exposed in others. The run defense gave Nebraska a chance. The passing game against it did not.
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Nebraska Gets A Useful Early Test Its Defense Cant Ignore
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Lindenwood comes in with a fresh win over East-West University and a loss to TCU, which gives Nebraska a useful contrast in styles and competition level as it keeps evaluating itself. For a team trying to build habits in November, these are the kinds of games that can reveal whether the defense is keeping pace with the offense, and whether the Cornhuskers are ready to turn a strong start into something more dependable. [Read more 🡒]