This week’s stop on the opponent Q&A trail brings a look at Nebraska, where the Cornhuskers are 5-2 under Matt Rhule and coming off close losses to Indiana and Oregon. To get a better read on where things stand in Lincoln, Mark Schafer spoke with Jon Johnston of Corn Nation and Andy Ketterson, the site’s credentialed softball and football reporter.
The conversation started with Rhule, now in year four after back-to-back 7-6 seasons. Ketterson said the angry chorus is always the loudest, but the bigger picture is more tempered.
He pointed to a bye-week poll that showed many fans stuck in “please start finishing these games” mode after those fourth-quarter leads against Indiana and Oregon, while the doom-and-gloom crowd remains the minority. Johnston said much the same, noting that online outrage tends to dominate the discussion, even if it doesn’t reflect everyone.
On offense, Nebraska’s setup features Dana Holgorsen and Glenn Thomas, though Ketterson made clear where the power lies: Dana is the offensive coordinator and Thomas the quarterback coach, with Holgorsen the one speaking for the offense each Tuesday. Johnston summed up the scheme in blunt fashion: “We run ALL THE TIME on first down.”
He broke down the ground game as heavy on outside zone with GT Counter and GF Counter mixed in, while noting there aren’t many RPOs because Anthony Colandrea “doesn’t do a good job with them.” Nebraska also doesn’t lean much on interior runs, in part because the tackles are viewed as stronger than the guards. In the passing game, the Huskers will use screens, quick throws and play-action when needed.
Colandrea has thrown for 1,570 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, and the fan base sees him as a major upgrade over Dylan Raiola. Ketterson said that reaction is colored by the fact that Nebraska fans have been carrying around “Chernobyl-sized cans of red-ass ever since Dylan hit the portal.”
He added that Colandrea fits Holgorsen’s offense better and brings more experience. Johnston called him a playmaker and said he’s much better with his legs than Raiola, but also described a quarterback who can lock onto his first read and either extend the play, run, or take a sack.
Nebraska’s other offensive names include freshman running back Jamal Rule, who burst onto the scene before apparently getting hurt and missing the last two games. Kwazi Gilmer and Jacory Barney Jr. have made plays in the passing game, though Johnston said Gilmer has had a lot of drops. Luke Lindenmeyer is the tight end fans love most, a reliable outlet with what Ketterson called a decent NFL future ahead of him.
Defensively, first-year coordinator Rob Aurich has the Huskers in a 4-2-5 look, with linebacker Owen Chambliss serving as the clear leader. Chambliss has 46 tackles and an interception, and Ketterson said he has quickly established himself by knowing everyone’s assignments and showing an ability to diagnose plays before the snap.
Aurich, he added, has helped turn a porous 2025 run defense into one of the nation’s best by disguising coverages and getting Whittington, Stoudmire and Anthony Jones Jr. through the portal. Jones is now out for a few weeks, leaving Nebraska to lean on backups who have already logged plenty of snaps.
When asked for an underrated fan favorite, Ketterson pointed to deep backup and walk-on transfer running back Vince Genatone, who had taken over short-yardage duties before being lost for the season against Oregon. He also mentioned local nickel Donovan Jones, though he added that it’s getting harder to call him underrated when he “runs an electronic sub-4.4 and craves contact.” Johnston’s answer was simpler: Luke Lindenmeyer again.
As for Saturday, Ketterson picked Nebraska to win 30-21, saying a younger roster might keep folding in the fourth quarter, but this group of upperclassmen could finally break through in front of a loud crowd. He added that Washington is talented even if it may be “kind of lost right now,” and he stopped short of calling for a blowout.
Johnston’s final note was a reminder that Nebraska has not exactly been easy to score on. He said the defense is 14th nationally in scoring defense at 15.4 points allowed per game, while the offense ranks 29th at 35.4 points per game. The Huskers were held in check by Indiana and Oregon, but he expects Washington to present a different challenge.
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