Apparently I live in the wrong place and use the wrong Internet provider. I learned two key pieces of information this week: a) ESPN's College GamePlan is not available where I live, and b) Comcast is not a partner ISP with ESPN which meant that the ESPN360.com broadcast wasn't available to me either. Here I am willing to pay at least $100 for a service, anybody's service, and the powers that be won't let me. How is that a competent business plan?Anyway, I didn't see any of the game but that won't keep me from offering a take on the results, especially when I was flat wrong in terms of how impressive the season opener would be. I talked to someone who was at the game and someone outside of Nebraska who was granted the divine right to actually watch it, but without my own visual assessment, this is all based on hearsay, stats and speculation.
Exhibit A: The running game. It's tough to take anything away from the first game. Tim Tebow went 13-17 for 300+ yards and 4 TDs...against Western Kentucky. That's usually the response to week one games, but the biggest question coming into Saturday was how effectively could Nebraska pound the rock given the injury issues in fall camp. The answer?
Pretty well. Against Nevada. Marlon Lucky had the day we all hoped he could have and, more importantly, was not concussed. Quentin Castille was by all accounts impressive, even running a bit out of the fullback spot which is an additional consideration for opposing defenses that NU hadn't had previously. Culbert and Helu both showed flashes which means the only thing that could've been better was a contribution from Glenn. That said, I'd still give the ground game an A...against Nevada.
Exhibit B: The kicking game. Kickers aren't normally the most lasting impression from game one but Adi Kunalic arguably was. I wouldn't say that Nebraska would've won three more games last year if they had him--as was implied during the broadcast--but the Texas and Auburn games definitely would've ended differently. Color me pleased.
Exhibit C: Sam Keller. No cause for concern but not the debut he and the rest of Nebraska were likely hoping for. His final line was solid and could've been better if not for some drops, but we'll see a lot more against a Wake Forest squad that looked game in Chestnut Hill today.
Exhibit D: The Blackshirts. 78 yards rushing, 184 total, can't ask for much more than that. Without the visual it's tough to assess Murillo and Asante but Octavien sounded like the playmaker I think he will be.
The verdict: I didn't think Nebraska would come anywhere near the numbers they put up in last year's season opener--584 total yards, 7 TDs, two TOs--but they actually surpassed them albeit in a different fashion. Today they put up 624 yards, 412 on the ground, with 7 TDs, one turnover and one much needed long field goal.
Unlike Dan Fouts, I'm not quite ready to say Nebraska is "back" but looking at the box score it did feel like the mid-90s again: physical and statistical domination. Of course, that won't get you anything next week in Winston-Salem so let's just call it a good first step.
Photo: LJS.com
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