Blackshirts?

Obviously, the team missed the shootout memo I issued from last week. Egad. OWH and LJS both ran articles yesterday on the woes of the Blackshirts. OWH had a nice chart whose info I've copied here.

Defensive struggles
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Nebraska ranks near the bottom of several Big 12 defensive categories.
Category Avg. Rank

Pass defense 25.1 yds/gm 9

Rush defense 190.5 yds/gm 12

Total defense 441.5 yds/gm 12

Opponent 1st downs 136 12

Sacks 6 T-11

Red zone def.
(% pts. allowed) 88.5% 10

In addition, the LJS/Husker Extra article I linked gave the historical backdrop to the defensive breakdown. NU has given up more than 40 point in three games this half of a season so far - the last time this happened at NU, it was over the course of the full 1943 season. Huskers did not allow 40 point in a game in the entire decade of the 70s and only twice in the 80s.

The yardage mark above (441) would be the most yards given up by a Husker team in the history of the program. Previous high was 379, given up in by a 1948 team that wnet 2-8. The 32 first downs given up Saturday were the most ever in a game, and the defense is on a pace to give up more points and yardage than any team in the history of the program as well.

The question is, will it get any better? While I certainly hope so, Oklahoma State has an offensive club ranking #14 in total offense, but the Huskers have historically always played well at home, even in the Callaghan era, so I'm calling this one for NU, 30-28 in a nail biter.