Before every game, I ask a reporter who covers the Gophers upcoming opponent to give us a view from the opponent’s perspective.
I asked Luke Mullin from the Lincoln Journal Star six questions about the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Minnesota travels to Lincoln to take on the Huskers on November 5th.
Huge thanks to Luke for giving us his thoughts!
Follow Luke on Twitter: @LjsLuke
–> Follow Noel on Twitter: @n0elthompson
1. It’s been quite a season for Nebraska football. This season marked year five under Scott Frost, who restructured his contract in the offseason to make this year make or break for him. Well, it broke. Frost was fired after three games, and now Mickey Joseph leads the team. Obviously, Frost didn’t meet the expectations that were set before the season. How would you grade Mickey Joseph’s job so far? Do you consider him a candidate to get the job after the season?
You simply have to give Mickey Joseph props for the job he’s done already. Make no mistake about it – he inherited a football team with very little belief, and with very little optimism for this season. Before Frost’s firing, there was a certain pressure on their shoulders to play for their head coach and try and turn this program around. After Frost’s firing, that pressure was gone, but some people around the program were wondering if this was a “lost season,” so to speak.
Joseph has ensured that hasn’t been the case. His tough love approach has truly resonated within the team, and I think players feel like they know him a lot better than they knew Frost. I would say Joseph has been an excellent motivator and spokesperson for the football program, but I’m not sure he’s shown enough in terms of his head coaching ability.
Everyone knows he’s an ace recruiter, relationships person and a strong voice for his players. He’s exactly what Nebraska needed this season, but athletic director Trev Alberts will still look nationally in this coaching search. Joseph still has a chance, but losing two straight games and his starting quarterback has lessened some of his momentum for the permanent head coaching job.
2. Casey Thompson exited the game last week against Illinois in the second quarter with an arm injury. The offense didn’t look the same after that. Do you expect him to start against Minnesota? If not, could you give us a scouting report on Logan Smothers and Chubba Purdy? Who do you have stepping up if Casey isn’t a go this Saturday?
The expectation around Lincoln is that Casey Thompson won’t be ready to play. Any questions of nerve damage are incredibly scary, and he’s been beat up already this year. I don’t think Nebraska will risk his long-term health at this junction, because they want him back as a starter next season.
Logan Smothers has been at Nebraska longer, but he’s a holdover from the Frost-run offensive schemes. He’s a naturally gifted runner, and NU has several zone-read packages they can run when he’s in the game. He was fairly accurate (16-of-22) in the only start of his career against Iowa last season, but Chubba Purdy offers more upside as a passer.
That’s why Nebraska trotted out Purdy in the second half last week, but we’ve since learned that Purdy hardly practiced all week heading into the game. He fits the mold of what Nebraska offensive coordinator Mark Whipple wants from his quarterback, so I’d expect to see Purdy out there for most of the game.
3. It seems like Nebraska and Minnesota have developed a little rivalry between themselves. Would you agree? Scott Frost and P.J. Fleck have made comments that seem directed at each other in the past. How does the Huskers fanbase view Fleck and the Minnesota Golden Gophers?
I would agree that there’s some tension between these programs. I’m not sure if you get this often, but I’d say a lot of Husker fans see Fleck as an annoying showman. But, among this coaching staff there’s plenty of respect since Frost isn’t in the picture anymore. For all of Nebraska’s recruiting “wins,” Fleck has built a better, more consistent program and deserves credit for that. I’ll also give a shout out to the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy, which might not be super well-known to all Nebraska and Minnesota fans, but represents why college football is special to me.
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Nebraska Cornhuskers?
The strength of Nebraska is its big-play ability. Trey Palmer is one of the most electric wide receivers the Huskers have ever had, and his production is the proof of it. Regardless of who starts at quarterback, he’s a big-play threat every time he’s on the field. Likewise, Nebraska has finally found a consistent starting running back in Anthony Grant, whose ability to make cuts has led to several big gains this year.
However, the offense’s overall production is limited by an offensive line that is one of the program’s worst in recent memory. Injuries and a preseason suspension have greatly changed the personnel available to play, and having a first-year offensive line coach with limited coaching experience is another challenge. It’s the undisputed weak point of this team, and it’s why Thompson has been beat up all year.
5. Could you give us one or two players on offense and defense that Minnesota fans should know about?
The danger men on offense are undoubtedly Palmer and Grant. But, don’t sleep on senior tight end Travis Vokolek. He’s a great safety option for his quarterbacks and is hard to take down once he gets going.
On defense, it’s hard to say that many players have been standout performers. Edge rusher Ochaun Mathis does a lot of hard work in run contain and sealing the perimeter, but he hasn’t made a big impact rushing the passer. Inside linebacker Luke Reimer is even more important now that NU’s other top linebacker, Nick Henrich, is out for the season. And in the secondary, I think safety Marques Buford has been one of NU’s most consistent players.
6. Minnesota is a 15-point favorite in Lincoln, a four-point rise since the lines opened. It seems like Vegas doesn’t think Casey Thompson might not start. What does Nebraska need to do to get a win over Minnesota? What is your prediction for the game and why?
In order for Nebraska to win, a miracle recovery for Casey Thompson might be necessary. It’s just hard to see an offense that looked helpless against Illinois magically turn things around in the span of a couple days. If NU can get a 100-yard performance out of Anthony Grant, that’d help a lot, and so would Trey Palmer making his usual impact. But, I think Minnesota should handle this game fairly easily thanks to its defense and ground game. I’m predicting a 31-13 win for Minnesota.