Cornhuskers vs. Buckeyes: 5 Things Nebraska Must Do to Earn First Big Ten Win

Many in Husker nation saw the Wisconsin game as a chance to make a national statement.  Even if Nebraska lost, it could show it's ready to tango with the best in the country.  Instead, it was shell-shocked on a national stage.  The vaunted Blackshirts were supposed to be great, and instead they have been a disappointment, ranking in the middle of the country.  The offense has not been that great of an asset, either.

The Cornhuskers get the Ohio State Buckeyes at home for the first Big Ten game at Memorial Stadium.  During the preseason, this was pegged as a top-10 matchup, with both teams going undefeated.  However only Nebraska is ranked with one loss and Ohio State has two losses.  This is still a big matchup, featuring two of the premier programs in the country.

What does Nebraska need to do for the win?

1. Pressure Braxton Miller or Joe Bauserman

See that guy in the picture?  That should be the Blackshirts' No. 1 target—they should be coming after this guy. 

That guy is true freshman quarterback Braxton Miller, who is not exactly comfortable in his first season.  He has thrown two picks, been sacked eight times and completes around 50 percent of his passes.  According to Buckeye fans, he often looks like a deer in the headlights. 

Joe Bauserman is the other QB, and he is not much better, with stats resembling Miller's. However, unlike Miller, he doesn't move in the pocket. 

The Buckeyes are weakest at the quarterback position, and it could be argued that it's the reason why the Buckeyes are doing badly.  Exploit that—blitz the QBs with Lavonte David and the nickelback. Make him uncomfortable.

2. Shore Up the Secondary

Cornhusker fans, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Ohio State's biggest downfield threat was ruled ineligible to play this week. 

While it's great that the secondary does not have to worry about DeVier Posey, it still looks sloppy.  This would be a great game to make a statement against a passing game that is bad.  As in, "worse-than-Nebraska" bad. 

The only player in the secondary that is playing well is Alfonzo Dennard, mostly because teams throw away from him. 

Head coach Bo Pelini needs to get on these guys: Either play hard or sit on the bench.

3. Stop with the Arm Tackling

How many times did Nebraska have Russell Wilson or Montee Ball for a loss, only to have them slip away or power through a pile of defenders?  You can attribute that to arm tackling. 

The defensive players cannot simply put their arms on a guy and hope he falls down—that doesn't work with big power backs. In fact, it doesn't work that often on anyone. 

It feels like the defensive line is still used to the Big 12's small and shifty running backs, as opposed to the big and plow-through-people backs in the Big Ten.  The defense can get penetration and stop the run, but you can't bring a guy down by putting an arm in front of them.

4. Give Burkhead the Ball

Rex Burkhead is without a doubt the most consistent offensive weapon that Nebraska has. Yet, he was forgotten about during the Wisconsin game until the fourth quarter. 

When he is in, he gets yards, he plays with the same intensity during the entire game no matter the score.  He is one of the most beloved running backs in Nebraska history. 

Give him the ball—he can get yards, extend plays and help set up the passing game.

5. Set Up the Run and Short Pass Before Airing It out Downfield

For some reason, Nebraska felt it should throw the ball downfield during the end of the second quarter.  We all know how that ended. Two interceptions thrown right into at least double coverage. 

When the team knows you are going to throw, and your quarterback is not the greatest passer, the defense is going to sit back and wait for the quarterback to throw into the secondary.  This is why you mix in the run with the pass. Based on Wisconsin's defense, a simple draw play would have gashed it for big yards.

Also, the short passing game is very effective for Nebraska, and it should use that.  Nebraska ran the same play several times in a row—a short roll-out and a pass to Jamal Turner—that worked for a first time three times. Nebraska can use Kenny Bell and Turner as deep threats, but the passing game is set up for short and intermediate passes.