Nebraska vs. Penn State: Grading the Cornhuskers Game

If you're a big proponent of "Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing," you're probably thrilled with Nebraska's 17-14 win today in Beaver Stadium against the 12th-ranked Nittany Lions. 

I'm not, which is why I'm already cringing at the thought of Denard Robinson or even Devin Gardner running wild against us next week.

Before I give an early assessment of the game next week, let's grade out the team in today's game.

Quarterback:

I thought Taylor Martinez was good but not exceptional today.  Martinez rushed for 56 yards, threw for just under 150 yards and completed 13 of 26 pass attempts. 

While Martinez didn't have the "big" play, he didn't turn the ball over and has really improved his game management skills over the last few weeks.  Martinez wasn't helped by a handful of dropped passes.  B- is the grade.

Running Back:

Rex Burkhead continues to be the offensive MVP of this team, with 121 yards on the ground today, including a TD.  For the first time this year, we saw Burkhead directly under center and even though we had a costly fumble, I love this added dimension to the offense.  B+ is the grade.

Wide Receiver:

I was very disappointed in this group today.  Not only did Brandon Kinnie have two more drops today but Kenny Bell added to the problem.  This position is loaded with talent but clearly struggled today.  C- is the grade.

Offensive Line:

I was pleased at how this group played, despite the fact that Andrew Rodriguez didn't make the trip due to sickness.  Penn State has a solid front four yet the offensive line was able give the running and passing game a fair chance to succeed.

Defensive Line:

This group wasn't bad today but is clearly going to be an issue for us next week, against a much more dynamic Michigan offense.  I'm just not impressed with the lack of pass rush or even penetration on a lot of plays by this group. 

Next week the lack of athleticism will be exposed.  For this week though, they held Penn State under four yards per carry, so they get a B-.

Linebacker:

The defensive MVP, LaVonte David, continues to make the big plays for this team.  Not only did he record nine tackles today, his incredible stops on both third and fourth downs were game-changing.  The group as a whole was disciplined and plugged the gaps all day long.  B+ is the grade.

Defensive Back:

Aside from the debacle on the 40-yard pass from Matt McGloin to Derek Moye, the secondary was absolutely fine today. 

Andrew Green continues to make nice progress in coverage and even had a few nice open field tackles.  Of course, nothing like having a healthy Alfonzo Dennard to be the backbone of the group.  B is the grade.

Special Teams:

Brett Maher was spectacular today, with an average of 45 yards per punt on eight punts, including five that were inside the 20-yard line.  Late in the game, Maher hit an incredible 61-yard punt that pinned Penn State deep in its own territory.  A is the grade.

Coaching:

I liked how physical the team was from the opening kick and the poise they showed early in a very tough environment. 

However, I wasn't thrilled at how the team allowed Penn State to get back into the game after being up 17-0.  I also wasn't thrilled with the early play calling of offensive coordinator Tim Beck, who seemed to fall in love with the passing game again.

Yes, I like the idea of stretching the field but I didn't like the extreme to which he went.  B- is the grade here.

Next Week:

All year, Nebraska has struggled with mobile quarterbacks, which Matt McGloin isn't. 

Next week, we face a team with two talented signal callers that will make our defense pay for mistakes.  I'm really worried that DE Cameron Meredith will be pushed inside and allow Michigan the big play to the outside. 

I would love to see Bo Pelini use five defensive linemen to slow down the zone read and Michigan running game and force Michigan to win via the pass.  I really won't be shocked if we score 35 points and lose.