Last week Nebraska ended a two-game losing streak by defeating Rutgers 27-17. Now they have a short week before facing off against the Illinois Fighting Illini led by Lovie Smith. For momentum’s sake, it’s not a bad thing for Nebraska to play a little bit sooner than normal, but the injuries are still a concern for the team.
First, your TV information for Nebraska vs Illinois:
Where: Memorial Stadium, Champaign Ill.
When: Friday, Sept. 29, at 7:00p.m. CT
Watch: FS1
Listen: Husker Sports Network or Sirius Channel 83, XM 83
This week’s game could see a similar game plan as last week with heavy running by Nebraska with Illinois having the 13th-ranked rushing defense in the Big Ten.
We break it down in this week's episode of Hail Varsity's No Huddle.
Special Thanks to presenting sponsor Honda of Lincoln.
Fun Facts
>>Nebraska has won 14 consecutive games when out-rushing the opposition. It is 16-3 under Mike Riley when it outgains the opponent on the ground.
>>Nebraska has held its last six opponents at Memorial Stadium to 85 or fewer rushing yards.
>>Michael Decker made his first career start against Rutgers and the former Omaha North star played well.
>>The Huskers allowed 194 yards last week which was the lowest total since the 2013 win against Michigan.
What They’re Saying
Interim AD Dave Rimington on the last time he was on campus:
“Well I was getting my diploma in 1982, I’m just kidding. I’ve been to a few games, I’m not one to walk around campus and explore. I’ve seen it before when I was here and had to go to classes. I do see a lot of different changes and the facilities here are top-notch. They’ve always been great, but now they’re over-the-top great. This is like the Taj Mahal of college football.”
Danny Langsdorf on finding an identity in the run game:
"We were able to repeat a lot of runs and have some success with them. Finding that identity that way is good and we were able to come back to them and tried to dress them up a little bit. It was good stuff. You saw some good runs by Devine [Ozigbo] but you really saw some good production from Mikale [Wilbon] too. We were able to get Jaylin Bradley a couple carries and the good thing about it is we can keep guys fresh and have some designed plays for them.”
Bob Diaco on the improving defense:
"As players and coaches we are just getting better each day. There has not been a guy that has not improved, so when you improve and you start to gain a deeper knowledge of our system and what we are getting done, and that is players and coaches, you can't help but feel more engaged, more unified, more together and more comfortable."
Random Links
Must watch: There is no place like Nebraska on Saturdays and this video shows that.
Saturdays
Football
The Sea of RedNo better sight.
š„š“š½ #GBR pic.twitter.com/pe2r04e7si
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) September 26, 2017
Must read: Jacob Padilla put together a grab bag of good plays against Rutgers.
Must see: Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade took in the Husker game last Saturday.
Feeling love from the Sea of Red.
šā ļø#WallpaperWednesday #GBR pic.twitter.com/dHPJQYvxCt
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) September 27, 2017
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
