Great games continue to escape Nebraska's defense | Soccer

[ad_1]

Three weeks ago, against Colorado in the first game of the season, Nebraska collected seven sacks. It was well documented that the seven sacks were halfway through the 14 that the Huskers had for the entire 2017 season. Nebraska lost the game, but there were signs of Blackshirts at the height of their name.

In the three games since then, the Blackshirts have had only five combined bags, including one in the last two games. Ben Stille was the only bag of the Huskers Saturday in a 42-28 defeat against Purdue.

The Blackshirts did not have enough pressure on Purdue's quarterback, David Blough, so he was able to distinguish Husker's defense, completing 25 of 42 passes for 328 yards without interceptions.

Nebraska linebacker Luke Gifford said Purdue's backs and tight ends helped protect Blough, but there's no excuse for not having more pressure on the quarterback.

"For my part, I've been terrible, to be honest. Brutal, "said Gifford. "I have to do a lot better work, especially when we rely on me as a defender. There are no excuses. I have to find something that works, and I will do it.

Nebraska did not force the turnover and forced only three people in the season.

"We had bad breaks, but when you're a good team, you do your own breaks," said Nebraska coach Scott Frost. "You make your own luck. He was 7-7, and his receiver (Rondale Moore) threw a ball into the air and we were nuts and scoring, and we would have been 14-7. You must enjoy these things.

"They made enough passes with corners. If we get one, the game changes. When we sack someone, instead of just firing him, we have to strip him; it changes the game. We have to keep working, but you do not win games when you have negative turnovers. "

Black shirts were also tainted with big games. In Purdue's first race, Nebraska's defense did well, but conceded two consecutive big games, a 22-yard reception by Alexander Horvath and a 42-yard touchdown led by D.J. Knox.

It was another great game that led to a placement on the Boilermakers' second drive, a 48-yard pass to an open receiver during a sleight of hand.

Blough was also able to run 14 and 16 yards. At the beginning of the second quarter, Purdue averaged 9.8 yards per game.

In the second half, Nebraska scored touchdowns to reduce Purdue's lead, but the Boilermakers were able to meet everyone with quick acceleration of 90 and 75 yards. Offensive Markell Jones was barely touched by a 6-yard touchdown as Purdue took a 42-21 lead.

Purdue finished with 516 yards of offense, an average of 6.5 per game.

"They're good on offense," said Boilermaker Frost. "I think Coach (Jeff) Brohm did a good job. You do not win a lot of games when you drop 42 (points). But many of the 42 were because we made stupid mistakes. Cover someone on a tunnel screen and do not cover the tight end and let it run freely. Many mistakes in defense. It is not an effort; Once again, it's a stupid, undisciplined decision. And they are not stupid kids, they just need to do it right all the time.

Purdue did nothing to surprise Nebraska's defense, said cornerback Dicaprio Bootle. Bootle had seven tackles and three losses.

"Whatever they did, we expected them to do, it was just a matter of having to stop," said Bootle.