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Nebraska Cornhuskers news: A reason for confidence with Jeff Sims, plus volleyball wins state title

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Nebraska football
Aug 31, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Jeff Sims (7) hands the ball off to running back Rahmir Johnson (14) during the second quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Why Nebraska football fans should be optimistic about Jeff Sims this weekend, plus the Nebraska Cornhuskers rolled in volleyball.

We are now just two days away from Nebraska football vs. Colorado. It’s going to be a fun game and the eyes of the college football world will be on Boulder.

I know Alabama and Texas go head-to-head on Saturday, but this game could rival that for the most-watched. Steve Spurrier even said Nebraska-Colorado was a bigger game.

Whatever the case, the hype is real and Folsom Field is going to be rocking on Saturday, hopefully, with a Sea of Red like the last time.

As far as Nebraska football’s chances of winning. The Huskers are a 3.5-point underdog, but they match up well with Colorado and do have a path to victory. Yet, the Huskers will need a better effort from quarterback Jeff Sims who had three interceptions in his Nebraska debut.

However, on that front, there’s a reason for optimism regarding Sims. Zack Carpenter did some digging on Sims and found that he had just one three-interception game in his career. That came against Tony White at Syracuse.  Sims threw four interceptions in that game.

It’s how Sims responded that should catch your attention. He accounted for 313 yards and tossed three touchdown passes the next week with zero turnovers.

Honestly, I don’t see Nebraska throwing the ball nearly that much. They’ll want to control the clock as much as possible, but Sims will need to make plays and at least he has a history of bouncing back from a bad game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball team wins state title

The Huskers squared off against in-state rival Creighton on Wednesday night in a battle of ranked teams at the Devaney Center. To their credit, the Blue Jays were the first team to take a set off the Huskers this season, but Nebraska won in four sets by the scores of 25-9, 25-13, 23-25, and 25-20.

With the win over Omaha, it makes Nebraska volleyball the champion of the state. That’s one nice goal to achieve. The next are winning the Big Ten championship and the national title, which is totally possible this season for the fourth-ranked Huskers, who have an incredible amount of talent.

Freshman Bergen Reilly had her first double-double on Wednesday night with 42 assists, 11 digs, and two aces. Merritt Beason led the way for the Huskers offensively with 17 kills, seven digs, and three blocks. Lindsey Krause was also stellar hitting .478 with 12 kills and three blocks.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers had a 52-42 advantage in kills. Freshman standout Harper Murray added 10 for Nebraska, which improved to 6-0 on the season. Next up is Long Beach State on Saturday at 7 p.m.

For More Nebraska content, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and Subscribe to the Husker Big Red YouTube Channel. You can also find our podcast on Apple or Spotify.

FOOTBALL

Nebraska Football could utilize two QBs vs. Michigan

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Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule gave an update in his press conference on Thursday with regards to the quarterback position. Rhule indicated that Jeff Sims is not 100%, but he has practiced all throughout the week. Heinrich Haarberg, who was also battling injuries following the last weekend’s game, practiced this week as well.

This is certainly encouraging as it relates to the health of the quarterbacks. For one, Sims is apparently progressing. It also means that Haarberg is at a point where he is not too bothered by his injury. This is reassuring, given that he has been a key part of the offense of the last couple weeks.

Nebraska football as a team is going to need both to be healthy on Saturday. Haarberg is the presumed starter, but it would be nice to add Sims in for his running ability in certain situations.

I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to the program using both quarterbacks. As a matter of fact, I think it’s a very smart play. It gives Nebraska football versatility at the position, and allows two explosive athletes to get their shot on the field.

Nebraska football will need to have all hands-on deck against a rushing defense that is second in the conference with 80.5 yards allowed per game. They also have allowed only one rushing touchdown on the season. They rank second behind Nebraska with 2.8 yards allowed per carry. The bottom line is, Nebraska football is going to have their work cut out for them.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the quarterback situation on Saturday. Will we see both quarterbacks? Time will tell, but at least the room itself is restocked and somewhat healthy again. The Huskers have depth at the quarterback position and that is never a bad thing. How they utilize it will be interesting, as they look to get above. 500.

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FOOTBALL

3 keys to an upset win for Nebraska football vs. Michigan

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Dylan Widger-US

Is an upset possible for Nebraska football on Saturday? Here are three keys to pulling it off.

After a pair of confidence-building wins, Nebraska football will welcome No. 2 Michigan to Lincoln Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

It’s going to be a huge test. It’s also a major opportunity for Matt Rhule and company to score a defining win. I can’t even remember the last time Nebraska beat a team as good as Michigan. Probably since Eric Crouch caught that touchdown pass to beat Oklahoma.

Nebraska football has its work cut out for it. The Huskers are 17-point underdogs and this Michigan team is a juggernaut that’s won 16 consecutive Big Ten games.

J.J. McCarthy (QB) and Blake Corum, the running back, are Heisman candidates. Plus, the defense has only surrendered 23 points in four games leading all of college football in scoring defense.

It’s going to be a huge challenge but Nebraska isn’t a pushover. It’s the toughest game for Michigan so far and the Wolverines’ first road game.

If Nebraska wants to pull the upset, here are three keys to making it happen.

Contain Michigan’s run game

You might think that’s not possible, but in three of four games this season, Michigan has rushed for 200 yards or less. One reason for that is more throwing with McCarthy. The pass offense is better and games are also going quicker especially if you use a pace like Michigan or Nebraska.

Blake Corum is the bell cow but Donovan Edwards is dangerous. He had over 200 yards in the win against Ohio State last November.

Michigan’s offensive line has used a few different combinations and hasn’t been quite as good. Nebraska football also leads the Big Ten in rushing yards allowed. The Blackshirts surrender just 1.8 yards per rush and if they can limit Michigan’s ground game (150 yards or less), an upset becomes much more likely.

Nebraska football must win the turnover battle

You could list this as a key for just about every single game in college football this week. But Nebraska is at a disadvantage talent-wise compared to Michigan.

That’s nothing to be ashamed of. The Wolverines have about 20 players that could get drafted this April. Nebraska is a team with talent too — it actually ranks 26th in terms of blue-chip players (4-star recruits or higher) being on the roster.

But the Huskers are going to need some short fields or maybe even some points from the defense to pull this one off. A big return, some kind of play like that will need to happen.

McCarthy didn’t throw an interception in three of the four games for Michigan. Yet, against Bowling Green, he tossed three and if the Huskers could get 1-2, you’d have to like their chances of pulling the upset.

Heinrich Haarberg needs 100 yards rushing

Michigan hasn’t allowed a single team to run for 100 yards. Their run defense is spectacular but Haarberg will need to break a big run or two if the Huskers are going to have a shot.

That touchdown run against Louisiana Tech reminded me a little of T-Magic. Haarberg also has been fine throwing the ball. His arm isn’t elite. He also hasn’t thrown any interceptions.

Nebraska has been using more option principles and running QBs have given Michigan some struggles over the years. Haarberg isn’t a statue. He’s also a gamer and after two starts, he’s improving.

We’ll see if he can deliver on Saturday, but if Haarberg can run the way he did in his first two starts (a very big ask) Nebraska should have a shot to win on Saturday.

For More Nebraska content, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and Subscribe to the Husker Big Red YouTube Channel. You can also find our podcast on Apple or Spotify.

 

 

 

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FB RECRUITING

Nebraska Football flips local TE Eric Ingwerson after long pursuit

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Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska football landed a commitment from 2024 tight end Eric Ingwerson on Wednesday, according to multiple media reports.

Ingwerson is the 128th overall athlete in the 2024 class, and the ninth overall player in the class from the state of Nebraska per the 247Sports composite rankings. He has a numerical rating of 86 overall.

This is a solid commitment for several reasons. For one, Nebraska football has been interested in him for quite a while. He received an offer from the program on April 11, and had him and for an official visit on June 16.

Ingwerson joins a tight end room that is already in good hands for 2024. Carter Nelson headlines the room, with Ian Flynt also part of the room as well.

It is also worth noting that Ingwerson played on the defensive side of football as a defensive lineman for Papillion-LaVista. He could definitely play the position for Nebraska, as he measures in at six-foot-seven, 235 pounds. There is the chance that he could play a different position other than tight end. However, his size makes him an intriguing option at the position itself.

There can also be the possibility that Nebraska football could be looking at him as an offensive lineman. The size is there. This staff knows how to develop offensive lineman. Ingwerson could fit well in the positional group.

Currently, the 2024 Nebraska football recruiting class ranks 23rd overall in the country per the 247Sports rankings. This class has a solid high school group, and Ingwerson certainly adds to that. The 2024 class has the potential to be a cornerstone class of Matt Rhule’s tenure.

Ingwerson will be an asset to Nebraska football, no matter what position he plays. Furthermore, this is a great flip by the program. Once again, they have shown the ability to identify a prospect they want, and pursue him until they land him. The staff has done a good job of being able to flip recruits. Ingwerson is certainly a part of that distinction.

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