Nebraska football fans should be worried about Marcus Satterfield

Saying the right thing in a press conference doesn’t always matter. But sometimes it does and it was hard not to be concerned about the comments made by Nebraska football offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield on Tuesday during his weekly press conference.

Satterfield only spoke to reporters for a few minutes but it didn’t go well. When he talked about running the ball, or the Huskers’ inability to run the ball, he said, “A lot (is) on me. I have to commit to it.”

The Huskers are rushing for 2.7 yards per attempt and just barely over 90 yards per game in Big Ten play. That might be why Nebraska football is scoring just over 18 points per game (conference games). In the last three games, the Huskers have averaged just over 16 a game.

Including the non-conference games, Nebraska football is averaging 25 points per game, which is 91st in college football in scoring offense. With Dylan Raiola at quarterback, it’s hard to understand why.

But the lack of a running game has become a bigger problem. It was an issue against Illinois and only once in four Big Ten games have the Huskers rushed for over 100 yards.

Marcus Satterfield’s answers worry Nebraska football fans

Fans have gotten caught up in his answer about yards per play. He said he would like to see the Huskers improve their yards per play. The reporters told Satterfield Nebraska’s was 5.5. Satterfield said somewhere between 4-6 (yards per play) is what he’d like to see but he didn’t know what led the country.

It might be making too big a deal out of his comments, but isn’t it his job to know? Shouldn’t Nebraska have a goal for that? And a plan to achieve that goal?

Marcus Satterfield will call his 20th game at Nebraska on Saturday.

To me, this answer is somewhat alarming when asked about running the football…

“I have to commit to it. I’ve got to get in the mindset of you have to, in order to win in this league, establish the run game.” pic.twitter.com/aRE9JSf3ku

— Nick Sehnert (@nick_sehnert) October 22, 2024

Maybe the offense will turn things around. Ohio State is going to be difficult, but the Huskers should be able to move the ball on the last four teams. The imperative word is should.

This is so bad. How did he get this job…? Get him out pic.twitter.com/svdvXe5QCy

— Husker Wave (@HuskerWave) October 22, 2024

Indiana allowed an average of 26 points per game to Northwestern and Maryland. Nebraska scored seven. Rutgers allowed Wisconsin and UCLA to score more than 70 combined points. The Huskers managed just 14. At home.

That’s not good enough. Raiola is a freshman but he’s also a five-star. The talent is clearly there and there is talent all over the offense. Yet the production isn’t that much better than last season.

You can blame inexperience all you want. Or, Matt Rhule can turn to a play-caller who can get the most out of Raiola and the players around him.

Glenn Thomas is my idea. I don’t see Rhule making that move but if the offense lays another egg against Ohio State, can you afford to have Satterfield calling the plays against UCLA in a game that could determine whether the Huskers play in a bowl game or not?

It seems past time to make a move and if Rhule is planning to make one this offseason, he should go to Glenn Thomas right now.

Satterfield can be on staff and even remain the OC. But Thomas calls the plays. It’s that or Satterfield continues and after the first four Big Ten games, I don’t know if Nebraska football can afford that.

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