Nebraska 54 Maryland 7 Recap and Evening Thread

The Huskers will be without Kanawai Noa, Wan’dale Robinson and Barret Pickering (concussion). Matt Waldoch will be doing the placekicking for Nebraska. Yes, this is the player that Scott Frost and Co. plucked from the Husker soccer club in September. There is also a report on Twitter that Luke McCaffrey has been taking reps at wide receiver (my ears perked up - I really love the idea of getting him the ball somehow) and that Dedrick Mills is sick, but going to try and play. Dicaprio Bootle is playing safety today with Cam Taylor-Britt starting at cornerback (also intriguing).

First Quarter

Brody Belt brought the opening kickoff out to the 15 yard line. A poorly blocked horizontal passing play to JD Spielman loses yards but Dedrick Mills and Adrian Martinez put together runs that net a first down. Horizontal pass that was well blocked (Mills)! Yay! The Huskers would get no further - Isaac Armstrong came out to punt.

Maryland ball at the 10 yard line.

Javon Leake FUMBLES!!! (Forced by Dicaprio Bootle) Marquel Dismuke recovers and runs the ball to the 13 yard line! Two Dedrick Mills runs later - TOUCHDOWN NEBRASKA!! Waldoch’s kick was good.

Nebraska 7 Maryland 0

Maryland managed one first down but had to punt. Spielman muffed the punt but picked it up and managed a 15 yard return.

Rahmir Johnson caught a pass and took it 12 yards (give or take). Nebraska couldn’t get another first down and had to punt. A Maryland penalty (leaping over the punt shield) gave the Huskers a new set of offensive downs at the Maryland 45. Austin Allen catch and run for 30 yards! He’s tall. Drink. Dedrick Mills to the six yard line. Dedrick Mills to the one. First and goal (Mills). Second and goal (Martinez). Third and goal. Touchdown Adrian Martinez!!

IT IS FUN TO WATCH ANOTHER TEAM SCREWING UP!! Maryland fumbled the kickoff and it was recovered by Cam Taylor-Britt. Husker ball in the red zone. More Rahmir Johnson (the coaches appear determined to make the most of his fourth game). Dedrick Mills sets up first and 10 at the 10 ¹⁄₂ yard line. Lose a yard. Batted pass. Incomplete. Fourth and 10.

Waldoch’s field goal is good.

Nebraska 17 Maryland 0

Anthony McFarland carried the ball to the 34. Josh Jackson went for a homerun ball (wide open receiver; Dismuke in coverage) but it fortunately fell incomplete. Khalil Davis made a shoestring tackle on Jackson to bring up fourth and ten. Punt. The Huskers are going after the punts. Husker ball on the 27.

Jack Stoll. JD Spielman. Dedrick Mills. Huskers are nearing the red zone as the quarter ends.

After a couple of not-so-good-plays...the ball bounces off two Terrapins and JD SPIELMAN REELS IT IN FOR THE TOUCHDOWN!!!

Nebraska 24 Maryland 0

A JoJo Domann sack put an end to the Maryland drive (Lance LeGendre came in for a series at QB for Maryland). The Terps absolutely cannot get out of their own way as they rack up a 15 yard penalty on the punt, giving Nebraska the ball near midfield.

Nebraska immediately commits a holding penalty. But then LUUUUUUUUUUKE!!! Luke McCaffrey reverse and pass to Spielman gets the Huskers to the 25. Martinez-McCaffrey option (Adrian kept) sets up first and goal. Martinez fumbled but it went out of bounds.

THEN SHIT. Maryland intercepts in the end zone.

LeGendre comes out at QB again for Maryland, but is injured during the series. The play was originally ruled a non-fumble. That was reversed with Mohamed Barry recovering the fumble and Lamar Jackson forcing it. The whistle blew, stopping the play but not until after the fumble recovery. Husker ball on their own 30 yard line.

Kade Warner sighting. Heavy dose of Rahmir Johnson. Nothing doing. Husker punt was low (and fugly) but bounced long enough to net 60 yards. Maryland ball at the 7.

Collin Miller batted a ball out the back of the end zone. Josh Jackson was back in at QB and was hurt on the play. Tyrrell Pigrome comes in for MD. He rallied the Terps for several first downs. Collin Miller had a near-interception. Pigrome got Maryland near midfield and went for it on fourth and five with a limping quarterback. KHALIL DAVIS AND BEN STILLE SACK!!

Husker ball on the Maryland 35. A Martinez run gets Nebraska to the red zone. Chris Hickman has been in the game a fair bit at tight end. JD SPIELMAN TOUCHDOWN!!

Nebraska 31 Maryland 0

Something. Something. Fourth and one. Denied. Husker ball.

Mike Williams for 24 yards. Chris Hickman caught his first pass but there was no gain on the play (the ball was low). The Waldoch field goal was good.

What sorcery is this? We can haz TWO made field goals in a game?

Huskers 34 Maryland 0

Halftime

The athletic department sent a boatload of stats and information.

TL;DR

WE GOT ALL THE POINTS SO FAR!

Third Quarter

Maryland got the ball to start the half, but didn’t do much with it.

JD Spielman went over 100 yards receiving. Kade Warner blocked his ass off and got rewarded with a reception (with the DB getting flagged for PI). Martinez nearly threw another interception in the end zone. Rahmir Johnson. Rahmir Johnson. Fourth and eight. Waldoch’s field goal is good! All three of his field goals have been 29 yarders. #Consistent

Nebraska 37 Maryland 0

Maryland had the ball for a bit, but went backwards, partly thanks to Khalil Davis and his 63rd sack of the game (maybe an exaggeration). Husker ball again.

Luke McCaffrey reception. (Big brother approves - see gif below)

Fourth and one at the 21. Rahmir Johnson first down! Red zone. JD Spielman has moved past Johnny Rodgers on the career receiving yards list and has the third most career yards ever (behind Stanley Morgan Jr. and Kenny Bell).

RAHMIR JOHNSON TOUCHDOWN!!!

Nebraska 44 Maryland 0

Near interception by JoJo. Terps go for it on fourth and four at midfield. This time, Carlos Davis gets the sack. Husker ball.

Luke McCaffrey comes in at QB for the Huskers. He promptly causes Husker fans to chant “LUUUUUUKE” as he keeps for a first down.

Option plays with McCaffrey are making grown Husker fans cry. Especially when the defender who tried to stop him stays down on the turf for a while.

Right now, Frost’s playcall sheet is “Get Luke a Touchdown” (just like it was “Get Rahmir a touchdown” last time). Unfortunately #7 couldn’t quite make it to the goal line.

Harrison Martin (yes, I had to look in the roster to figure that one out) came in for the field goal. Good.

Nebraska 47 Maryland 0

Fourth Quarter

Just listing names of the bench players so they are in the recap.

Luke Reimer tackle. Braxton Clark forces an incompletion. Joseph Johnson forces a fumble (Leake). Braxton Clark recovers.

Jaron Woodyard (the senior has a lot of family in the stands) reception. Wyatt Mazour carry. Luke McCaffrey keeper. A whole bunch of backup linemen in, including freshman Bryce Benhart, Broc Bando, and redshirt freshman Will Farniok. On fourth and five, Frost opts to go for it and no one on the Terp defense even looks at McCaffrey. Easy first down. A couple more plays and then...

TOUCHDOWN LUKE!!

Nebraska 54 Maryland 0

I am salivating about the thought of McCaffrey lining up at wideout at times next season as well as running gadget plays. I may have mentioned it before, but I am also salivating about the potential of the Martinez - McCaffrey option. Screw the triple option - run #2 and #7 and you have run-pass for both the QB and pitch man. The quadruple option is now in play people.

Maryland got the ball and...sigh...big hole up the middle...touchdown Maryland. Husker fans really wanted that shutout.

Nebraska 54 Maryland 7

With three minutes left...Andrew Bunch comes in at quarterback. Jaylin Bradley is in at running back. Ethan Piper is also in on the offensive line. Brody Belt carry. Victory formation.

Final. Nebraska 54 Maryland 7

300+ yards rushing for Nebraska. Nine for 10 in the red zone.

Husker Nation needed this one. A dominant win is a salve to soothe all wounds.

Scott Frost’s postgame interview gives a whole new meaning to the term “explosive” offense.