With the background of Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” over the #Huskers loudspeakers, Sideline Man Jeremiah notes that the guys all looked refreshed and have a “bounce in their step”. Also he notes all players look good!!
— Husker Radio Caller (@NURadioCaller) October 30, 2021
Not playing today, or maybe soon, but good to see Javin Wright with a hop in his step down there.
— Brian Christopherson (@Husker247BC) October 30, 2021
Ethan Piper still sidelined.
Keep in mind Chase Contreraz as possible #Huskers place-kicking option today.
Stepp out there with the 1st team for the #Huskers
— Mike'l Severe (@MikelSevere) October 30, 2021
Mood Check
First Quarter
Nebraska won the toss and deferred.
A pass-first team came our running the ball. Of course, the Huskers put five in the box, so they were asking for it. The Boilers only took a few plays to get out to midfield. Purdue’s backup left tackle (usually their starter on the right) drew a false start on a third and seven. Ben Stille escorted O’Connell out of bounds. Punt.
Oliver Martin fair caught the ball at the 18.
Rahmir Johnson is the starter at RB and gains seven. Adrian ALMOST threw a pick six on the play. Oh my. He made up for it by keeping for the first down on the next play.
On the next series, Nebraska faced third and 11 and Adrian found Zavier Betts for a 30 yard gain. He had a lot of time in the pocket - credit the big boys up front. Scott Frost continued to feed Rahmir Johnson...until a direct snap to Jaq Yant moved Nebraska inside the red zone.
OMAR MANNING TOUCHDOWN!!!! Chase Contreraz hit the extra point.
Nebraska 7 Purdue 0
Purdue is using misdirection to try and create space for the run game. But they are using the run plays to set up the passes to Bell and moved to midfield again. The Boilers faced a fourth and one at the Husker 25 and they converted to Bell and entered the red zone. Henrich and Taylor-Britt put up a stop sign to set up third and 12.
That quarter went fast.
Second Quarter
O’Connell’s pass falls incomplete and Purdue attempts the 37 yard field goal. NO GOOD!
Nebraska 7 Purdue 0
Adrian had to work for his supper (going through progressions and moving the pocket) and found Omar Manning and Austin Allen to get to midfield. The option from Adrian to Rahmir earned the first tdown but got flagged for holding (Sichterman).
DISASTER as Adrian threw a pick six to Jalen Graham.
Nebraska 7 Purdue 7
JAQ YANT almost had room to deploy the deadly stiff arm and moved the Huskers past midfield. The Boilers committed a hands-to-the-face penalty, moving Nebraska into the red zone.
YANT YANT YANT! He was called out at the one yard line.
First and goal. Bad snap. Adrian recovered at the four yard line.
Second and goal. Adrian faked out everyone (including the camera guy) and scored! Yant would have scored too if #2 had handed off. #PickYourPoison
Nebraska 14 Purdue 7
Purdue reached midfield within a couple plays (again). Sigh. The run game is really setting up their passes and the Blackshirts are giving a lot of ground up the middle.
Purdue ran in another QB - Burton, who is their dual threat. He was short, bringing up fourth and 1⁄2 yard at the Husker 31. The Boilers converted, barely.
Red zone.
First and goal. Short (tackle by Damion Daniels, injured on the play).
Second and goal. Incomplete.
Third and goal. Touchdown Horvath.
Nebraska 14 Purdue 14
With 3:48 left in the half, can the Huskers come up with points?
LEVI FALCK GOT BEHIND THE DEFENSE!! First down at the 30 yard line. Option to Rahmir.
Red zone.
Third and six. No gain.
Chase Contreraz came out for the 33 yard field goal. Good! There is 1:20 left in the half.
Nebraska 17 Purdue 14
AGAIN, it only took the Boilers a couple (three) plays to get past midfield. I am not liking this soft defense.
Cam Taylor-Britt had a chance to pick the deep shot, but it was an incompletion at least.
Fourth down with 31 seconds at the Husker 47.
STUFFED!! The Huskers have the ball with 20 seconds and three timeouts.
Adrian JUST overthrew Toure (that would have been seven points...)
Halftime
HALF: #Huskers 17, Purdue 14
— Hail Varsity (@HailVarsity) October 30, 2021
Nebraska will start the second half with the ball. pic.twitter.com/j1JUxdXgi6
- Quarterback Adrian Martinez accounted for 132 yards of total offense in the first half (122 passing, 10 rushing). He is 36 yards from becoming the third Husker quarterback with 10,000 yards of career total offense.
- Martinez’s rushing touchdown gives him 204 career points. He is the third Husker quarterback to score 200 career points, joining Eric Crouch (368) and Tommie Frazier (222). He is the 19th Husker overall with 200 career points.
- Nebraska held Purdue scoreless in the first quarter and has allowed just seven points in the first quarter of five home games this season.
Third Quarter
The Huskers got the ball to start the second half and Rahmir Johnson gets the party started with a nine yard carry. But then Adrian is sacked to bring up third and four and the keeper on third down is short.
Przystup punts and it is downed inside the five.
A pass interference penalty on Marquel Dismuke gives Purdue some room to work.
SACK by Ben Stille and Garrett Nelson! The third and 16 play is brought down for a loss at the two yard line.
Oliver Martin returns the ball to the Purdue 40.
Purdue’s Karlaftis brings down Rahmir for a loss. Shovel pass is intercepted. SHIT.
JoJo Domann helicopters the Purdue tight end for a hard earned two yards. Fortunately, CTB seems to be shadowing David Bell more this half and brings him down for a fourth and seven. Punt.
Oliver Martin fair catch at the 20.
The run game goes nowhere and sets up third and 10. Adrian keeps, is short by a yard and it doesn’t matter anyway as the Huskers (Jurgens) are flagged for holding. Purdue chose the third and 20 rather than fourth and one. It was a good call as the handoff lost yards. The cameras rush to cut to sideline footage of Scott Frost making mad faces.
Purdue’s one the Husker side of midfield.
Bell catches one near the 25 yard line.
At third and four (Husker 21 yard line) the Boilers convert and have first and goal.
Third and goal at the three. Touchdown Purdue. (Nevermind the holding on Stille). The back end of the Husker defense lost track of a receiver in the back of the end zone. Sigh.
Purdue 21 Nebraska 17
OMAR MANNING WIDE OPEN gets the Huskers to midfield.
But the Huskers go no further and Przystup punts. Boiler ball at the 25. They convert a first down as the quarter ends.
Nebraska's offense had nothing in the 3rd quarter. 0 points, 12 plays 34 yards, 9 rushes 9 yards.
— Gary Sharp (@GarySharp1620) October 30, 2021
Fourth Quarter
Purdue quickly moves past midfield. Sigh.
They move into the red zone. Sigh.
Third and eight at the 20. First down. Sigh.
Touchdown.
Purdue 28 Nebraska 17
With 10 minutes left, can the Husker offense save Scott Frost’s job?
Three and out. That says a lot.
A not-great punt gives Purdue very good field position.
Third and nine. They gain eight at midfield.
Brohm sends out the punt team. Husker ball at the 24. I am not sure why Purdue didn’t go for it on that down. I think they could have easily converted and kept their drive alive.
Of course, giving the ball to the Husker offense this half has been just as good as punting. Or even better. Interception Purdue. Sigh.
With seven minutes left, Purdue is content to be conservative.
The 40 yard field goal attempt is no good.
Purdue 28 Nebraska 17
Nebraska has three timeouts and over five minutes. Can they do this?
Samori Toure gets the Huskers to the 44.
INTERCEPTION.
Adrian has thrown more interceptions in this game than he has all season.
#TNHFEGBR
Tick tock.
In case you were wondering. Nebraska continues to hold the 7th place spot in the West Division.
This horror movie fits another Halloween weekend for the Huskers. Scott Frost continues to lose games going in and out of a bye week.
We are not counting the minutes until volleyball. For some strange reason, Husker fans are also looking forward to Nebrasketball.
With no timeouts and three minutes, the Huskers have the ball at midfield (Samori Toure!)
Garbage time...
Rahmir Johnson touchdown with 1:44 left. The two point conversion is no good.
Purdue 28 Nebraska 23
Onside kick forthcoming. Anyone have confidence in Nebraska special teams?!?
Me either.
Purdue ball. (It looked like Nebraska had it at first, but it spun away to a Purdue player)
Kneel downs.
Final.
We are watching the final moments of a coaching staff that was supposed to fix this program. They fixed so much, but not enough.
Now we begin to speculate on what is next.