BeaverPoke
Well-known member
I think the Pokes rush D looked a lot better last week than it ever has since DC has been here.
A lot of people are going to look at the 375 rush yards and say no it is still garbage. But you have to realize that is what Nebraska does, is run it. And run it some more. The Pokes will not face another O-Line like that one, or a rushing game like that one.
The Pokes gave up 375 yards on 63 attempts averaging 5.95 yards per carry.
If you take away the 62 yarder from Abdullah and the 31 yarder from Cross, the Pokes gave up an average of 4.62 yards per carry. Again, not great, but the Pokes won't be facing RBs like that ANYTIME soon.
Not to mention the Pokes essentially shut down Martinez and contained him quite well, especially when it mattered most.
If the run D prepares like they did for Nebraska, and come out with the same intensity as they did, for games like Texas St., Idaho, Northern Colorado, Air Force, New Mexico, and CSU, those teams won't be able to rush the ball at all on the Pokes defense.
The Pokes could very well be 6-1 after 7 games (the 7th is CSU) if the defense plays like it did against the Huskers.
None of those teams are even close to Nebraska in terms of run game or overall offense.
Even with a bad run defense, Smith and the offense could win in shootouts in all of those games, but with an improved run defense like we saw in Lincoln, those games could all be big wins for the Pokes.
Did any defensive players get hurt? I saw Pelutasi got hurt but he ended up coming back in the game. Any players that are going to be out for a while?
A lot of people are going to look at the 375 rush yards and say no it is still garbage. But you have to realize that is what Nebraska does, is run it. And run it some more. The Pokes will not face another O-Line like that one, or a rushing game like that one.
The Pokes gave up 375 yards on 63 attempts averaging 5.95 yards per carry.
If you take away the 62 yarder from Abdullah and the 31 yarder from Cross, the Pokes gave up an average of 4.62 yards per carry. Again, not great, but the Pokes won't be facing RBs like that ANYTIME soon.
Not to mention the Pokes essentially shut down Martinez and contained him quite well, especially when it mattered most.
If the run D prepares like they did for Nebraska, and come out with the same intensity as they did, for games like Texas St., Idaho, Northern Colorado, Air Force, New Mexico, and CSU, those teams won't be able to rush the ball at all on the Pokes defense.
The Pokes could very well be 6-1 after 7 games (the 7th is CSU) if the defense plays like it did against the Huskers.
None of those teams are even close to Nebraska in terms of run game or overall offense.
Even with a bad run defense, Smith and the offense could win in shootouts in all of those games, but with an improved run defense like we saw in Lincoln, those games could all be big wins for the Pokes.
Did any defensive players get hurt? I saw Pelutasi got hurt but he ended up coming back in the game. Any players that are going to be out for a while?