Nebraska Football: Five things we learned in 2020 season
By Nathan Dunn
What We Learned About Nebraska Football – Running Excellence
The most successful part of the Huskers’ offense was their running game. The Huskers averaged more than 200 rushing yards per game with 4.8 yards per carry. With two quarterbacks who knew how to run, both Martinez and McCaffrey played a huge part in the run game.
The Huskers closed out the season with a fantastic game on the ground, rushing the ball for 365 yards as senior running back Dedrick Mills exploded with 191 yards from 25 carries. If the Huskers would have been able to get more performance like that out of their offensive line and Mills, we could be looking at a much better record.
The one thing that held the Huskers back in their running game was that it was way too predictable. Their ineffectiveness in the air allowed for teams to expect a run more often than not. Next season, the Huskers need to further develop their passing offense to make it more effective, which would also make their ground game more effective.
What We Learned About Nebraska Football – Nebraska Found a Kicker
Following 2019 when the Huskers couldn’t figure out the kicking situation, it is safe to say that Connor Culp, a transfer from LSU, had a solid this season. The senior kicker made 13 out of 15 attempts, with his longest being a 49-yard field goal make against Purdue. Culp was also perfect from extra-point attempts, making all 20 attempts.
Coming off a 2019 season where the Huskers cycled through four different placekickers that made just 12 out of 20 attempted field goals with two missed extra-points, Culp’s 87% conversion rate from field goals and 100% from extra-points was a huge addition.
Culp left a great impression on the awards committee as well, as he was voted Big Ten Kicker of the Year and was named to the All-Big Ten first team. It would be great if Culp opts to return for another year, but the search for another kicker will need to continue.