LINCOLN — Boil Nebraska’s offensive woes of the past month into one predominant issue and you’re left to look at the running game.

Sure, problems exist elsewhere. But most, if not all, involve the Huskers’ inability to consistently move the football on the ground.

And don’t think that it’s lost on Bo Pelini.

“It’s something that’s been missing,” the second-year coach said Monday as NU began practices in preparation for its 7 p.m. meeting Saturday with Oklahoma. “The consistency in the running game is something that’s been lacking.”

Three of the Huskers’ top four rushing days came in September. The other was Saturday, when Nebraska gained 145 yards on a season-high 38 attempts — a 3.8-yard average — in a 20-10 win over Baylor, the Big 12’s worst rush defense.

NU rushed for 735 yards in its first four games and 434 in its past four while hampered by injuries at I-back.

Remember the 207 yards and 5.8-yard average per carry at Virginia Tech, or the 8.1-yard average en route to 259 on the ground against Florida Atlantic? It seems like a different season.

The Huskers’ three most efficient rushing games of the year came in the first three weeks. It’s a level that looks unlikely to return this week with the Sooners set to invade Memorial Stadium.

OU ranks third nationally in rushing defense, allowing 80 yards per game.

No one’s expecting Nebraska to post gaudy numbers against the Sooners, but with true freshman Cody Green apparently set to continue as the starting quarterback, NU needs to establish some kind of a rushing presence. If not, it can expect much of what plagued the offense in October to continue through November.

“The running game involves everyone,” running backs coach Tim Beck said. “But certainly, we’re the focal point. We’ve got to make people miss and we’ve got to make plays.”

The Huskers have had trouble making plays since top back Roy Helu suffered a shoulder injury early last month. Helu, after running for 169 yards against Virginia Tech and 88 against Missouri, gained only 116 in three games since.

The junior rushed for just 48 yards on 12 carries in the past two games.

Clearly, Helu is operating at some level below 100 percent.

He shed the green jersey Monday in practice that restricted contact during the past two weeks. The change, Beck said, came in part because Helu felt better and in part because the NU coaches believe that he needs to take a few hits during the week.

Without an off week before the end of the regular season, can Helu get healthy?

“That’s hard to tell right now,” Beck said. “He’s got to keep battling and keep fighting through.”

Freshman Rex Burkhead also went down with a broken bone in his foot three weeks ago, just when Nebraska needed him most. Without Burkhead, NU pulled Dontrayevous Robinson out of a planned redshirt halfway through his freshman season.

Robinson rushed for 77 yards against Iowa State and 61 at Baylor. According to Beck, Robinson makes a lot of little, fundamental mistakes.

“Effort has been outstanding,” the coach said. “Toughness has been outstanding.”

Behind him, Austin Jones and Marcus Mendoza do not provide a consistent running threat. Redshirt freshman Lester Ward got his turn Saturday in the fourth quarter as Robinson nursed an injury.

Ward carried seven times for 16 yards.

“Every chance I get, I’ll make sure I take advantage of it,” Ward said Monday. “One thing I know I’ll keep doing is working hard. Hard work pays off. That’s one thing I can tell you that works. And it’s one thing I can tell you I stand by.”

He said the backs are staying strong amid the difficult stretch.

“As a running back, I believe your mentality should be hard core,” Ward said. “That’s something you learn to deal with. It’s something that comes with the position. It’s the nature of the game. Our mentality is one to stay ready at all times.”

Ready or not, the head coach wants to see more.

“We’ve got to block better,” Pelini said. “We’ve got to run more consistently. We have to not miss holes. We just need to execute better in that phase of our game.”

Contact the writer:

402-473-9587, mitch.sherman@owh.com