The shift in offensive philosophy that could carry Nebraska through the rest of this football season emerged primarily as a one-game solution to Oklahoma’s blitzing defense, NU running backs coach Tim Beck said Friday at the Big Red Breakfast.

It just so happened, according to Beck, that the Huskers liked playing power football. So the NU coaches stuck with it.

The result: A 214-yard rushing performance at Kansas last week in Nebraska’s 31-17 win — the best offensive showing for NU in six Big 12 games.

“I think, as a coach, the idea is to give your kids the best chance to win,” Beck said during his presentation at the Holiday Inn convention center in Omaha. “There’s a lot of guys that stuff the system down the kids’ throats and say, ‘By gosh we’re going to do this, I don’t care what.’

“To be able to find the identity that gives your kids a chance to win, that’s good coaching.”

The Huskers went to the two-back, two-tight end look on Nov. 7 against Oklahoma, Beck said, after watching film of the Sooners’ swarming defense. OU held high-flying Texas to 127 passing yards and sacked UT quarterback Colt McCoy four times in a 16-13 Texas win on Oct. 17.

Nebraska had to find a way to reduce the pressure, Beck said. Oklahoma still largely stopped the NU offense, but the Huskers won 10-3 on Nov. 7 with a conservative offensive plan.

Beck said the Huskers may have gained a false sense of identity early in the season because of their offensive success against lesser competition.

As for Saturday night against Kansas State, Beck said, expect another struggle.

“It’s like a prize fight, championship boxing match,” the coach said. “You’ve just got to come out swinging and keep swinging. And in the end, the last guy standing, he’s the winner. We’ve talked with our guys about going in with that mentality.”

Beck reiterated Friday that freshman I-back Rex Burkhead is likely to play against the Wildcats after missing five games with a foot injury. Burkhead returned to practice this week.

His play early this season and the development of fellow freshman Dontrayevous Robinson pleased Beck. Both Texans benefited from facing complex defensive schemes in high school.

NU’s other young backs, redshirt freshmen Lester Ward and Collins Okafor and sophomore Austin Jones, continue to struggle with pass protection and other secondary aspects of the running game.

“When the pieces move defensively,” Beck said, “the lights aren’t clicking fast enough right now for them.”

Contact the writer: 402-473-9587, mitch.sherman@owh.com