7:07 p.m.: Nebraska's 17-3 win over South Dakota State was noticeably frustrating for an NU offense that, through three weeks, seemed completely rejuvenated. But the players are learning from their disappointing effort.
The Huskers came in to the game with the nation's most explosive ground attack, but managed just 4.3 yards per carry. Their longest run went for 33 yards, and that was a quarterback scramble by Taylor Martinez.
In the passing game, Nebraska completed just six passes for 140 yards. One big play to Mike McNeill accounted for 64 of those yards.
Overall, not a good day. But a decent motivator as focus shifts toward the Big 12 season.
“It didn't seem like we wanted to play and that just kind of frustrated me,” senior Niles Paul said Wednesday. “And then obviously ... things didn't quite go our way.
"We know what we did wrong and we're fixing it.”
That's the important thing, according to the players. Just in case they were starting to embrace a feeling of invincibility, Saturday's performance helps humble the entire offensive unit.
“We still know that we're good,” senior Will Henry said, “but whenever we go against any opponent, whether it's an opponent that's high ranked or low ranked, we can't go out there and think they're just going to lay down for us.”
Coach Bo Pelini said he liked how the entire team responded in Wednesday's practice, the first on-the-field session since Saturday's sloppy outcome.
“Our guys are prideful guys,” Pelini said. “They didn't play the way they wanted to play. So, I thought (Wednesday) was really good.”
McNeill, P.J. Smith and Eric Martin, all of whom were injured at some point during the SDSU game, participated in practice Wednesday.
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