IN MY OPINION

Column by Sam McKewon / World-Herald staff writer

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Just 20 minutes into Nebraska's 45-17 loss to Michigan Saturday, I scrawled two items into my notebook:

"UM: Good plan" and "NU in big trouble."

The Wolverines led 7-0. NU's defense would play its guts out for the rest of the half while the offense would hit a big pass play. The halftime score looked close. But the hook was already set.

Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges did his homework. He switched formations constantly; Nebraska constantly switched personnel as a result. He spread the Huskers out to the sidelines, then plunged running back Fitzgerald Toussaint into the middle. He'd send in two tight ends, then get quarterback Denard Robinson active and on the edge.

In short, Borges played the Blackshirts like an accordion and made them run all over the place. He wore out the Huskers. He took deep shots against a secondary that struggles to cover the deep ball.

What, exactly, was Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck's plan?

While he didn't show for postgame interviews — are he and Carl Pelini trading off now after losses? — he seemed to like the option and zone-read game.

Michigan's defense seemed to like it, too.

In the past five years, defensive coordinator Greg Mattison has helped run a national title unit — Florida in 2006 — and the Baltimore Ravens. He threw shadow blitzes and combination coverages at quarterback Taylor Martinez, who seemed snowed by it.

NU relied too much on Martinez anyway. One good run, one bust in the backfield. Feast or famine — you've seen that before. Nebraska rarely ran power football with Rex Burkhead — not that it was there.

Aside from a 54-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Kinnie, the throwing game was a mess. Beck is downright stingy in using that diamond formation — once or twice per game — despite its explosiveness.

Did Mattison outduel Beck? Yeah. Mattison is paid $750,000 to win that matchup every week.

But it was a perplexing performance from Beck, Martinez and the rest. I thought NU would move the ball between the 20s — then get tested in the red zone. Didn't happen. And when the Huskers are trailing 31-17, and trying to block a punt instead of taking the ball at midfield, it speaks volumes.

You know the story with Nebraska's defense. Not enough depth. Not enough horses. No pass rush. Average recruiting. It can't be on the field for 80 plays and 41 minutes. The Blackshirts need the Husker offense for cover. When Beck and Co. can't provide it — when the plan looks bad from the jump — you eventually get defensive breakdowns. You get 28- or 31-point losses.

What's it mean for coach Bo Pelini?

That, four years in, his team still relies on a few elite athletes — Lavonte David, Burkhead, Alfonzo Dennard, Martinez when he's on — and "just so" play-calling and execution from everyone else. There's so little margin for error — especially for Martinez — against really good teams. Too little.

Nebraska could have victories over the two Big Ten title game participants — Penn State and Michigan State — so this isn't a panic spot.

But I ask: Is Bo's program structure — a low-pressure recruiting style, an unwillingness to cut scholarship players who don't produce, hiring "inner-circle" assistants — giving his roster enough breathing room to survive the grind of any league?

Michigan isn't going anywhere but up. The Spartans are poised for another 10-win season. Wisconsin is ramping up its recruiting, and Ohio State appears to be wooing Urban Meyer to coach an explosive Braxton Miller. Where does NU fit into that food chain? Can Bo build a predator fit for the top of it?

On with the rewind.

I see you

• David: With 17 tackles — including 2½ for losses — the senior from Miami might have played his finest game. Too bad it had to come in a spot like this.

• Linebacker Will Compton: More solid play when he was on the field.

• Kinnie: The longest touchdown catch of his career. He didn't smile much after the game — no Husker did — but you could sense a weight had been lifted after several drops last week.

• Defensive tackle Terrence Moore: Terrific interception on a tough day for the senior.

• Robinson: The Wolverine was a treat to watch. When healthy, he's scary good as a runner. He got some breaks with his deep passes.

• Toussaint: Slippery dude who rushed for 138 yards.

Three concerns

Special teams disasters: This many mistakes in one game is an anomaly, but the Huskers have struggled with kickoff returns for several weeks. At some point, NU was trying too hard to make plays, and it revealed itself in the special teams department.

Third-down struggles: NU was 3 of 13 this week and 6 of 16 last week. That's 31 percent for two weeks — 14 percent under the season average. The Huskers' ugly first-down woes are coming back to haunt them.

Jump balls: Robinson floated three deep passes. On all three, NU had double coverage on the streaking wide receiver. Michigan caught two and safety Daimion Stafford dropped an interception on another.

Three questions

Did Michigan get away with a few "phantom" injuries vs. NU's no-huddle offense? I'd say the Wolverines did. It hurt what little momentum Nebraska was trying to build in the second half.

Does Nebraska's "contain" pass-rush strategy hurt its chances at holding penalties? Michigan got away with a few holds Saturday, but rarely does a Husker come careening around the corner just begging to be restrained by an offensive lineman.

After this weekend's upsets, who's the best team to potentially face LSU for the BCS national championship? Alabama or Arkansas, which gets a chance to make its name by beating the Tigers on Friday. Houston? No. It's going to be SEC all the way. It will be interesting if Arkansas wins Friday. Whither the Razorbacks in the national title conversation?

Three stats

3.06: Yards per carry for Martinez in the past four games. Not very efficient, is it?

Six: NU losses in the last calendar year, to Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Washington, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Michigan. Five away from home.

Zero: Catches by freshman Jamal Turner in the last month. Time to move him back to quarterback?

Opponent watch

Just one left: Iowa. At this point, the Hawkeyes possess a challenged defensive front, a hot-and-cold running game and the Big Ten's best wide receiver — no argument about it — in Marvin McNutt. He had another spectacular day in a 31-21 win at Purdue: seven catches, 158 yards, two touchdowns.

No team has been able to adequately cover McNutt this year; his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame has a lot to do with that. One assumes Dennard will give it his best shot Friday.

Forecast

That Nebraska fans minimize this newfound rivalry with Iowa while Hawkeye fans more readily embrace it. But if the game gets tight Friday afternoon, you'll see how much it means to the NU faithful.

Contact the writer:

402-202-9766, sam.mckewon@owh.com

twitter.com/swmckewonOWH

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