Northwestern’s defense readies for game against Nebraska’s tough rushing attack

Football: Northwestern’s defense prepares for Nebraska’s dual-threat quarterback and top rushing attack

Northwestern defenders swarm Howard running back Eden James to make the tackle. NU’s defensive unit will need to be on point Saturday versus Nebraska.

October 18, 2023

When it comes to a dual-threat quarterback and college football, the abnormal athlete has become one of a defense’s worst nightmares.

Whether it be their ability to scramble for a crucial first down or evade defenders with ease, it forces defense to add another element to their game plan. This has truly been the case for Northwestern in its week three matchup versus then-No. 21 Duke and quarterback Riley Leonard. Outside of the offense rushing for 268 yards, Leonard led the Blue Devils in rush yards with 97.

Four games later, the Wildcats will prepare for another dual-threat quarterback in Nebraska’s Heinrich Haarberg. He currently leads the Big Ten quarterbacks in rush yards per game with 352 total rush yards and three touchdowns.

Interim head coach David Braun gave two key courses of action to stopping the dynamic quarterback.

“You’ve got to play with great leverage, and you’ve got to tackle. I know that’s oversimplified, but when you don’t do that, he has the ability to be extremely explosive, has the ability to run through armed tackles,” Braun said. “When you lose leverage, he’ll turn it into a touchdown on you.”

The ‘Cats experienced this type of game-changing play against Leonard, who finished with two rushing touchdowns in Duke’s 38-14 rout over NU. And similar to the Blue Devils quarterback, who stands at six-foot-four and 212 pounds, Haarberg’s country-strong build at six-foot-five and 215 pounds will give them a flash from the (recent) past.

Looking back to the Duke game, Braun said that from a defensive coordinator’s standpoint, he wishes he had some play calls back. Now, facing another quarterback that can use his legs to hurt a defense, Braun wants to use the information his team has learned this Saturday.

“I’ve been really impressed by (Haarberg)’s ability to operate within the scheme and within the system,” Braun said. “There’s nothing more scary to a defensive play caller than a young man that operates the offense at a high level, has the ability to be utilized in plus-one run game, and has the ability to extend plays and take off with his feet when the things break down in the passing game.”

Outside of Haarberg, NU’s defense has a lot to prove against rushing attacks in general. Even though the ‘Cats have struggled against dual-threat quarterbacks, they rank last in rush yards per game allowed in the conference. Numbers wise, this is the perfect matchup for the Cornhuskers’ offense – which averages the second-most rush yards in the Big Ten.

Although the ‘Cats defense wreaked havoc during the first half of their matchup against Howard, the bunch struggled in the second half as the Bison charged back, led by a strong run game. Now facing Nebraska, a team that lives and dies off its rushing attack, restraining the run game will be key.

After the Howard win, senior linebacker Xander Mueller honed in on stopping big plays and mentioned a similar key component that Braun mentioned on Monday when it comes to stifling a run game.

“Coach Braun has built a system to get the ball funneled … all three levels of the defense were kind of out of their gaps a couple of times,” Mueller said. “We’ve got to keep our leverage to stop those big plays.

After leaving the Howard game early with a lower body injury, according to NU Athletics, Braun noted that graduate defensive lineman Richie Hagarty should be ready to go on Saturday. This will be key for a defensive line that dealt with injuries throughout the first half of the season.

The ‘Cats have already faced stout rushing attacks in then-No. 7 Penn State and Duke, which didn’t result in a strong performance but did give the group experiences to learn from. Now, with players’ bodies well-rested following the bye week and extra time to prepare, Saturday gives NU another chance to prove itself against a strong run game and bounce back from its 56-7 loss during its last visit to Memorial Stadium.

“It’s a great opportunity for our guys to challenge themselves against a Nebraska team that’s certainly going to look to establish the run game,” Braun said. “If we are not able to stop the run, it’s going to be a long day for us.”

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