Football: ‘We were going backwards’: Northwestern’s penalties, negative plays prove costly in loss at Nebraska

Junior offensive lineman Jackson Carsello gets set prior to a snap.

Aayushya Agarwal, Senior Staffer

October 21, 2023

LINCOLN, Neb. — For Northwestern to win an away game at Nebraska, its offense needed to have a low margin of error.

When graduate student quarterback Ben Bryant was ruled out early Saturday morning, junior quarterback Brendan Sullivan needed to ensure his offense didn’t surrender the same amount of miscues as it did versus Howard.

Yet, against the Cornhuskers (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten), the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3 Big Ten) failed to reach the end zone and were forced to settle for three field goals. And, in a 17-9 loss, a touchdown would’ve been a game changer.

Self-inflicted wounds specifically plagued NU’s offense all-afternoon long. One of the main issues Saturday was the offensive line’s inability to provide Sullivan adequate time in the pocket.

“We’ve got to continue to find ways to stay efficient, whether it is through the pass game or the run game and stay ahead of the sticks,” Braun said. “The reason we stalled in some of those redzone drives was because we were going backwards.”

Sullivan never looked comfortable while dropping back to pass. With the ‘Cats trailing from the second quarter onwards, the offense needed to rely on the passing game far more than normal.

The ‘Cats offense was set up perfectly to start the game. The defense forced two interceptions in the first five minutes, giving NU the ball in Nebraska territory on two of its first three offensive drives.

Yet, both drives ultimately stalled in the same manner: costly sacks and tackles for loss. These plays forced interim head coach David Braun to elect to attempt a field goal or a punt. NU left with only three points from the two possessions.

“It’s something we’re going to continue to harp on,” Braun said regarding his offense’s inability to finish off drives that started with excellent field position. “We’ve got to find ways to turn (those drives) into seven points.”

The ‘Cats offensive line couldn’t take advantage of the defense’s opportunities and did not feed on the pressure.

While Sullivan kept the game within striking distance after large yardage gains, his attempts to lead a comeback late in the fourth quarter were unsuccessful.

Redshirt senior wide receiver Bryce Kirtz, who hauled in a 66-yard reception and set up the ‘Cats inside Nebraska’s 10-yard line only to settle for a field goal, spoke on the offense’s self-inflicted wounds.

“It’s frustrating because you want to capitalize after big plays like that,” Kirtz said. “It takes the momentum away, and it’s hard to bounce back from that. We’ve got to make sure we’re focused in practice and do not make those mistakes and shoot ourselves in the foot.”

The offensive line continuously felt the pressure from Nebraska’s pass rush as the game continued, allowing five sacks in the fourth quarter and eight total.

Braun acknowledged that it will take a collective effort by the offense to limit the sacks going forward.

“The offensive line plays a critical role in (preventing sacks) but so do the running backs, the wide receivers and the quarterback,” Braun said. “We have to take full ownership as an offense to get ahead in games and run the ball so we can melt the clock.

While sacks hindered the ‘Cats ability to generate offensive momentum, the offensive line inflicted penalties throughout the second half that were equally instrumental in their struggles. Overall, NU committed 8 penalties for 75 yards, which directly resulted in a mere 3-for-15 third-down conversion rate. These penalties led to Sullivan having to deal with third-and-long situations, with low chances of continuing drives.

And, in a game where each team punted seven times, the field position was of the utmost importance.

Yet, through these self-inflicted wounds, NU’s offense saw itself moving back consistently. Despite an excellent field position in Nebraska’s territory multiple times in the second half, NU left points off of the board.

“We’re going to put this group back up and get to work on Monday,” Braun said. “This group is up to the challenge. I am excited to see some of the things we haven’t seen yet from this team and continue to push this group to be at their best.”

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