It was a tale of two halves as the Nebraska Cornhuskers fell to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 20-13 at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Huskers jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the first quarter, and it was all down here after that.
Chubba Purdy continues to look overwhelmed at the quarterback position. The Florida State transfer was 6 for 16 for 41 yards with one interception. Backup Logan Smothers also saw limited action going 5 for 10 for 80 yards. Anthony Grant was the workhorse in the running game with 21 carries for 115 yards with a long of 36 yards. Why he didn’t get more touches is beyond my understanding.
Today’s performance on offense was enough for me to say that regardless of what happens with the head coach hire, Mark Whipple won’t be returning to Lincoln next season as the offensive coordinator. As a play caller, he refuses to adjust or adapt his scheme to the situation or talent. Instead, week after week, he forces his philosophy on a team that is not built to run such an offense.
The lack of adjustments overall by the Cornhusker coaching staff was quite stunning. Top to bottom, there were no significant changes to any phase of the game as the lead slipped away in the second half. You have to wonder if this loss puts an end to Mickey Joseph’s candidacy to become the permanent head coach at Nebraska.
Nebraska now sits at 3-6 on the year, meaning the Cornhuskers must win out or face a sixth straight season with no postseason birth. Below is a collection of social media reactions to Nebraska’s loss to Minnesota. Let us know what you think. Where does Nebraska go from here?