There was a time before the football season when I looked at the Week 3 game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln and shuddered with concern. Memorial Stadium in Lincoln is one of the most unfriendly environments for opposing teams, despite the hard times the Huskers have faced.
Venables said about the matchup: “It’s gonna be really exciting, and a great, great challenge for us to go to Lincoln go on the road, you know, tough environment. I’m really excited to see what our team is all about. You know, it’d be a great opportunity for us to continue to grow and develop, you know, as a team.”
It’s a tough place to play. That, however, is no excuse.
The Oklahoma Sooners should go into Lincoln and win.
Former Nebraska head coach Scott Frost was fired before his buyout of more than $15 million would be cut in half on Oct. 1. The university clearly wanted him out and wanted him out as soon as possible. Losing to the Sun Belt Conference’s Georgia Southern was the final straw.
That game against Georgia Southern was at home, by the way.
Anything less than absolute domination isn’t acceptable from the Sooners in Week 3. The Nebraska defense ranks at the very bottom of the Big Ten in points allowed per game (31). That’s after games against Northwestern, North Dakota and Georgia Southern. The Sooners are winning by an average margin of 31 points per game through their first two wins.
The Huskers also rank last in the Big Ten in rushing yards allowed per game. So, I’m sure the run-loving Jeff Lebby is already dialing up plays for Eric Gray and Marcus Major. They are second to last in the Big Ten in passing defense, just in case you were wondering. The only team below them in that category is Northwestern.
Nebraska has named another former Nebraska quarterback, Mickey Joseph, as Frost’s interim replacement.
Joseph was on Ed Orgeron’s staff at LSU when the Tigers won the 2019 national championship. He was the passing game coordinator and assistant head coach. He had been serving as the wide receivers coach in Lincoln before taking over as interim head coach.
His last head coaching gig was at Langston University from 2011-2012, where he had a record of 13-7.
The Sooners have to drop the hammer as quickly as possible. Taking a half to get in the zone against Kent State is one thing, but playing down to the Huskers when they’re doing their best Titanic impression just isn’t going to work.
Go into Lincoln and show Big Red the Sooners are on a different level. There’s no reason the Sooners shouldn’t be 3-0 heading into Big 12 play.
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