Blackshirts establishing an identity under Tony White’s leadership
Nebraska Defensive Coordinator Tony White congratulates linebacker Nick Henrich after a play in the third quarter against Colorado Saturday September 2, 2023 at Folsom Field. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
The Huskers are approaching game six under first-year Coach Matt Rhule, and what continues to stand out to Big Red Nation is their defense.
Tony White has made an immediate impact on the Blackshirts with his 3-3-5 scheme, which has been a team strength this season. White has already dealt with adversity too, after the slew of injuries to his defense, and the fact that Michigan scored 45 points on Nebraska at Memorial Stadium last Saturday.
Still, the Blackshirts are putting together promising performances, and they have the numbers to back it up. Although the Huskers have played three Power Five opponents through their first five games, they’re sixth in the Big Ten, and 37th nationally in total defense.
White has a knack for stopping the run too, which should be beneficial as Nebraska (2-3) approaches the meat-grinder of its’ schedule. The Blackshirts are No. 2 in the conference, and 14th in the FBS against the run. Not to mention White’s boys are only allowing 2.86 yards per carry.
Nebraska’s pass rush has been tremendous also. The Blackshirts continue to make quarterbacks eat grass, and they’re currently fourth in the league in sacks. Up next for Nebraska is a trip to Illinois (2-3), and the Huskers haven’t won in Champaign since 2019.
The Blackshirts are looking to set the tone Friday night after their subpar performance against the Wolverines. White will be without a couple of key defenders, but will have a stud back in the lineup. Linebacker Luke Reimer will miss a second-straight game, and safety DeShon Singleton injured his knee against Michigan. However, defensive lineman Cam Lenhardt is back in action. Lenhardt is a menace off the edge, and already has two sacks.
The Fighting Illini continue to struggle on offense, and have lost three of their last four games. Barry Lunney’s offense matching wits with White’s defense will be key ingredients for a low-scoring affair. Illinois currently ranks 78th in the FBS in rushing offense. No Fighting Illini rusher has went over 100 yards in a single game this year. It’s safe to say life after Chase Brown hasn’t been good for Illinois’ backfield.
White’s defense should be able to thrive in the trenches against an offense that continues to be a liability. The Fighting Illini are awful at protecting their quarterbacks, and the Blackshirts should be licking their chops. Illinois has allowed a jaw-dropping, 4.2 sacks per game, which ranks dead last in the Big Ten, and 125th in the country.
Friday night’s clash will clearly be a matchup that favors White. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer often times tries to do too much, and makes costly mistakes during the process. He has been picked off seven times through five games, including four in the loss to Penn State.
The Blackshirts need to do what they’ve been doing all season, which is shutting down the run, putting the offense in third and long, and getting after the quarterback. That’s going to be a recipe for success if Nebraska wants to snap a three-game losing streak to Illinois. Husker fans have to be encouraged from what they’ve witnessed from White’s defense.
Illinois has outmuscled Nebraska in recent meetings, but that should change this time around. This will be the game the team can lean on the Blackshirts to carry them to the finish line. Breaking even on the season will do wonders for the player’s confidence, especially the Blackshirts, and White will establish himself as one of the best hires the program has made in quite some time.
