A depleted Nebraska team was traveling to back yard of a preseason top ten team that stunningly underachieved and had much to prove, facing Tennessee in The Music City Bowl in Nashville, about 200 miles from ole Rocky Top, home to the Volunteers in Knoxville.
Nebraska's record setting quarterback Tommy Armstrong was unavailable to close out his Husker career due to a hamstring injury. The Big Red's leading receiver, Jordan Westercamp, was also out due to injury. And top tackler, senior safety Nate Gerry, inexplicably failed to go to class and made himself ineligible for the contest. Additionally, top running back Terrell Newby was hobbled, and top backup Tre Bryant was injured.
It had the look of a long day; and it was.
The Tennessee expected to challenge Alabama in the SEC, the team returning seventeen starters from a 9-4 campaign a year ago, showed up with a chip on their shoulder.
Nebraska was unable to do much offensively. Up front, the Huskers disappointed mightily, unable to generate a running game, which would seem critical to Big Red success. While Tennessee has a collection of top talent, most inclusive of DE Derek Barnett, the Vols did surrender huge amounts of real estate late in the year to teams with rushing attacks much inferior to Nebraska.
Unable to run, it came down to backup quarterback Ryker Fyfe hitting the Huskers stable of fleet footed receivers. There was some success, but Fyfe was under duress much of the day.
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| Tennessee DE Derek Barnett sacks Ryker Fyfe Photo/Fansided |
The Volunteers had success offensively against Nebraska. While the Huskers were adequate with respect to a pass rush, Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs was able to elude the rush running and or passing to find gains in yardage. "Lockdown U" was unlocked, as Volunteer receivers made several big plays, none more impactful than the final touchdown toss from Dobbs to Josh Malone, which ended any minimal chance for the Huskers to come back and steal this one.
Nebraska seemed outclassed, which in itself is stunning.
Nebraska started 7-0, but they did not look like a top ten team at all, and it showed limping home to 9-4.
For 2017, upgrades are needed across the board. Presumably, without Tommy Armstrong, the offense will move to a more pass oriented attack which coach Mike Riley and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf prefer. The line was though to be emerging, but that was hard to imagine looking at this tape. The receivers are a team strength, and quarterback should be better than most think.
Defensively, there is talent, particularly in the secondary, but the front seven needs help in strength and speed. The front seven never got to a position to achieve dominance all season, and some players appeared to regress during the year; a troubling development.
A decent recruiting class appears on the horizon, and some young talent already on campus are already being whispered about. Time is getting short, and the schedule is no friend in 2017, picking up two potential top ten teams in Ohio State and Penn State.
The Music City Bowl was not a good look for the 'Huskers, and it is time to get to work on the promise of 2017.
Meanwhile, Nebraska punter Sam Foltz, who was tragically killed in a car accident just prior to the season, had been on the minds of the team and Husker Nation all year. In fact, each of the opponents paid tribute to Foltz in their own special way.
Foltz was in Nashville in spirit, and senior wide receiver Brandon Reilly paid a special and moving tribute to Sam following his second quarter touchdown reception.
Sam Foltz was an outstanding young man, and he will forever be in the thoughts of 'Huskers nationwide.
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