Husker Report Card: Nebraska vs Akron Grades and Takeaways

Nebraska football just put together its most convincing game yet under head coach Matt Rhule. They dismantled Akron with a kind of dominance that, honestly, we haven’t seen in a while.

The Huskers leaned on a punishing first-half run game. Their passing attack was sharp, and the defense pretty much smothered anything Akron tried.

There were flaws, of course. Red zone short-yardage issues and penalties still linger.

But compared to the season opener, this was a big step forward. Emmett Johnson and Dylan Raiola both stood out, and the coaching staff clearly had the upper hand.

Offensive Firepower Fuels Nebraska’s First-Half Domination

From the opening snap, Nebraska controlled the line of scrimmage. Akron couldn’t really do much to stop them.

Emmett Johnson stole the show, racking up a career-high 134 rushing yards before halftime. He broke loose for a 47-yard touchdown and kept flipping the field with big runs.

Dylan Raiola’s Record-Breaking Accuracy

Dylan Raiola made some school history, too. He set a Nebraska record with 20 straight completions across two games.

Against Akron, he went 19-of-23 for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. He spread the ball around, keeping Akron’s defense guessing, and his receivers helped out with some tough catches and big gains after contact.

The passing game and run game just clicked together. For most of the half, Nebraska’s offense looked nearly unstoppable.

Red Zone Struggles Continue to Haunt the Huskers

Even with all that firepower, Nebraska’s old problem in the red zone popped up again. They failed to score on three straight snaps inside Akron’s three-yard line and lost a fumble near the goal line.

That inability to punch it in from close range needs fixing, especially with tougher opponents coming up.

The Need for Power and Precision

Too often, Nebraska leaned on predictable inside runs that just didn’t work against Akron’s stacked fronts. The coaching staff probably needs to mix things up near the goal line—maybe try misdirection, a quick throw, or a quarterback sneak.

Leaving points on the field could easily cost them in conference play. That’s just a fact.

Defense Delivers Relentless Pressure

Nebraska’s defense set the tone right away. They shut down Akron’s run game and made quarterback Ben Finley uncomfortable all night.

Freshman Kade Pietrzak flashed some real promise, picking up multiple tackles for loss on well-timed blitzes. The energy on defense was hard to miss.

Sticky Coverage and Aggressive Schemes

The secondary kept coverage tight, which forced Finley to hold onto the ball. That gave Nebraska’s front seven plenty of chances to attack.

Pressure packages worked, and Akron struggled to keep drives alive. Still, penalties at bad moments cropped up—something they’ll need to clean up against better teams.

Special Teams Impact and Coaching Brilliance

Special teams showed some positives. Kyle Cunanan knocked in a 35-yard field goal, and Jacory Barney brought some juice with a few electric punt returns.

Kickoff returns, though, didn’t do much. There’s definitely room to grow there.

Strategic Mastery from the Sidelines

Coaches John Butler and Dana Holgorsen played a big role. They spotted Akron’s weak spots and put players in the right spots to attack them.

The game plan made the most of Nebraska’s strengths. Preparation and execution looked miles better than that sloppy opener against Cincinnati.

Looking Ahead to Week 3

This performance really made a statement. But can Nebraska keep the momentum rolling? That’s the big question now.

With conference play coming up, the Huskers need to bring their first-half energy for all four quarters. They’ll have to fix those red zone issues, tighten up discipline, and keep the offense balanced if they want to build on this win.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Husker Report Card: Grading Nebraska’s performance against Akron