Three concerns for the Nebraska American football team as the season begins.

This unit has been at the top of the Huskers’ list of concerns for more than three years. Nebraska found the right coach in Donovan Raiola, a coaching descendant of legendary Notre Dame offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. Over the past three years, Raiola has left his mark on a consistent group of players. His tough coaching style resonates with players, which led to incredible improvement last season.

According to Pro Football Focus, Nebraska’s offensive line allowed 119 quarterback hurries, 73 batted balls and 173 pressures in 2022. Those numbers dropped to 65, 40 and 88 in 2023. The 47% average drop suggests that what Raiola is doing in Lincoln is working. Unfortunately for the Huskers, his job will be a challenge in 2024.

Despite the improvements and extensive experience, this unit still raises many questions.

Starting guard Nouri Nouili ​​​​is now with the New Orleans Saints, and Ethan Piper is still with the team as a coach but has retired as a player. Justin Evans started last year as the team’s reserve center but took over at left guard after Piper’s injury. Evan has logged 134 pass-block snaps in his six starts, allowing one sack, QB hit, pressure and hurries.

Evans will face junior Henry Lutovosky. Lutovosky appeared in all 12 games last year, making two starts against Purdue and Iowa. Lutovosky allowed one sack, six hurries and eight pressures in 104 snaps.

Florida and Baylor transfer Micah Mazzccua will also compete for one of the two guard spots. During Mazzccua’s time at Baylor, he was the highest-rated guard in the Big 12; he then transferred to Florida, where he started in 11 games for the Gators.

Mazzccua arguably has the best build and most experience of the three options for the Huskers, but he didn’t really fit in well in Lincoln.

Coach Matt Rhule made it clear that Mazzccua still had a long way to go.

“Micah’s got to understand that at the University of Nebraska, we work hard, we work hard, and we pay the price,” Rhule said in the spring. “It’s not about what we’ve done, it’s about what we’re trying to do. I love Micah, I’ve known him since he was in high school, but he’s got a long way to go.”

Mazzccua spoke Tuesday about the challenge Rhule presented him.

“Coach Rhule had expectations of me,” Mazzccua said. “He was strict with me and that was good, I like it here.”

In addition to who will play guard, depth will be a huge issue for the Big Red. A position battle was a total go at the beginning of camp for Bryce Benhart’s opposite tackle position between Teddy Prochazca and Tanner Corcoran. That position battle ended quickly when Prochazca suffered a season-ending ACL injury in camp.

Regardless of who would win the battle for the top position, both players would become important players in the big team, which was an important formation for this team.

To summarize this massive section, I rely on Donovan Raiola.

I trust his coaching philosophy, style and ability to develop talent. I believe and know that this offensive line will get better as the year progresses because that is exactly what has happened the last two seasons. But the thing is, we are only three weeks into the season and there are three huge question marks on this front.

In the Big Ten, that’s a SCREW area.

Let’s just call a spade a spade.

Special teams was not good last year and it doesn’t look like it will get any better. Last year, Sophomore Tristan Alvano had a 60 FG%, which ranked him 115th out of 121 qualified kickers. While Alvano was and still is a promising young talent, he needs to improve this offseason. Unfortunately, Alvano suffered an injury before fall training camp.

Special teams coordinator Ed Foley described the injury as a “wear and tear” event from kicking all year rather than a serious injury. Still, it’s not something to sweep under the rug, given the huge strides Alvano has to make.

The problems only get worse for the Big Red in the third phase of the game. Nebraska had zero success in the punt return game last season, averaging three yards per return. NU ranked 121st in the nation. Concerns about the lack of a return game grow when you learn that last year’s returner, Billy Kemp, and his backup, Ethan Nation, are no longer on the team.

Foley hasn’t named a starting punt returner yet, but he did mention names like freshman Jacorey Barney, who had an impressive performance in the team’s Red-White spring game, and senior Jacorey Barney, who is returning for what will be his final year of college.

“I can also tell you that IGC (Isiah Garcia-Castenada) had a really great spring for us as a punt returner,” Foley said. “He’s emerged as a guy that I have confidence in.”

Whether Foley and his staff choose a veteran or a youngster to field their kicks, it’s an aspect of the game that needs a complete overhaul. This offseason, it’s all about “Chasing 3” for the Big Red and winning the close games where they’ve fallen short. The field position game in the Big Ten is turning the tide in close games and another year of a lackluster punt-returning game.

This might surprise some people. No matter how you look at it, this group is loaded with experience and talent. Rahmir Johnson, Gabe Ervin Jr., Emmet Johnson and Oregon transfer Dante Dowdell all have Power 5 football experience. And don’t forget about talented redshirt sophomore Kwinten Ives, who earned praise from head coach Matt Rhule last year for his potential.

After reading all this, you might be thinking, “Matt, why are you so concerned about the running back room?”

To that I respond: Who is that guy? Who is the star of that group? Out of that group of players, there is no one who is truly a bell-cow running back.

Rhule indicated that despite it still being two weeks until the first game, there is still no answer to that question.

“What we’re not going to do is play five tailbacks; that’s too hard,” Rhule said Saturday. “Somebody’s got to come out and say this is my thing, and honestly, you need two.”

This wouldn’t be an issue for me if it wasn’t how this team wants to run its offense. Despite the improvements at quarterback and wide receiver this offseason, this team still wants to play power football. They still want to rush for 75 yards in the fourth quarter, win the field positioning battle, and win the possession battle. Who are they going to lean on to do that?

Ervin Jr. and Johnson are talented, but at this point in their careers they’ve proven that you can’t count on them to stay healthy all season.

Emmet Johnson impressed in six starts last year but has yet to make strides to become an elite player.

Dowdell had a chance to walk into Lincoln, take over as running back and run with it, but all signs pointed to the opposite.

In Ives’ case, he’s in a crowded backfield full of players who are more experienced than he is; if he can make it on the field this year, it means either injuries have played a role, or he’s practiced to get reps. The latter is preferable, but he’ll get his chances later.

The point is this: Do you need a superstar running back to compete in the Big Ten? I would say no. But do you need a guy that you can trust to put the ball in their hands 15 times a week and know they can win, manage, and close games? ABSOLUTELY

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