It's the simplest statement in football yet one that will always ring true. Teams that can consistently run the ball and stop the run win a lot of games, they dictate and control the opponent. Frost has yet to have a top 25 rushing attack and hasn't even come close to a top 40 rushing defense. Bo has been the closest to achieving this blueprint but was unable to ever pair a rushing attack with a rushing defense.
For fun I ran some analysis on our past 4 coaching regimes against the eventual National Champion and the results paint a clear picture.
Over the past 16 seasons NU has averaged 182 rushing yards per game, good for an average ranking of 45th. Nebraska has given an average of 158 rushing yards per game, national average of 57th. During that same time National Champions have averaged 217 rushing yards per game, 22nd nationally and have given up an average of 100 rushing yards per game, averaging 11th nationally. It appears the magic net number of rushing yards needed to compete for nattys is 117, the closest we've come is a net of 97 rushing yards in 2010.
Here's the full analysis.
Cheers!
For fun I ran some analysis on our past 4 coaching regimes against the eventual National Champion and the results paint a clear picture.
Over the past 16 seasons NU has averaged 182 rushing yards per game, good for an average ranking of 45th. Nebraska has given an average of 158 rushing yards per game, national average of 57th. During that same time National Champions have averaged 217 rushing yards per game, 22nd nationally and have given up an average of 100 rushing yards per game, averaging 11th nationally. It appears the magic net number of rushing yards needed to compete for nattys is 117, the closest we've come is a net of 97 rushing yards in 2010.
Here's the full analysis.
| Rushing Offense | ||||||
| NU Rank | NU Average | National Champion | NC Rank | NC Average | ||
2020 | 49 | 178 | ||||
2019 | 28 | 205 | LSU | 51 | 170 | |
2018 | 27 | 208 | Clemson | 10 | 248 | |
2017 | 120 | 108 | Alabama | 10 | 255 | |
2016 | 68 | 169 | Clemson | 73 | 166 | |
2015 | 45 | 180 | Alabama | 28 | 205 | |
2014 | 15 | 244 | Ohio State | 7 | 262 | |
2013 | 21 | 206 | Florida State | 23 | 203 | |
2012 | 9 | 243 | Alabama | 19 | 219 | |
2011 | 15 | 216 | Alabama | 16 | 215 | |
2010 | 9 | 253 | Auburn | 5 | 284 | |
2009 | 61 | 147 | Alabama | 13 | 207 | |
2008 | 34 | 170 | Florida | 11 | 218 | |
2007 | 65 | 144 | LSU | 11 | 214 | |
2006 | 30 | 164 | Florida | 42 | 150 | |
2005 | 111 | 94 | Texas | 2 | 275 | |
2004 | 55 | 158 | USC | 30 | 179 | |
| 16 Yr. Average | 45 | 182 | 16 Yr. Average | 22 | 217 | |
| Frost Average | 35 | 197 | ||||
| Riley Average | 78 | 152 | ||||
| Pelini Average | 23 | 211 | ||||
| Callahan Average | 65 | 140 |
| Rushing Defense | ||||||
| NU Rank | NU Average | National Champion | NC Rank | NC Average | ||
2020 | 79 | 175 | ||||
2019 | 88 | 189 | LSU | 23 | 127 | |
2018 | 94 | 201 | Clemson | 2 | 95 | |
2017 | 108 | 217 | Alabama | 1 | 92 | |
2016 | 41 | 148 | Clemson | 23 | 135 | |
2015 | 6 | 110 | Alabama | 1 | 70 | |
2014 | 73 | 178 | Ohio State | 31 | 142 | |
2013 | 42 | 150 | Florida State | 10 | 111 | |
2012 | 101 | 205 | Alabama | 1 | 81 | |
2011 | 68 | 167 | Alabama | 1 | 54 | |
2010 | 59 | 156 | Auburn | 8 | 110 | |
2009 | 9 | 93 | Alabama | 3 | 81 | |
2008 | 19 | 118 | Florida | 13 | 106 | |
2007 | 117 | 232 | LSU | 12 | 106 | |
2006 | 24 | 111 | Florida | 6 | 76 | |
2005 | 38 | 136 | Texas | 32 | 131 | |
2004 | 20 | 115 | USC | 1 | 82 | |
| 16 Yr. Average | 57 | 158 | 16 Yr. Average | 11 | 100 | |
| Frost Average | 87 | 188 | ||||
| Riley Average | 52 | 158 | ||||
| Pelini Average | 53 | 152 | ||||
| Callahan Average | 50 | 149 |
| Composite Rushing | ||||||
| NU Composite Rushing Rank | NU Rushing Net | National Champion | NC Composite Rushing Rank | NC Rushing Net | ||
2020 | 64 | 3 | ||||
2019 | 58 | 16 | LSU | 37 | 43 | |
2018 | 61 | 7 | Clemson | 6 | 153 | |
2017 | 114 | -109 | Alabama | 6 | 163 | |
2016 | 55 | 21 | Clemson | 48 | 31 | |
2015 | 26 | 70 | Alabama | 15 | 135 | |
2014 | 44 | 66 | Ohio State | 19 | 120 | |
2013 | 32 | 56 | Florida State | 17 | 92 | |
2012 | 55 | 38 | Alabama | 10 | 138 | |
2011 | 42 | 49 | Alabama | 9 | 161 | |
2010 | 34 | 97 | Auburn | 7 | 174 | |
2009 | 35 | 54 | Alabama | 8 | 126 | |
2008 | 27 | 52 | Florida | 12 | 112 | |
2007 | 91 | -88 | LSU | 12 | 108 | |
2006 | 27 | 53 | Florida | 24 | 74 | |
2005 | 75 | -42 | Texas | 17 | 144 | |
2004 | 38 | 43 | USC | 16 | 97 | |
| 16 Yr. Average | 51 | 24 | 16 Yr. Average | 16 | 117 | |
| Frost Average | 61 | 9 | ||||
| Riley Average | 65 | -6 | ||||
| Pelini Average | 38 | 59 | ||||
| Callahan Average | 58 | -9 |
Cheers!