Already hot, the heat cranked up under Mike Riley‘s seat even further when Nebraska fired the athletic director who hired him. The new AD ratcheted things up even further by openly and very publicly gushing over a head coach at a Group of Five school who figures to be a Power Five coach next season.
On the field, the Cornhuskers are doing Riley no favors in staving off the torch- and pitchfork-carrying mob marching toward his door.
Week 11 was no different as Nebraska went to Minnesota Saturday afternoon and will head back to Lincoln with a 54-21 ass-kicking stuffed firmly into their nether regions. One set of stats highlights and illustrates just how far the ‘Huskers have fallen under Riley.
The Gophers, who came into the game 57th nationally with 172 rushing yards per game, pummelled the overmatched Cornhusker defense for 409 yards rushing and six touchdowns on the ground. They averaged 9.1 yards a carry on their 45 rushes; through nine weeks, they were tied for 93rd in the country at 3.8 per.
On the other side of the rushing coin, the Cornhuskers were limited to 69 yards on 33 carries.
Especially defensively, this continues a disturbing trend.
Since the 1996 season, this is the 1st time #Nebraska has allowed at least 199 rushing yards in 5 straight games over that span. #Huskers
— BTNStatsGuys (@BTNStatsGuys) November 11, 2017
In other words, the once-proud ‘Huskers were dominated in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Again. Some, including one ‘Husker legend, would say that they’ve flat-out quit on Riley.
It looks like this team has quit on this staff. #gameover
— Tommie Frazier & Co (@TouchdownTommie) November 11, 2017
The loss drops Nebraska to 4-6 on the season, meaning they have to win out to become bowl-eligible.
The Cornhuskers won at least nine games in each of the seven seasons under Bo Pelini. His last two seasons, they finished a combined 18-7. In Riley’s two-plus seasons, they’ve gone 19-17, including a 12-12 mark in the weaker of the two Big Ten divisions.