Nebraska’s 30–27 loss to No. 21 Michigan highlighted the gap between an FCS opponent and the grind of the Big Ten. After grinding out a win against Cincinnati’s downhill rushing attack, the Wolverines gashed the Huskers on the ground and exposed lingering defensive issues. As we take a deeper dive into the advanced analytics, here are the final Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades and snap counts for every Nebraska defender who saw the field against Michigan.
As conference play began, Nebraska trimmed its defensive line rotation to just seven players, each logging at least 10 snaps. Keeping those bodies fresh was a clear point of emphasis for defensive coordinator John Butler. For the fourth straight week, Williams Nwaneri led the unit in snaps, while Elijah Jeudy matched him with a team-high three tackles. Jeudy’s first-half forced fumble, recovered by DeShon Singleton, also earned him Nebraska’s top individual grade of the day with an 81.1 overall mark.
The Huskers’ front accounted for four of the defense’s six total quarterback hurries, but Michigan’s rushing attack ultimately dictated the game, piling up 290 yards on the ground. With a bye week ahead, Nebraska’s ability to regroup defensively will hinge heavily on finding more consistency and answers up front.
Nebraska’s linebacker corps, for the most part, held up well in the tackling department. Javin Wright paced the team with 10 total stops, while Vincent Shavers added seven of his own. Dasan McCullough provided one of the few defensive sparks with a sack and two tackles for loss, though a costly missed tackle dragged his overall grade to the lowest of the group.
Despite the struggles elsewhere, the linebackers were responsible for four of Nebraska’s five tackles for loss, showing the unit’s ability to generate disruptive plays. If the defensive line can set a stronger rush up front, this group has the potential to become a more consistent strength as conference play continues.
Nebraska’s secondary nearly held Michigan under 100 passing yards, doing their part to keep the Huskers in the game. DeShon Singleton continued to shine in his final season, adding five tackles and recovering a key fumble that halted a Wolverine drive.
Young contributors Rex Guthrie and Donovan Jones are also continuing to see their roles expand. The pair of redshirt freshmen each played over 70% of defensive snaps, combining for 11 tackles and showing steady growth as reliable options in coverage and support.
Missed tackles remain the group’s biggest issue, as five of Nebraska’s eight came from the secondary alone. Still, if the front seven can generate more consistent pressure, those lapses will be less glaring. For now, this unit deserves credit for keeping Nebraska competitive, and it’s fair to argue they’ve done enough to help the Huskers be unbeaten at this point in the season.
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