Nebraska’s Defensive Masterclass

How the Huskers Shut Down Colorado’s Offense

Nebraska's defense put on a clinic against Colorado on Saturday night, stifling the Buffaloes with a commanding performance that limited them to just 260 total yards and a mere 16 yards on the ground. The Huskers' relentless pressure on the Colorado quarterback was the difference-maker, racking up 6 sacks and countless pressures that kept the Buffalo offense off balance. In this breakdown, we’ll dive into the key defensive plays that powered Nebraska to this dominant showing against Colorado.

Stuffing the Buffalo Run Game

Outside of one late 3rd-quarter run, Colorado's ground attack was completely shut down. Nebraska’s defense came up huge in key moments, especially on critical 3rd and 4th down plays. Let’s break down three of those pivotal stops that defined the Huskers’ dominance at the line of scrimmage.

Q1 | 4th & 1 | 8:35

Colorado tried to disguise an inside zone run with jet motion, but Nebraska wasn’t fooled. The Huskers dialed up a cross-dog pressure, sending both interior linebackers. Nebraska had the numbers advantage, and when the running back tried to cut back, the defensive end and a scraping linebacker—flowing perfectly off the pressure—were right there waiting for the tackle for loss (TFL).

Q3 | 3rd & 1 | 13:48

Early in the 3rd quarter, on 3rd and 1, Colorado caught Nebraska off guard with a quick snap before the defense could fully set. It looked like an easy first down on a quarterback sneak, but a tremendous effort from Nebraska’s interior linebacker on the offense’s left changed the outcome. The linebacker used textbook technique, coming straight off the guard’s down block and squeezing tight enough to bring down the quarterback, preventing the conversion.

Q3 | 4th and inches | 12:56

On the very next play, Colorado went back to the inside zone from 12 personnel—normally a solid call in short-yardage situations. But this time, they weren’t ready for Nebraska’s interior linebacker shooting the gap. He plugged the C gap with ease, blowing up the play for another tackle for loss (TFL) and a huge 4th down stop.

This sequence highlights Colorado’s biggest issue of the night—they couldn’t run the ball when it mattered most. In hindsight, they probably shouldn’t have attempted that last run, especially with #12 out wide, a playmaker who’s nearly impossible to cover one-on-one.

Pressuring the Quarterback

Nebraska relentlessly pressured Sanders throughout the night, rarely allowing him to settle in the pocket and deliver the football. The irony? Before the game, Deion Sanders confidently told the media they planned to rattle Nebraska’s young quarterback—yet it was his own QB who felt the heat all night.

The Sacks

Q1 | 1st & 10 | 10:23

While Nebraska often used movement and misdirection to outmaneuver Colorado’s offensive line, this particular sack came down to pure one-on-one domination. The Huskers' defensive tackle simply beat his man inside and finished the play with a clean sack.

Q2 | 3rd & 14 | 1:44

On this sack, Nebraska lined up in a 5-0-5 front with a single interior linebacker walked up to the line. The linebacker and defensive end executed a jam stunt, with the defensive tackle occupying blockers and the linebacker looping around the edge untouched. The result? Another clean sack, with the linebacker coming free to finish the play.

Q3 | 1st & 10 | 7:44

Remember that stunt we just discussed? Nebraska showed a similar look here with a 3-2 box, but this time the linebacker ran it from a slightly deeper position. Same stunt, same result—another sack for the Huskers.

The Pressures

Below are some examples of Nebraska getting pressure with various looks forcing Sanders to leave the pocket or rush his throw.

Straight Four Man Rush

Four Man Rush w/ T/E Stunt

4 Man Rush with T/N Stunt

Nickel Pressure w/ Fire Zone 3

Three Man Rush w/ Linebacker Wrapping

Four Man Rush w/ Double T/E Stunts

Red Zone Stand

To start the second half, Colorado marched into the red zone, looking to claw their way back into the game. But Nebraska’s defense had other plans.

On first and goal, Colorado ran an inside zone with an arrow screen RPO. Nebraska’s defenders played their assignments perfectly, reading the play and swarming to the ball for a tackle for loss (TFL), shutting down the Buffs' attempt to gain momentum.

On second down, Nebraska dialed up a simulated pressure from the field, which created a free runner coming straight at the quarterback. The pressure forced a quick throw, and the free runner got a hand on it, deflecting the pass for an incompletion.

On third down, Nebraska brought their favorite pressure of the night—a twist between the linebacker and defensive tackle. Once again, the linebacker came free but missed the sack on Sanders, forcing him to roll out and throw an incompletion. Colorado struggled to pick up this pressure all night, and it’s likely they’ll see plenty of it in future games.

Conclusion

Nebraska’s game plan—combining a light box with creepers, simulated pressures, and blitzes—proved highly effective against Colorado. The Buffaloes were on their heels all night, unable to adjust to the constant defensive line movements, linebacker additions, and all-out pressures. One thing is clear: Nebraska’s defense is a force to be reckoned with, and if they can pair that unit with a solid offense, 2024 could be something special for the Huskers.