Turnovers struggles a consistent trend for Nebraska

When Scott Frost took over as Nebraska’s head coach following the 2017 season, there was little doubt he was bringing Erik Chinander with him.

After all, Frost introduced his total UCF employees to Nebraska, however his defensive coordinator was maybe probably the most deserving of all. That’s as a result of Chinander’s 2016 protection pressured 26 turnovers and his 2017 group completed No. 2 nationally with a whopping 32 turnovers.

Chinander’s aggressive protection may not have led the NCAA in yards allowed, however the further possessions it generated for Frost’s up-tempo offense have been integral to UCF’s undefeated season.

The duo aimed to carry the identical type of soccer to Nebraska, with hopes of constructing a aggressive protection that might proceed forcing turnovers at a excessive stage.

“I’ve been numerous locations the place you follow blitzes and follow getting after the quarterback on third down, however then when it comes time to essentially do it, you play protected,” Chinander informed the Journal Star in 2018. “I don’t assume you are able to do that for those who actually need to create turnovers.”

4-plus years later, and it’s clear that Chinander’s imaginative and prescient by no means fairly translated into NU’s on-field efficiency. A 21-turnover efficiency in 2019 was the most effective of Chinander’s tenure, but it surely nonetheless wasn’t sufficient to garner a optimistic turnover differential.

To be truthful to Chinander, NU’s turnover troubles run a lot deeper than one man and even one decade.

Relationship again to 2002, Nebraska has completed with a optimistic turnover differential simply thrice (2003, 2009 and 2016). The Huskers have additionally completed even twice (2006, 2019), however that leaves 15 seasons and counting the place NU’s opponents got here away with extra turnovers than the Huskers did.

Since 2002, Nebraska has misplaced 236 fumbles and recovered simply 142; interceptions are extra even, with Nebraska throwing 251 and forcing 267 over that point interval. That provides as much as a turnover differential of -78 over the previous 20 years, together with seven seasons the place NU completed with a margin of -10 or worse on the season.

Early in Chinander’s time as Nebraska’s defensive coordinator, the Huskers weren’t far off from the place they needed to be. The 2018 protection ranked No. 57 nationally with 20 turnovers pressured, and the 2019 group jumped as much as No. 34 with 21 turnovers pressured. The Huskers nonetheless completed with a turnover margin of -2 in 2018 earlier than ending even in 2019, however NU regressed within the turnover division within the seasons that adopted.

Through the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Nebraska ranked No. 103 nationally with seven pressured turnovers, and even a veteran group with a number of NFL skills couldn’t change that in 2021. Nebraska pressured 13 turnovers final season, good for 104th within the nation.

Heading into the 2022 season, Chinander knew that wanted to vary.

“We have got to get just a few extra sacks and we have to get just a few extra turnovers,” Chinander mentioned in late July. “I might like much more and much more, however, if we are able to get one other sack a recreation, one other turnover a recreation. We did a superb job of intercepting the ball final 12 months. We did not get sufficient punch-outs and sufficient fumble recoveries, so we’re actually concentrating on that as we begin fall camp.”

Even nonetheless, Nebraska has solely gained the turnover differential in certainly one of its 4 video games up to now this 12 months, with a season whole of -2 in turnover distinction. The Huskers at the moment sit No. 48 nationally with 5 turnovers pressured, one thing that was definitely a think about interim head coach Mickey Joseph’s choice to fireplace Chinander.

“Chinander is an effective man and a superb coach, however the numbers didn’t add up,” Joseph mentioned. “I didn’t see us getting higher. For 4 weeks, I didn’t see us getting higher from week one to week 4.

The truth that NU sits within the backside 5 nationally in whole protection is not any coincidence, both. Even groups that may not be capable to cease their opponents from driving 60 or 70 yards down the sphere could make their lives simpler by producing turnovers, one thing NU has struggled at for years.

As Invoice Busch takes the reigns of the Husker protection, there are many completely different areas requiring his consideration.

Requested on Tuesday about what sort of protection he needed to see for the remainder of the season, Joseph didn’t instantly bounce to turnovers.

“A protection that stops the run and stops the cross and shuts folks out; that’s a superb protection,” Joseph mentioned.

However, the numbers don’t lie — Nebraska’s turnover troubles have vastly contributed to a streak of 5 consecutive shedding seasons.

Regardless of all of his success at UCF, Chinander couldn’t treatment that state of affairs. No matter whether or not or not Busch can handle that within the ultimate eight video games of the season, these troubles have plagued Nebraska throughout teaching staffs, defensive schemes and conferences.

With a development that deep, it’ll take greater than every week or two to repair.