The question seemed logical. The answer did not.
After the Cornhuskers had just rushed for an average of 1.1 yards per carry on 28 rushing attempts against Southern California, Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan was asked whether he was concerned about his team's inability to run the ball.
"We can run the ball," Callahan said. "We can certainly run the ball, there's no question about that."
The statistics from the past two weeks say otherwise, and the Huskers' rushing numbers from those contests indicate there are more questions than answers about NU's ground game.
At Wake Forest on Sept. 8, Nebraska could muster only 115 rushing yards on 3.4 yards per carry. That was followed by Saturday's performance in which the Huskers' rushing attack was virtually nonexistent against the Trojans.
"Our plan was to be completely balanced," NU senior quarterback Sam Keller said. "We didn't want to be predictable at all. I've said before that as games take shape, you have to kind of favor one over another, but we would have liked to have more success rushing.
"Given that we didn't, we really had to throw it a lot."
Because Keller was forced to throw so many passes, he finished 34-for-56 in the air for 389 yards, but he also threw two interceptions early in the third quarter that led to USC touchdowns.
It was apparent early in Saturday's game that the Huskers would have trouble running against a stout Trojan defense. By the end of the first quarter, NU had gained 16 yards on 10 rushing attempts.
Nebraska's ground game never did get going, and junior running back Marlon Lucky - NU's leading rusher on the young season - picked up 33 yards and averaged just 1.9 yards per carry on 17 attempts. The Huskers' most effective running back was junior Cody Glenn, who averaged 2.5 yards on eight attempts.
"Nebraska's always been known for the powerhouse running game, and even though we switched to the West Coast offense, what a lot of people don't realize is that the West Coast offense is still a running game," NU junior offensive lineman Matt Slauson said. "When you can't get the ball moving on the ground, you're just sort of like, 'Oh, geez, this is bad.' "
NU's struggles the past two weeks come in stark contrast to its season-opening 52-10 win over Nevada on Sept. 1. On that day, NU racked up 413 rushing yards and Lucky collected an astounding 233 yards on 30 carries.
But Saturday's performance was more reminiscent of last September's 28-10 loss to USC in Los Angeles, when the Huskers averaged 1.9 yards per carry on 36 attempts.
And despite Callahan's assertion Saturday that the Huskers are capable of running the ball, the stats indicate NU's offense was far from balanced against the Trojans.
Still, both Callahan and Slauson noted Nebraska had little choice but to pass once they were behind by halftime.
"It was disappointing because you don't get an opportunity every year to play the No. 1 team," Slauson said, "and it was disappointing that we weren't able to move the ball on them. That put a lot of pressure on our passing game, and to pass the ball you need to be able to run."
bengouldsmith@dailynebraskan.com
