Huskers turn up attitude, almost shutout Aggies

Nebraska safety Larry Asante had a message for the New Mexico State offense on the first play of the game Saturday: "No, not tonight."

Asante extended his index finger and wagged it from side to side after breaking up a deep pass from highly touted Aggie quarterback Chase Holbrook intended for ace receiver Chris Williams on the first play from scrimmage Saturday.

Asante and his teammates on defense pitched a near shutout against what most considered NMSU's strongest unit - the Aggie offense.

NMSU's only score came in the fourth quarter when the Aggie offense received the ball on NU's own 3-yard line after backup quarterback Patrick Witt's fumble from center was returned to that spot.

"Defensively, I think we'll still consider it a shutout because we had our backs to the wall there," senior defensive end Zach Potter said.

Potter got his hands on an NMSU field goal attempt later in NU's first defensive series of the game.

Shutout or not, Nebraska has allowed just two touchdowns over the past two games, and hadn't allowed an opponent to visit the end zone over the span of six consecutive quarters.

It was a dominating performance that saw NMSU move the ball inside Nebraska's own 30-yard line just three times all game.

The Cornhuskers allowed 339 yards of total offense, but held Holbrook to just 142 yards through the air, a 50 percent completion percentage (15-30), and picked the NFL prospect off twice.

Holbrook completed slightly more than 70 percent of his passes last year.

"That's a pretty good offense, a pretty experienced offense we played out there today," coach Bo Pelini said.

"They spread you all over the field. They're going to get their yards, but what matters is points. I don't get caught up in yards, it's all about points, and we were able to make the plays when we needed to."

It was the first time in 23 games that a Husker defense shutout an opponent in the first half of a game, and it's because of a "bend but don't break mentality" that is emerging amongst the defense.

After forcing four field goal attempts against San Jose St. and just one early touchdown last week, Nebraska performed well in the clutch again Saturday against NMSU when the Aggies were knocking on NU's door.

"What I liked was the way our guys hung in there," Pelini said. "We made the plays. Our guys, even when they had their backs to the wall, they kept fighting. They played well in the red zone. They made plays when they needed to, and that's what you're going to have to do."

The crowd of 84,821 was perhaps its loudest during a particularly impressive defensive stand late in the third quarter with NU already up 35-0.

It appeared that NU had forced a turnover or a field goal attempt multiple times during the red zone threat, only to have instant replay and pass interference penalties force the Huskers to start all over again.

A Zach Potter forced fumble that the senior later recovered was ruled an incomplete pass after further official review.

"I still think it was a fumble," Potter said with a smirk after the game.

It appeared NU had preserved the shutout once again by stopping NMSU on fourth down after the fumble was reversed, but the Huskers were flagged for a pass interference penalty that gave the Aggies a first down at the 2-yard-line.

A false start penalty and two sacks by Ndamukong Suh and Potter had NMSU reeling again before a questionable pass interference call on third and goal at the 22 had NU hitting the restart button once again.

Great pressure on Holbrook the very next play created an easy interception opportunity for safety Matt O'Hanlon and an end to the threat.

"I just love the attitude," Pelini said. "You know, at that point (players) can get pissed like the coaches and get upset like I was and lose their focus, but they just kept hanging in there and it's good to see. That's all a part of it - the attitude."

Potter agreed with Pelini's assessment after the game, and said his unit showed its true character on that third quarter stance and "really grew up as a defense on that series."

Cornerback Armando Murillo, who returned a second quarter interception of his own 57 yards to set up NU's second score, was asked after the game why the defense's intensity level was so great during that series with the game already out of reach.

"We weren't going to give it to them," Murillo said.. "That's the bottom line. They don't get nothing."

Murillo's sentiments were echoed in the actions of Pelini during the waning moments of the game.

Pelini called a timeout with two seconds remaining and NMSU on Nebraska's doorstep.

Nebraska's defense was filled with fresh faces that were seeing their first action of the season at the time, and the young Huskers took Pelini's advice during the timeout and turned it into an incomplete pass to cap off the victory.

Pelini said that his decision to call the timeout was just matching the attitude the Huskers played with all game.

"I wanted to make sure that we had an opportunity to make a play," Pelini said.

"I wanted to put them in a good situation and kind of tell them what to look for right there. If (New Mexico St.) felt the need to keep playing, I expect us to keep playing. If they're going to run out the clock, I might be a little more vanilla, but (NMSU) obviously didn't take that attitude."

krisknowlton@dailynebraskan.com