WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Cornhuskers hit the ground running in their first game of the season. In their second game, they just hit the ground.
Wake Forest's front seven were as good as advertised, humbling Nebraska's rushing attack one week after the Huskers amassed 413 yards on the ground. They gained just 115 yards rushing, paling in comparison to the 236 yards run by the Demon Deacons.
Marlon Lucky had a rough day one week after surfacing as the nation's leading rusher. The junior I-back had just 90 yards on 24 carries, averaging less than four yards per attempt.
Sam Keller did his part to supplement the offense with yards, throwing for 258. But without the running game consistently threatening to break free, the Huskers struggled to move the ball for much of the game, keeping it close in a 20-17 win.
The Demon Deacons held Nebraska to just 27 yards rushing by halftime, forcing an emphasis on Keller's passing to move the ball.
The fifth-year senior threw 41 passes - 16 more than in the season opener - and connected with senior tight end Sean Hill for a touchdown shortly before halftime. But Keller's play seemed sporadic at some points of the game. He seemed to go hot and cold, throwing strings of completions at some points and repeatedly missing the mark at others.
"Sam has some really good spots," NU Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson said. "The beautiful thing about Sam is that Sam is eager to improve. He knows he needs to keep developing and keep working at our offense.
"He still managed a very good football game."
Keller's biggest error came in the fourth quarter, when he tried to throw out of a collapsing pocket. The ball was tipped into the air at the line of scrimmage before John Russell brought it down, creating a red zone opportunity for the Demon Deacons.
A week after averaging 7.5 yards a carry, Lucky spent most of the game chipping away at yardage rather than breaking into the open field. His longest run came in the third quarter, a 22-yard touchdown that proved to be the game winner.
"I knew it would be different; I knew they were going to try and stop the run," Lucky said. "That's what every team is going to be doing from now on."
Watson attributed much of the running game's struggles to the offensive line, which faced a much stiffer front seven this week.
The returns of senior wide receiver Maurice Purify and junior tight end Hunter Teafatiller from suspensions had a minimal effect on the team's performance. Teafatiller caught three passes for 21 yards, while Purify grabbed three passes for 30 yards.
Purify considered his overall performance average, pointing out two dropped passes. He also misran several routes, causing Keller's temper to flare under the punishing southern sun.
"It's one of those battles; that's why they're a championship team," NU Coach Bill Callahan said. "That's why you're in a competitive environment with one of the best teams out here in the ACC. ... We learned a lot today about our football team, and we'll go back and work out a lot of things that we need to improve to get better."
JONATHANCROWL@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
