Nebraska Football: 5 Overreactions from Nebraska’s loss to Wisconsin

2. Holes galore! Swiss cheese run defense

Make no mistake about it. Wisconsin did to Nebraska, what the Huskers used to do to so many opponents back in the 1990’s. They ran it, ran it, and ran it some more. The old adage, “run it until the stop it,” rang loud and clear. The Badgers were physical and Nebraska could do nothing defensively to stop it.

Questions will arise whether Diaco’s 3-4 is suited to stop a physical running team like Wisconsin. On Saturday the results spoke for themselves.

Granted, Jonathan Taylor is a gifted freshman. But giving up 249 rushing yards in Memorial Stadium to a freshman? That just doesn’t happen.

Nebraska needs to find an identity on defense. They were not the tougher team and it showed. Each time the Blackshirts needed a stop on 3rd-and-4, they couldn’t get it. And by the fourth quarter, everyone in the stadium knew what Wisconsin was going to do.

Tackling issues persist, as the secondary was OK at best in run support. Many tackles were missed, and the Badgers were moving the pile.

Who will step up at linebacker for Nebraska? Luke Gifford? Ben Stille? Maybe Chris Weber or Dedrick Young? Nebraska needs more consistency out of this group.

It’s never a good sign when your leading tacklers are safeties Aaron Williams and Joshua Kalu. Yet that’s what transpired Saturday night. Nebraska needs more from its linebackers and front three.