Nebraska’s starting offensive line Saturday against Northern Illinois trotted on to the field for the Huskers’ first series with 52 combined starts and 72 games played.
They collectively did not feel great about pass protection the first two weeks — position coach Mike Cavanaugh referred to it as, “just average” earlier that week — but had helped power a run game that averaged 5.0 yards per carry and placed sophomore Tre Bryant in the top 10 in the nation at 299 yards through two weeks.
In a demoralizing 21-17 home loss to the Mid-American Conference's Northern Illinois, though, the unit had trouble from the start.