HIRO Report: Nebraska vs. No. 7 Indiana

Nebraska’s undefeated start came to an end in a close loss to Indiana, but the Huskers certainly had their chances. It was a hard-fought afternoon, though one that produced a much quieter HIRO Report than we’ve seen in recent weeks.

So, who generated the most value against the Hoosiers? Let’s see what HIRO had to say.

As a reminder, here are the HIRO tiers.

Anthony Colandrea left everything on the field against Indiana, even if his final HIRO score of 64 landed in the Average tier. It’s hard to knock the effort, but HIRO also highlights some of the problems that kept Nebraska from getting more out of the offense.

Arm Talent provided the largest share of Colandrea’s value, but Big Play Ability and Mobility were also major contributors. He repeatedly created with his legs, including a massive touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and his Mobility score may have been even stronger without the yardage lost on sacks and a botched operation that resulted in a 17-yard loss.

Through the air, however, the results were more uneven. Throwing for 263 yards looks solid, but completing 25 of 43 attempts limited his Efficiency. Still, Colandrea found ways to manufacture big plays even when Nebraska struggled to consistently move the ball through the air.

Turnovers provided the other significant hit. Colandrea’s interception was more like an arm punt than a truly damaging mistake. HIRO still counts the turnover, but the context makes it easier to stomach.

A 64 may feel harsh after watching Colandrea battle throughout the afternoon, but HIRO isn’t measuring heart or effort. He gave Nebraska everything he had and produced some of the offense’s biggest moments himself. Ultimately, the big plays weren’t enough to completely overcome the inconsistent passing efficiency and turnover penalty.

It just wasn’t in the cards for Nebraska’s running backs against Indiana.

Jamal Rule returned to the backfield but averaged only 3.5 yards per carry, resulting in a 58 HIRO score. Mekhi Nelson finished only slightly higher at 59. Both landed in the Replacement Level tier, marking a rare afternoon where Nebraska received very little HIRO value from its traditional rushing attack.

Neither player needs to be singled out as the reason for the struggles. The running game as a whole simply never established much of a rhythm. With neither back able to consistently create value, Nebraska had to find offense elsewhere.

After earning an Elite 90 against Maryland, Kwazi Gilmer had a much quieter outing against Indiana. His 31 receiving yards resulted in a 63 HIRO score, putting him back in the Average tier.

There isn’t necessarily a deeper explanation needed here. Gilmer simply wasn’t a major part of Nebraska’s offensive production this week. He contributed when called upon, but the volume and explosive opportunities that fueled his Maryland score weren’t there against Indiana.

Average doesn’t mean bad, but this was certainly a more subdued afternoon for a player who had entered the game coming off one of the best receiving scores of the Matt Rhule era.

Jacory Barney Jr. earned Nebraska’s highest HIRO score of the afternoon, finishing with a 72 and landing in the Good tier.

The story of Barney’s score is consistency. His nine receptions and 108 receiving yards gave Nebraska a dependable option during the game, and his ability to create separation also played a significant role in building the score.

What Barney lacked were the massive plays that can quickly propel a receiver toward the upper tiers. Explosiveness made up a relatively small part of his Ring Chart, and he never found the end zone. Instead, this was a performance built on repeatedly getting open, making himself available, and producing when the ball came his way.

There wasn’t one defining moment behind the 72. Barney simply kept contributing, and on an afternoon when Nebraska struggled to consistently generate offense, that was enough to produce the Huskers’ highest HIRO score.

After spending much of the season on the periphery of these HIRO Reports, Nyziah Hunter finally broke through against Indiana. His 71 marked his first trip into the Good tier this season after five straight games in the 60s.

Hunter also found a different way to make his presence felt. His Ring Chart leans heavily on Utility, thanks in large part to the 10-yard counter that he took into the end zone. Combined with a handful of catches, it was the type of involvement Nebraska hadn't consistently gotten from Hunter through the first five weeks.

That's particularly encouraging considering some of the performances we saw from Hunter last season. He showed then that he was capable of becoming a meaningful part of the offense, and against Indiana, we finally got another glimpse of it.

There are no moral victories, but Nebraska went toe-to-toe with the reigning national champions for four quarters. The Huskers had plenty of opportunities to win the game, and while coming up three points short certainly stings, they proved they could compete with one of the best teams in the country.

Offensively, however, the inconsistency is hard to ignore. Nebraska scored just 17 points, and the HIRO scores reflect those struggles. No Husker reached the Great tier, and the running game never provided the consistent production Nebraska needed.

It’s way, way too early to know what this loss means for Nebraska’s postseason résumé, but for the optimists out there, a three-point loss to the reigning national champions is far from a death blow to the Huskers’ playoff hopes. There’s still plenty of football left to play, and we can cross that bridge when we get there.

For now, Nebraska has to turn its attention toward a huge road test against Oregon. The Ducks are coming off a loss of their own against a good UCLA team, and it'll be exciting to see which Huskers step up when Nebraska hits the road.