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LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - SEPTEMBER 5: Running back Jamal Rule #25 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers breaks through the line against the Ohio Bobcats during the second half at Memorial Stadium on September 5, 2026 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) | Getty Images

“Yeah, that’s kinda fun, isn’t it?” Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen after the Huskers added a couple of defensive linemen for an explosive 4th & 1 on Saturday.

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As the Huskers lined up for a 4th & 1 on the Ohio 37 in the middle of the 3rd quarter, the guy next to me checking out things through his binoculars said, “Hey, Jahsear and Anthony Jones are in there.”

Oh, really?

I stopped taking notes, squinted a little and, I’m pretty sure, got an evil grin on my face as I checked out the pair staggered in a lead-blocker formation behind the right-overloaded offensive line with Anthony Colandrea under center and running back Jamal Rule right behind him.

I was fairly certain Jones and Whittington hadn’t been sent out there to set up a Colandrea naked bootleg. I wasn’t wrong.

Dana Holgorsen was asked jokingly if that set had come from the Mike Leach playbook? “No, that came out of the Matt Rhule playbook.”

“We did that with Ty Robinson a couple years ago, you know, and I had a tremendous amount of fun with that, with Ty. We didn’t feel like we had the people to do that last year, so we just kind of shelved it.”

They definitely had the people to do that this year.

Colandrea went under center and took the snap, and while he was handing the ball to Rule, Jahsear Whittington, the junior transfer from Pitt and new owner of fresh single-digit and Blackshirt jerseys, was running up on the first Ohio Bobcat defender and steering him out of the way outside as the O-line was taking care of things inside.

This opened a hole and Jones, a UCLA transfer and owner of the same fresh pair of jerseys, charged to meet the next loose defender and steered him wide as well, turning with him to ensure he wouldn’t be trying to get back in the play. As Jones did this, Gunnar Gottula was on the other side of the hole spinning his attacker around backward.

Rule, in full acceleration mode, arrived at that exact moment and unceremoniously blasted into the poor lad’s back sending him flying into a teammate who launched over his addled teammate. Rule split the two as they found themselves in various states of being airborne and jetted upfield for 10 more yards and an easy first down.

The score prior to that play was 14-13 Nebraska after 37 minutes of play. The score for the ensuing 23 minutes was 35-7 Nebraska. Now, I wouldn’t begin to suggest that this single play inspired a turnaround – the Huskers had taken the game over yardage-wise beginning in the second quarter, but seemed to be getting in there own way a bit to keep them from pulling away earlier.

Perhaps, once they saw the short-yardage unit simply go in and put some boots to asses – or, at least, pads to other pads in a violent manner – they embraced the advantages of not overthinking things and trusting their instincts playing fast and physical. That, I can get behind.

Enjoy the full play again here:

Power I 💪@HuskerFootball went with an old-school formation to convert this 4th-&-1 in Week 1. pic.twitter.com/RWlOaj4HMj

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 7, 2026

Obviously, the play brought as much joy to players and coaches as it did fans. How did it come about? Said Holgorsen:

“We had open tryouts in camp, and Anthony and Jahsear kind of took that thing over and ran with it. Man, those guys were fired up. I’ve never seen two kids on defense go in on offense and do that and play with as much intensity and excitement that those two guys did. Man, that that was that was awesome to see.”

“Their angles and their physicality – they looked like tight ends and fullbacks. Big Anthony – I guess he went to Oregon as a tight end. Jahsear just has a fullback body, so we’ll keep building on that.”

Defensive Coordinator Rob Aurich started smiling as the question was being asked.

”I love it. I love it. It’s a team game. It’s team football.“

He spoke of always enjoying when the units work together, pointing out the defense borrowed wide receiver Quinn Clark for a Hail Mary defensive set at the end of the half.

Anthony Jones Jr happened to take the podium on Tuesday and – big surprise – had a few things to say about it. He started by confirming what Holgorsen said earlier and also spoke of how much fun it was to open the road for the freshman running back – and being open to other position switches:

“People don’t know that I was really a highly-rated tight end out of high school. Really, I had more offers to play tight end, so it took me back a little bit. It was fun.”

“It means a lot to me. Just being able to go block for a guy, especially like Jamal, a younger guy that’s going to be really good. Oh, he’s already really good…Maybe I’ll go try to go be the next punter or something too.”

”I was fired up. I know Jasir was too when they came to us about that. It’s like old school Nebraska football, so you know you get some of those comparisons, but that’s what you want to see in the Big 10. Put some of your big physical guys on offense and go get short yardage touchdowns or first down.“

Even wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr chimed in and the junior receiver knew his Husker history and what the play meant to folks sweating it out in the stands:

“To all the fans and stuff, it kind of gives them flashbacks, and they love to see stuff like that. So I’m happy for that and look forward to it in the future. As long as we score points, that’s all that matters – that and if it helps us win. So I’m proud of it.”

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