Husker Film Room

Week 9Halloween Blackout

WashingtonatNebraska

Sat., Oct. 31, 2026 · 7:00 PM CT · BTN · Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.

UW 4-3 (1-3 Big Ten)
NU 5-2 (2-2 Big Ten)

448 plays · 7 games · 2026 to date

· As of Wed Oct 28 morning, news reports had Washington QB Williams Jr. dealing with a fractured rib; no official availability report was out, and the numbers don't adjust for it.

Washington lives on quick, short throws, with 4 of every 10 snaps being quick passes.

Source: [1][2][3][4][7]

The bottom line

Washington is a shotgun, quick-game team (89% shotgun, 41% of snaps are quick throws) with a bottom-10 run game (rush offense rank 130) and leaky protection (22 sacks allowed, rank 127). Nebraska owns the nation's No. 1 third-down defense (19.3%). Make them live on 3rd & 5+, where they succeed 28% of the time on film. On offense, run it at a defense Iowa ran over for 263 yards, and finish in the red zone, where UW's defense ranks 119th.

Open the interactive fieldHow to attack their DRead The BreakdownFull report (PDF)

The game in six numbers

1 vs 119
3rd-down ranks
NU defense vs UW offense [3]
Post on X
22
Sacks UW has allowed
rank 127 of 138 [1][3]
Post on X
28%
UW success on 3rd & 5+
film, 7 games [7]
Post on X
263
Iowa rush yds vs UW
38 carries [4]
Post on X
22 of 24
UW opp. red-zone scores
rank 119 [1][3]
Post on X
0-3
Cunanan from 50+
Robles 9-11, long 48 [4]
Post on X

The film room

Washington offense, 448 charted snaps in 7 games. Tap a zone on the field, pick a down & distance, and read what they like. Then flip the suggested call. [7][4]

Start here
Down & distance
Field zone (or tap the field)
QB on the field
NEBRASKANEBRASKA101020203030404050504040303020201010

Routes drawn for illustration.

Success = 40% of yards needed on 1st down, 60% on 2nd, 100% on 3rd/4th. Explosive = run of 10+ or pass of 20+. Personnel groupings and motion were not readable on the broadcast film, so they are not charted. [7][4]

What they are

448
Snaps charted
7 games
Post on X
89%
Shotgun
398 of 448
Post on X
41%
Quick game
182 snaps, 6.0 y/p
Post on X
41%
Run rate
182 runs
Post on X
34%
3rd-down success
87 snaps
Post on X

Top tendencies

  • Shotgun almost always: 398 of 448 snaps, nearly all single offset back.
  • Quick game is the offense: 182 short throws (41% of snaps), 6.0 yds/play.
  • Inside zone is the base run: 67 snaps, 4.0 ypc, 54% success, and the goal-line call (12 of 28 inside the 5).
  • Formation tells: Pistol = run (15 of 16). Under-center I = run (7 of 7). Under-center single back = play-action (8 of 19).
  • 3rd down is the weakness: 34% success; 3rd & 5+ 28%; 11 of 22 film sacks came on 3rd down.
  • Targets: Roebuck 64, Lawson 41, R. Williams 33. Carries: Bonner 64, Williams Jr. 45, Cooley 33.

Sources: [7][4]

Two-QB prep

Fisch will decide by Thursday and won't announce it. Prep for both. [8][9]

Demond Williams Jr.

116-174, 1,396 yds, 8 TD, 3 INT [1]

338
Snaps
65%
Quick game
11%
Deep shots
6.5
YPC (non-sack)

Fractured rib. The run threat: 45 non-sack carries, 10.7 ypc going right. 19 sacks taken on film. [7][8]

Elijah Brown

51-69, 578 yds, 7 TD, 3 INT [1]

110
Snaps
75%
Quick game
8%
Deep shots
2
Carries on film

Won at Purdue (21-27, 302, 3 TD, 3 INT). Throws short even more; not a runner. [7][8]

Attacking the Washington defense

A 4-down front that rushes four and plays coverage behind it. Spread them out, find the 6-man box and run. [11][1][3][4]

96%
4-down front
302 of 314 film-tagged snaps [11]
6.3
Avg. box
6-man box on 62% of snaps [11]
2%
Blitz rate
2 of 122 readable dropbacks [11]
13
Sacks
rank 88 [1][3]
9
Interceptions
rank 10 [1][3]
22/24
Opp. red-zone scores
rank 119 [1][3]
Runs vs. their D by direction (offense's view). Arrow weight = yards per carry. [11]
NEBRASKANEBRASKA1010202030304040505040403030202010105.4 ypcLeft · 51 runs · 37% · 11 expl.4.6 ypcMiddle · 116 runs · 48% · 11 expl.3.2 ypcRight · 57 runs · 32% · 6 expl.

Opponent offense's view. Big Ten games: left 6.2 ypc (7 explosives), middle 5.8 (8), right 1.7 (0). [11]

Box count vs. the run [11]

5 or fewer11 snaps
10.2 ypc on runs
3rd & long, 2-minute
6-man box194 snaps
5.9 ypc on runs
15 explosive runs
7-man box96 snaps
2.4 ypc on runs
but dropbacks 9.6 y/p
8+12 snaps
0.7 ypc on runs
short yardage, goal line

45 explosives allowed: 28 runs of 10+ and 17 passes of 20+. (An earlier call sheet listed 29 runs; one was a phantom ESPN entry not on film or in the official box, so the corrected count is 28.) [11][4]

Suggested calls vs. their defense [11]

  1. 01

    Suggested call

    Make them declare and run at a 6-man box.

    Runs vs 6 in the box: 5.9 ypc, 15 explosives. Vs 7: 2.4 ypc. 17 of 21 box-tagged explosive runs came vs 6 or fewer. Spread them out, then run inside zone and duo.

  2. 02

    Suggested call

    Be aggressive on 1st & 10.

    6.75 y/p, 49% success (Big Ten 7.5 y/p). They sit in base 4-down, 6-man box, 2-high. Run it and take 1st-down play-action shots.

  3. 03

    Suggested call

    Safety drops into a 7-man box? Play-action over the top.

    Dropbacks vs a 7-man box: 9.6 y/p. Deep right (offense's view): 8 of 14 for 222 yds.

  4. 04

    Suggested call

    Beat four with seven in coverage.

    Blitz rate is about 2% (2 of 122 dropbacks). Chip their 4-man rush on 3rd down; 6 of 13 sacks came on 3rd down.

  5. 05

    Suggested call

    Have a QB run tag on 3rd & long.

    On 3rd & 7+ they play 2-high with a 5-6 man box and rush four. QB draws and scrambles beat it repeatedly (USU +17, +13, +12; WSU +7 on 3rd & 13; EWU +8 on 3rd & 15).

  6. 06

    Suggested call

    Stay out of 2nd & long; run left and middle.

    Offenses succeed only 28% of the time on 2nd & 10-14 against them. Big Ten: left 6.2 ypc, middle 5.8, right 1.7.

  7. 07

    Suggested call

    Red zone: run first.

    They sit 2-high on 88% of readable red-zone snaps. RZ runs: 3.2 ypc, 50% success. The box goes to 8 at the goal line.

  8. 08

    Suggested call

    Protect the ball vs McLaughlin, Dillard-Allen and J. Jones.

    6 of their 9 INTs. Most came with a hurry from the 4-man rush.

Fronts, boxes and shells charted from broadcast-angle film: 314 of 442 snaps tagged, all medium or low confidence. Coverage calls (Cover 1/2/3/4) could not be read reliably, so they are not charted. The 2% blitz rate is a floor.

Special teams: the hidden yards

Every 2026 field-goal try, plotted at the spot of the kick. [4][1]

NEBRASKANEBRASKA101020203030404050504040303020201010Robles (UW) · 9-11, long 483-420-29 yds4-430-39 yds2-340-49 yds50+: no triesCunanan (NU) · 4-8, long 401-120-29 yds2-230-39 yds1-240-49 yds0-350+ yds

Green (UW)

47.9
Gross avg
43.3
Net
10
Inside 20

33 punts. Rank 8 in gross punting. 11 fair caught, 2 touchbacks.

Wilson (NU)

44.2
Gross avg
42.2
Net
10
Inside 20

26 punts. Long 68.

Net punting: UW 43.3 per UW game notes (the NU notes list 42.6). [5][6]

Special-teams keys

  • Pressure every UW kick. NU has blocked 3 kicks (rank 4).
  • Know Cunanan's range: 3-3 inside 40, 0-3 from 50+.
  • Make Clark catch it: 2 muffs in 2026; UW returns rank 110 (KR) and 112 (PR).
  • Flip the field: Wilson net 42.2 vs Green 43.3. Don't lose more than a yard a punt.

From the charting

  • Kickoffs: 39 total, 24 touchbacks, 5 out of bounds. Green handled all 7 at Purdue, all touchbacks.
  • Returns: Clark had 19 of 20 named UW returns. UW ranks 110th in kick returns and 112th in punt returns.
  • Muffs at Purdue: a punt at the UW 10 (Purdue recovered) and a kickoff (UW kept it).
  • Blocks: none by or against UW in 2026. Nebraska has blocked 3 kicks (rank 4).
  • Fakes: none on film or in the play-by-play.

Sources: [1][3][4][5][6][14]

Keys to victory

Defense: stop Washington

  1. Rush four, sit two-high. UW: 5.4 yds/att with 13 sacks vs 2-high; 8.3 vs 1-high.
  2. Win 1st down, own 3rd & 5+. 2nd & 10-14 = 20% success; 3rd & 5+ = 28%.
  3. Rally to the quick game. 182 quick throws at 6.0 y/p; Roebuck (64 targets) and Lawson (41).
  4. Fit the QB run if Williams Jr. plays: 6.5 ypc, 10.7 going right.
  5. Squeeze inside zone in the red zone: 3.6 y/p, 37% success.

Offense: attack their D

  1. Commit to the run. Iowa ran 38 times for 263 vs UW; NU averages 5.04 ypc (rank 29).
  2. Play-action off the run. Iowa went 11 of 12 on play-action for 166 yds, 2 TD.
  3. Touchdowns, not field goals. UW red-zone D ranks 119 (22 of 24).
  4. Protect the football. UW has 9 INTs (rank 10).

Sources: [1][2][3][4][7][12]

Unit vs. unit

National rank of 138 (cfbstats, games through 10/24). Lower is better. Longer bar = better rank. [3]

NU offense vs. UW defense

NU OUW D
Scoring
2956
Rushing
2954
Passing
6260
3rd down
1522
Red zone
20119
Sacks allowed / made
6888

UW offense vs. NU defense

UW ONU D
Scoring
7614
Rushing
13019
Passing
2017
3rd down
1191
4th down
22126
Sacks allowed / made
12725

Sources

Stats through 2026-10-24 (both teams were idle Oct. 24-25). Every number on this page ties to one of these. Film charting is our own work from broadcast-angle cut-ups; no film or broadcast images are published here.

Top of page: The bottom line [1][2][3][4][7]; Records [5][6].

  1. [1] cfbstats.com: Washington team page and splits (through 10/24)
  2. [2] cfbstats.com: Nebraska team page and splits (through 10/24)
  3. [3] cfbstats.com: national team leaders, ranks of 138
  4. [4] ESPN box scores and play-by-play (game summaries by event id)
  5. [5] Washington game notes vs. Nebraska (Oct. 26)
  6. [6] Nebraska game notes vs. Washington (Oct. 26)
  7. [7] Husker Film Room charting: Washington offense, 7 games, 448 scrimmage snaps, reconciled to official box scores
  8. [8] Seattle Times: Fisch won't name starting QB vs. Nebraska (Oct. 26)
  9. [9] SI / Husky Maven: Fisch QB decision (Oct. 26)
  10. [11] Husker Film Room charting: Washington defense, 7 games, 442 scrimmage snaps (ESPN play-by-play) with 314 film-tagged
  11. [12] Seattle Times: UW defense vs. Iowa (Oct. 14), including the PFF play-action figure
  12. [14] Husker Film Room charting: Washington special teams, 7 games (play-by-play + box)