Michigan's Jim Harbaugh and Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule are set to square off in their first Big Ten matchup on Saturday.
The Wolverines will bring a 4-0 record and the No. 2 national ranking into Memorial Stadium. The Huskers sit at 2-2 but will bring a pair of lofty rankings of their own to the showdown – the No. 1 national ranking in rushing defense (46.2 rushing yards allowed per game) and No. 6 nationally in rushing offense (234.8 rushing yards per game), which both rank No. 1 in the Big Ten.
Those will be major focal points for the Wolverine defense to prep for this week. Harbaugh commented on preparation for Nebraska and gave a few more thoughts on the Huskers at his press conference earlier this week:
On Nebraska's option play and memories of former Michigan QB Rick Leach
"It's one of the best plays in football. Very effective when it's implemented correctly, whether it's the double option or the triple option. That was my hero growing up, Rick Leach, watching him as a young fan and quarterback. That was the guy that I tried to be like."
On what Nebraska being No. 1 against the run does for the game plan
"It's the planning of it and recognizing how they're doing that. They're good. They're really good at playing multiple fronts, multiple schemes. Going to be an important week of planning and preparation. We'll go compete and try to execute to the best of our ability."
On Nebraska's rushing attack
"It's a great formula. Stopping the run and being able to run the ball is a winning formula in football. We're just going to have to play good. It will be a game of blocking, tackling, focusing on fundamentals, reads. Getting off blocks, defeating blocks, playing assignment, being in the right alignment, being in the right technique. A lot of focus on real football, fundamentals and technique."
