LINCOLN — Niles Paul stamped his feet and hands all over the modest offensive resurgence that accompanied Nebraska’s 31-17 road victory Saturday over Kansas.

Apparently, a few other body parts, too.

Paul was knocked cold for a moment by landing on his head after the last of his four catches. Momentarily, he couldn’t remember much of anything. Then, he snapped back to reality.

“I had to get back in there and make plays,” Paul said.

The best game of his collegiate career was all about that — making plays. Paul made several, gaining large chunks of yardage on four NU scoring drives that produced 20 points. The junior out of Omaha North gave the Huskers that consistent threat at receiver they sought all season from him.

“I felt like I was back in high school,” Paul said. “It was a great feeling to be out there making plays like that.”

Paul caught four passes for 154 yards, all deep throws from quarterback Zac Lee for gains of 35, 37, 37 and 45 yards against single coverage. He returned four kicks for 90 yards, including a 44-yarder to the Kansas 36 on a short kickoff that sparked the Huskers’ game-winning touchdown drive.

Just don’t mention redemption to Paul. It’s not about redemption for the Huskers’ top receiver.

“Not at all,” he said.

Not even after a roller-coaster season that bottomed out last month during back-to-back Nebraska losses to Texas Tech and Iowa State. Paul committed game-changing turnovers in both defeats.

“My ups and downs have definitely helped me become mentally a better player,” he said. “I realized that it’s football. You’re always going to have some downs. It took me a lot of talking to my parents, talking to my coaches, talking to my uncle, (ex-Husker star Ahman Green).

“But I’m a mentally strong person. I’ve been through a lot in my life.”

His performance against the Jayhawks leaves Paul with a team-high 29 catches for 567 yards. He’s 63 yards from the 10th position on Nebraska’s single-season yardage charts and one 100-yard game from tying the school record of four in one year.

Still, the Huskers are looking for more.

“He’s got to do it again,” NU receivers coach Ted Gilmore said. “That’s the thing we’re talking and preaching about, being consistent. Doing it every single game and every single play.

“He’s got to be a force. He’s got to be a presence in that area for us.”

As much as Gilmore savored Paul’s 244 all-purpose yards, Paul’s blocking equally pleased the coach. Often the only wideout on the field as NU used two tight-end sets and a fullback regularly, Paul played a role in opening holes for Nebraska to gain 214 rushing yards — its best day on the ground since the Sept. 5 season opener.

“Niles is a big-time hitter,” NU offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. “He comes in and cracks people.”

Watson said the KU safeties grew leery of Paul’s physical play. They backed away, allowing him to more easily find one-on-one coverage in the secondary.

“We knew he had a chance to make some big plays,” Gilmore said.

It started on the Huskers’ first offensive snap as Lee hit Paul for a 35-yard gain to the Kansas 23. Nebraska scored four plays later.

Paul caught a 37-yarder on an option pass to the KU 9 that led to an Alex Henery field goal in the second quarter. A 45-yard Paul catch to the 11 in the third quarter put the Huskers in position for another Henery kick.

That’s when Paul banged his head. From his spot in the press box, Gilmore said he wasn’t worried as trainers tended to Paul on the turf.

Paul returned for perhaps his biggest play, the long kickoff return on which he made a nice play to simply field the football as NU trailed 17-16 with less than eight minutes to play. The kick traveled just 50 yards, but Paul — positioned near the goal line — got a jump on it by recognizing that KU kicker Jacob Branstetter was set to kick short.

“We challenged him all week — You can be the playmaker; you can be the difference maker,” Watson said.

Confidence was never an issue, Gilmore said.

“Niles likes Niles Paul,” the coach said. “I don’t ever have to worry about that part of it.”

Paul said he never doubted himself after the midseason rough periods. He always wanted more opportunities, he said.

It’s the same now as Nebraska prepares to face Kansas State Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. The winner gets the Big 12 North title.

“Definitely a big opportunity ahead of us,” Paul said, “and we’re not going to take it for granted. We’ve got to work hard all week. Kansas State is a good team. We’ve got to play hard.”

Contact the writer:

402-473-9587, mitch.sherman@owh.com

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