THE GOOD ...
- RESILIENCY: If you want one word to sum up Nebraska Football 2008, it's resiliency. Throughout this season, the team found itself in situations of adversity, either during a game or afterwards. A home blowout loss to Missouri turned into an inspired defensive performance against Texas Tech. An ugly first quarter against Oklahoma turned into a stellar dismantling of a solid Kansas squad. And a 21-10 deficit in the Gator Bowl turned into a 26-21 victory where the 'Huskers simply imposed their collective will on a Clemson team that had better overall athletic talent.
- THE FRONT FOUR: Make no mistake, Nebraska won this game because of the dominant play of their defensive line. While the offense sputtered, and while the special teams went in fits and starts, it was the D-line that kept NU in the game in the first half, and stole Clemson's will in the second half.
- HENERY THE GREAT: What is lost in the hype of the game's excitement was Alex Henery's perfection throughout the game. Sure, most of the kicks were chip shots, but they all went through. Particularly as the offense was laboring, and as momentum in the game was so tenuous, Henery's dependability to put points on the board ultimately got NU it's first January bowl win in nine years.
THE BAD ...
- "SPECIAL" TEAMS: Nebraska's special teams unit has been maddening the entire season. In the Gator Bowl, they got a blocked punt AND a blocked field goal, both huge plays at the time. Yet, asking them to cover a kickoff is like asking for the blueprint for a perpetual motion machine. And the recklessness which which NU's punt return team fields kicks struck again, nearly costing Nebraska dearly. Oh, for the days of Santino Panico ...
- PLAYMAKERS: Or, more specifically, the lack thereof. Nebraska's offense all season defined workmanlike, grinding the ball down the field and consuming the clock. It's worked well, but in part that offense is necessary because there is no home run threat on the field. The closest thing NU had to a scary player this season was Roy Helu, Jr., and Clemson completely took him out of the game. Without Joe Ganz's experience and leadership next year, it would be nice for the incoming QB (cough, Cody Green, cough) to have a weapon or two that struck fear in a defense whenever he touched the ball.
-
... AND THE FINALE.
Bo Pelini finished Year One far ahead of where I expected his team to be. Looking back, the team clearly improved substantially as the year progressed. I suspect he'd love to have another shot against Virginia Tech, Missouri, and Texas Tech with the team Pelini has now. Oklahoma, maybe not so much. But the gusty win over Clemson, easily the best win on Nebraska's roster, provides a lot of confidence in the program going forward.
THE BIG PICTURE.
Pelini showed two things in his first year. First, he's able to take the talent he's given and improve their level of play. Keep in mind how few blue-chip players Pelini had on the field against Clemson on New Year's Day - heck, he had a walk-on at starting middle linebacker! Second, he's able to take that talent and win the games he is supposed to win. Virginia Tech is the only loss on the schedule where the talent level was relatively equal, and it's clear that Pelini learned a lot about himself and his game management from that loss. Watching Missouri's swoon at the end of the year makes it tempting to look back and find more fault in the Tigers' mauling of NU on Homecoming. But at that point, no one in the country was hotter that Mizzou, and Pelini swung for the fences as a result, putting in a gimmicky defensive scheme that he didn't have the athletes to execute. As said earlier, looking back, I'm sure that's the game this season he'd love to get a mulligan on.
THE NEXT SEASON.
It's hard not to be optimistic about NU football for next year. We've learned a lot about what Pelini can do as a coach, which is very exciting. But we need to know what he can do as a recruiter. I know in the post-Callahan era talking about recruiting is a flashback to a bad memory. But Pelini has to bring blue-chip talent to Lincoln for Nebraska to truly be "back" as a national powerhouse. He's demonstrated he can coach. But if he can't recruit significant, playmaking talent, then this 9-4 Gator Bowl championship team is as good as Nebraska is going to get. But if he can bring in the talent, and apply his coaching to it, then that Big Crystal Football may be back in Nebraska's sights.
See you for Spring Practice.
GBR, baby.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Monday, December 1, 2008
NU FOOTBALL - NU Re-View: Nebraska 40, Colorado 31
THE GOOD ...
- TOE MEETS LEATHER. A school record field goal with under two minutes to steal a game away from your hated (or at least disliked) rivals? Yeah, that works. There were plenty of reasons why Alex Henery shouldn't have been in that situation to start with, but the fact that he came through is a huge advantage, now and going forward.
- HELU, 2009. (Pronounce it like hello to get the joke, one that I'm sure won't get old). It's really too bad that Marlon Lucky didn't get to see the field on Senior Day. But it's also clearer and clearer as the season wears on that Roy Helu, Jr., is the best back by far of the current group. His ability to run, catch, and now pass block makes his future in 2009 as a feature offensive weapon very exciting.
- "IN SPITE OF" WINNING. Let's be clear, Nebraska did just about everything they could to lose this game other than staying home and having an extra-long turkey nap. For a good part of the game, the players looked like they had already won, and the coaches called plays like they had a three-touchdown lead. But in spite of all that, Nebraska found a way to win. While that's a little scary in terms of a team getting overconfident, it's also very encouraging to see a team that keeps fighting and playing regardless of the score or if bad things happen in the course of the game.
THE BAD ...
- GO BIG GREEN. As in rookie green. As in what Bo Pelini and the staff looked like for much of this game. Yes, the team wasn't mentally ready to compete, we'll get to that. But there were some shockingly boneheaded decisions made by the coaches that could have cost NU a deserved win. Calling the same fake field goal is the obvious one, but to me the worst was the pass play called on second down in the fourth quarter when Nebraska had the ball at the CU 30, well within range for a makeable field goal to win the game. Sure, Joe Ganz shouldn't be taking a sack. But why in the world would you put him in position to do so? There's less than two minutes left, for heaven's sake. Run the ball twice, make CU burn their time outs, kick the 40-yard field goal, and defend. Pelini and Shawn Watson's aggressiveness should have, in all rights, cost Nebraska this game and a shot at a New Year's Day bowl game.
- PRESS CLIPPINGS-ISM. No one is going to convince me that this group of 'Huskers thought a win was in the bag for Nebraska before the game started. Some of the mental flame-outs on offense and defense can be attributed only to a lack of focus and determination. Colorado is not a good football team, but they aren't a bad one either. Nebraska is certainly better (as the end of the game proved), but not better to the level that they could get away with rolling the helmets out and winning.
- NOT SO SPECIAL TEAMS. Sure, Henery's bomb was great, and going four-for-four on field goal attempts turned out to be just as important. But how can a team go the entire season and be so horrifically bad at defending a kickoff? I get it if there's some struggles with the play in a given week. But it was bad the whole year, and didn't get a lot better as the season went on. Good God, Bo, check YouTube or something and see if there's a tutorial there.
... AND THE POST-SEASON.
Yeah, that sounds pretty good. Nebraska gets a bowl game - possibly a New Year's Day bowl against an ACC opponent - and gets all of the practices that come with a bowl invitation. For the seniors on this squad, who had their careers bookended by coaching changes, the positive vibe they leave the program with has to be gratifying. Getting a shot at Florida State in Jacksonville on the first day of 2009 would be a very intriguing sight - the two powers of the 1990's, squaring off at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century.
THE BIG PICTURE.
At the start of the season, the key word was hope for the future. As we close out the regular season, there's no way to objectively look at Nebraska's performance without seeing substantial evidence to support that hope. Nebraska improved on offense and defense as the season went on, by leaps and bounds. Nebraska developed a toughness to overcome adversity. Nebraska began to develop an identity as a hard-nosed defensive squad that did what they needed to offensively to win. Nebraska got back a little of their swagger - almost too much of it against Colorado, of course. And, most importantly, Nebraska began the process of reclaiming the Big XII North. We thought Nebraska was going to do that after the 2006 season, but that turned out to be a mirage. However, if Pelini and company can recruit, and if Missouri takes a step back after the departure of Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin, then NU has the door open for them to reclaim the North. That's step one in the master plan for world dominance - or at least, for a shot at a national title a few years down the road. The cliche is that great coaches show their greatness in their second season (Bob Stoops at Oklahoma, Nick Saban at Alabama, Butch Davis at North Carolina), so next year could be a very interesting one indeed for the Scarlet and Cream.
See you in Bowl Week!
GBR, baby.
- TOE MEETS LEATHER. A school record field goal with under two minutes to steal a game away from your hated (or at least disliked) rivals? Yeah, that works. There were plenty of reasons why Alex Henery shouldn't have been in that situation to start with, but the fact that he came through is a huge advantage, now and going forward.
- HELU, 2009. (Pronounce it like hello to get the joke, one that I'm sure won't get old). It's really too bad that Marlon Lucky didn't get to see the field on Senior Day. But it's also clearer and clearer as the season wears on that Roy Helu, Jr., is the best back by far of the current group. His ability to run, catch, and now pass block makes his future in 2009 as a feature offensive weapon very exciting.
- "IN SPITE OF" WINNING. Let's be clear, Nebraska did just about everything they could to lose this game other than staying home and having an extra-long turkey nap. For a good part of the game, the players looked like they had already won, and the coaches called plays like they had a three-touchdown lead. But in spite of all that, Nebraska found a way to win. While that's a little scary in terms of a team getting overconfident, it's also very encouraging to see a team that keeps fighting and playing regardless of the score or if bad things happen in the course of the game.
THE BAD ...
- GO BIG GREEN. As in rookie green. As in what Bo Pelini and the staff looked like for much of this game. Yes, the team wasn't mentally ready to compete, we'll get to that. But there were some shockingly boneheaded decisions made by the coaches that could have cost NU a deserved win. Calling the same fake field goal is the obvious one, but to me the worst was the pass play called on second down in the fourth quarter when Nebraska had the ball at the CU 30, well within range for a makeable field goal to win the game. Sure, Joe Ganz shouldn't be taking a sack. But why in the world would you put him in position to do so? There's less than two minutes left, for heaven's sake. Run the ball twice, make CU burn their time outs, kick the 40-yard field goal, and defend. Pelini and Shawn Watson's aggressiveness should have, in all rights, cost Nebraska this game and a shot at a New Year's Day bowl game.
- PRESS CLIPPINGS-ISM. No one is going to convince me that this group of 'Huskers thought a win was in the bag for Nebraska before the game started. Some of the mental flame-outs on offense and defense can be attributed only to a lack of focus and determination. Colorado is not a good football team, but they aren't a bad one either. Nebraska is certainly better (as the end of the game proved), but not better to the level that they could get away with rolling the helmets out and winning.
- NOT SO SPECIAL TEAMS. Sure, Henery's bomb was great, and going four-for-four on field goal attempts turned out to be just as important. But how can a team go the entire season and be so horrifically bad at defending a kickoff? I get it if there's some struggles with the play in a given week. But it was bad the whole year, and didn't get a lot better as the season went on. Good God, Bo, check YouTube or something and see if there's a tutorial there.
... AND THE POST-SEASON.
Yeah, that sounds pretty good. Nebraska gets a bowl game - possibly a New Year's Day bowl against an ACC opponent - and gets all of the practices that come with a bowl invitation. For the seniors on this squad, who had their careers bookended by coaching changes, the positive vibe they leave the program with has to be gratifying. Getting a shot at Florida State in Jacksonville on the first day of 2009 would be a very intriguing sight - the two powers of the 1990's, squaring off at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century.
THE BIG PICTURE.
At the start of the season, the key word was hope for the future. As we close out the regular season, there's no way to objectively look at Nebraska's performance without seeing substantial evidence to support that hope. Nebraska improved on offense and defense as the season went on, by leaps and bounds. Nebraska developed a toughness to overcome adversity. Nebraska began to develop an identity as a hard-nosed defensive squad that did what they needed to offensively to win. Nebraska got back a little of their swagger - almost too much of it against Colorado, of course. And, most importantly, Nebraska began the process of reclaiming the Big XII North. We thought Nebraska was going to do that after the 2006 season, but that turned out to be a mirage. However, if Pelini and company can recruit, and if Missouri takes a step back after the departure of Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin, then NU has the door open for them to reclaim the North. That's step one in the master plan for world dominance - or at least, for a shot at a national title a few years down the road. The cliche is that great coaches show their greatness in their second season (Bob Stoops at Oklahoma, Nick Saban at Alabama, Butch Davis at North Carolina), so next year could be a very interesting one indeed for the Scarlet and Cream.
See you in Bowl Week!
GBR, baby.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
NU FOOTBALL - NU Re-View: Nebraska 56, Kansas State 28
THE GOOD ...
- TRENCH DOMINATION: There were lots of reasons Nebraska was successful against the Purples last Saturday. But primary among them was Nebraska's ability to win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Quietly, Nebraska's front four has become an excellent unit both in stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback without a blitz. KSU quarterback Josh Freeman was pulled in the third quarter after being sacked and harried the whole game, and I surmised that he had declared for the NFL draft right from the sidelines.
- BURST FROM THE BACK: I know, I know, I'm harping. But Roy Helu, Jr., continues to impress as a dynamic, dangerous offensive weapon. God bless Marlon Lucky for his contributions and having to go through the whole Callahan era. God bless Quentin Castille for putting some Velcro on the ball for one game. But Helu's presence on the field changes the dynamic for NU's offense. I can't wait to see what he'll look like next year as the feature back.
- THE SEA OF RED: I'm not going to lie to you. It was cold on Saturday. And Manhattan ain't exactly walking distance from Nebraska. But there was red EVERYWHERE on Saturday in the stands. And, after halftime, I would not be surprised if there was more red than purple left in the stands. And people wonder if 'Husker Fan will travel to El Paso for a bowl game?
THE BAD ...
- NOT SO SPECIAL TEAMS: Nebraska's kick return coverage unit is now so bad, and has so lost the confidence of the coaches, that they tried every possible kickoff strategy other than kick it deep. An onside kick. A pooch kick. A sky kick. Anything other than kicking it deep - which, of course, led to a Wildcat touchdown. Adi Kunalic has a powerful leg, but is so inconsistent that he got pulled for Alex Henery and the kickoff experimentation. I don't know why this is such a mystery for NU, but it's a problem.
- THAT FIRST PASS: For two road games in a row, quarterback Joe Ganz's first pass of the game was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Now, that's a lot easier to overcome against a demoralized Kansas State team than against a national powerhouse like Oklahoma. And it's a credit to Ganz that he could recover again and have game good enough to be awarded Big XII Offensive Player of the Week. But really, Joe, watch out with that first one!
- PREGAME HIJINX: I wish I was making this up. Before the K-State version of the tunnel walk, they showed a five-minute video of Willie the Wildcat being "abducted" by four bumpkin-like Herbie Huskers, taken into a cornfield, and left. Of course, Willie "escaped" and rounded up those rascally 'Huskers, leading into the game. All that was missing was the "Benny Hill" music, it was that wacky. But I was just amazed at a few things. Most notably, it's K-State fan making fun of Nebraska for being "country bumpkin." I turned to my friend just to verify that we were in MANHATTAN FREAKING KANSAS, in a football stadium in the middle of Nowhere, USA, and K-State Fan was going "country bumpkin" on us. Seriously. We parked in the livestock husbandry fields outside of the stadium, for heaven's sake. Methinks thou dost protest too much, Purples.
... AND THE RESTORATION OF THE ORDER.
Sorry for recycling a Billy-C-ism, but it's true. After beating a solid Kansas team last week, and demolishing what's left of Bill Snyder's legacy, Nebraska now looks to have established itself as the clear #2 team in the Big XII North. That's not exactly where NU wants to end up, but with Chase Daniel and (probably) Jeremy Maclin leaving Columbia next year, Nebraska is in good shape to make a division run next year.
THE BIG PICTURE.
More than anything, what is fun to watch now is how this team has progressed through the season. I maintain that Bo Pelini's inexperience cost Nebraska the game against Virginia Tech, and his attempt to be cute and clever never gave NU a shot against Missouri. But he also put together a team that took Texas Tech to the wire, and who has now scored decisive victories against teams that are equal to or lesser than NU from a talent perspective. That's a very solid foundation to build on. Nebraska's season to this point hasn't been wildly successful, but has accomplished the one thing Pelini needed - to put a foundation of hope together.
THE NEXT GAME.
Colorado @ Nebraska. Wow. A Colorado team needing to win its' last game to become bowl-eligible and help their embattled coach. The irony is delicious. In Callahan's first year, CU players brought hammers to Lincoln to symbolically put the final nail in the coffin of Nebraska's bowl streak. While there are few on the team who will remember that, the fans will. Memorial Stadium will be ready and waiting for Ralphie and the boys to show up the day after Thanksgiving. And with Pelini's track record against teams of CU's level, it doesn't shape up to be a good day for the Golden Buffaloes.
GBR, baby.
- TRENCH DOMINATION: There were lots of reasons Nebraska was successful against the Purples last Saturday. But primary among them was Nebraska's ability to win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Quietly, Nebraska's front four has become an excellent unit both in stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback without a blitz. KSU quarterback Josh Freeman was pulled in the third quarter after being sacked and harried the whole game, and I surmised that he had declared for the NFL draft right from the sidelines.
- BURST FROM THE BACK: I know, I know, I'm harping. But Roy Helu, Jr., continues to impress as a dynamic, dangerous offensive weapon. God bless Marlon Lucky for his contributions and having to go through the whole Callahan era. God bless Quentin Castille for putting some Velcro on the ball for one game. But Helu's presence on the field changes the dynamic for NU's offense. I can't wait to see what he'll look like next year as the feature back.
- THE SEA OF RED: I'm not going to lie to you. It was cold on Saturday. And Manhattan ain't exactly walking distance from Nebraska. But there was red EVERYWHERE on Saturday in the stands. And, after halftime, I would not be surprised if there was more red than purple left in the stands. And people wonder if 'Husker Fan will travel to El Paso for a bowl game?
THE BAD ...
- NOT SO SPECIAL TEAMS: Nebraska's kick return coverage unit is now so bad, and has so lost the confidence of the coaches, that they tried every possible kickoff strategy other than kick it deep. An onside kick. A pooch kick. A sky kick. Anything other than kicking it deep - which, of course, led to a Wildcat touchdown. Adi Kunalic has a powerful leg, but is so inconsistent that he got pulled for Alex Henery and the kickoff experimentation. I don't know why this is such a mystery for NU, but it's a problem.
- THAT FIRST PASS: For two road games in a row, quarterback Joe Ganz's first pass of the game was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Now, that's a lot easier to overcome against a demoralized Kansas State team than against a national powerhouse like Oklahoma. And it's a credit to Ganz that he could recover again and have game good enough to be awarded Big XII Offensive Player of the Week. But really, Joe, watch out with that first one!
- PREGAME HIJINX: I wish I was making this up. Before the K-State version of the tunnel walk, they showed a five-minute video of Willie the Wildcat being "abducted" by four bumpkin-like Herbie Huskers, taken into a cornfield, and left. Of course, Willie "escaped" and rounded up those rascally 'Huskers, leading into the game. All that was missing was the "Benny Hill" music, it was that wacky. But I was just amazed at a few things. Most notably, it's K-State fan making fun of Nebraska for being "country bumpkin." I turned to my friend just to verify that we were in MANHATTAN FREAKING KANSAS, in a football stadium in the middle of Nowhere, USA, and K-State Fan was going "country bumpkin" on us. Seriously. We parked in the livestock husbandry fields outside of the stadium, for heaven's sake. Methinks thou dost protest too much, Purples.
... AND THE RESTORATION OF THE ORDER.
Sorry for recycling a Billy-C-ism, but it's true. After beating a solid Kansas team last week, and demolishing what's left of Bill Snyder's legacy, Nebraska now looks to have established itself as the clear #2 team in the Big XII North. That's not exactly where NU wants to end up, but with Chase Daniel and (probably) Jeremy Maclin leaving Columbia next year, Nebraska is in good shape to make a division run next year.
THE BIG PICTURE.
More than anything, what is fun to watch now is how this team has progressed through the season. I maintain that Bo Pelini's inexperience cost Nebraska the game against Virginia Tech, and his attempt to be cute and clever never gave NU a shot against Missouri. But he also put together a team that took Texas Tech to the wire, and who has now scored decisive victories against teams that are equal to or lesser than NU from a talent perspective. That's a very solid foundation to build on. Nebraska's season to this point hasn't been wildly successful, but has accomplished the one thing Pelini needed - to put a foundation of hope together.
THE NEXT GAME.
Colorado @ Nebraska. Wow. A Colorado team needing to win its' last game to become bowl-eligible and help their embattled coach. The irony is delicious. In Callahan's first year, CU players brought hammers to Lincoln to symbolically put the final nail in the coffin of Nebraska's bowl streak. While there are few on the team who will remember that, the fans will. Memorial Stadium will be ready and waiting for Ralphie and the boys to show up the day after Thanksgiving. And with Pelini's track record against teams of CU's level, it doesn't shape up to be a good day for the Golden Buffaloes.
GBR, baby.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
NU FOOTBALL - NU Re-View: Nebraska 45, Kansas 35
THE GOOD ...
- OK, NOW CAN HE BE THE STARTER? As has been said here since about game two of the season, Roy Helu, Jr., is Nebraska's best running back. He may not be the most talented overall, but in terms of what a running back needs to bring to this offense, Helu gives you the most. Marlon Lucky probably has better speed and skills in the open field, but it's Helu that gives NU an explosive threat in the backfield. And what a difference in the offense it makes to have that threat.
- SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH: The biggest single key to the defeat of Kansas was, I believe, the ability of the defensive front to bottle up KU's Jake Sharp and get a rush on Todd Reesing. Led by Ndomukong Suh, the front four did their jobs admirably, setting up an unexpectedly dominant performance against a well-coached Jayhawks squad. And the touchdown reception was pretty cool, too.
- TRICKERATION: A jump pass out of the Wild Husker formation. A fake field goal straight out of the LSU playbook. Apparently Bo Pelini knew this game was the one remaining game on the schedule he had to get, and pulled out all the stops to get it. One way to combat a lack of talent is with unpredictability, and NU showed that in spades on Saturday.
THE BAD ...
- STOP DIGGING: This Nebraska team apparently doesn't like to make things easy. After being bombed by the Sooners, Nebraska shot themselves in the collective foot repeatedly in the first half with turnovers and penalties. While the turnovers got better, the lack of focus showed up again at the end of the game when NU conceded an easy touchdown and then failed to recover the onside kick. Nebraska was good enough to overcome those problems on Saturday, but we've seen what happens against teams that are of a higher talent level.
- NOT-SO-SPECIAL TEAMS: Yes, the fake field goal was very cool. But punting was still shaky for NU, and the kickoff teams were anything less than special. Given Nebraska's lack of true playmakers on offense, execution in special teams is critical to maintain field position. That's been lacking in the past few weeks.
- THE STUDENT SECTION CONTROVERSY: OK, a little off-topic, but amazing how much publicity empty seats in the student section has attracted. Athletic Director Tom Osborne has hinted that some student seating may be lost next year if the students don't show up to fill it. Students are, of course, still upset about being moved up to the top rows of the stadium, a move that mystifies me in an era where home field advantage is so important. Dr. Tom, please, bring the students back to the field.
... AND THE VALIDATION.
In his first season, Pelini got his best win of his coaching tenure against Kansas. Keep in mind, this was functionally the same team that hung 76 points on NU in Lawrence last year. A ten point win over that team is very satisfying, especially when you consider that the score was not really indicitive of the game itself. Absent the mistakes in the first half, NU could have had a double-digit lead in the first half and won comfortably in the second. Nebraska showed itself to be superior to the Jayhawks in all phases of the game, and has now staked a claim as the clear second place team in the Big XII North.
THE BIG PICTURE
Two observations come to mind at this stage of the season. First, Pelini's 'Huskers have not lost a game in which they have taken the lead. Second, Pelini has done exceptionally well against teams that have equal or lesser talent than Nebraska. That may seem obvious, but after seeing some of the losses under Frank Solich and Bill Callahan, beating teams you should beat becomes more important. I was not a Pelini guy when he was hired, but I have now been sold. NU's dominant performance against a solid Kansas team after being humiliated on national television tells me a lot about Pelini's coaching ability. Now, let's see if he can recruit.
THE NEXT GAME
Nebraska (-7) at Kansas State. How bad must it have gotten in Manhattan for the Purples to axe head coach Ron Price halfway through the season? And Nebraska fans thought the end of the Callahan era was painful. KSU responded to Prince's firing with a less-than-convincing performance at Missouri, in a game that was nowhere near as close as the final score indicated. At this point, you have to think that KSU quarterback Josh Freeman is polishing up his NFL resume for this spring, and the rest of the team is ready for basketball season to start. This one has Big Red blowout written all over it, take the 'Huskers and give the points.
GBR, baby.
- OK, NOW CAN HE BE THE STARTER? As has been said here since about game two of the season, Roy Helu, Jr., is Nebraska's best running back. He may not be the most talented overall, but in terms of what a running back needs to bring to this offense, Helu gives you the most. Marlon Lucky probably has better speed and skills in the open field, but it's Helu that gives NU an explosive threat in the backfield. And what a difference in the offense it makes to have that threat.
- SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH: The biggest single key to the defeat of Kansas was, I believe, the ability of the defensive front to bottle up KU's Jake Sharp and get a rush on Todd Reesing. Led by Ndomukong Suh, the front four did their jobs admirably, setting up an unexpectedly dominant performance against a well-coached Jayhawks squad. And the touchdown reception was pretty cool, too.
- TRICKERATION: A jump pass out of the Wild Husker formation. A fake field goal straight out of the LSU playbook. Apparently Bo Pelini knew this game was the one remaining game on the schedule he had to get, and pulled out all the stops to get it. One way to combat a lack of talent is with unpredictability, and NU showed that in spades on Saturday.
THE BAD ...
- STOP DIGGING: This Nebraska team apparently doesn't like to make things easy. After being bombed by the Sooners, Nebraska shot themselves in the collective foot repeatedly in the first half with turnovers and penalties. While the turnovers got better, the lack of focus showed up again at the end of the game when NU conceded an easy touchdown and then failed to recover the onside kick. Nebraska was good enough to overcome those problems on Saturday, but we've seen what happens against teams that are of a higher talent level.
- NOT-SO-SPECIAL TEAMS: Yes, the fake field goal was very cool. But punting was still shaky for NU, and the kickoff teams were anything less than special. Given Nebraska's lack of true playmakers on offense, execution in special teams is critical to maintain field position. That's been lacking in the past few weeks.
- THE STUDENT SECTION CONTROVERSY: OK, a little off-topic, but amazing how much publicity empty seats in the student section has attracted. Athletic Director Tom Osborne has hinted that some student seating may be lost next year if the students don't show up to fill it. Students are, of course, still upset about being moved up to the top rows of the stadium, a move that mystifies me in an era where home field advantage is so important. Dr. Tom, please, bring the students back to the field.
... AND THE VALIDATION.
In his first season, Pelini got his best win of his coaching tenure against Kansas. Keep in mind, this was functionally the same team that hung 76 points on NU in Lawrence last year. A ten point win over that team is very satisfying, especially when you consider that the score was not really indicitive of the game itself. Absent the mistakes in the first half, NU could have had a double-digit lead in the first half and won comfortably in the second. Nebraska showed itself to be superior to the Jayhawks in all phases of the game, and has now staked a claim as the clear second place team in the Big XII North.
THE BIG PICTURE
Two observations come to mind at this stage of the season. First, Pelini's 'Huskers have not lost a game in which they have taken the lead. Second, Pelini has done exceptionally well against teams that have equal or lesser talent than Nebraska. That may seem obvious, but after seeing some of the losses under Frank Solich and Bill Callahan, beating teams you should beat becomes more important. I was not a Pelini guy when he was hired, but I have now been sold. NU's dominant performance against a solid Kansas team after being humiliated on national television tells me a lot about Pelini's coaching ability. Now, let's see if he can recruit.
THE NEXT GAME
Nebraska (-7) at Kansas State. How bad must it have gotten in Manhattan for the Purples to axe head coach Ron Price halfway through the season? And Nebraska fans thought the end of the Callahan era was painful. KSU responded to Prince's firing with a less-than-convincing performance at Missouri, in a game that was nowhere near as close as the final score indicated. At this point, you have to think that KSU quarterback Josh Freeman is polishing up his NFL resume for this spring, and the rest of the team is ready for basketball season to start. This one has Big Red blowout written all over it, take the 'Huskers and give the points.
GBR, baby.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
NU FOOTBALL - NU Re-View: Oklahoma 62, Nebraska 28
THE GOOD ...
- THE LAST THREE QUARTERS: Once the nightmare of the first fifteen minutes in Norman ended, Nebraska basically traded punches with one of the top teams in the nation. Sure, it was garbage time by the third quarter, but if you're looking for positives, Nebraska's bounce back was one of them.
- THE RUNNING BACK OF THE FUTURE: Amazingly enough, he's also the running back of the present. As has been argued by a certain Re-Viewer since the New Mexico State game, Roy Helu is Nebraska's best weapon at running back. Given the amount of work he got in Norman, it may be that the coaching staff has started to come to that conclusion. Marlon Lucky has probably earned a starter's role, but Helu should have the majority of carries by the end of the game.
-
THE BAD ...
- THE FIRST QUARTER: Wha hoppen? My popcorn wasn't finished before NU was down 14-0. Nebraska lost its' composure after the quick fourteen points, and the Sooners pounced and buried Nebraska's chances to win, or even to make the game competitive. More evidence that NU has a rookie head coach and a team psyche still fragile from last year's adventure.
- OUTCOACHED: It was one play, but it really was a backbreaker. On Nebraska's first play from scrimmage, it was painfully obvious that OU's defense was waiting for quarterback Joe Ganz to throw a bubble screen. That pick six, which had to have been prepared for all week, is something that simply should not happen in the early stages of the game. On that play, Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson got his lunch eaten by OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
- UNDISCIPLINED: It's a running theme, most easily seen in the continued penalties that give aid and comfort to the opponents. But the problems on the kickoff coverage are also a discipline issue, specifically the discipline of staying in your lane to prevent seams from opening. NU still has huge lapses in that category.
... AND THE TAKEAWAY.
When you spot a team like Oklahoma 35 points in Norman, things aren't going to go well. That disastrous first quarter almost makes the rest of the game meaningless, as there was no digging out of the hole NU had dug. Iowa State and Baylor were good wins, and Texas Tech was a solid performance, but the Sooners showed that Nebraska is still a long way from being ready for prime time. More disturbingly, this game showed that Nebraska is still only a couple of bad plays away from looking disturbingly like the 2007 'Huskers.
THE BIG PICTURE
It would be very easy to read too much into the result of this game. Let us not forget, Bo Pelini is a rookie, and was playing a whole lot of walkons on defense. While it is disturbing to see NU throw up such a clunker, the fact of the matter is that NU does not have the talent level or confidence level to be able to compete on an elite stage. For NU to play well against the big boys, they have to play a perfect game and hope for a mistake from their opponents (see Tech, Texas). Giving away points - particularly 35 of them - is too much to ask this group of 'Huskers to overcome.
THE NEXT GAME
Kansas (-2.5) at Nebraska. The Jayhawks come to Lincoln confident after a pasting of in-state rival Kansas State, a pasting bad enough to cost K-State coach Ron Prince his job. That pounding, however, might be a little misleading, as it looks more and more like the Purples have quit on their coach. KU's defense struggles, and they do not have the athletic talent of a team like Oklahoma, Texas Tech, or even Missouri. They win by out-executing their opponents, something that Nebraska has a spotty record of doing. NU has not been a great home team this year, but there's enough players from last year's squad who remember the 76 the Jayhawks hung on NU. When the talent level is even, Pelini's track record is good at having it team ready. Take the points and take Nebraska to get well and bowl eligible against the Fighting Manginos.
GBR, baby.
- THE LAST THREE QUARTERS: Once the nightmare of the first fifteen minutes in Norman ended, Nebraska basically traded punches with one of the top teams in the nation. Sure, it was garbage time by the third quarter, but if you're looking for positives, Nebraska's bounce back was one of them.
- THE RUNNING BACK OF THE FUTURE: Amazingly enough, he's also the running back of the present. As has been argued by a certain Re-Viewer since the New Mexico State game, Roy Helu is Nebraska's best weapon at running back. Given the amount of work he got in Norman, it may be that the coaching staff has started to come to that conclusion. Marlon Lucky has probably earned a starter's role, but Helu should have the majority of carries by the end of the game.
-
THE BAD ...
- THE FIRST QUARTER: Wha hoppen? My popcorn wasn't finished before NU was down 14-0. Nebraska lost its' composure after the quick fourteen points, and the Sooners pounced and buried Nebraska's chances to win, or even to make the game competitive. More evidence that NU has a rookie head coach and a team psyche still fragile from last year's adventure.
- OUTCOACHED: It was one play, but it really was a backbreaker. On Nebraska's first play from scrimmage, it was painfully obvious that OU's defense was waiting for quarterback Joe Ganz to throw a bubble screen. That pick six, which had to have been prepared for all week, is something that simply should not happen in the early stages of the game. On that play, Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson got his lunch eaten by OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
- UNDISCIPLINED: It's a running theme, most easily seen in the continued penalties that give aid and comfort to the opponents. But the problems on the kickoff coverage are also a discipline issue, specifically the discipline of staying in your lane to prevent seams from opening. NU still has huge lapses in that category.
... AND THE TAKEAWAY.
When you spot a team like Oklahoma 35 points in Norman, things aren't going to go well. That disastrous first quarter almost makes the rest of the game meaningless, as there was no digging out of the hole NU had dug. Iowa State and Baylor were good wins, and Texas Tech was a solid performance, but the Sooners showed that Nebraska is still a long way from being ready for prime time. More disturbingly, this game showed that Nebraska is still only a couple of bad plays away from looking disturbingly like the 2007 'Huskers.
THE BIG PICTURE
It would be very easy to read too much into the result of this game. Let us not forget, Bo Pelini is a rookie, and was playing a whole lot of walkons on defense. While it is disturbing to see NU throw up such a clunker, the fact of the matter is that NU does not have the talent level or confidence level to be able to compete on an elite stage. For NU to play well against the big boys, they have to play a perfect game and hope for a mistake from their opponents (see Tech, Texas). Giving away points - particularly 35 of them - is too much to ask this group of 'Huskers to overcome.
THE NEXT GAME
Kansas (-2.5) at Nebraska. The Jayhawks come to Lincoln confident after a pasting of in-state rival Kansas State, a pasting bad enough to cost K-State coach Ron Prince his job. That pounding, however, might be a little misleading, as it looks more and more like the Purples have quit on their coach. KU's defense struggles, and they do not have the athletic talent of a team like Oklahoma, Texas Tech, or even Missouri. They win by out-executing their opponents, something that Nebraska has a spotty record of doing. NU has not been a great home team this year, but there's enough players from last year's squad who remember the 76 the Jayhawks hung on NU. When the talent level is even, Pelini's track record is good at having it team ready. Take the points and take Nebraska to get well and bowl eligible against the Fighting Manginos.
GBR, baby.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
NU FOOTBALL - Happy/Sad, Oklahoma
Nebraska @ Oklahoma - 11/01/08, 7:00 p.m. CDT
YOU'LL BE HAPPY IF ...
- SAM BRADFORD IS WATCHING: Oklahoma's offense is really good. (It's not everywhere you can get insight like that!) But Nebraska learned in Lubbock that if the offense is on the sideline, they can't score. NU has become quite proficient in dominating time of possession, and they will have to be successful with that in Norman. If NU has more than 38 minutes of possession, we may have an upset.
- THE 'HUSKERS ARE DUE: Nebraska has forced one turnover in four games. Usually teams will get more turnovers than that even by accident. If Oklahoma hands NU a couple of turnovers and Nebraska can capitalize, the 'Huskers can overcome the talent deficit.
- THERE IS EXECUTION: When a team is outgunned, it is critical that the outgunned team does not help their opponent out. As new 49'ers coach Mike Singletary would say (in a loud voice), "this isn't a charity!" Nebraska has to hold onto the ball and keep the yellow flags in the referee's pockets for NU to be competitive.
YOU'LL BE SAD IF ...
- SPEED KILLS: The Sooners under Bob Stoops love fast players, and they have a bunch of them. Nebraska has been prone to the big play this season, and if the we-can't-call-them-Blackshirts-yet give the Sooners the chance, they will gash NU for a number of home runs.
- NEBRASKA'S OFFENSES SPUTTERS: There's points to be had against the OU defense, but Nebraska has to take them. If NU's offense doesn't click, or if offensive coordinator Shawn Watson tries to get too cute, then Nebraska will struggle to keep up with Oklahoma's scoring explosion.
- RUDY DOESN'T COME THROUGH: Particularly on defense, NU has been savaged with injuries. With middle linebacker Phillip Dillard out for Saturday, NU will be relying on walkons like Matt Holt and Coelton "I got a safety" Koehler to start or play significant minutes against the Sooners. Those kids are great stories, but they're going to have to come up big against one of the best offenses in the country for NU to make this a game into the fourth quarter.
FEARLESS FORECAST: Oklahoma 49, Nebraska 24.
GBR, baby.
YOU'LL BE HAPPY IF ...
- SAM BRADFORD IS WATCHING: Oklahoma's offense is really good. (It's not everywhere you can get insight like that!) But Nebraska learned in Lubbock that if the offense is on the sideline, they can't score. NU has become quite proficient in dominating time of possession, and they will have to be successful with that in Norman. If NU has more than 38 minutes of possession, we may have an upset.
- THE 'HUSKERS ARE DUE: Nebraska has forced one turnover in four games. Usually teams will get more turnovers than that even by accident. If Oklahoma hands NU a couple of turnovers and Nebraska can capitalize, the 'Huskers can overcome the talent deficit.
- THERE IS EXECUTION: When a team is outgunned, it is critical that the outgunned team does not help their opponent out. As new 49'ers coach Mike Singletary would say (in a loud voice), "this isn't a charity!" Nebraska has to hold onto the ball and keep the yellow flags in the referee's pockets for NU to be competitive.
YOU'LL BE SAD IF ...
- SPEED KILLS: The Sooners under Bob Stoops love fast players, and they have a bunch of them. Nebraska has been prone to the big play this season, and if the we-can't-call-them-Blackshirts-yet give the Sooners the chance, they will gash NU for a number of home runs.
- NEBRASKA'S OFFENSES SPUTTERS: There's points to be had against the OU defense, but Nebraska has to take them. If NU's offense doesn't click, or if offensive coordinator Shawn Watson tries to get too cute, then Nebraska will struggle to keep up with Oklahoma's scoring explosion.
- RUDY DOESN'T COME THROUGH: Particularly on defense, NU has been savaged with injuries. With middle linebacker Phillip Dillard out for Saturday, NU will be relying on walkons like Matt Holt and Coelton "I got a safety" Koehler to start or play significant minutes against the Sooners. Those kids are great stories, but they're going to have to come up big against one of the best offenses in the country for NU to make this a game into the fourth quarter.
FEARLESS FORECAST: Oklahoma 49, Nebraska 24.
GBR, baby.
Monday, October 27, 2008
NU FOOTBALL - NU Re-View: Nebraska 32, Baylor 20
THE GOOD ...
- THE COMEBACK: I did not realize until reading the post-game analysis that Nebraska never had a second-half comeback during Bill Callahan's tenure at the helm. Not once. Not even by accident. And it wasn't like Nebraska always had the lead going into the half. NU's third quarter woes had been troubling this season, so to see them come out in the second half and be so successful is another sign of growth.
- HIT 'EM DEEP: For a number of games, NU has made a living with passes 10 yards or shorter. Having such a profile was crying out for attempts to stretch the field. Finally, NU put the deep ball into its' arsenal, being successful once to a wide-open Nate Swift. For Nebraska to continue its' offensive success, the threat of the deep ball has to be present to keep defenses from stacking the short zones and plugging up the bread-and-butter of NU's offense.
- DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS: It's a bit of a corollary to the first point, but it is worth making. Baylor's speed at quarterback and wideout caused Nebraska huge problems at the start of the game. But the we-can't-call-them-Blackshirts-yet (Bo, please, in God's name, just hand the stupid things out already) figured out what they were doing, stayed in their lanes, and made Robert Griffin one-dimensional. Once that happened, Nebraska was able to handle Baylor's attack relatively easily.
THE BAD ...
- COUNTING TO ELEVEN: Particularly in the first half, the NU defense had a terrible time having the right personnel on the field. Some of that was caused by Baylor playing games with 12 and 13 players on the field, but some of that was NU being unprepared. Particularly going into next week, breakdowns like that will result in quick points for the bad guys.
- YELLOW TROUBLE: NU cannot get away from catastrophic penalties. Nebraska helped Baylor keep drives alive with 15-yard infractions, most egregiously on a roughing the punter penalty that extended a Baylor drive. This problem isn't new and, while some of the calls may be borderline, it's consistent enough to be a huge problem.
- TURNOVER DROUGHT: Once again, Nebraska did not force a turnover. Some of that was expected, as Griffin had not thrown an interception all year. But Nebraska got good pressure and, especially in the second half, penetration from the front four against the running game. While being -3 in the turnover ratio and winning by 12 is impressive by itself, it also makes the game that much more difficult to win.
... AND THE SOONERS.
Well, now we get the test. The crimson and cream await Nebraska in Norman after hanging 55 points in the first half (!) on Prince's Purples. Nebraska struggled to contain two freshman playmakers against Baylor at home, so it will be very interesting to see how they handle the slew of All-Americans Oklahoma will roll onto the field on Saturday. On the other hand, Oklahoma's defense has been suspect all year, and Nebraska has played better on the road than at home. A victory over Oklahoma is probably unlikely, but a good showing goes a long way in this rebuilding year for the Big Red.
THE BIG PICTURE
There's no question now that Nebraska has an identity on offense, and a clear idea of what they want to do. Nebraska's defense has demonstrated shocking lapses, but also an ability to bear down (particularly in the red zone) and get stops when they need to. This team also has the senior leadership that was critically missing from last year's club. Apparently at halftime of the Baylor game, it was the seniors that led the way to get the team's attention focused in the right place and pave the way for a comeback. It's a credit to those seniors for taking that role, and a credit to the coaching staff to create a culture for that to happen.
THE NEXT GAME
Nebraska @ Oklahoma. The Sooners have become the Red Raiders, in the sense that their defensive strategy is to outscore their opponent. This doesn't necessarily play well into Nebraska's strengths, particularly if Oklahoma focuses on taking Nebraska's short passing game away. This game will likely be the clearest demonstration of a talent gap between the two clubs, which by itself should be enough for a comfortable Oklahoma victory.
GBR, baby.
- THE COMEBACK: I did not realize until reading the post-game analysis that Nebraska never had a second-half comeback during Bill Callahan's tenure at the helm. Not once. Not even by accident. And it wasn't like Nebraska always had the lead going into the half. NU's third quarter woes had been troubling this season, so to see them come out in the second half and be so successful is another sign of growth.
- HIT 'EM DEEP: For a number of games, NU has made a living with passes 10 yards or shorter. Having such a profile was crying out for attempts to stretch the field. Finally, NU put the deep ball into its' arsenal, being successful once to a wide-open Nate Swift. For Nebraska to continue its' offensive success, the threat of the deep ball has to be present to keep defenses from stacking the short zones and plugging up the bread-and-butter of NU's offense.
- DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS: It's a bit of a corollary to the first point, but it is worth making. Baylor's speed at quarterback and wideout caused Nebraska huge problems at the start of the game. But the we-can't-call-them-Blackshirts-yet (Bo, please, in God's name, just hand the stupid things out already) figured out what they were doing, stayed in their lanes, and made Robert Griffin one-dimensional. Once that happened, Nebraska was able to handle Baylor's attack relatively easily.
THE BAD ...
- COUNTING TO ELEVEN: Particularly in the first half, the NU defense had a terrible time having the right personnel on the field. Some of that was caused by Baylor playing games with 12 and 13 players on the field, but some of that was NU being unprepared. Particularly going into next week, breakdowns like that will result in quick points for the bad guys.
- YELLOW TROUBLE: NU cannot get away from catastrophic penalties. Nebraska helped Baylor keep drives alive with 15-yard infractions, most egregiously on a roughing the punter penalty that extended a Baylor drive. This problem isn't new and, while some of the calls may be borderline, it's consistent enough to be a huge problem.
- TURNOVER DROUGHT: Once again, Nebraska did not force a turnover. Some of that was expected, as Griffin had not thrown an interception all year. But Nebraska got good pressure and, especially in the second half, penetration from the front four against the running game. While being -3 in the turnover ratio and winning by 12 is impressive by itself, it also makes the game that much more difficult to win.
... AND THE SOONERS.
Well, now we get the test. The crimson and cream await Nebraska in Norman after hanging 55 points in the first half (!) on Prince's Purples. Nebraska struggled to contain two freshman playmakers against Baylor at home, so it will be very interesting to see how they handle the slew of All-Americans Oklahoma will roll onto the field on Saturday. On the other hand, Oklahoma's defense has been suspect all year, and Nebraska has played better on the road than at home. A victory over Oklahoma is probably unlikely, but a good showing goes a long way in this rebuilding year for the Big Red.
THE BIG PICTURE
There's no question now that Nebraska has an identity on offense, and a clear idea of what they want to do. Nebraska's defense has demonstrated shocking lapses, but also an ability to bear down (particularly in the red zone) and get stops when they need to. This team also has the senior leadership that was critically missing from last year's club. Apparently at halftime of the Baylor game, it was the seniors that led the way to get the team's attention focused in the right place and pave the way for a comeback. It's a credit to those seniors for taking that role, and a credit to the coaching staff to create a culture for that to happen.
THE NEXT GAME
Nebraska @ Oklahoma. The Sooners have become the Red Raiders, in the sense that their defensive strategy is to outscore their opponent. This doesn't necessarily play well into Nebraska's strengths, particularly if Oklahoma focuses on taking Nebraska's short passing game away. This game will likely be the clearest demonstration of a talent gap between the two clubs, which by itself should be enough for a comfortable Oklahoma victory.
GBR, baby.
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