Boy, was I wrong. I thought before the Husker-Va Tech game that our guys could take the boys with the goofy cheerleading name by 10 points or greater. (By the way, Hokie is just that--a cheerleading chant. It's in Wikipedia).
Anyway--back to reality. Boy, was I wrong. Maybe too much red Kool-Aid, I don't know. But them boys from Blacksburg put on a clinic. They looked like the team that had had a week off to prepare for this game--not us. The only reason why there was only a 5-point difference was because Nate Swift had the stones to try to make a play with his 88-yard punt return in the 4th quarter. That was the single best moment the Huskers had all night.
I won't go too much into detail on the X's and O's. That's everywhere. You can read Huskerpedia and get all that. There are 4 things, however, that really stick out with me.
#1---Quarterback. I'm starting to have questions about how Joe Ganz should be deployed, mainly because of his height. I'm wondering if he's even 6 ft tall--and if he's not, then the offense has some real issues--because if Joe is truly that short, then he's gotta be in the shotgun more, which implies a spread offense. But, that does no good if you want to run a power offense with some option. There seemed to be a major physical difference between Joe and Tyrod Taylor from VA Tech.
#2---Offensive Line. These guys still have big problems in getting some decent blocking put together.
#3---Safeties. I don't know why Larry Asante, #4, continues to be out there. He acts like he's lost. And on the blocked punt the other night in the 1st quarter, he had 2 guys running at him and DIDN'T HIT EITHER ONE!! Good lord, man, pick SOMEBODY!!
#4---Bo's demeanor and temper. Okay--fire is one thing, but getting penalties for mouthing off to the refs is enough. Bo said the other night that he's got to be smarter, and I hope he meant it. Even as goofy as the Huskers were playing the other night, they were still in the game when that whole penalty thing with Suh, then followed by Bo, and THEN AGAIN BY SUH, occurred. Wow. You cannot have that!! And, anyone who got fed up with Bill Callahan and the "throat slash" deal against Oklahoma in 2005 (which I firmly believe was him demonstrating how the Nebr defender was held on an OU touchdown run, but got misinterpreted)---repeat---anyone who went after Callahan for that---and then does not get after Bo for his behavior last Saturday night--is being a hypocrite. Division I football is tough enough without a coach giving up yards just because he's pissed.
With all of that said---I think that VA Tech is similar to Okie State from last year. And we all know what happened when Okie State got up against our guys a year ago. This year, our fellas did not give up--and battled to the end. I give them tons of credit for that.
But there's a bunch to fix--without letting up on the attitude. And that fixing is both on the field and on the sideline.
Go Big Red!!
The Old Husker Fan
Go to the attached link for another comment on Bo's penalty in the game:
http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2008/09/28/48df3c4487b9b
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
This Husker Is Seeing Orange
Nothing rhymes with "orange". Certainly not "upset" or "kick your (fanny)". But that's sure what the Beavermen did Thursday night. Wow--what an achievement! Slapping the ESPN favorites from Song Girl U upside the head 27-21.
I am extremely jealous, and I think every Husker fan with a pulse should be as well. That was basically the same SoCal team that breezed through Lincoln last year to the point that video clips were incorporating Mrs. B's scooter. That game still makes me mad. Yet, last night, USC got chopped down and mushed up...and the crowd swarmed the field.
When was the last time THAT happened in Lincoln? Probably the OU game in 2001, right? When Mike Stuntz had his moment of glory and Eric Crouch secured the Heisman? Wow--what a long time ago.
Okay, let's get back to business, folks. Now that I've done my wallowing in self-pity, let's look and see what the Oregon State formula was for punking the Pete Carrolls.
Point #1---run the ball. And a frosh running back burrows his way for over 180 yards. Great job, kid! And am I the only one who finds it funny in a way that some little squirt who's not even 5-8 can get so many yards because the big 6-5 and 300-lb linemen CAN'T SEE HIM???!!! There's something appealing about that. And Oregon State had almost 35 minutes' worth of possession. Major, major factor in keeping the pretty Troy Boys off the field offensively.
Point #2---get turnovers. Oregon State had 0 vs the Beach Boys' 2. And IIRC, both SoCal turnovers led to points by Oregon State--certainly the INT in the 4th quarter that the Beaver safety ran back to the 2.
Point #3---don't give yards on penalties. Oregon State had only 5 penalties for 27 yards. SoCal had 7 for 84--including that flagrant foul on the 1st TD by Oregon State (don't ever think that the Carroll guys don't give out cheap shots).
And, finally--Point #4---luck never hurts. Just like in '01 when our guys got lucky because an OU gadget play failed because of a bad pass, Oregon State got lucky when a tipped pass got caught by a receiver just barely in bounds in the end zone. But, then again---if you believe that luck is the intersection of preparation and opportunity, then plays like that are not to be wondered at.
Bottom line for me as a fan in trying to get past the "DAMN! Why can't that be us???!!!" feeling is this---everything that I mentioned above is what Bo is trying to get to. Physical play, swarming and takeaway-minded defense, not making stupid penalties, and grabbing the bouncing ball. I can't think of a better way to start that trend than by putting those ideas to work in just a little over 24 hours against VA Tech.
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
I am extremely jealous, and I think every Husker fan with a pulse should be as well. That was basically the same SoCal team that breezed through Lincoln last year to the point that video clips were incorporating Mrs. B's scooter. That game still makes me mad. Yet, last night, USC got chopped down and mushed up...and the crowd swarmed the field.
When was the last time THAT happened in Lincoln? Probably the OU game in 2001, right? When Mike Stuntz had his moment of glory and Eric Crouch secured the Heisman? Wow--what a long time ago.
Okay, let's get back to business, folks. Now that I've done my wallowing in self-pity, let's look and see what the Oregon State formula was for punking the Pete Carrolls.
Point #1---run the ball. And a frosh running back burrows his way for over 180 yards. Great job, kid! And am I the only one who finds it funny in a way that some little squirt who's not even 5-8 can get so many yards because the big 6-5 and 300-lb linemen CAN'T SEE HIM???!!! There's something appealing about that. And Oregon State had almost 35 minutes' worth of possession. Major, major factor in keeping the pretty Troy Boys off the field offensively.
Point #2---get turnovers. Oregon State had 0 vs the Beach Boys' 2. And IIRC, both SoCal turnovers led to points by Oregon State--certainly the INT in the 4th quarter that the Beaver safety ran back to the 2.
Point #3---don't give yards on penalties. Oregon State had only 5 penalties for 27 yards. SoCal had 7 for 84--including that flagrant foul on the 1st TD by Oregon State (don't ever think that the Carroll guys don't give out cheap shots).
And, finally--Point #4---luck never hurts. Just like in '01 when our guys got lucky because an OU gadget play failed because of a bad pass, Oregon State got lucky when a tipped pass got caught by a receiver just barely in bounds in the end zone. But, then again---if you believe that luck is the intersection of preparation and opportunity, then plays like that are not to be wondered at.
Bottom line for me as a fan in trying to get past the "DAMN! Why can't that be us???!!!" feeling is this---everything that I mentioned above is what Bo is trying to get to. Physical play, swarming and takeaway-minded defense, not making stupid penalties, and grabbing the bouncing ball. I can't think of a better way to start that trend than by putting those ideas to work in just a little over 24 hours against VA Tech.
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Husker-Hokie Tilt Has Echoes Of 1980
I can't help but think about comparisons to the Husker-Florida State game in Lincoln 28 years ago when there's the pregame talk ahead of our guys vs Va Tech.
I know that the Seminole program has gone through some iterations in the past 10-15 years--from its heyday of Neon Deion Sanders, Charlie Ward, and Derrick Brooks, to right now being a hanger-on type of program (and, of course, no one in Husker Nation will ever forget the disputed championship Bobby Bowden was handed after the 1993 season).
However---back in 1980, Florida State was a program working its way up the college football food chain. They came to Lincoln as definite underdogs--and managed to come away with an 18-14 win. It was a shocker.
And how'd they do it? Defense and special teams. Their kicker made I believe 4 field goals. And their defense forced a couple fumbles deep in FSU territory, which they recovered to hang on for the win.
Funny thing is, we started out by scoring twice pretty quick, so we were up 14-0. Then, they chipped away and eventually got the win. Bobby Bowden--yes, the old coot today--was building his team on solid, fundamental defense and winning the kicking game.
That sounds a whole lot like what is being called "Beamer Ball" today. And it's what has me kind of nervous ahead of Saturday evening.
The Old Husker Fan
I know that the Seminole program has gone through some iterations in the past 10-15 years--from its heyday of Neon Deion Sanders, Charlie Ward, and Derrick Brooks, to right now being a hanger-on type of program (and, of course, no one in Husker Nation will ever forget the disputed championship Bobby Bowden was handed after the 1993 season).
However---back in 1980, Florida State was a program working its way up the college football food chain. They came to Lincoln as definite underdogs--and managed to come away with an 18-14 win. It was a shocker.
And how'd they do it? Defense and special teams. Their kicker made I believe 4 field goals. And their defense forced a couple fumbles deep in FSU territory, which they recovered to hang on for the win.
Funny thing is, we started out by scoring twice pretty quick, so we were up 14-0. Then, they chipped away and eventually got the win. Bobby Bowden--yes, the old coot today--was building his team on solid, fundamental defense and winning the kicking game.
That sounds a whole lot like what is being called "Beamer Ball" today. And it's what has me kind of nervous ahead of Saturday evening.
The Old Husker Fan
Monday, September 8, 2008
Thoughts On An Ugly Husker Win
The Huskers' 35-12 win over San Jose State last Saturday was one of those ugly wins. But those things happen from time to time. Here are my thoughts:
1) The D-Line--not the O-Line--is emerging as a force. All the guys on the defensive line are playing hard and smart. After last year, who would have dreamed that a D-lineman would grab a Pick-6 like Suh did last Saturday? What was also very impressive was how Pierre Allen came in when Barry Turner got hurt and played like a champ. And Steinkuhler and Potter have their motors running full steam (what a grab by Potter in the 4th quarter on a ball thrown right at him!). I just hope these guys can hold up, because they're starting out great.
2) I felt that the preseason talk about the O-line being dominant was a little premature--and things are playing out that way now. I don't know what the issue is--but I didn't see any explosion off the ball as I was watching from the south end zone for the Western Michigan game, and from the sounds of things Saturday there wasn't any explosive charge either. What bugs me is that the interior line--center and 2 guards--don't seem to be making it happen.
3) Running back I think needs to be mainly a Lucky-Helu split. Castille has played himself out in my opinion. This guy is a fumbler. He was last season and he's doing the same thing again. Lucky and Helu are both potential game-breakers (I think Helu is the real deal at RB). You can work 2 running backs successfully, but there just aren't enough plays to get 3 guys into the game and get them going. Coach Watson needs to make this move immediately.
4) It's obvious that special teams play is getting more attention--not only by having Niles Paul as a returner, but also the move to put Alfonso Dennard back there with him. That kickoff return was as clean as I've seen for a long, long time. Remember--the team concept is offense, defense and special teams. We clicked on 2 of the 3 last Saturday (defense and special teams) and that will get you a long way.
5) I'm very uneasy about the Husker safety play. Once again, there was a long ball right down the middle that they gave up last Saturday. I have questions about Asante's decisionmaking and about O'Hanlon's speed. I think that Sam McKewon picked up on that very well in his rundown of the game. Here's the link: http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2008/09/07/48c4a2f530a9c
6) Last, but not least and in many respects the most important---despite the errors, the players are I believe truly playing for each other and the coaches--and the coaches are intense but not mean in their coaching. I was very encouraged to hear the reports of the reactions early in the game on the sideline--where there was discussion and coaching, but not in-your-face yelling and calling guys out. I think Bo and his staff really have their heads on straight in that respect, and that will be a big, big plus going forward. Because, as we all know, the season ain't getting any easier.
Go Big Red!!
The Old Husker Fan
1) The D-Line--not the O-Line--is emerging as a force. All the guys on the defensive line are playing hard and smart. After last year, who would have dreamed that a D-lineman would grab a Pick-6 like Suh did last Saturday? What was also very impressive was how Pierre Allen came in when Barry Turner got hurt and played like a champ. And Steinkuhler and Potter have their motors running full steam (what a grab by Potter in the 4th quarter on a ball thrown right at him!). I just hope these guys can hold up, because they're starting out great.
2) I felt that the preseason talk about the O-line being dominant was a little premature--and things are playing out that way now. I don't know what the issue is--but I didn't see any explosion off the ball as I was watching from the south end zone for the Western Michigan game, and from the sounds of things Saturday there wasn't any explosive charge either. What bugs me is that the interior line--center and 2 guards--don't seem to be making it happen.
3) Running back I think needs to be mainly a Lucky-Helu split. Castille has played himself out in my opinion. This guy is a fumbler. He was last season and he's doing the same thing again. Lucky and Helu are both potential game-breakers (I think Helu is the real deal at RB). You can work 2 running backs successfully, but there just aren't enough plays to get 3 guys into the game and get them going. Coach Watson needs to make this move immediately.
4) It's obvious that special teams play is getting more attention--not only by having Niles Paul as a returner, but also the move to put Alfonso Dennard back there with him. That kickoff return was as clean as I've seen for a long, long time. Remember--the team concept is offense, defense and special teams. We clicked on 2 of the 3 last Saturday (defense and special teams) and that will get you a long way.
5) I'm very uneasy about the Husker safety play. Once again, there was a long ball right down the middle that they gave up last Saturday. I have questions about Asante's decisionmaking and about O'Hanlon's speed. I think that Sam McKewon picked up on that very well in his rundown of the game. Here's the link: http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2008/09/07/48c4a2f530a9c
6) Last, but not least and in many respects the most important---despite the errors, the players are I believe truly playing for each other and the coaches--and the coaches are intense but not mean in their coaching. I was very encouraged to hear the reports of the reactions early in the game on the sideline--where there was discussion and coaching, but not in-your-face yelling and calling guys out. I think Bo and his staff really have their heads on straight in that respect, and that will be a big, big plus going forward. Because, as we all know, the season ain't getting any easier.
Go Big Red!!
The Old Husker Fan
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Huskers' Ekeler Is Kiffin-esque
Husker LB coach Mike Ekeler is a hoot. He's from Blair, NE--just north of Omaha. Went to K-State and played for Bill Snyder (I'll forgive him for that). While he was there, he made a rep for his special teams play--apparently he never saw a wedge to bust through that he didn't like. Coach E came with Bo Pelini from LSU, where he was a grad assistant--so this is his first for-real coaching gig. (He sold a reportedly successful business to get into coaching.)
Last spring, he was a hit with stud recruit Will Compton's family in the St. Louis area when he showed up for the last pre-signing visit with some kind of tattoo saluting Will C (I believe a temporary piece of art work, but it helped get the job done and keep young Mr. C from heading to Mizzou). And, during spring practice, he was quoted a bunch of times with real rah-rah we're-gonna-get-'em type comments.
Well, this past Saturday, Coach Ekeler made a definite impression during the Western Michigan game. Early in the game, Cody Glenn broke up a pass to create a 3-and-out for the WMich offense. Fans were going crazy. The play happened fairly close to the Husker bench, and as Glenn runs off the field, this guy leaps about 3 ft in the air onto Cody's shoulders!
It was Coach Ekeler, of course. I had the glasses on Cody for some reason and saw the whole thing. You know, this old Husker fan has gone to games off and on for over 40 years, and I've never seen anything quite like that.
I have seen that same kind of fire before, though. And you know from who by the title of this blog. Yep--none other than Monte Kiffin during his days coaching the defense in the early 1970s. Kiffin had the same all-out burn from start to finish that Ekeler is showing. (No disrespect to Charlie McBride--but Kiffin is the best example at this age that I think of.) That's a tall example and of course big and accomplished shoes to follow in, but honestly, that's exactly who I thought of when I saw this mid-air bear hug going on.
A few posts ago, I said that the Huskers were "...looking for a hammer." Just something truly dependable day in, day out that they could fall back on. I think this is it--coaches who truly care about their guys and are dialed in when it comes to teaching and motivation. And that, my fellow Big Redders, is a great place to start in getting back into the "top programs in the U.S." conversation in the here and now.
Go Big Red!
Old Husker Fan
Last spring, he was a hit with stud recruit Will Compton's family in the St. Louis area when he showed up for the last pre-signing visit with some kind of tattoo saluting Will C (I believe a temporary piece of art work, but it helped get the job done and keep young Mr. C from heading to Mizzou). And, during spring practice, he was quoted a bunch of times with real rah-rah we're-gonna-get-'em type comments.
Well, this past Saturday, Coach Ekeler made a definite impression during the Western Michigan game. Early in the game, Cody Glenn broke up a pass to create a 3-and-out for the WMich offense. Fans were going crazy. The play happened fairly close to the Husker bench, and as Glenn runs off the field, this guy leaps about 3 ft in the air onto Cody's shoulders!
It was Coach Ekeler, of course. I had the glasses on Cody for some reason and saw the whole thing. You know, this old Husker fan has gone to games off and on for over 40 years, and I've never seen anything quite like that.
I have seen that same kind of fire before, though. And you know from who by the title of this blog. Yep--none other than Monte Kiffin during his days coaching the defense in the early 1970s. Kiffin had the same all-out burn from start to finish that Ekeler is showing. (No disrespect to Charlie McBride--but Kiffin is the best example at this age that I think of.) That's a tall example and of course big and accomplished shoes to follow in, but honestly, that's exactly who I thought of when I saw this mid-air bear hug going on.
A few posts ago, I said that the Huskers were "...looking for a hammer." Just something truly dependable day in, day out that they could fall back on. I think this is it--coaches who truly care about their guys and are dialed in when it comes to teaching and motivation. And that, my fellow Big Redders, is a great place to start in getting back into the "top programs in the U.S." conversation in the here and now.
Go Big Red!
Old Husker Fan
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Stylin' At The Husker Opener
Here are Cliff and I decked out prior to cheering the Huskers on to Bo Pelini's first regular-season win as Head Coach. Note my shirt--which I'm sure was unique and unmatched at the game.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Husker Win Shows Fire And Fatigue
Thanks to a birthday present from son Cliff, I was able to be one of the 84,000-plus on hand to check out Bo Pelini's first regular-season game as Husker head coach last Saturday. We were in the south end zone--a cool spot to be because not only can you see the plays develop, but the big 5-acre wide screen-- or whatever its dimensions are--is right there for all the replays.
Here are my thoughts from my gametime experience.
#1--There's fire on the sideline. Bo and the coaches were into this game from the first play, keeping the guys pumped up and focused on their assignments. Bo--with his single-ear headset, play chart, Husker cap and gum--prowled the sidelines constantly. You could tell that he was looking for energy and pursuit as much as anything else. And all the coaches were like that. The best example was Linebacker coach Mike Ekeler's leap and mid-air hug of Cody Glenn when he knocked down a pass to create a Western Michigan 3-and-out in the 2nd quarter. (It was actually Glenn's 2nd knockdown I think--and came close to being a pick-6).
Another example of Bo's total involvement: In the 2nd quarter and Western Michigan driving, they had a couple big plays from their spread offense. Bo called time out to talk to the defense and get re-organized. That's one of the techniques Kerry Coombs emphasized in his how-to-defend-the spread commentary--use timeouts to break the momentum of the offense. As I recall, our guys stopped that drive, then got the ball back and scored on the 61-yarder from Joe Ganz to Nate Swift.
#2--Gang tackling is back! Let me repeat--gang tackling is back! There were some solo stops Saturday night--but on many Western Michigan plays--even their short passes--the tackle call had two or more names listed--with usually 3 or 4 more red shirts in the play. Bo talked about flying to the ball. We had that going on. I especially remember Zac Potter's name being called on tackles following short pass plays. That was impressive for a D-lineman to keep going. It was nice to see that motor back in operation.
#3--The Cody Glenn to linebacker move is on the way to being this year's version of Bo's Demorrio Williams story. We all know that one--how Bo took Demorrio out of just being a cover linebacker and created a pass-rush monster off the edge. Well, folks, I'm here to say that the Cody G linebacker switch could very well be all of that and more--considering that Cody G had not played linebacker in college prior to last spring. You've seen the numbers he had--a dozen tackles, 9 unassisted, 2 1/2 for a loss, several pass breakups. This guy truly was all over the field!
It's not like Cody just had 1 thing to do, either. Western Michigan was constantly going after him with receivers running drag patterns, switches on coverage, and motion. Heck--the first play of the game they checked his assignment savvy by trying a QB delay run. Cody stuffed it for a 1-yd loss. And, since he's the WILL linebacker, he's going to be on the field a lot--possibly all the time like he was last Saturday. He never came off. What a move by him and the coaches!
By the way--this move is also reminiscent of how Rich Glover's career got jump-started in the early '70s. Glover was a serviceable defensive tackle, but when Monte Kiffin moved him to the nose position, his college career mushroomed. I sure wish that Cody Glenn had at least 1 more year like Glover had when he made his move.
#4--The D-backs have some style. By that, I mean they're playing like top-level college game defensive backs. Anthony West, Eric Hagg, and Prince Amukamara had bigtime pass breakups Saturday night--featuring aggressive coverage and just-at-the-right-time knockdowns. Their tackling form was excellent, too. There were some plays by the D-backs that made me think of our bigtime guys from back in the day--like Ralph Brown, Barron Miles, etc.
#5--Joe Ganz is the man on offense. He saved our bacon a BUNCH Saturday night with his scrambling to avoid taking a big sack--and made something positive happen instead by keeping his cool and knowing where to look for a receiver. Yes, he had a couple picks--which I'll talk about later. But he had some throws that were nothing short of brilliant--especially on the 2 play 3rd quarter TD drive, where he aired it out to Dreu Young over 2 WMich guys in good coverage--and Young came up with the ball (great catch by a TIGHT END by the way---a Ron Brown product). And he followed that zinger with another beauty to Marlon Lucky for the score--again throwing over a defender. Those were big-time tosses, gang.
(An aside here---I think that Callahan kept Ganz off the field the last couple years as much as he could--because he was afraid of the crowd reaction if Joe would light it up. Just sayin'.)
#6--Back to the defense. The D-line was a solid unit all game, and got some good pressure all night long. Barry Turner had either 1 or 2 sacks (or shared sacks). Suh was a force. Ty Steinkuhler wrecked a bunch of running plays. Shukree Barfield got in on the action. Zac Potter acted like a beast. Jared Crick and Terence Moore put in quality minutes.
In total, what did the D come up with--4 sacks? One-third the total for all of last season? That's making something happen!
Now to the other side--that being fatigue. Our guys--especially the back 7--definitely started to wear down in the 4th quarter. No surprise, because there wasn't any subbing done by the coaches. The LBs and D-backs who started played practically the whole game. Certainly Glenn and Philip Dillard did not come out--nor did Larry Asante at strong safety. I read that Ricky Thenarse was in for 1 play on defense, but then got hurt on a kicking team play. I know that the coaches know this--but this definitely points to how important it is to develop some depth at linebacker and defensive back. Western Michigan got too many chances to make big yardage in the 4th quarter.
A couple other notes before some fun stuff. First, the O-line and fullbacks have some work to do on the run game. On Ganz's long option run in the first quarter, followed up by Marlon Lucky's TD run, the fullback made a good block. Other times, the FB failed to get his man and the plays were stuffed. And the O-line didn't blow anyone out of there. I like how Bo was quoted saying that execution has to improve...and did not lean on the excuse that the dive and off-tackle plays didn't work because Western Michigan had too many guys close to the line. Thanks, Coach! There are times when you have to be able to run no matter HOW many guys are stacked in there.
Second--how refreshing it was to see Alex Henery get some trust from the coaches on his field goals. And they were not any gimmes, either. They were all in the 44-45 yard range. Good practice for a number of reasons--not the least because there was some pressure involved. You know that the players all wanted to win the first regular season game for Bo and the rest of the coaching staff--plus for each other. That's pressure--and Alex and the special teams handled it well.
Fun stuff. Starts out with tailgating. Our ticket contact, Kristen, told Cliff about a tailgate that her family's part of--so we grabbed some brats, a few brewskies, and took it in. Outstanding! What a great way to get the game day routine underway! The folks were great company and the side dishes tasty-plus.
Second--I truly think that the Husker Hawaiian-style shirt I had on was the only one of that type that anybody in the entire stadium had. And as I was going through the ticket line at Gate 2, I was the last one in our group. The usher taking my ticket said, "Nice shirt!" as he tore my ticket stub. A lady was behind me--and the usher asked her, "Did you buy that shirt for him?" She was completely perplexed! One of those where you had to be there, but it was a hoot!
What a day--what a game--what promise for these guys. Keep making it happen, Huskers!
Go Big Red!
The Old Husker Fan
Here are my thoughts from my gametime experience.
#1--There's fire on the sideline. Bo and the coaches were into this game from the first play, keeping the guys pumped up and focused on their assignments. Bo--with his single-ear headset, play chart, Husker cap and gum--prowled the sidelines constantly. You could tell that he was looking for energy and pursuit as much as anything else. And all the coaches were like that. The best example was Linebacker coach Mike Ekeler's leap and mid-air hug of Cody Glenn when he knocked down a pass to create a Western Michigan 3-and-out in the 2nd quarter. (It was actually Glenn's 2nd knockdown I think--and came close to being a pick-6).
Another example of Bo's total involvement: In the 2nd quarter and Western Michigan driving, they had a couple big plays from their spread offense. Bo called time out to talk to the defense and get re-organized. That's one of the techniques Kerry Coombs emphasized in his how-to-defend-the spread commentary--use timeouts to break the momentum of the offense. As I recall, our guys stopped that drive, then got the ball back and scored on the 61-yarder from Joe Ganz to Nate Swift.
#2--Gang tackling is back! Let me repeat--gang tackling is back! There were some solo stops Saturday night--but on many Western Michigan plays--even their short passes--the tackle call had two or more names listed--with usually 3 or 4 more red shirts in the play. Bo talked about flying to the ball. We had that going on. I especially remember Zac Potter's name being called on tackles following short pass plays. That was impressive for a D-lineman to keep going. It was nice to see that motor back in operation.
#3--The Cody Glenn to linebacker move is on the way to being this year's version of Bo's Demorrio Williams story. We all know that one--how Bo took Demorrio out of just being a cover linebacker and created a pass-rush monster off the edge. Well, folks, I'm here to say that the Cody G linebacker switch could very well be all of that and more--considering that Cody G had not played linebacker in college prior to last spring. You've seen the numbers he had--a dozen tackles, 9 unassisted, 2 1/2 for a loss, several pass breakups. This guy truly was all over the field!
It's not like Cody just had 1 thing to do, either. Western Michigan was constantly going after him with receivers running drag patterns, switches on coverage, and motion. Heck--the first play of the game they checked his assignment savvy by trying a QB delay run. Cody stuffed it for a 1-yd loss. And, since he's the WILL linebacker, he's going to be on the field a lot--possibly all the time like he was last Saturday. He never came off. What a move by him and the coaches!
By the way--this move is also reminiscent of how Rich Glover's career got jump-started in the early '70s. Glover was a serviceable defensive tackle, but when Monte Kiffin moved him to the nose position, his college career mushroomed. I sure wish that Cody Glenn had at least 1 more year like Glover had when he made his move.
#4--The D-backs have some style. By that, I mean they're playing like top-level college game defensive backs. Anthony West, Eric Hagg, and Prince Amukamara had bigtime pass breakups Saturday night--featuring aggressive coverage and just-at-the-right-time knockdowns. Their tackling form was excellent, too. There were some plays by the D-backs that made me think of our bigtime guys from back in the day--like Ralph Brown, Barron Miles, etc.
#5--Joe Ganz is the man on offense. He saved our bacon a BUNCH Saturday night with his scrambling to avoid taking a big sack--and made something positive happen instead by keeping his cool and knowing where to look for a receiver. Yes, he had a couple picks--which I'll talk about later. But he had some throws that were nothing short of brilliant--especially on the 2 play 3rd quarter TD drive, where he aired it out to Dreu Young over 2 WMich guys in good coverage--and Young came up with the ball (great catch by a TIGHT END by the way---a Ron Brown product). And he followed that zinger with another beauty to Marlon Lucky for the score--again throwing over a defender. Those were big-time tosses, gang.
(An aside here---I think that Callahan kept Ganz off the field the last couple years as much as he could--because he was afraid of the crowd reaction if Joe would light it up. Just sayin'.)
#6--Back to the defense. The D-line was a solid unit all game, and got some good pressure all night long. Barry Turner had either 1 or 2 sacks (or shared sacks). Suh was a force. Ty Steinkuhler wrecked a bunch of running plays. Shukree Barfield got in on the action. Zac Potter acted like a beast. Jared Crick and Terence Moore put in quality minutes.
In total, what did the D come up with--4 sacks? One-third the total for all of last season? That's making something happen!
Now to the other side--that being fatigue. Our guys--especially the back 7--definitely started to wear down in the 4th quarter. No surprise, because there wasn't any subbing done by the coaches. The LBs and D-backs who started played practically the whole game. Certainly Glenn and Philip Dillard did not come out--nor did Larry Asante at strong safety. I read that Ricky Thenarse was in for 1 play on defense, but then got hurt on a kicking team play. I know that the coaches know this--but this definitely points to how important it is to develop some depth at linebacker and defensive back. Western Michigan got too many chances to make big yardage in the 4th quarter.
A couple other notes before some fun stuff. First, the O-line and fullbacks have some work to do on the run game. On Ganz's long option run in the first quarter, followed up by Marlon Lucky's TD run, the fullback made a good block. Other times, the FB failed to get his man and the plays were stuffed. And the O-line didn't blow anyone out of there. I like how Bo was quoted saying that execution has to improve...and did not lean on the excuse that the dive and off-tackle plays didn't work because Western Michigan had too many guys close to the line. Thanks, Coach! There are times when you have to be able to run no matter HOW many guys are stacked in there.
Second--how refreshing it was to see Alex Henery get some trust from the coaches on his field goals. And they were not any gimmes, either. They were all in the 44-45 yard range. Good practice for a number of reasons--not the least because there was some pressure involved. You know that the players all wanted to win the first regular season game for Bo and the rest of the coaching staff--plus for each other. That's pressure--and Alex and the special teams handled it well.
Fun stuff. Starts out with tailgating. Our ticket contact, Kristen, told Cliff about a tailgate that her family's part of--so we grabbed some brats, a few brewskies, and took it in. Outstanding! What a great way to get the game day routine underway! The folks were great company and the side dishes tasty-plus.
Second--I truly think that the Husker Hawaiian-style shirt I had on was the only one of that type that anybody in the entire stadium had. And as I was going through the ticket line at Gate 2, I was the last one in our group. The usher taking my ticket said, "Nice shirt!" as he tore my ticket stub. A lady was behind me--and the usher asked her, "Did you buy that shirt for him?" She was completely perplexed! One of those where you had to be there, but it was a hoot!
What a day--what a game--what promise for these guys. Keep making it happen, Huskers!
Go Big Red!
The Old Husker Fan
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