I don't know about you--but for me, the way the Gator Bowl ended in the Huskers' 26-21 win over Clemson was an ideal way to finish off the season. The game ended with the DEFENSE holding off the late Clemson drive. Disguised blitzes on 1st and 2nd down, resulting in a pass knockdown and a huge QB sack both courtesy of Eric Hagg. On 3rd down--a throw into the end zone featuring a pass breakup by safety Matt O'Hanlon. And on 4th down, the Clemson QB rattled by the ferocious Husker D-line rush that he threw a bad ball off his back foot.
WOW!! What a way to finish this off!!
But of course, the whole game went that way. As anyone who watched the game knows, the Husker D basically shut out Clemson. Holding these guys to 4--FOUR--net yards rushing???!!! That's beyond ridiculous--that's the type of defensive dominance this Old Husker Fan grew up with during the Bobfather days.
This is all a testimony to just how far Bo Pelini, Carl Pelini, Mike Ekeler, John Papuchis and Marvin Sanders brought this defensive unit this year. I remember how positively disorganized the D was in the 1st game against Western Michigan, when WM tried a gadget play--and had a receiver running 20 yards wide open (the only reason the play didn't do anything was b/c the QB had a bad grip on the ball and Zach Potter did bring a late rush). Even in the Colorado game--the 1st 2 series that CU had brought in easy TDs. But not this time! This was a defensive performance that all Husker fans can be proud of--and it came against an outfit that had some definite speed.
By the way---just how big was that field goal block by Suh in the 1st half? Otherwise, Clemson just has to get a field goal at the end of the game to win it instead of having to try to score a TD.
A couple more things here:
1) Enough with the negative crap being thrown at Joe Ganz for the turnovers in the 1st half. The guy came back like a champ in the 2nd half and got the job done with his head, his arm, and his guts. Joe Ganz reminds me a lot of another #12 from years ago--Tom Sorley, who was QB in the late 70s and who was at the controls when T.O. got his 1st win against Oklahoma in that '78 thriller. Joe Ganz is a MAN, people!! And I'll go you one more---I think that Joe Ganz's chances of making an NFL roster are better than either Chase Daniel or Josh Freeman because of the leadership and maturity this guy brings to the table.
2) The walk-on program has new life--and some new faces of success this year. The aforementioned Mr. O'Hanlon, along with fellow d-back Lance Thorell, and of course kicker Alex Henery, are all examples of the fact that the Husker program is back to a program that looks at players and not at stars. These guys all contributed to the re-charging of the team this year, and that is only positive for the future in rebuilding depth and fire in the program.
9 and 4. No, it's not perfect and there is a LOT of ground to cover yet (look at the talent and speed in the Rose Bowl for starters)--but there was a TON of progress made this season. Get the red out, folks, b/c the Bo bandwagon is heating up!!
GO BIG RED!!
The Old Husker Fan
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Husker Program Needs To Remember '89 Orange Bowl
This week is the 25th anniversary of the Huskers' heartbreaking 31-30 loss to Miami in the Jan 1, 1984 Orange Bowl. It was a great game, and featured the unforgettable decision by Tom Osborne to go for 2 points and the win with the Huskers behind 31-30 late in the game. The game was a high point in T.O.'s career for that gutsy call.
This week also marks the 20th anniversary of another Orange Bowl versus Miami--the 1989 matchup. You don't hear much about the '89 contest--mostly for good reason. Our Guys lost 23-3 in one of the most methodical beat-downs that an Osborne-coached team ever had. It took a 50-yard field goal from Greg Barrios to avoid a shutout.
But wait, there's more. The '89 clanger was the 2nd straight bowl loss for an Osborne team, and it was the first of 5 straight bowl games where the Huskers went down by double digits. In that run, Florida State and Miami each put the hammer down twice and Georgia Tech once.
In all fairness, these were good teams. (Osborne never really had a bad one.) But there was one important thing missing---that took several years to finally bring to the table.
Speed. Across the field. On both sides of the ball.
You can argue "playmakers"--with in mind Tommie Frazier's and Lawrence Phillips's huge contributions. No argument there. But, when the bowl game losing string was finally broken in the Orange Bowl on Jan 1, 1995, the momentum for that comeback came from the defense.
Which brings us to the last hours before the Gator Bowl between Nebraska and Clemson. And two final thoughts before the guys tee it up:
1) If there's not going to be a playoff in college football, at least let's continue with the regional matchups that bowl games bring. They can indeed serve as a measuring stick for a team and program. We've seen that in several games already, and I think we will for sure in the Gator Bowl.
2) This Old Husker Fan continues to be appreciative of the fact that Bo Pelini is our head guy--this time, because of his experience in the Southeastern Conference--where everyone can pick 'em up and lay 'em down. Having seen firsthand (and reaped the rewards of) the impact that speed can make in a team's profile, I think Bo will always have this characteristic right up there on his shopping list.
Those are the lessons to remember from 20 years ago. They're as important as the T.O. character seminar 5 years before.
GO BIG RED!!!
The Old Husker Fan
This week also marks the 20th anniversary of another Orange Bowl versus Miami--the 1989 matchup. You don't hear much about the '89 contest--mostly for good reason. Our Guys lost 23-3 in one of the most methodical beat-downs that an Osborne-coached team ever had. It took a 50-yard field goal from Greg Barrios to avoid a shutout.
But wait, there's more. The '89 clanger was the 2nd straight bowl loss for an Osborne team, and it was the first of 5 straight bowl games where the Huskers went down by double digits. In that run, Florida State and Miami each put the hammer down twice and Georgia Tech once.
In all fairness, these were good teams. (Osborne never really had a bad one.) But there was one important thing missing---that took several years to finally bring to the table.
Speed. Across the field. On both sides of the ball.
You can argue "playmakers"--with in mind Tommie Frazier's and Lawrence Phillips's huge contributions. No argument there. But, when the bowl game losing string was finally broken in the Orange Bowl on Jan 1, 1995, the momentum for that comeback came from the defense.
Which brings us to the last hours before the Gator Bowl between Nebraska and Clemson. And two final thoughts before the guys tee it up:
1) If there's not going to be a playoff in college football, at least let's continue with the regional matchups that bowl games bring. They can indeed serve as a measuring stick for a team and program. We've seen that in several games already, and I think we will for sure in the Gator Bowl.
2) This Old Husker Fan continues to be appreciative of the fact that Bo Pelini is our head guy--this time, because of his experience in the Southeastern Conference--where everyone can pick 'em up and lay 'em down. Having seen firsthand (and reaped the rewards of) the impact that speed can make in a team's profile, I think Bo will always have this characteristic right up there on his shopping list.
Those are the lessons to remember from 20 years ago. They're as important as the T.O. character seminar 5 years before.
GO BIG RED!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Huskers' Gator Bowl Is A Va Tech Do-Over
Getting wild & crazy on New Year's isn't part of this Old Husker Fan's routine much anymore--but fortunately for me and the other go-zillion Husker fans in the universe, New Year's Day will mean something other than just being part of the huddled masses looking over someone else's shoulder when the Jan 1 bowl games start up. Our Guys will be part of the action in the Gator Bowl against Clemson.
[Speaking of watching college bowl games---heard today that the Florida State-Wisconsin Champs Sports Bowl matchup last Saturday pulled in an audience of 4.6 million. 4.6 Mill for what amounts to an exhibition game (the point of the radio rant) on a CABLE network (ESPN). That was only 700,000 fewer folks watching than the 5.3 million that tuned in to the Celtics & Lakers--the NBA's finest matchup--in prime time on ABC on Christmas Day. Are we football fans or what???]
Back to the thought--and by the way, Florida State figures in here.
I'm not alone in this thought, I'm sure---that the Gator Bowl chance against Clemson is essentially the rematch against Virginia Tech that a lot of us have thought about and talked about since the team got re-started after the OU meltdown. Well, here we are, folks. The guys are playing a bunch with some tough D-backs, some speed in the backfield, and a competitive record--one that we came within, oh, about 57 yards' worth of matching (Alex Henery's FG distance against Colorado).
In other words, this game to me doesn't look like a cakewalk. I think we'll have our hands full to come out a winner.
There are 2 big features of the Clemson outfit that worry me:
First is their backfield speed. Their 2 running backs--Davis and Spiller--have over 2,000 yards rushing combined, and Spiller puts out a 4.25 in the 40. That's serious burning. Plus, it sounds to me like these guys have got the capability of doing ball-control and time of possession with their offense just like we've been so proud of since the Texas Tech game.
I'm still leery of the whole Southern Speed factor anyway--I always am during bowl season. It hit home again seeing how Florida State literally ran away from Wisconsin. Was I the only one watching who had a flashback to the late '80s-early '90s when our guys simply didn't have the wheels to match up in the bowl games? I don't think so.
The second facet of Clemson that bothers me is their D-backs' capability. Clemson had 18 INTs during the 2008 regular season. Apparently they can play a little pass defense. It makes me think of the Colorado game, when CU played Nate Swift and Todd Peterson pretty well and limited their production (combined 6 catches for just 54 yards). This concerns me.
So, how do our guys grab the Gator, so to speak? Here's one opinion--first, on defense--own the line big time across the board. Our guys have done that a lot, and it's helped our 'backers to not have blockers in their grilles. And then--numbers around the ballcarrier and no missed tackles. If we let their guys out, I don't know that we've got the make-up speed to catch them.
On offense--it's gotta be the Joe & Roy show as in Ganz & Helu--with a dash of Marlon Lucky on the perimeter and Mike McNeill in the seams of the defense thrown in. It'll be hugely important for #12 to not just manage the game, but to make some throws in the pass D holes to McNeill and be on target--same with checkdowns or flat-out fly patterns to Lucky, because I think the "Dabo Demons" (had to break that one out) will make darn sure that they don't get beat by #'s 87 and 17. Joe will also need to make those timely runs that he's capable of when the D flies back in pass coverage.
Regarding Helu--make it happen, Roy. Florida State netted 266 yards rushing when they played Clemson. There's gotta be some of that available for you, too. The 'Noles picked up 7.6 yards per rush--you're almost there with 6.7 per carry. Sounds like a plan to me!
As for the score--it looks like the experts have things pegged pretty well on the spread with the Huskers favored by basically 3 points (2 1/2). Let's go with a 27-23 type game. I'd like to see a bigger margin weighted to our side of course--but I'm also in the camp of "1 point's as good as a thousand", so give me a W and make it an even Happier New Year to finish out what's been a positive start to the Bo Pelini era in Husker coaching.
GO BIG RED!!!
The Old Husker Fan
[Speaking of watching college bowl games---heard today that the Florida State-Wisconsin Champs Sports Bowl matchup last Saturday pulled in an audience of 4.6 million. 4.6 Mill for what amounts to an exhibition game (the point of the radio rant) on a CABLE network (ESPN). That was only 700,000 fewer folks watching than the 5.3 million that tuned in to the Celtics & Lakers--the NBA's finest matchup--in prime time on ABC on Christmas Day. Are we football fans or what???]
Back to the thought--and by the way, Florida State figures in here.
I'm not alone in this thought, I'm sure---that the Gator Bowl chance against Clemson is essentially the rematch against Virginia Tech that a lot of us have thought about and talked about since the team got re-started after the OU meltdown. Well, here we are, folks. The guys are playing a bunch with some tough D-backs, some speed in the backfield, and a competitive record--one that we came within, oh, about 57 yards' worth of matching (Alex Henery's FG distance against Colorado).
In other words, this game to me doesn't look like a cakewalk. I think we'll have our hands full to come out a winner.
There are 2 big features of the Clemson outfit that worry me:
First is their backfield speed. Their 2 running backs--Davis and Spiller--have over 2,000 yards rushing combined, and Spiller puts out a 4.25 in the 40. That's serious burning. Plus, it sounds to me like these guys have got the capability of doing ball-control and time of possession with their offense just like we've been so proud of since the Texas Tech game.
I'm still leery of the whole Southern Speed factor anyway--I always am during bowl season. It hit home again seeing how Florida State literally ran away from Wisconsin. Was I the only one watching who had a flashback to the late '80s-early '90s when our guys simply didn't have the wheels to match up in the bowl games? I don't think so.
The second facet of Clemson that bothers me is their D-backs' capability. Clemson had 18 INTs during the 2008 regular season. Apparently they can play a little pass defense. It makes me think of the Colorado game, when CU played Nate Swift and Todd Peterson pretty well and limited their production (combined 6 catches for just 54 yards). This concerns me.
So, how do our guys grab the Gator, so to speak? Here's one opinion--first, on defense--own the line big time across the board. Our guys have done that a lot, and it's helped our 'backers to not have blockers in their grilles. And then--numbers around the ballcarrier and no missed tackles. If we let their guys out, I don't know that we've got the make-up speed to catch them.
On offense--it's gotta be the Joe & Roy show as in Ganz & Helu--with a dash of Marlon Lucky on the perimeter and Mike McNeill in the seams of the defense thrown in. It'll be hugely important for #12 to not just manage the game, but to make some throws in the pass D holes to McNeill and be on target--same with checkdowns or flat-out fly patterns to Lucky, because I think the "Dabo Demons" (had to break that one out) will make darn sure that they don't get beat by #'s 87 and 17. Joe will also need to make those timely runs that he's capable of when the D flies back in pass coverage.
Regarding Helu--make it happen, Roy. Florida State netted 266 yards rushing when they played Clemson. There's gotta be some of that available for you, too. The 'Noles picked up 7.6 yards per rush--you're almost there with 6.7 per carry. Sounds like a plan to me!
As for the score--it looks like the experts have things pegged pretty well on the spread with the Huskers favored by basically 3 points (2 1/2). Let's go with a 27-23 type game. I'd like to see a bigger margin weighted to our side of course--but I'm also in the camp of "1 point's as good as a thousand", so give me a W and make it an even Happier New Year to finish out what's been a positive start to the Bo Pelini era in Husker coaching.
GO BIG RED!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Huskers vs Clemson Recalls "Conversation" Days
Sports comparison talk is rife with the phrase "...so-and-so is in the conversation." Get going on any "who's best at such-and-such a point..." topic and this line will pop up before the gig is over--
"If (he/they) isn't/aren't the best---he/they are in the conversation." Meaning, of course, that the player or team deserves to be thought of in very high regard.
And as the Huskers prepare for the Gator Bowl against Clemson--the first time these 2 teams have met since the Orange Bowl Jan 1 1982--this is the overall memory that sticks with me. You're reading and hearing lots of game-memory comments from coaches and players about Clemson's 22-15 win: the matchup between Nebraska all-time center Dave Rimington and the "Fridge"--William Perry of Clemson; how the Huskers almost pulled it out despite Turner Gill's absence because of a late-season leg injury; the impact of Danny Ford's lone national title as a head college coach on the community of Clemson, SC.
But--for me--the most important angle to this subject is this--the winner of the Orange Bowl would be the national champion of college football for the 1981 season. In other words, the road to the title went through the Huskers. If our guys had won, they would have won the '81 title. The Huskers were in the conversation.
It gets better. This was the start of a 5-year run during the heart of Tom Osborne's tremendous run as the Husker head man--heck, you could even stretch it to 6 or 7--where at one point or another in the season our guys had the title not several time zones away, but right in their sights--as long as they took care of business. And for 3 years running, whoever won the title had to beat Nebraska to get there--Clemson for the '81 title; Penn State in the famous "extended sideline" game in '82 (Joe Paterno's first title) ; and of course the Miami heartbreaker (featuring Bernie Kosar and Howard Schnellenberger) ending the '83 season and the famous Triplets (Gill, Mike Rozier and Irving Fryar) run in the Orange Bowl Jan 1, 1984.
Three years running!!! Raise your hand if you'd take that again.
And this, my fellow Husker fans, is what Bo Pelini & Co are striving for--to be in the hunt. To be in the conversation.
That's what makes this game special--the echoes of what the Husker program's calling card used to be--and how that trademark is being rebuilt, step by step, practice by practice, game by game.
It's perfect. It feels good. And it adds even more glue to the program's legacy with this appointment in Jacksonville Jan 1, 2009.
Go Big Red!!
The Old Husker Fan
"If (he/they) isn't/aren't the best---he/they are in the conversation." Meaning, of course, that the player or team deserves to be thought of in very high regard.
And as the Huskers prepare for the Gator Bowl against Clemson--the first time these 2 teams have met since the Orange Bowl Jan 1 1982--this is the overall memory that sticks with me. You're reading and hearing lots of game-memory comments from coaches and players about Clemson's 22-15 win: the matchup between Nebraska all-time center Dave Rimington and the "Fridge"--William Perry of Clemson; how the Huskers almost pulled it out despite Turner Gill's absence because of a late-season leg injury; the impact of Danny Ford's lone national title as a head college coach on the community of Clemson, SC.
But--for me--the most important angle to this subject is this--the winner of the Orange Bowl would be the national champion of college football for the 1981 season. In other words, the road to the title went through the Huskers. If our guys had won, they would have won the '81 title. The Huskers were in the conversation.
It gets better. This was the start of a 5-year run during the heart of Tom Osborne's tremendous run as the Husker head man--heck, you could even stretch it to 6 or 7--where at one point or another in the season our guys had the title not several time zones away, but right in their sights--as long as they took care of business. And for 3 years running, whoever won the title had to beat Nebraska to get there--Clemson for the '81 title; Penn State in the famous "extended sideline" game in '82 (Joe Paterno's first title) ; and of course the Miami heartbreaker (featuring Bernie Kosar and Howard Schnellenberger) ending the '83 season and the famous Triplets (Gill, Mike Rozier and Irving Fryar) run in the Orange Bowl Jan 1, 1984.
Three years running!!! Raise your hand if you'd take that again.
And this, my fellow Husker fans, is what Bo Pelini & Co are striving for--to be in the hunt. To be in the conversation.
That's what makes this game special--the echoes of what the Husker program's calling card used to be--and how that trademark is being rebuilt, step by step, practice by practice, game by game.
It's perfect. It feels good. And it adds even more glue to the program's legacy with this appointment in Jacksonville Jan 1, 2009.
Go Big Red!!
The Old Husker Fan
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Huskers' Season Takes Edge Off Winter
Man, woman and child---this winter is feeling a whole lot different--and better--than last winter. A year ago my favorite college football team was a wreck; we had a promise of better things to come but didn't know for sure; recruiting was full of question marks and catcalls; and to top it off, there wasn't another month's worth of practice and bowl-game anticipation to take some of the edge off cabin-fever season. How much suckier can it get??
Jump to this year. The boys won what--4 of their last 5; kicked a little booty along the way; showed some muscle in the run game; made some spectacular plays; got the shake back into Memorial Stadium. And now, to top it off---I'm reading bulletin board chatter with bitching about how one of our guys got screwed by the evil Big XII South in all-conference voting, and I'm getting e-mails about how the Gator Bowl gives us a chance for payback on Clemson after the Orange Bowl back in 1982--26 freaking years ago!!
And my reaction is---YEESSSSSS!!!! Things are getting back to normal!!!
A few comments here about the Colorado game--because in many respects, the events of that game captured Bo Pelini's 1st season as our Head Coach in one afternoon-early evening thrill ride.
The first point is---we as fans, and maybe the program---underestimated just how hard it is to get that winning vibe back. Before the CU game, I read and heard a lot of talk about how the "Vermin"--as my friend Colonel Mustard describes the Boulderites on Huskerpedia--were basically ripe for a beat-down because of injuries, bad offense, blah blah blah. Well, in many respects, that's kind of how we approached this 1st season with Bo and his staff also. I truly thought we'd have 9 wins in the bag right now.
Then, reality kicked in. And the bad guys scored on the 2nd play of the game.
The second point is---the program is truly welded together on all sides--players to coaches, coaches to players, team to the athletic department, athletic department to team. Time and time again this season, this team has pulled back from going into the ditch (especially after Mizzou and OU crashes)--and teams do not accomplish that if they have a problem.
Consider how that played out in the Colorado game. Time after time--2 easy scores for them, we forge ahead, then the fake field goal fiasco, then ill-time fumbles or penalties, the big sack on Joe Ganz late in the game, all followed by Alex Henery's explosive field goal and the Potter-Suh INT/TD capper--our guys faced circumstances where they could have cashed it in--blamed the coaches for bad play calls--blamed each other for some goof-up--blamed the refs for something--but they didn't. They held it together.
The third and final point is---while he's not perfect, Bo Pelini has done enough to show that he's got it going to the point that I'll bet almost every Husker fan is a "BO-liever" right now. And I offer the reaction of the stadium when Suh gave the Buff QB that great stiff-arm on his way to the end zone as proof. The roar of the crowd after Henery's field goal was loud, but it had a sigh-of-relief element to it as well. Kind of like "Oh, thank the Lord. We're ahead." But when Suh brought that INT into the north end zone, there was a good old spine-tingling rattle to that place!!--a sound of power and belief--or, again in ad-agency lingo, "BO-lief."
What a show. What an experience!
I'll have some more thoughts about the season later. But I'll tell you what--the gray skies, subzero wind chill and icy snow pellet-junk covering the back yard don't look all that troublesome. I'll wallow around in some very tasty memories--with more to come before this run is over with.
GO BIG RED!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Jump to this year. The boys won what--4 of their last 5; kicked a little booty along the way; showed some muscle in the run game; made some spectacular plays; got the shake back into Memorial Stadium. And now, to top it off---I'm reading bulletin board chatter with bitching about how one of our guys got screwed by the evil Big XII South in all-conference voting, and I'm getting e-mails about how the Gator Bowl gives us a chance for payback on Clemson after the Orange Bowl back in 1982--26 freaking years ago!!
And my reaction is---YEESSSSSS!!!! Things are getting back to normal!!!
A few comments here about the Colorado game--because in many respects, the events of that game captured Bo Pelini's 1st season as our Head Coach in one afternoon-early evening thrill ride.
The first point is---we as fans, and maybe the program---underestimated just how hard it is to get that winning vibe back. Before the CU game, I read and heard a lot of talk about how the "Vermin"--as my friend Colonel Mustard describes the Boulderites on Huskerpedia--were basically ripe for a beat-down because of injuries, bad offense, blah blah blah. Well, in many respects, that's kind of how we approached this 1st season with Bo and his staff also. I truly thought we'd have 9 wins in the bag right now.
Then, reality kicked in. And the bad guys scored on the 2nd play of the game.
The second point is---the program is truly welded together on all sides--players to coaches, coaches to players, team to the athletic department, athletic department to team. Time and time again this season, this team has pulled back from going into the ditch (especially after Mizzou and OU crashes)--and teams do not accomplish that if they have a problem.
Consider how that played out in the Colorado game. Time after time--2 easy scores for them, we forge ahead, then the fake field goal fiasco, then ill-time fumbles or penalties, the big sack on Joe Ganz late in the game, all followed by Alex Henery's explosive field goal and the Potter-Suh INT/TD capper--our guys faced circumstances where they could have cashed it in--blamed the coaches for bad play calls--blamed each other for some goof-up--blamed the refs for something--but they didn't. They held it together.
The third and final point is---while he's not perfect, Bo Pelini has done enough to show that he's got it going to the point that I'll bet almost every Husker fan is a "BO-liever" right now. And I offer the reaction of the stadium when Suh gave the Buff QB that great stiff-arm on his way to the end zone as proof. The roar of the crowd after Henery's field goal was loud, but it had a sigh-of-relief element to it as well. Kind of like "Oh, thank the Lord. We're ahead." But when Suh brought that INT into the north end zone, there was a good old spine-tingling rattle to that place!!--a sound of power and belief--or, again in ad-agency lingo, "BO-lief."
What a show. What an experience!
I'll have some more thoughts about the season later. But I'll tell you what--the gray skies, subzero wind chill and icy snow pellet-junk covering the back yard don't look all that troublesome. I'll wallow around in some very tasty memories--with more to come before this run is over with.
GO BIG RED!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Monday, November 10, 2008
Husker Win Over KU Is A Classic
I started smiling on the 1st play of the 4th quarter Saturday afternoon and I haven't stopped yet. The Huskers' 45-35 win over the Jayhawks felt that good. And it was a classic game, too. By that, I don't mean perfect--Lord knows, there were mistakes and missed chances all over the field. But, this game featured big plays by the featured stars, smart plays by the "supporting cast", gadget plays that made sense, and the hallmark of this program we've all come to know and love---lots of hits and lots of guts.
Let's go through some of those things. And, make no mistake about it---Nebraska WON this game. KU did not lose the game by some goofy mistake or screwed-up strategy. Our coaches and players did indeed put the OU game in the closet and made it happen against a KU bunch that is not as good as last year, but that still has some talent, a heady QB, and large, tough coach. (Had to make an obligatory Mangino reference somewhere, didn't I?)
Now the fine points:
Big plays by big stars---
#1-- This is headed by everyone in red's favorite big guy, #93, Ndamukong Suh. Hoe-lee smoke! 12--TWELVE--tackles??!!! By a D-LINEMAN??!!! Folks, that's Peter brothers or Danny Noonan or Larry Jacobson/Rich Glover performance caliber. You just don't see that by a D-LINEMAN! I can't get over that. Add in his sacks (2.5) and of course the TD catch (which was also big), and you have your player of the game.
#2--The entire D-line. I was going to put Zac Potter in there, but Steinkuhler and Allen were great, too. Even though the game featured 80 points total, the NU D-line set the tone for the game with their hitting and harassing of KU's offensive game plan. And I could hear it from the crowd, too. Mid-3rd quarter on, the crowd was roaring. That's what a Husker home game should sound like!
#3--The O-line. I had them farther down the list, but--sorry, the line's gotta go higher than that. They made it happen. I think Barney Cotton's style is starting to soak in. These guys did some major league work on Saturday. And Roy Helu's long run? Well, yes--he made a couple guys miss. But by the same token, he had a pretty good seam at the line to go through to get his magic act underway. Looking good, guys!
#4--Roy Helu. His 2 TDs--especially the 50-yarder--WOW!!! He reminded me of Roger Craig the way he was running. And then, KU coach Mangino talked about his "high knee" style after the game--that's vintage Craig.
#5--QB Joe Ganz. He ticked me off with that INT late in the 2nd qtr--but he played a clean 2nd half and led by example--playing with a sore foot after getting hit in the 2nd quarter. Vintage gutsy Husker QB action. He brought an image to me of another #12 from 30 years ago--Tom Sorley. Bo Pelini said it best after the game: "Joe is a man."
#6--The Nate Swift/Todd Peterson duo. Yeah, Swift fumbled. But the team had his back, so whatever. And he and Peterson are just so solid--so dependable--we're going to miss these guys.
#7--Alex Henery. What? He's a big star? Well, yeah. We all know who the FG kicker is, right? And that FG he made into the wind in the 3rd quarter was huge to give NU the lead early in the 2nd half. I know KU got the lead back, but still--that drive was messed up by a sack, yet we still got points. And then, of course, Henery pulled off the fake FG play in the 4th qtr.
Now--some standout smart plays by "supporting cast" types:
1) Tyler Wortman. He stayed home on a KU reverse in the 3rd quarter and stuffed it for a 7-yard loss. That play swung the game. KU had a 3-and-out and was forced to punt. We got the ball close to the 50, and then Helu took it to the house. How long, O Lord--how long have we prayed for someone to STAY HOME on a reverse? No Wake Forest--no Ball State from last year--nope, this wide receiver reverse had a much different ending.
2) Hunter Teafatiller. Maybe it's just me--but after a KU score in the 4th quarter, their kickoff was short. There have been times in the last few seasons when that's been a horror show for our side--but Teafatiller caught the thing clean and ran it ahead for what he could get--plus, hung onto the rock at the end. Set us up in good field position instead of giving the bad guys the momentum. That's another sign of how tuned-in the whole team is to what's going on.
3) Chris Brooks. He's had a rough time of it since Kevin Cosgrove pulled him away from going to either Illinois or Missouri a few years ago. He was supposed to be All-Everything. It hasn't worked out. But on Saturday, when he was needed, he made a big play to tie the game up with his TD catch.
#4) Jake Wesch. The guy's been a great holder and sometime punter--and showed how smooth an operator he is with the blind pitch on the fake FG Saturday to Henery. I know they've practiced it, but still--the game is a WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT than practice.
Now to the gadget plays:
1) Marlon Lucky's TD pass to Mike McNeill. My neighbor Mark, who was at the game, said the play had him fooled. EVERYONE expected Lucky to just plow ahead. Great call #1.
2) The TD pass to Suh. Boy, was he open on that play! And great execution by Ganz to give him a catchable ball. You know what my first thought was when Suh made that TD? "Wow--this is the type of stuff that Oklahoma does."
3) The fake FG move. Terrific timing on this call. We had a lead--not insurmountable, and we were down deep in the other team's end with our defense playing well. What a time! What a call!
4) Saturday's weather. It was cold, windy and miserable. Hot damn!!! Shades of the old Big 8 days.
Folks, you've gotta like the way things are moving. Guys are playing hard and smart, playing for each other, and playing for their coaches. You can't ask for anything more.
I won't get the 9-3 that I thought, but by gosh, 9-4 is certainly possible.
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Let's go through some of those things. And, make no mistake about it---Nebraska WON this game. KU did not lose the game by some goofy mistake or screwed-up strategy. Our coaches and players did indeed put the OU game in the closet and made it happen against a KU bunch that is not as good as last year, but that still has some talent, a heady QB, and large, tough coach. (Had to make an obligatory Mangino reference somewhere, didn't I?)
Now the fine points:
Big plays by big stars---
#1-- This is headed by everyone in red's favorite big guy, #93, Ndamukong Suh. Hoe-lee smoke! 12--TWELVE--tackles??!!! By a D-LINEMAN??!!! Folks, that's Peter brothers or Danny Noonan or Larry Jacobson/Rich Glover performance caliber. You just don't see that by a D-LINEMAN! I can't get over that. Add in his sacks (2.5) and of course the TD catch (which was also big), and you have your player of the game.
#2--The entire D-line. I was going to put Zac Potter in there, but Steinkuhler and Allen were great, too. Even though the game featured 80 points total, the NU D-line set the tone for the game with their hitting and harassing of KU's offensive game plan. And I could hear it from the crowd, too. Mid-3rd quarter on, the crowd was roaring. That's what a Husker home game should sound like!
#3--The O-line. I had them farther down the list, but--sorry, the line's gotta go higher than that. They made it happen. I think Barney Cotton's style is starting to soak in. These guys did some major league work on Saturday. And Roy Helu's long run? Well, yes--he made a couple guys miss. But by the same token, he had a pretty good seam at the line to go through to get his magic act underway. Looking good, guys!
#4--Roy Helu. His 2 TDs--especially the 50-yarder--WOW!!! He reminded me of Roger Craig the way he was running. And then, KU coach Mangino talked about his "high knee" style after the game--that's vintage Craig.
#5--QB Joe Ganz. He ticked me off with that INT late in the 2nd qtr--but he played a clean 2nd half and led by example--playing with a sore foot after getting hit in the 2nd quarter. Vintage gutsy Husker QB action. He brought an image to me of another #12 from 30 years ago--Tom Sorley. Bo Pelini said it best after the game: "Joe is a man."
#6--The Nate Swift/Todd Peterson duo. Yeah, Swift fumbled. But the team had his back, so whatever. And he and Peterson are just so solid--so dependable--we're going to miss these guys.
#7--Alex Henery. What? He's a big star? Well, yeah. We all know who the FG kicker is, right? And that FG he made into the wind in the 3rd quarter was huge to give NU the lead early in the 2nd half. I know KU got the lead back, but still--that drive was messed up by a sack, yet we still got points. And then, of course, Henery pulled off the fake FG play in the 4th qtr.
Now--some standout smart plays by "supporting cast" types:
1) Tyler Wortman. He stayed home on a KU reverse in the 3rd quarter and stuffed it for a 7-yard loss. That play swung the game. KU had a 3-and-out and was forced to punt. We got the ball close to the 50, and then Helu took it to the house. How long, O Lord--how long have we prayed for someone to STAY HOME on a reverse? No Wake Forest--no Ball State from last year--nope, this wide receiver reverse had a much different ending.
2) Hunter Teafatiller. Maybe it's just me--but after a KU score in the 4th quarter, their kickoff was short. There have been times in the last few seasons when that's been a horror show for our side--but Teafatiller caught the thing clean and ran it ahead for what he could get--plus, hung onto the rock at the end. Set us up in good field position instead of giving the bad guys the momentum. That's another sign of how tuned-in the whole team is to what's going on.
3) Chris Brooks. He's had a rough time of it since Kevin Cosgrove pulled him away from going to either Illinois or Missouri a few years ago. He was supposed to be All-Everything. It hasn't worked out. But on Saturday, when he was needed, he made a big play to tie the game up with his TD catch.
#4) Jake Wesch. The guy's been a great holder and sometime punter--and showed how smooth an operator he is with the blind pitch on the fake FG Saturday to Henery. I know they've practiced it, but still--the game is a WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT than practice.
Now to the gadget plays:
1) Marlon Lucky's TD pass to Mike McNeill. My neighbor Mark, who was at the game, said the play had him fooled. EVERYONE expected Lucky to just plow ahead. Great call #1.
2) The TD pass to Suh. Boy, was he open on that play! And great execution by Ganz to give him a catchable ball. You know what my first thought was when Suh made that TD? "Wow--this is the type of stuff that Oklahoma does."
3) The fake FG move. Terrific timing on this call. We had a lead--not insurmountable, and we were down deep in the other team's end with our defense playing well. What a time! What a call!
4) Saturday's weather. It was cold, windy and miserable. Hot damn!!! Shades of the old Big 8 days.
Folks, you've gotta like the way things are moving. Guys are playing hard and smart, playing for each other, and playing for their coaches. You can't ask for anything more.
I won't get the 9-3 that I thought, but by gosh, 9-4 is certainly possible.
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Huskers--Again--Not Ready For Prime Time
Call it buck fever. Call it deer in the headlights. Call it stage fright.
How about overmatched and knowing it?
That's the way I look at the Huskers' reaction---demeanor---and thus very bad start to the OU game to get the month of November underway. Our guys knew they were going up against an outfit that has its ship in shape from top down--and they got spooked early.
"Now just a minute there, Chuckles. Okay--so the guys from the school with the one-strain fight song that has only two words to it are good. What's the difference between them and Texas Tech? And look how we hung in there with that bunch a month ago!"
To that, I respond this way: You'll find out the difference between the guys in crimson and the dudes in red and black in 3 weeks when the Leach Boys leave the friendly confines of Buddy Holly-land and venture onto Owen Field. And--as for that tussle in Tech-land that we got involved with--the mid-October heartbreak--remember that we DID SOMETHING NEW at that game--which we failed to follow up on in Norman.
Think about that. What did the Husker offense do against Tex Tech? For the first time all season, our guys featured the short, quick passing game--especially the wide receiver screen. Tech wasn't ready for it--and it worked great. This game plan worked against Iowa State and Baylor as well--2 teams with serious talent, speed and experience deficiencies. Cool!
But there is one thing lacking in the starting Husker receiving corps this season--and that is pure, flat-out, take-it-to-the-house speed. And if there's one thing that OU D-backs have been over the years in my memory (except for the hiccup in the mid-90s), it's FAST. And when they broke on top, their guys DARED us to go deep. On our first play, when Joe Ganz threw that pick-6, their guys matching up on Todd Peterson and Nate Swift were easily within 5 yards of our guys. That play was doomed from the start, because there was no "bubble" in the coverage.
In other words, OU had seen that quick pass to the wide receivers from 3 weeks' worth of video. No surprise there. And it was all downhill from there.
Even before that disaster, it was evident on the opening series that OU's plan was to bring pressure, pressure, pressure early and often on both sides of the ball. You can do that when you're on the top side of a physical mismatch.
How'd they do it? OU went no-huddle TO START THE GAME--didn't even give our guys time to completely get used to what was going on.
Here's the Husker reaction after stopping the OU running back on the first play of the game for no gain (after which OU immediately lined up):
"Okay. Play's over. WHAT? They're lining up AGAIN??!! Oh $&*%!!!!!" The result of that play was, of course, a long pass completion down to the 4-yard line.
So OU did something unusual to mess our guys up early. And then, when we got the ball, we went to a play that we'd shown for almost a month. So who got who out of their comfort zone?
I'm not going to rag on players too much from here on. Yes, our guys are overmatched at this point. They're still learning. Friends, it takes a he11 of a long time to get things set up on a football team. But there are some points I have to make:
1) Is Ricky Thenarse really that bad on lining up that he isn't pushing for a starting safety spot?
2) Running back should be a Lucky-Helu combination. Quentin Castille just cannot hang onto the ball.
3) I know it was against backups, but I like the looks of Patrick Witt at QB. It's evident that he is taller than Joe Ganz for one thing. And if Witt's TD run was a true option--where it was his decision to either hand off or keep the ball--wow, what decision-making! I could sure see more of that. (Remember--Witt is a smart kid--graduated from high school in Texas early. )
4) I'm not going to gripe about Bo Pelini's outbursts on the telecast. He'll get through that. But, I would like to see him toss the sweatshirt look for something a little more "head-coachy" for lack of a better term. He's in good shape--certainly not like Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, who can only wear a hoodie--anything else would be out of the question. I'd like to see Bo either do the cool jogging-suit look a la Pete Carroll, or the collared polo shirt routine like he did at the first NU game against Western Michigan. He's a head coach now and I'd like to see him look the part a little more.
5) Fan talk here. Just to say it--I hope that I don't see a bunch of BS comment about the crappy coaching job, or how players can't get it done, during the next couple weeks. Yes, I've made some comments here and I hope they don't fall into that category. Our guys did run into a better team, got pressured early, and saw the game get away. That happens. But I still think they have a chance to go 8-4, and obviously I definitely want them to get to a bowl game, and to do that they've got to take some lessons from this game and use them to give it their best shot starting this next Saturday. And they need, at the least, fans to let them sort it out without a lot of excess griping.
Second--send 'em packing jive regarding the coaches can do nothing but hurt the recruiting effort. Getting to the point of having solid units on offense, defense and special teams means we need more than one or two good guys--and I for one don't want the fans to make things worse by sniping at what's gone on. This is--in many respects--still a shake-down cruise for coaches and players (and fans, too). Let's let this thing play out and watch the guys respond. I think we'll be impressed by what we see!
Go Big Red!!
The Old Husker Fan
How about overmatched and knowing it?
That's the way I look at the Huskers' reaction---demeanor---and thus very bad start to the OU game to get the month of November underway. Our guys knew they were going up against an outfit that has its ship in shape from top down--and they got spooked early.
"Now just a minute there, Chuckles. Okay--so the guys from the school with the one-strain fight song that has only two words to it are good. What's the difference between them and Texas Tech? And look how we hung in there with that bunch a month ago!"
To that, I respond this way: You'll find out the difference between the guys in crimson and the dudes in red and black in 3 weeks when the Leach Boys leave the friendly confines of Buddy Holly-land and venture onto Owen Field. And--as for that tussle in Tech-land that we got involved with--the mid-October heartbreak--remember that we DID SOMETHING NEW at that game--which we failed to follow up on in Norman.
Think about that. What did the Husker offense do against Tex Tech? For the first time all season, our guys featured the short, quick passing game--especially the wide receiver screen. Tech wasn't ready for it--and it worked great. This game plan worked against Iowa State and Baylor as well--2 teams with serious talent, speed and experience deficiencies. Cool!
But there is one thing lacking in the starting Husker receiving corps this season--and that is pure, flat-out, take-it-to-the-house speed. And if there's one thing that OU D-backs have been over the years in my memory (except for the hiccup in the mid-90s), it's FAST. And when they broke on top, their guys DARED us to go deep. On our first play, when Joe Ganz threw that pick-6, their guys matching up on Todd Peterson and Nate Swift were easily within 5 yards of our guys. That play was doomed from the start, because there was no "bubble" in the coverage.
In other words, OU had seen that quick pass to the wide receivers from 3 weeks' worth of video. No surprise there. And it was all downhill from there.
Even before that disaster, it was evident on the opening series that OU's plan was to bring pressure, pressure, pressure early and often on both sides of the ball. You can do that when you're on the top side of a physical mismatch.
How'd they do it? OU went no-huddle TO START THE GAME--didn't even give our guys time to completely get used to what was going on.
Here's the Husker reaction after stopping the OU running back on the first play of the game for no gain (after which OU immediately lined up):
"Okay. Play's over. WHAT? They're lining up AGAIN??!! Oh $&*%!!!!!" The result of that play was, of course, a long pass completion down to the 4-yard line.
So OU did something unusual to mess our guys up early. And then, when we got the ball, we went to a play that we'd shown for almost a month. So who got who out of their comfort zone?
I'm not going to rag on players too much from here on. Yes, our guys are overmatched at this point. They're still learning. Friends, it takes a he11 of a long time to get things set up on a football team. But there are some points I have to make:
1) Is Ricky Thenarse really that bad on lining up that he isn't pushing for a starting safety spot?
2) Running back should be a Lucky-Helu combination. Quentin Castille just cannot hang onto the ball.
3) I know it was against backups, but I like the looks of Patrick Witt at QB. It's evident that he is taller than Joe Ganz for one thing. And if Witt's TD run was a true option--where it was his decision to either hand off or keep the ball--wow, what decision-making! I could sure see more of that. (Remember--Witt is a smart kid--graduated from high school in Texas early. )
4) I'm not going to gripe about Bo Pelini's outbursts on the telecast. He'll get through that. But, I would like to see him toss the sweatshirt look for something a little more "head-coachy" for lack of a better term. He's in good shape--certainly not like Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, who can only wear a hoodie--anything else would be out of the question. I'd like to see Bo either do the cool jogging-suit look a la Pete Carroll, or the collared polo shirt routine like he did at the first NU game against Western Michigan. He's a head coach now and I'd like to see him look the part a little more.
5) Fan talk here. Just to say it--I hope that I don't see a bunch of BS comment about the crappy coaching job, or how players can't get it done, during the next couple weeks. Yes, I've made some comments here and I hope they don't fall into that category. Our guys did run into a better team, got pressured early, and saw the game get away. That happens. But I still think they have a chance to go 8-4, and obviously I definitely want them to get to a bowl game, and to do that they've got to take some lessons from this game and use them to give it their best shot starting this next Saturday. And they need, at the least, fans to let them sort it out without a lot of excess griping.
Second--send 'em packing jive regarding the coaches can do nothing but hurt the recruiting effort. Getting to the point of having solid units on offense, defense and special teams means we need more than one or two good guys--and I for one don't want the fans to make things worse by sniping at what's gone on. This is--in many respects--still a shake-down cruise for coaches and players (and fans, too). Let's let this thing play out and watch the guys respond. I think we'll be impressed by what we see!
Go Big Red!!
The Old Husker Fan
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