Tom Shatel of the World-Herald had a real interesting interview last week with Husker Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson. The full article is here. I know there's been plenty of chatter about what Coach W said, but I want to add my 2 cents as well.
It was great to read how the Pelini regime continues to interact with the Osborne era brainpower. That came out right away, when Coach Watson told how he's been in on periodic get-togethers with both T.O. and Milt Tenopir to get more acquainted with their methods in run-game development. This, of course, continues to distance the program in a very positive way from the shield-out-the-past notion that dominated the Callahan years.
Coach W also made a huge remark in talking about the Holiday Bowl offensive performance when he said, "healthy people". And then went through the whole list of guys we knew about being hurt, guys we didn't know as much about being hurt, and guys whose extent of their injuries were vague for many weeks. (This last one is specifically Zac Lee.) Basically, the whole darned O-line was fighting some injury issue almost the entire last 2/3 of the season. With that going on, no wonder the game plan turned more vanilla. And I agree with him big time that, as he said that T.O. reminded the coaches last season, "Style points don't matter." Sometimes there are games---heck, sometimes there are seasons---where a team just has to grind it out. And this team and its coaches were willing to do that in 2009.
The coach also said a mouthful and then some regarding how they had to hustle Cody Green out of there during the Oklahoma game. I could not agree more. I remember watching that game and thinking that CG represented a turnover just waiting to happen. Hopefully, of course, Cody turns in a good spring. It's all out there for him since Zac L will be rehabbing after the shoulder surgery.
Which brings me to---Lee's condition and how the coaches played it cool. Good for everyone involved. Zac did what he could, and the coaches never used his injury as an excuse, nor did they let on that something was wrong so the opposition could run with it. (They probably could see something wasn't working on the tapes, but why confirm it?) From a coaching standpoint, this playing it cool to me shows again just how much of a professional Shawn Watson is. He said about not making a big deal out of it, "That's my job."
There's one other thing about the way Coach W handled the questions, and that is---not once did he mention the receivers and their catching problems. We all know that Nebraska had only one dependable wideout last season--Niles Paul. (Yes, Brandon Kinnie made a catch or two against Texas, but Paul was truly "the man".) And, we also know that at least a couple guys were disappointments as the season went on. But the coach never pointed fingers, never called the guys out for subpar performance.
So now, where do we go from here? Well, we wait for spring practice info. And conjure up thoughts of the Wildcat offense. Considering how this outfit methodically took Arizona apart, I am excited for what's ahead. Who knows? We may be seeing an offense in 2010 that in its own way--its own physical way--makes its mark like the 2008 team did.
And one more note: To me, the fact that Coach Watson was able to do this interview at all is to me a sign of just how much Bo Pelini trusts him. I don't know if every offensive coordinator would be given that kind of leeway in doing something like this. I think this is a very strong signal that the head coach and the offensive coordinator get along very well. And I like that!
Go Big Red!!
The Old Husker Fan
Monday, February 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
A Glimmer Into The Husker Defense Mindset
This is a re-post of a blog from the Norfolk Nebr Daily News with a little hint of the method to the madness in the Husker defense. After reading this, ya gotta love Bo & Carl Pelini's concepts even more than you already do. Here it is.
The Old Husker Fan
The Old Husker Fan
Friday, January 1, 2010
Huskers' Finish Brings Comparisons
I'llTC bet every Husker fan alive caught at least part of the 33-0 workover the guys put on Arizona in the Holiday Bowl. What a way to finish the season!--even if Zac Lee's TD was pre-empted by the finish of the blue-turf bowl. No matter. There are some real poignant comparisons after that performance. And, there are also some one-of-a-kind contributors.
First, the comparisons:
Niles Paul---He's had his maddening moments this year, notably against Iowa State when he fumbled at the end of the long pass play late in the 2nd quarter. But there is no doubt that he has some "mad skillz" when it comes to being a threat. His running on the reverse, the long TD pass, and hsi continued effectiveness on returns bring Irving Fryar to mind. That's good company, and I think after what he's done, that Paul deserves such a comparison. I won't put him into Johnny Rodgers's light, though--at least not right now. The Jet was truly something special. But if Paul keeps this up, I will happily concede otherwise.
Rex Burkhead---Don at the New Year's Eve part we were at last night said that Burkhead reminds him of Tony Davis---the Tecumseh Tornado--who was a fiery bundle of energy at I-back in the early 1970s. I can see that. #22 has got some combativeness. I'd like to offer another suggested throwback--and that would be Jeff Kinney, he of the 4-TD showing against Oklahoma in the 1971 Game Of The Century. Regardless--it's obvious why Husker head guy Bo Pelini made such a big deal out of Burkhead's potential at Football 202 last summer. And there is no doubt that if Burkhead hadn't gotten hurt, the Iowa State loss would not have happened.
Ndamukong Suh---Simply, "wow". Where do you start with this guy and what he's accomplished this year? There's been a ton of copy put down about Suh and his play--all well earned---not the least of which was his major face time with Erin Andrews at the end of the Holiday Bowl. This guy's strength and quickness combo has brought up names like Rich Glover, Larry Jacobson (both stars of Devaney's best team in 1971), John Dutton (Osborne's first team in 1973), John Parrella of the early 1990s, and the Peter brothers in the mid-90s who were highlight players in the glory years of T.O.'s mid-'90s dynasty.
Well, in keeping with my Old Husker Fan persona, I'd like to make sure that another name is brought into the discussion of "Suh is like..."---and that is Wayne Meylan from the mid-1960s. Just like Suh, Meylan was practically unblockable. He was a true force of nature in his dominance of the line. He was a consensus All-American. And, like Suh, he wasn't just an immovable object in the line. He was also capable of scoring in his own right. Meylan was a guy who could block kicks and still had the quickness and dexterity to grab the ball and take it in. That's a special set of talents for sure. Everybody who's been mentioned is worthy of praise. I just want to make sure that Wayne Meylan isn't left out of the discussion in this "Year of Suh".
Now, to guys who in my opinion have no comparables--or very few. And those guys are the defensive back quartet of Alfonzo Dennard, Prince Amukamara, Eric Hagg, and Dejon Gomes. These guys are doing pass defense like we have seldom seen--certainly not since Barron Miles and Ralph Brown were patrolling the d-backfield. And even then, considering that the spread offense hadn't really gotten going 10-15 years ago, I think the work these 4 guys have done is flat-out something else.
What a bunch! What thrills they gave us this year!
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
First, the comparisons:
Niles Paul---He's had his maddening moments this year, notably against Iowa State when he fumbled at the end of the long pass play late in the 2nd quarter. But there is no doubt that he has some "mad skillz" when it comes to being a threat. His running on the reverse, the long TD pass, and hsi continued effectiveness on returns bring Irving Fryar to mind. That's good company, and I think after what he's done, that Paul deserves such a comparison. I won't put him into Johnny Rodgers's light, though--at least not right now. The Jet was truly something special. But if Paul keeps this up, I will happily concede otherwise.
Rex Burkhead---Don at the New Year's Eve part we were at last night said that Burkhead reminds him of Tony Davis---the Tecumseh Tornado--who was a fiery bundle of energy at I-back in the early 1970s. I can see that. #22 has got some combativeness. I'd like to offer another suggested throwback--and that would be Jeff Kinney, he of the 4-TD showing against Oklahoma in the 1971 Game Of The Century. Regardless--it's obvious why Husker head guy Bo Pelini made such a big deal out of Burkhead's potential at Football 202 last summer. And there is no doubt that if Burkhead hadn't gotten hurt, the Iowa State loss would not have happened.
Ndamukong Suh---Simply, "wow". Where do you start with this guy and what he's accomplished this year? There's been a ton of copy put down about Suh and his play--all well earned---not the least of which was his major face time with Erin Andrews at the end of the Holiday Bowl. This guy's strength and quickness combo has brought up names like Rich Glover, Larry Jacobson (both stars of Devaney's best team in 1971), John Dutton (Osborne's first team in 1973), John Parrella of the early 1990s, and the Peter brothers in the mid-90s who were highlight players in the glory years of T.O.'s mid-'90s dynasty.
Well, in keeping with my Old Husker Fan persona, I'd like to make sure that another name is brought into the discussion of "Suh is like..."---and that is Wayne Meylan from the mid-1960s. Just like Suh, Meylan was practically unblockable. He was a true force of nature in his dominance of the line. He was a consensus All-American. And, like Suh, he wasn't just an immovable object in the line. He was also capable of scoring in his own right. Meylan was a guy who could block kicks and still had the quickness and dexterity to grab the ball and take it in. That's a special set of talents for sure. Everybody who's been mentioned is worthy of praise. I just want to make sure that Wayne Meylan isn't left out of the discussion in this "Year of Suh".
Now, to guys who in my opinion have no comparables--or very few. And those guys are the defensive back quartet of Alfonzo Dennard, Prince Amukamara, Eric Hagg, and Dejon Gomes. These guys are doing pass defense like we have seldom seen--certainly not since Barron Miles and Ralph Brown were patrolling the d-backfield. And even then, considering that the spread offense hadn't really gotten going 10-15 years ago, I think the work these 4 guys have done is flat-out something else.
What a bunch! What thrills they gave us this year!
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The Husker Band And The Ultimate Texas Salute
The upcoming Big XII title game between the Huskers and 'Horns (oh how I love the way the Red Clad Loon writes that moniker out---"Whorns") calls to mind the memory of postgame Cotton Bowl 1974 when this Old Husker Fan was blowin' his horn for Marching Big Red down in Dallas. But first--every fan's got his opinion, and here's mine--about the 2009 title match.
No surprise here---the game will be between a team that is overbalanced--us--with an outstanding defense and average to below-average offense--against an outfit--Texas--that is above-average on both sides of the ball. With that, it's possible that we could see a game very similar to Nebraska-Oklahoma 1973, when our guys went down 27-0 in Norman and didn't even take one snap in their half of the field.
Of course, the wild card here is Bo Pelini's fire and the Horns' psyche. I love what Bo said this week about underdog this-and-that---it's all B.S. and "...we're going down there to win a football game. End of story." This guy does not back down--and as I said at the beginning of this blog last summer, that attitude is right down the line Devaney-esque. That's exactly how the Bobfather would approach this game.
On the 'Horn side, as my work friend Marty notes, it's Big XII title or bust. They've got all the pressure--we don't. And for their #12--it's no tickie, no shurkie for the Heisman. If McCoy doesn't have a good game he's done. If he has a good game, well--he can do the Jay Berwanger lookalike pose.
(Jay B was of course the model for the Heisman statue, because he was the first winner. He came from Dubuque, and I got to hear his story more than once during my radio days there. But I digress.)
Back to the game--Colt may be the Real McCoy. He of course has his good buddy, Jordan Shipley, to bail him out, and that's not a small matter. Our guys will have to cover him real well. But then again--we've got two all-conference D-backs, right? Yes we do--Prince and the Assassin.
So, what the heck--I think we rock & shock the world and the great Lone Star Republic. Huskers 17, Horns 10. (Don't ask me where the Husker TDs come from--I don't know. But they'll happen somehow. Maybe Suh takes a fumble and an INT back.)
Speaking of---y'know, it's not out of the question that if--as Chris Fowler calls him---Big Mister Suh--has a monster game, HE elbows his way into the top rung of Heisman-ism. Would THAT be sweet??!!!
All right--now to some fun stuff. Following that 1973 season that I noted earlier--which of course was Tom Osborne's first season as Husker head coach--the team, with a record of 8-2-1, was invited to the Cotton Bowl to play Texas. I don't recall if we were the underdogs or not--but there was a lot of excitement over playing the 'Horns. (According to records on Huskerpedia, we were ranked 12th, Texas was #8).
Jan 1, 1974 was a raw, ugly day in Big D. There were a few snow flurries along with some sleet. This was great fun for us northern guys to watch as the Texas drivers all looked like Bevo on skates while they were trying to drive on the freeway. The Cotton Bowl parade was a freeze-fest--our instruments never got warm. No telling what the sound was like--although the Husker fans at the parade had probably had breakfast with everyone's favorite pal, Jack Daniels--so who knew or cared if "No Place Like Nebraska" or "Hail Varsity" was in tune or not.
Then to the game. Weather didn't warm up any. It was gray, windy, and cold the whole time. PERFECT HUSKER WEATHER!!! Our guys were savage on D--Steve Manstedt made a huge play by catching a fumble in midair and taking it back well over 80 yards to set up a TD. We also returned a field goal effort that was well short--handled it like a kickoff and Bob Thornton brought it back about 40 yards to set up another drive. Final score was 19-3 Big Red.
We band members were jacked after the game. We were blaring fight songs, yelling, carrying on---EVERYONE like hooking the 'Horns.
Then came the capper. The 'Horns' pathway out of the stadium took them right by us hornblowers having a great time. And we were ready. The trumpet section--I believe inspired by Steve Erickson, although there were any number of other guys who could have done the same thing---had got us all lathered up (I love that Callahan term) to play "The Eyes of Texas" in a minor key. Doing that, the rollicking ditty (which is really "I've Been Workin' On The Railroad") becomes a funeral dirge.
We played that downer-type tune loud as we could while the 'Horns were filing off the field. They were whipped and they knew it. Several of them had tears in their eyes. A few tried half-heartedly to show the Hook 'em finger sign.
And then---and then---as one of the players walked by, being serenaded by the band---he gave us the one-finger salute. The middle finger. The bird. The Bronx Cheer.
When we saw that, we cheered and played even louder. The BAND had gotten inside the Texas heads--following, of course, the beat-down that the guys had accomplished on the field. It was great.
I don't know how things will go Saturday night in "Jerryworld". But if we pull this one out, I hope that the alternative "Eyes of Texas" song is rendered somewhere afterward. That would only be appropriate.
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
No surprise here---the game will be between a team that is overbalanced--us--with an outstanding defense and average to below-average offense--against an outfit--Texas--that is above-average on both sides of the ball. With that, it's possible that we could see a game very similar to Nebraska-Oklahoma 1973, when our guys went down 27-0 in Norman and didn't even take one snap in their half of the field.
Of course, the wild card here is Bo Pelini's fire and the Horns' psyche. I love what Bo said this week about underdog this-and-that---it's all B.S. and "...we're going down there to win a football game. End of story." This guy does not back down--and as I said at the beginning of this blog last summer, that attitude is right down the line Devaney-esque. That's exactly how the Bobfather would approach this game.
On the 'Horn side, as my work friend Marty notes, it's Big XII title or bust. They've got all the pressure--we don't. And for their #12--it's no tickie, no shurkie for the Heisman. If McCoy doesn't have a good game he's done. If he has a good game, well--he can do the Jay Berwanger lookalike pose.
(Jay B was of course the model for the Heisman statue, because he was the first winner. He came from Dubuque, and I got to hear his story more than once during my radio days there. But I digress.)
Back to the game--Colt may be the Real McCoy. He of course has his good buddy, Jordan Shipley, to bail him out, and that's not a small matter. Our guys will have to cover him real well. But then again--we've got two all-conference D-backs, right? Yes we do--Prince and the Assassin.
So, what the heck--I think we rock & shock the world and the great Lone Star Republic. Huskers 17, Horns 10. (Don't ask me where the Husker TDs come from--I don't know. But they'll happen somehow. Maybe Suh takes a fumble and an INT back.)
Speaking of---y'know, it's not out of the question that if--as Chris Fowler calls him---Big Mister Suh--has a monster game, HE elbows his way into the top rung of Heisman-ism. Would THAT be sweet??!!!
All right--now to some fun stuff. Following that 1973 season that I noted earlier--which of course was Tom Osborne's first season as Husker head coach--the team, with a record of 8-2-1, was invited to the Cotton Bowl to play Texas. I don't recall if we were the underdogs or not--but there was a lot of excitement over playing the 'Horns. (According to records on Huskerpedia, we were ranked 12th, Texas was #8).
Jan 1, 1974 was a raw, ugly day in Big D. There were a few snow flurries along with some sleet. This was great fun for us northern guys to watch as the Texas drivers all looked like Bevo on skates while they were trying to drive on the freeway. The Cotton Bowl parade was a freeze-fest--our instruments never got warm. No telling what the sound was like--although the Husker fans at the parade had probably had breakfast with everyone's favorite pal, Jack Daniels--so who knew or cared if "No Place Like Nebraska" or "Hail Varsity" was in tune or not.
Then to the game. Weather didn't warm up any. It was gray, windy, and cold the whole time. PERFECT HUSKER WEATHER!!! Our guys were savage on D--Steve Manstedt made a huge play by catching a fumble in midair and taking it back well over 80 yards to set up a TD. We also returned a field goal effort that was well short--handled it like a kickoff and Bob Thornton brought it back about 40 yards to set up another drive. Final score was 19-3 Big Red.
We band members were jacked after the game. We were blaring fight songs, yelling, carrying on---EVERYONE like hooking the 'Horns.
Then came the capper. The 'Horns' pathway out of the stadium took them right by us hornblowers having a great time. And we were ready. The trumpet section--I believe inspired by Steve Erickson, although there were any number of other guys who could have done the same thing---had got us all lathered up (I love that Callahan term) to play "The Eyes of Texas" in a minor key. Doing that, the rollicking ditty (which is really "I've Been Workin' On The Railroad") becomes a funeral dirge.
We played that downer-type tune loud as we could while the 'Horns were filing off the field. They were whipped and they knew it. Several of them had tears in their eyes. A few tried half-heartedly to show the Hook 'em finger sign.
And then---and then---as one of the players walked by, being serenaded by the band---he gave us the one-finger salute. The middle finger. The bird. The Bronx Cheer.
When we saw that, we cheered and played even louder. The BAND had gotten inside the Texas heads--following, of course, the beat-down that the guys had accomplished on the field. It was great.
I don't know how things will go Saturday night in "Jerryworld". But if we pull this one out, I hope that the alternative "Eyes of Texas" song is rendered somewhere afterward. That would only be appropriate.
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Monday, November 9, 2009
Husker HC Bo Pelini Is Truly Like Devaney
One of the many reasons why Tom Osborne went for Bo Pelini as Husker head coach a couple years ago was that Bo had some Bob Devaney-like characteristics.
Well, we saw it firsthand Saturday night. 2 quarterbacks in the same game? Heck, Devaney did that all the time. Check the years 1964, '65, '67, '68, '69 and '70. Big deal. The Bobfather constantly went back and forth in '64 and '65 between Fred Duda and Bob Churchich, and in '67 and '68 between Frank Patrick and Ernie Sigler. And in the revival year of 1969 and even into the 1st national championship year of 1970, the Huskers flipped between Van Brownson and Jerry Tagge.
Yes, it's true--1967 and '68 were not the greatest of seasons. (Although in the lens of the Callahan years, 6-4 those years doesn't look too bad.) But, folks, 1964 and '65 were very good indeed: 9-1 regular season in '64, 10-0 reg season in '65, and both years featured bowl games (Cotton '64, Orange '65) which were national title games. And '69 featured the guys going 9-2 and whacking Georgia in the Sun Bowl, with the '70 unit winning over LSU in the Orange and getting Devaney his first title. (Although by the end of the '70 season, Jerry Tagge had truly laid claim to the QB position.)
Back to the present. So, Saturday night, Cody Green starts but doesn't get it done. Shawn Watson, Husker Offensive Coordinator, described Green as "nervous in the service." Nooooo kidding!! He's good, but he truly looked like a turnover waiting to happen. And if that's the case in a tight game, go with the older guy. And that's what Bo did. He coached the game--he didn't try to install a program or make some fancy point. He coached the game. He knew how that thing was going to go down---slam-bang D, don't do something stupid on O, and we'll have a chance to win this deal.
The Coach made his point very well, too. Remember how he ripped Zac Lee after that fumbled option pitch in the 2nd quarter following Roy Helu's first long run--with the guys in scoring position? That was vintage Devaney. The Bobfather didn't put up with carelessness either.
Well, I for one like it. We have ourselves a coach who knows what it takes to get a hard-fought win and isn't worried about style points. He let his best outfit--the defense--win the game and simply told the offense--"Don't do anything to give them chances." And it worked. Boy, did it work!!!
Do what it takes. Focus. Don't flinch. Play the entire 60 minutes. That's what this program is about--has been--and is getting back to being.
Forty years ago it took a guy with that kind of perspective to re-start the program. And that's what we have now as well. Yeessssss!!!!!!!
GO BIG RED!!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Well, we saw it firsthand Saturday night. 2 quarterbacks in the same game? Heck, Devaney did that all the time. Check the years 1964, '65, '67, '68, '69 and '70. Big deal. The Bobfather constantly went back and forth in '64 and '65 between Fred Duda and Bob Churchich, and in '67 and '68 between Frank Patrick and Ernie Sigler. And in the revival year of 1969 and even into the 1st national championship year of 1970, the Huskers flipped between Van Brownson and Jerry Tagge.
Yes, it's true--1967 and '68 were not the greatest of seasons. (Although in the lens of the Callahan years, 6-4 those years doesn't look too bad.) But, folks, 1964 and '65 were very good indeed: 9-1 regular season in '64, 10-0 reg season in '65, and both years featured bowl games (Cotton '64, Orange '65) which were national title games. And '69 featured the guys going 9-2 and whacking Georgia in the Sun Bowl, with the '70 unit winning over LSU in the Orange and getting Devaney his first title. (Although by the end of the '70 season, Jerry Tagge had truly laid claim to the QB position.)
Back to the present. So, Saturday night, Cody Green starts but doesn't get it done. Shawn Watson, Husker Offensive Coordinator, described Green as "nervous in the service." Nooooo kidding!! He's good, but he truly looked like a turnover waiting to happen. And if that's the case in a tight game, go with the older guy. And that's what Bo did. He coached the game--he didn't try to install a program or make some fancy point. He coached the game. He knew how that thing was going to go down---slam-bang D, don't do something stupid on O, and we'll have a chance to win this deal.
The Coach made his point very well, too. Remember how he ripped Zac Lee after that fumbled option pitch in the 2nd quarter following Roy Helu's first long run--with the guys in scoring position? That was vintage Devaney. The Bobfather didn't put up with carelessness either.
Well, I for one like it. We have ourselves a coach who knows what it takes to get a hard-fought win and isn't worried about style points. He let his best outfit--the defense--win the game and simply told the offense--"Don't do anything to give them chances." And it worked. Boy, did it work!!!
Do what it takes. Focus. Don't flinch. Play the entire 60 minutes. That's what this program is about--has been--and is getting back to being.
Forty years ago it took a guy with that kind of perspective to re-start the program. And that's what we have now as well. Yeessssss!!!!!!!
GO BIG RED!!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Friday, October 9, 2009
Husker Win Over Mizzou Brings Out The Colors
I'm wearing my red Husker cap and my red Husker sweatshirt with pride this morning after the HUGE win in Columbia. And boy does it feel good!!
What a game!! Ugly, yes. Mistakes made, certainly. But there was no lack of effort and hitting on the part of our guys. Suh led the way certainly--but the entire defense brought the lumber from the very first play--and then the offense got its act together in the 4th quarter.
I watched the whole thing. Bitched when the offense continued to throw the ball in rain that acted like a car wash gone bonkers. "Coach Watson, what are you thinking?" I asked over and over again. I cringed when the special teams play kept going goofy. And I was sure that a Mizzou run of a couple quick scores was just around the corner.
But, by the 3rd quarter, I had a different impression. And that was this---"Y'know, we might lose. But this bunch is putting some HITS on out there." Tackling was solid. Passes were challenged. The D-line was relentless.
And I thought "Yeah. THIS is the program that I root for!!!"
To make it sweeter, of course, was that the offense clicked in the 4th quarter. And the result was this unforgettable comeback 27-12 win on the road--at a stadium where the Huskers hadn't won since Eric Crouch's Heisman year in 2001.
Speaking of--EC, along with Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Tommie Frazier, and many, many other offensive stars---rightfully have their headlines and awards. But the backbone of the Husker program and tradition is defense. Bob Devaney's teams won some really ugly games because of solid D. Tom Osborne's first title--in the Comeback In Miami--came because of the defense shutting down the 'Canes. That's what made the past 5 years or so seem like such a nightmare--and why the pasting in Colorado back in '01 still stings. Things like that don't happen to a Nebraska defense.
Well, the program showed last night that that spirit is alive and well in Lincoln. The first-team D may not get the Blackshirt wardrobe, but there's no question that their play was of that quality Thursday night.
And it's got this old Husker fan proud to wear red again.
Go Big Red!!!
What a game!! Ugly, yes. Mistakes made, certainly. But there was no lack of effort and hitting on the part of our guys. Suh led the way certainly--but the entire defense brought the lumber from the very first play--and then the offense got its act together in the 4th quarter.
I watched the whole thing. Bitched when the offense continued to throw the ball in rain that acted like a car wash gone bonkers. "Coach Watson, what are you thinking?" I asked over and over again. I cringed when the special teams play kept going goofy. And I was sure that a Mizzou run of a couple quick scores was just around the corner.
But, by the 3rd quarter, I had a different impression. And that was this---"Y'know, we might lose. But this bunch is putting some HITS on out there." Tackling was solid. Passes were challenged. The D-line was relentless.
And I thought "Yeah. THIS is the program that I root for!!!"
To make it sweeter, of course, was that the offense clicked in the 4th quarter. And the result was this unforgettable comeback 27-12 win on the road--at a stadium where the Huskers hadn't won since Eric Crouch's Heisman year in 2001.
Speaking of--EC, along with Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Tommie Frazier, and many, many other offensive stars---rightfully have their headlines and awards. But the backbone of the Husker program and tradition is defense. Bob Devaney's teams won some really ugly games because of solid D. Tom Osborne's first title--in the Comeback In Miami--came because of the defense shutting down the 'Canes. That's what made the past 5 years or so seem like such a nightmare--and why the pasting in Colorado back in '01 still stings. Things like that don't happen to a Nebraska defense.
Well, the program showed last night that that spirit is alive and well in Lincoln. The first-team D may not get the Blackshirt wardrobe, but there's no question that their play was of that quality Thursday night.
And it's got this old Husker fan proud to wear red again.
Go Big Red!!!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Husker DBs Finally Take One To The House
Had the chance to watch the pay per view TV coverage of the Huskers vs Loo-zee-ann-uh Lafayette last Saturday evening. Before the game started, I said, "Boy, would I like to see a turnover taken in for a touchdown--on our side of course."
Darned if that didn't happen with Larry Asante's INT return for six. Which, of course, was taken down a peg by his collapsing hurt in the end zone after the finish. Health and injury issues are never far away.
But back to the thought--the paper noted on Sunday that Asante's pick 6 was the first time for a Husker D-back to take one back all the way since Fabian Washington got-R-done (tribute to Larry the Cable Guy since he was at the game last week) back in 2002.
2002!!! 2002!!! Freaking seven years ago!!!
Which, of course, is yet one more indictment of the Pederson-Callahan Administration. Here we are in the most pass-happy conference on God's green earth---and yet, for the Huskers, a pass interception and return for a touchdown by a defensive back is an event that ranks with a kick or punt return in its rarity. Wow.
That speaks either to a lack of talent to make it happen--or a lack of coaching to be ready for it--or both.
I know that there have been some unlucky moments. Cortney Grixby had a great opportunity against USC (aka Song Girl U) in 2006 when he jumped an out route and had nothing but green for about 25 yards to the end zone--but couldn't hang on.
But, more often than not, the mindset and coaching and preparation just hasn't been there to recognize the play, make the move, and secure the ball--then, of course, make the return.
It's nice to see that technique and execution back. And hopefully it's not the last time this season--for our side of course.
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
Darned if that didn't happen with Larry Asante's INT return for six. Which, of course, was taken down a peg by his collapsing hurt in the end zone after the finish. Health and injury issues are never far away.
But back to the thought--the paper noted on Sunday that Asante's pick 6 was the first time for a Husker D-back to take one back all the way since Fabian Washington got-R-done (tribute to Larry the Cable Guy since he was at the game last week) back in 2002.
2002!!! 2002!!! Freaking seven years ago!!!
Which, of course, is yet one more indictment of the Pederson-Callahan Administration. Here we are in the most pass-happy conference on God's green earth---and yet, for the Huskers, a pass interception and return for a touchdown by a defensive back is an event that ranks with a kick or punt return in its rarity. Wow.
That speaks either to a lack of talent to make it happen--or a lack of coaching to be ready for it--or both.
I know that there have been some unlucky moments. Cortney Grixby had a great opportunity against USC (aka Song Girl U) in 2006 when he jumped an out route and had nothing but green for about 25 yards to the end zone--but couldn't hang on.
But, more often than not, the mindset and coaching and preparation just hasn't been there to recognize the play, make the move, and secure the ball--then, of course, make the return.
It's nice to see that technique and execution back. And hopefully it's not the last time this season--for our side of course.
Go Big Red!!!
The Old Husker Fan
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