A Season on the Brink

Every team in College Football has games during the season that will define that particular year.  These games ultimately determine whether the campaign is a success or a failure.  Saturday in Madison Wisconsin is a defining game for both the Huskers and the Badgers.  The winner will move forward with all of their goals intact.  The loser will be forced to play out the season and wonder what may have been.  It is clear that the winner of the West will more than likely be the winner of this game.  Wisconsin has the clear edge with both the location of this game, and the health of Husker RB Ameer Abdullah.  Still, the outcome of this game is definitely up in the air.

When Nebraska has the ball both teams will be facing outstanding units.  The Wisconsin Defense is good, really good.  The Badgers are giving up just 251 yards per game, and just 14.3 points per game.  They rank in the top 3 Nationally in both of those statistical categories.  Some of the gaudy numbers defensively are due to the Badgers ball control offense that limits possessions, but these numbers are more indicative of the way this group has developed as the year has gone along.  Believe it or not, the Badgers had to replace their entire front 7 from a year ago.  That is remarkable.  As smothering as the Wisconsin defense has been, they have not played an Offense nearly as good as the Big Red.  In fact Wisconsin has only played 2 teams with an offense that ranks in the top 70 in total offense.  Bowling Green ranks 34th in total offense while LSU ranks 67th.  Nebraska ranks 17th.  In the past I have called the Big Red Offense bipolar for their up and down roller coaster performances.  I will not back off that claim, but a look at the numbers shows an offense that is damn good.  Nebraska ranks 10th nationally in both points per game and rushing yards per game.  The Huskers rank 17th nationally with 490 yards per game.  This is a versatile and prolific unit, the likes of which the Badgers have not seen.

The matchup turning issues are 2 fold.  First, can Nebraska avoid the big mistake that has haunted them in big games in years past.  In their only defeat NU turned the ball over 4 times against Michigan State.  In their last outing against Purdue NU committed 3 turnovers.  In recent weeks, the Huskers have flubbed around with penalties and a mystifying problem with the QB/Center exchange.  That dog wont hunt Saturday.  Nebraska must not shoot themselves in the foot in order to beat the Badgers.  Secondly the health of Ameer Abdullah is paramount.  Abdullah’s importance to the NU Offense cannot be understated.  Hell, he averages 187 all purpose yards per game, best in the country.  If he cannot play, or is not 100%, who will step up for Nebraska and pick up some of the slack?  There are numerous candidates, but the one that stands out most is Tommy Armstrong.  If Abdullah is limited, Armstrong will have to take this unit on his back.  He will be forced to torch the Wisconsin Defense with tight throws and sound choices.  I believe he can do this, but his performances to this point are that of an inconsistent QB.  I believe the Huskers will have to avoid the costly mistakes AND get key performances to beat the Badgers.  In my opinion, its a tall order.

The keys to the game are pretty damn simple when the Wisconsin Offense is on the field.  The team that controls the line of scrimmage will win this game.  Wisconsin is about as one dimensional as it gets.  They rank 117th in the country in passing yards per game.  The trouble for NU is that the Badgers typically aren’t forced to throw the ball.  UW can pound the rock behind that beefy Offensive Line, all around stud Melvin Gordon and terrific backup Corey Clement.  Its exhausting for defenders.  The onus on Nebraska is to limit the run on 1st and 2nd down, and force the Badgers into obvious passing situations.  Wisconsin lacks playmakers on the outside, and Joel Stave is decent, but he is no Aaron Rodgers.  Slowing the run is obviously easier said than done, but I believe that Nebraska possesses the kind of Defensive Line that can stand up to this ridiculous rushing attack.  Maleik Collins, Randy Gregory, Greg McMullen and company are capable, but it will be a street fight in the trenches.  This game will test the will of the Blackshirts.  Will they have the stones to beat the Badgers?

There will be a lot of talk about the Badger beatdowns of 2011 and 2012.  Those games could not be more irrelevant to the game played Saturday afternoon.  Not a single Husker defender recorded a tackle in that catastrophe in Indianapolis 2 years ago.  Not one.  Additionally the following players will not be suited up for Wisconsin: Russel Wilson, Jared Abbrederis, Mike Taylor, Chris Borland, Jacob Pederson, Monte Ball, Travis Frederick, and of course Brett Bielema is now at Arkansas.  The point is that the whoopings of years past should have no factor in the ball game whatsoever.  I expect this game to be a brawl.  I have enormous respect for Wisconsin and coach Gary Andersen.  That is a team with an identity and they stick to it to the end of the earth.  The Huskers will have to earn it in Camp Randall.  Its up to Bo Pelini to get this team ready for the fight.  Buckle your chinstrap and bring a sack lunch, this game will be a bruiser.  Both of these teams will be hungry for the drivers seat in the Big 10 West.  Games like this are what makes College Football so freaking fantastic.  Is it Saturday yet?

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Saturday notes on a Sunday 9/7

*USC beat Stanford 13-10 on Saturday.  The result was not at all surprising, the way they got there was.  Stanford made 7, yes 7, trips to the red zone and walked away with 10 points.  That is incredible and for all the wrong reasons.  2 fumbles, 2 missed FGs and a turnover on downs spoiled any chance the Cardinal had to win this game.  Credit USC for hanging tough despite having their backs against the wall for most of the game.  I have to think at seasons end, the Cardinal will look back at this week 2 setback and wonder what could have been.

*If you like defense then I suggest you turn away from the Washington/Eastern Michigan score.  Those two combines for over 100 points over 1100 yards, 61 first downs and a combined 3 punts.  Holy Hell that is a whole lot of offense.  Washington won the game 59-52, but Christ almighty you have to play more defense than that.  Washington should be an interesting watch going forward.

*I thought Texas would get revenge on BYU for the embarassment in Provo a year ago.  I could not have been more wrong.  The Horns bit the 6th Street curb Saturday night and the Cougars pounded teh Horns 41-7.  Jesus Christ that is a beat down.  The numbers arent as gaudy as a year ago but the final score is even worse.  Taysom Hill accounted for 4 TDs and the Horns turned it over 4, freaking, times in this one.  Charlie Strong is laying down the law in Austin, but losses like this wont help his reception.  What in OU going to do to the Horns in a month?  That could be a blood bath.

*The Iowa Hawkeyes really pulled their eggs out of the fryer Saturday afternoon.  Down 13-3 late in the 4th, the Hawks scored 2 TDs in the last 3 minutes to beat mighty Ball State.  Iowa did their best to lose this game with 3 missed FGs and a fumble recovery for a TD, but ultimately made enough plays to win.  The Hawkeyes were incredible unbalanced in this one, throwing the ball 55 times and running it just 29.  Iowa fans had better hope some offensive balance is reached going into conference play.

*Dan McCarney really has the North Texas Mean Green on the rise.  A few years ago this program was a mess.  Between 2005 and 2010 UNT didnt win more than 3 games in a season.  Last year they won 9 and the future appears bright.  Yesterday UNT trounced SMU 43-6.  The fact that North Texas beat anyone by that margin is newsworthy.  The Mean Green forced 5 turnovers and ran for 245 yards.  Big kudos goes to Dan McCarney and staff for the transformation of this football program.

*Much is being made of the Michigan State Spartans losing to the Oregon Ducks in Eugene.  Their claim is that the Big 10 is no good because the Spartans didnt walk out with a W.  Lets take a look a the small picture for once.  2 top 10 teams played and the home team walked out victorious.  Is that in any way surprising?  Autzen Stadium is a tough place to play.  Consider that since 2009 the Ducks have lost 2 home games.  Lets not paint things with too broad of a brush.  If you wish to pick on the Big 10, and many do, use some different evidence.  Michigan State is a very good team, but its hard to win on the road in College Football.  Its especially tough when you play a very good team.

STOCK UP
USC- tough gritty win for the Trojans.
North Texas-Keep an eye on these guys.
Notre Dame- Shutting out the Wolverines will always land you on the stock up list.
Oregon- A nice win for the Ducks.  Marcus Marriota was terrific.  Perhaps I have overlooked Oregon this season.

STOCK DOWN
Nebraska- Dont get me started
UCLA- Another upset avoided?  The Bruins might be in trouble in Pac 12 play.
Texas- Getting slapped around on your home field by BYU is unnaceptable in Austin.
North Carolina- Struggling with San Diego State will land you on the Stock Down list.
Vanderbilt- What happened to Vandy?  Getting curb stomped 41-3 by Ole Miss?  Something stinks in Nashville.

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5 Nebraska Football questions for 2014

With the season a couple of months away, it is time to look forward to what 2014 could have in store.  As usual, I expect the Nebraska Cornhuskers to compete for a championship of some kind.  That will always be the expectation when it comes to Big Red football.  I believe the  pieces are there to achieve this goal.  That said, there are a number of  major variables in play.  Here are 5 key questions about the Nebraska Cornhuskers going into the 2014 football season.

How much will Tommy Armstrong improve?
I ask how much because Armstrong must improve in 2014.  He flashed his potential last season, but his numbers are that of a below average QB.  On the season he completed 52% of his passes with a 9/8 TD to Int ratio.  The Huskers finished 11th in the Big 10 in passing Offense.  That simply isn’t good enough.  His accuracy and decision making were both suspect.  I will give him a pass on last season considering he was thrown to the fire with the injury to Taylor Martinez.  I expect improvement from Mr. Armstrong.  I trust that he will learn from the 8 starts he made last year and his accuracy and and decision making will improve.  The question is not if, but how much.  I think Armstrong has the potential to be one of the best in the conference, but he hasn’t shown it to this point.  If he makes the leap, this unit, and this team, could be very good.  His improvement is a requirement for success in 2014.  If improvement is not tangible, then Coach Pelini should look to Johnny Stanton or Ryker Fyfe to lead this offense.

Can the offense be better on 3rd down and cut down on the turnovers?
These categories are the ones that hold the back the unit as a whole.  In NU’s 4 losses they were a combined 15/53 on 3rd down.  That comes to a pathetic 28%.  That statistic has a trickle down effect on the rest of the team.  If the Offense cant stay on the field, then the Defense must pick up the slack.  Too often last year the Offense would go 3 and out and put the defense in a tough spot.  This unit must convert 3rd downs, move the sticks and keep drives alive, for NU to break through in 2014.  Turnovers have also plagued the Big Red in the last several seasons.  There were 3 against Iowa, 5 against Michigan State, 4 against Northwestern, and  3 against Purdue.  Overall NU committed a league high 29 turnovers, 7 more than the next team.  Those figures are staggering.  A team like Nebraska cannot continue to shoot themselves in the foot with such regularity.  A second year QB should help both of these numbers, but overall I question if either of these areas will dramatically improve in 2014.

Will the LB core be the best in the Big 10?
It could be.  This unit is freaking stacked.  That is a far cry from this time last year when LB was a major question mark.  Toward the end of the year I was incredibly impressed with the trio of Michael Rose, Zaire Anderson, and David Santos.  Each of them returns, along with the top 5 tacklers from a year ago.  This might be a homer statement, but I do think these 3 can form the best LB unit in the conference.  Rose, in particular, could be a freaking stud.  Despite only starting 7 games, he was 3rd on the team in tackles.  If he makes the typical jump from Freshman to Sophmore, he may have an All-Conference 2014.  That would be very good for this defense.  Santos and Anderson are both good LBs with speed to burn and there are backups aplenty.  I’m very excited to see the LB’s this fall.

Has Special Teams been addressed?
When I look in the mirror in the morning, I see strands of gray hair.  I attribute these to the play of the special teams last season.  It was horrific, and that is being kind.  The punt return team specifically was painful.  How many times was this units ineptitude responsible for horrible field position?  Too many to count.  There were also several muffed punts, 2 terribly conceived fake punts, an inordinate amount of shanks and simply poor play all the way around.  Pelini and company have vowed to examine the special teams and fix them, but I’ll believe it when I see it.  Place kicker Pat Smith exhausted his eligibility so NU will need to find a kicker as well.  Special teams is a major question mark for the potential success of the Huskers in 2014.  NU cannot break through the 10 win barrier if special teams is as weak as they were in 2013.  Its that simple.

Will the youngsters on the Defensive Line make the jump?
This team is full of young exciting players on the defensive line.  While everyone wants to talk about Randy Greggory, I am equally excited about the slew of big uglies inside.  Coaches and media alike have ranted and raved about Maliek Collins.  Vincent Valentine has shown that he can be a productive player.  Greg McMullen is in line for a starting job.  Aaron Curry was productive at times last season.  Incoming freshman Peyton Newell looks the part.  None of these players have shown they can do it play in and play out.  It is up to D-Line coach Kaz to get these guys to make the leap from part time players to every down studs.  If this happens the ripple effect will be enormous.  If the D-Tackles in the middle can command double teams, that keeps opposing lineman off of Husker LBs.  Additionally the pash rush from the front 4 could be downright nasty.  That would open up a whole world of possibilities for Bo, who can dial up all kinds of pressures and looks.  As always the success of the Blackshirts will hinge on the play of the Defensive Line.  Its incumbent on coach Kaz to get this unit where it needs to be.

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Big game Saturday primer

This is one of my favorite weekends of College Football.  Championship games all over the place and other meaningful matchups all over the schedule.  Here is my take on the day’s top games.

Oklahoma @ OKState- Its Bedlam is Stillwater

This is a terrific rivalry from 2 schools that truly despise one another.  It is even better when something is on the line.  That is the case Saturday at 11am as The Sooners go to Stillwater.  A win for the Pokes gives them a Big 12 Title.  On paper, this is a slam dunk.  Oklahoma has been average, very, very, average.  OkState on the other hand has really improved into a top team in the country.  Since their inexplicable slip up in Morgantown, the Pokes have won 7 in a row.  I think the Pokes will win this game, but I think OU will make them sweat for a while.  The Oklahoma Defense will keep them in the game for 1/2 to 3/4 of the game before the Pokes take over.  Josh Stewart and company will be simply too much as OKState wins their second Conference title in 3 years.

Texas @ Baylor- Big 12 undercard game

If the Pokes were to lose that would make this the Big 12 title game.  I find this to be an extraordinarily intriguing matchup.  It comes down to 2 things.  Can Baylor stop Texas’ run game?  I think they can.  They have a Defense built upon speed, but they seldom get pushed around.  They will not get pushed around at home.  Will Baylor be able to protect Bryce Petty?  In Texas’ last game against Tech, they had 7 sacks.  Their pass rush is pretty good.  If Baylor is smart, and I think they are, they will be prepared with hot routes and other measures to get the ball out of Petty’s hands.  These are the keys to the game.  I like Baylor to break out the paddles and spank UT in Waco.

Missouri/Auburn- SEC Title game that nobody saw coming

I have made my  disgust for Missouri very apparent this season.  One of the main reasons I find them so nauseating, is that they act like they are awesome, but they have never won anything.  Well, that could change Saturday.  I think this game comes down to one factor.  Is Auburn ready for forget about the greatest game ever played?  If they are, they have a decent, to pretty good chance.  If not, I will be gulping Wild Turkey for the remainder of the weekend.  Auburn has a “team of destiny” feel to it.  I will go with the Tigers that don’t repulse me in this one.

Stanford @ Arizona State- Pac 12 Title game Greatness

There is one, and only one, angle that I give Arizona State in this game.  That angle is that rematches is College Football are a bitch.  Well forget it.  I think Stanford comes prepared, confident and focused.  They will do what the Cardinal does.  They will run the ball on offense and their defense will manhandle the opposition.  Defense wins Championships, not flashy Offenses.  I like Todd Graham and his program, but give me Stanford to be very businesslike in their approach to this game.  Stanford will out muscle the Sun Devils and win this game comfortably.

Duke/Florida State- Midnight for the Dukies

I have been on the Duke bandwagon for quite a while now.  I think what they have done has been tremendous.  Forget Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Miami, or North Carolina. Duke, the football team, has made it to the title game.  We should all applaud the turnaround.  That said they are going in the wood chipper Saturday night against Florida State.  The Seminoles are terrific.  They will pound the Blue Devils into powder in the end.  I give the Dukies a quarter, maybe 2 to keep it close.  Then the floodgates will open and Jameis Winston and company will tear the Devils apart.  FSU will advance to the title game while Duke will somehow get relegated to a bowl that they are too good for.  It will be a shame.

Michigan State/Ohio State- The B1G upset

Call me crazy if you like, but as I mentioned previously Defense wins Championships.  Ohio State needs a win in the Big 10 title game to secure a trip to the National Title game.  Well as inconvenient as this one will be Michigan State will pee in everyone’s collective cereal and defeat Ohio State.  Their Defense is ferocious.  The Spartan Corners can cover any receivers in the nation, allowing them to focus on the run.  Max Bullough and company will limit Braxton Miller and the Buckeyes and the Michigan State Offense will do just enough to win.  Does it seem crazy?  I don’t think so.  The rest of the country likes to ridicule the B1G but this conference is better than advertised.  Michigan State has a wonderful Defense and a developing Offense.  Connor Cook has been getting better by the week and is pin point accurate.  They are the best team nobody is talking about.  They will show the world Saturday night what they are made of.  Then we will have a mess on our hands.

This is the last weekend of true College Football for the season.  Soak it up folks.  Its a long offseason.

An Opportunity Missed

This one was BIG.   Michigan State came to Lincoln to play what would essentially be The Legends division championship game.  This one had it all.  Michigan State brought in a Defense that ranked first nationally in as many as 5 major statistical categories.  The Huskers were riding a wave of momentum created by it’s own Defense.  More than anything this game was an opportunity for The Huskers to control their destiny and get back to Indianapolis.  Well that isn’t going to happen.  Nebraska committed Football suicide on Saturday.  There is no other way to put it.  When a team commits 5, freaking, turnovers they can’t be expected to win.  The Huskers, again, tripped over their own feet when the chips were down.  Not for nothing, The Huskers fought like crazy and had their chances despite themselves.  But The Spartans made plays when they needed to, and secured the Legends division title with a gut wrenching, kick to the groin, victory for Husker fans.

The Defense deserves commendation for its efforts Saturday.  Time, and time again, this unit was put in awful situations.  In the first half alone, this unit had to come off the bench 4 times after a Nebraska turnover in their own territory.  It is remarkable the Spartans only had 20 points at halftime.  For the most part The Nebraska Defense got after Connor Cook and the Michigan State Offense.  Randy Greggory and company were menacing.  Michigan State came out with a terrific game plan against Nebraska’s pressure Defense.  Cook deserves credit for putting the ball in tight spots and making crucial plays at pivotal moments against NU’s man to man coverage.  The Spartans converted 11 of their 21 3rd downs on the day.  Defensively, that just won’t cut it.  In particular, the 3rd and 13 TD pass in the 4th quarter was not only clutch, it was thrown with pin point accuracy.  It was also a heart breaker.  Cook deserves a hell of a lot of credit for his gutsy, accurate, play.  My hat is off to him for playing big in this seasons biggest game.  The blackshirts weren’t perfect on Saturday.  But this unit fought tooth and nail all day long and is largely responsible for this being a game as long as it was.

One of the core tenants of football philosophy is taking care of the ball.  It is a must.  NU seemed to have forgotten that for the 3+ hours of the game Saturday.  There was the dropped pitch fumble by Terrel Newby, the interception thrown by Tommy Armstrong, then 2 fumbles by Armstrong.  In all there were 4 turnovers by this Offense.  That is a killer.  Equally frustrating was the fact that Nebraska had plenty of success against the vaunted Spartan Defense.  The patchwork Offensive line more than held it’s own against a vicious Spartan front 4.  Ameer Abdullah, once again, had a terrific game.  He rushed for 123 yards.  I have run out of adjectives to describe his brilliance.  Tommy Armstrong, despite his struggles, had moments where he played well.  This Offense put up 21 points (minus the junk time TD) on the top rated Defense in the country.  I thought 21 would be more than enough.  But ultimately it was the 4 turnovers that doomed The Big Red Saturday.  That simply cant be overlooked.

The shitty, punch to the gut, reality is that the Huskers had their chances.  Unfortunately, the turnovers were just too much to overcome.  The Huskers have nobody to blame but themselves.  They outgained Michigan State, and in many ways outplayed Michigan State.  There were a few portions of this game where it appeared Nebraska was the better team.  In the end, The Spartans didn’t have negative plays, The Huskers did, and that was the difference.  As usual the wolves will be out this week for Bo Pelini, that comes with the territory.  It is on Coach Pelini to get this team ready for next week.  A trip to Happy Valley awaits.  The Legends division may not be on the line, but his job is.

Saturday views from the couch 10/13

Wow.  What a fantastic day of College Football.  There was game after game of thrilling action.  I think this was the best Saturday yet.  Here are some views and observations.

*7 Top 25 teams fell on Saturday.  That is more than a quarter of them and they went down in a variety of ways.  There was the predictable (Washington, Florida, Northwestern), The Stunning (Georgia, Stanford)  and The disappointing (Oklahoma, Michigan).  Some of these teams were bound to fall, particularly when we got into conference play.  But 7?  Damn

*What the hell Oklahoma?  You had a chance to bury the Horns and instead you let them run over you?  263 total yards isnt going to do it.  So much for thinking Blake Bell was going to be the guy going forward.  I suppose I have to give credit to Texas who actually stuck with the run.  When you have horses like Jonathan Gray and Malcolm Brown you have to ride them.  Both of those guys rushed for over 120 yards.  A great win for Texas but this has to be absolutely disappointing for Boomer Sooner.

* Oh Georgia.  My Oh My.  This one will make Mark RIcht and Aaron Murray sick to their stomach at seasons end.

*Penn State beat Mr. Inconsistent in a 4 OT thriller yesterday evening.  Penn St. needed, and got, a furious last minute TD drive with heroics by Allen Robinson.  The OT sessions were sloppy by both teams.  Penn State won as they were the first to score a TD, in the 4th OT period, There were no points were scored in 2 of those periods.  In other news Im ready to proclaim Allen Robinson as one of the 2 or 3 best receivers in the country.  That dude is a baller.  This game also served as a reminder of how much Beaver Stadium can rock.  That has to be one of the best atmospheres in the country.

*It has to hurt to be a Stanford fan this morning.

*Did anyone watch the Texas A&M/Ole Miss game?  Wow what a game.  Ole Miss led by a TD with 6 minutes to go.  Give The Aggs credit.  They stormed back and won the game at the gun.  John Football his usual self.  Just another 346 yards passing 124 yards rushing day.  Nothing special, just another day at the office.  Trey WIlliams added 2 rushing TDs for A&M in this one.  Williams is really fun to watch.  You can think what you will of A&M but they are going to play some very entertaining games this season.  I would suggest tuning in.

Stock up
LSU– The Tigers might be the best team in the SEC.  Their Offense is rolling and if yesterday was any indication their Defense is gaining footing as well.
Michigan State- Look out big 10.  Sparty might have found some Offense.
Oregon– The Ducks are so consistent it often gets overlooked.  Yesterday they beat a fine Washington team in a hostile environment and nothing is thought of it.
South Carolina– Going on the road and putting the smack down on a Conference opponent lands you on the stock up list.
Wisconsin– Damn.  The Badgers put a beat down on the Wildcats.
BYU– Nice win for The Cougs.

STOCK DOWN
Oklahoma– Come on Boomer.
Georgia– For the love of Christ!!  I shower the Dogs with praise, calling them a Title Contender after beating LSU and since then they have played poorly in 2 games and lost to Misery.  UGH
Miami (OH)- Losing the UMASS?  Unless we are talking about basketball this will land you on the stock down list.
Michigan– Who are these guys?  The team that came out of the gates on fire or the squad that is staggering around like a hobo after a bottle of scope.
Eastern Michigan– allowing 50 points to Army?
Stanford– I wont pour salt in the wound but I have to put the Cardinal on this list.

Huskers/Boilermakers

I understand this 44-7 shellacking of the Purdue Boilermakers has some Husker fans feeling really good about themselves.  Well allow me to be the fingernail in the cobb salad.  Consider these facts about the team that was blasted on Saturday.  Purdue came into Saturday 1-4, their only win was against Indiana State, The Boilermakers defeated Indiana St. by 6 points a week after Indiana hung 73 on them, Northern Illinois at one point led the Boilers 41-10, Purdue ranks 81st in passing yards, 116th in rushing,114th in points scored, and 112th in points against.  In short, this team stinks to high hell.  There is a good chance that this is one of the 2 worst teams NU will play this season.  Nevertheless this was a good, solid, but not perfect, win over a conference opponent.  When you play one of the muts the Big 10 provides, you have to beat the pants off of them.  To Nebraska’s credit, that was done on Saturday.

Offensively The Huskers rolled out Tommy Armstrong for his 3rd career start.  Purdue had easily the best Defense that he had faced.  Armstrong struggled in this one.  There was some miscommunication, a few errant passes, and some poor choices.  On the day Armstrong was 6 for 18 for 43 yards and 3 interceptions.  In short he played like a Freshman, imagine that.  Ron Kellogg looked much more comfortable out there.  Kellogg throws interior passes with tremendous accuracy, much like his QB coach Joe Ganz.  Kellogg is clearly a film room junkie.  The myriad of blitzes that Purdue brought did not confuse Kellogg.  The result was a more efficient attack under Kellogg.  This was not the Offensive machine we saw against Illinois.  There was a lack of rhythm all day long, regardless of who was under center.  The Huskers had problems getting a consistent push due to the Purdue Defensive front.  You wouldn’t know it by looking at some of the stats, but if you saw the game you could clearly see that the Nebraska O-line struggled.  Some of that was the Purdue front 7 who is pretty damn physical.  Those guys will hit you.  Time after time Ameer Abdullah and the Husker RBs were being hounded by Purdue defenders.  I cant help but think losing Spencer Long early affected Nebraska’s ability to get a consistent push.  Replacing Long will be a chore, for sure, and could have a major impact on how the season turns out.  Overall this was a decent outing by the Nebraska Offense.  Nothing spectacular, a ho-hum day at the office.

The Nebraska Defense played easily, far and away, its best game of the season.  If not for a 55 yard TD pass with :39 remaining, the Huskers would have had their first shut out in nearly 4 years.  As Ive mentioned, Purdue does have a pathetic, dog piss terrible, Offense.  Additionally, they were starting a first time QB is Danny Etling.  Etling was harassed all day long by a Nebraska Defensive Line that smelled blood in the water.  It was beautiful.  Randy Gregory, Jason Ankrah, Avery Moss, and about 5 other guys I could mention, all combined to hound Etling into a miserable performance he would like to forget.  Take out the long TD at the end, and the Boilers amassed a paltry 161 yards.  I don’t care how piss poor an Offense is, to hold them to 161 means you did something right.  Once Nebraska established a commanding lead, the Defense turned up the pressure with blitzes from all angles to further frustrate the Purdue Offense.  The Nebraska Defensive backs also pressured and smothered the Purdue receivers.  This too was effective as Etling was unable to throw to his receivers on hot routes.   Saturday was a very good day for The Husker Defense, especially when you consider where this unit was a month ago.  My one gripe on this feel good day is with the tackling.  Too often, particularly in the run game, a Nebraska defender will get a body on the ball carrier and not bring him down.  There will be opponents who consistently run the ball right into the teeth of the NU Defense and the Huskers will be forced to be sure tacklers.  I’m sure this is not lost on the staff.  I would be willing to bet that is a point of emphasis in the bye week.

Last week the word I used to describe Nebraska’s performance was “improvement.”  In most areas we saw more of that Saturday.  The Huskers need to improve each and every week from this point forward to achieve its season long goals.  Today was a good step.  Now comes a bye week.  Time to clean up some of the sloppiness, figure out who is going to replace Spencer Long, and assess the health of Taylor Martinez.  This division is even more wide open with losses by both Michigan and Northwestern.    Everything is in front of this club, its Bo Pelini’s job to get this squad ready for a Monster November.