Spring Fever

Well hello folks!!  I have been away for far too long.  A career switch and life in general have forced the blog to take a back seat.  As easy as it is to make blogging a habit, it is infinitely easier to lose track of the time.  I’ve learned this.  Going forward my goal is to carve out a particular time in my schedule to donate to blogging.  We will see how that goes.  Regardless, here are some spring thoughts:

Spring time in College Football is a time for ridiculous and completely blind optimism.  Every player appears poised to breakthrough and become an All American, every team is plotting their path to the College Football Playoff.  There is no room for realistic expectations and no competition to dampen a pom pom waving fan boy’s enthusiasm.  Escalating matters, the Nebraska Cornhuskers have a new regime to usher in.  Mike Riley has brought in a fresh approach and his nice guy style that is being wholly embraced by the Husker faithful.  After 7 years of hearing about the obstacles that Husker football must overcome we now see a staff with stars in their eyes.  Riley and staff are legitimately impressed with everything that Husker Football has to offer.  They should be.  This is a top flight type of program.  The new staff, along with the general upbeat feeling of spring, is a refreshing breath of cool air for Big Red backers.  Kind words are all around from the new coaches and players alike.  Never is heard a discouraging word.  I find this all nauseating.  This is big boy College Football damnit!!  Lets leave the pom poms at home and look at the spring game without the rose colored glasses.  As I tune in at 1 o’clock Saturday there are several things that I will be looking for and will attempt to do so with an objective eye.  Here are a few:

*Offensive Line play/rotation- There are few certainties on the Offensive Line and several capable players who appear to be waiting in the wings.  Clearly Alex Lewis will start at Left Tackle and if he remains healthy could be in for a hell of a Senior campaign.  The others are anyone’s guess.  In particular the Guard spot is completely up in the air.  The good news is there are no less than 6 viable candidates for 2 spots.  I will be watching Chongo Kondolo and Tanner Farmer most closely.  Kondolo got a fair amount of experience in 2014 and appeared quite effective.  Tanner Farmer is a full grown man.  Im eager to see him make an impact on the field this fall.  Tackle is another matter altogether.  Zach Sterup returns, but you will have to forgive me for my lack of enthusiasm.  I would like to see Givens Price take that job.  He appears to have greater upside and be more flexible than Sterup.  Given the tremendous uncertainties of this position group I am extremely interested to see who plays on the top 2 units as well as how they hold up against a good Defensive Line group across from them.

*Is a QB controversy brewing?- I have a rather lengthy track record of being pretty hard on Tommy Armstrong.  Just check the archives.  In short, I have substantial doubt about his decision making and his accuracy.  The questions are 2 fold: First, has Armstrong improved those 2 areas enough to shut me up?   The answer to the first question is doubtful.  Perhaps “QB guru” Danny Langsdorf can help those areas but after 21 starts Im more inclined to believe that Armstrong is what he is, which is a good QB with substantial flaws.  I would like nothing more than for Armstrong to have a wonderful season and silence this blogger.  I just dont see it.  Secondly, is there a viable candidate on the roster that can push Armstrong or even take over the job?  This spring has been filled with the usual chatter about the QBs behind Armstrong.  A.J Bush is drawing rave reviews and there have been warm fuzzys about Zach Darlington and Ryker Fyfe.  Does that mean any of these QBs are ready to push the incumbent?  We simply don’t know and will not find out Saturday.  The Spring game will give us a mere knot hole in the fence to what is occurring within the program.  Its just a sliver of what is taking place.  We likely wont find out until next fall.

*Who plays corner?- Personally, I feel really good about the defense.  I believe there are capable playmakers at every level and a new scheme that allows them to play more freely.  Michael Rose, Maleik Collins and Nate Gerry will lead this unit and the blackshirts will be amongst the very best in the Big 10.  I really believe that.  The one real question on that side of the ball is CB.  I feel good, great even, about Daniel Davie.  But who will occupy that other position.  Jonathan Rose, Byerson Cockrell, Chris Jones, Charles Jackson, Joseph Boaz, Josh Kalu and Freshman Eric Lee will all contend for the other spot.  Each of these individuals will be worth a look Saturday.  Clearly there are plenty of capable bodies but who will take the bull by the horns and earn that starting spot and who fills the role of nickel and backup.  Personally, I look for a Corner who can cover man to man, but is equally strong in run support.  In the rugged Big 10, it is essential to have Defensive Backs who can bring the wood.  For that reason I like Chris Jones to win that job.  Jones has a big physical frame and gained valuable experience on special teams as a true Freshman.  It matters little, each of these players are worthy of your attention Saturday.

*What types of Offensive sets will Riley/Langford employ?- There has been plenty of talk about marrying the staff’s philosophies with the talent on hand.  This can be a precarious line to walk.  On one hand Riley and company have every right to install their system into this program.  On the other, this team must be successful on the field.  Its a high wire act that the new staff must walk.  This question is as simple as how does this team lineup and as complex as how play calling is executed by the staff.  We will learn nothing about the latter Saturday.  However, the formations will certainly tell us something.  How often is the QB under center?  What personnel groupings are used? How are those players utilized within those sets?  We have heard all about Riley’s preference for TEs.  How often does he employ 2 TE sets and further, who are those TEs?  We will certainly get a small taste of the soup that is the Danny Langsdorf/Mike Riley combination.  This element will be the most interesting element to the game Saturday.

Tune in Sunday as I offer up some takeaways from Saturdays action.  Until then thanks for reading and as always GO BIG RED!!

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Big Win!! Changes Coming

Fridays game with the mediocre Iowa Hawkeyes was an incredible roller coaster.  There were so many ups and downs and then of course a thrilling finish.  Early on it seemed that NU could do nothing right, and was destined to lose 3 straight to end the season.  It was depressing.  Then before you know it the Huskers clawed back into the game with a furious rally.  It was a sensational, fantastic and completely unforgettable battle.  This game will go down as a classic.  NU showed true grit in the 17 point come from behind victory.  Husker fans should be proud of these players for never giving up.  That said, the big picture remains the same.  Nebraska has major issues that must be addressed going forward.  Changes must be made to the staff in order to get the program over the hump.  Tough decisions, and in my opinion a few easy ones, are in front of them.  On a day where you could not possibly take take your eye off the exhilarating action on the field you had to keep in mind the future of this program.

The one constant Friday afternoon was a stout Husker Defense.  This unit was stout all afternoon.  Maleik Collins, Vincent Valentine and Jack Gangwish were boulders in the middle of the line.  The Hawkeyes came out and challenged the Huskers with a power running game.  This strategy worked wonders in each on Nebraska’s 2 losses to Wisconsin and Minnesota.  Iowa got very little on the ground, running 50 times for just 2.8 yards per carry.  Zaire Anderson was terrific plugging up holes and shedding blocks.  NU forced 4 Iowa turnovers and at one point, with the game in the balance forced 5 consecutive punts.  The Husker Defense forced Iowa QB Jake Ruddock to beat them with his arm.  Like the entire Hawkeye season, the results were a mixed bag.  He completed 50% of his passes for a very mediocre 6.1 yards per attempt.  Ruddock completed plenty of balls underneath, but could never hit the big play.  It must be maddening for Hawkeye fans, there were a few big play opportunities, but they were never capitalized upon.  All day long the Nebraska Defense answered the bell despite being left in tough spots.  Nebraska fans should be proud of the unit that carried the team while the Offense sputtered and staggered around.   A lesser performance would surely have meant a Nebraska loss.

Once again the Husker Offense was all over the map.  There were times where this unit looked completely lost, incapable of blocking Monster Iowa DT Karl Davis, while constantly shooting themselves in the foot.  Tommy Armstrong was getting pummeled by an Iowa pass rush that NU had no answer for.  Running lanes were sparse.  It seemed utterly hopeless.  Somewhere along the line the Huskers figured they had an advantage down the field.  Taariq Allen caught a 34 yard TD pass.  Kenny Bell caught a beautiful 32 yard jump ball in the face of 2 Iowa defenders.  Brandon Reilly made a huge play on a 50-50 ball on the game tying drive.  I will give NU’s receivers and QB Tommy Armstrong the lions share of the credit for the offenses.  Armstrong showed tremendous toughness after getting smashed for most of the game.  In particular his last 2 passes of the game were fantastic.  On 3rd and 6 Armstrong bought time and threw a dart to Kenny Bell and a play later threw another to win the game.  The kid showed tremendous moxy and took the team on his back.  Ive been incredibly critical of Armstrong this season, but his positive leadership and mental traits are undeniable. Overall it was an incredibly uneven performance for a unit that should have solidly moved the ball for most of the game.  This game confirmed what I already knew.  NU needs leadership in the coaching staff in relation to the Offense.  There seems to be a lack of leadership and identity and, once again, it showed Friday.

This is a game that will not soon be forgotten.  This is the type of game that rivalries are built upon.  Rivalries develop with time between teams with meaningful victories on each side.  Iowa got theirs last year.  Fridays game will do more to foster the rivalry than any previously.  It was a terrific win that displayed incredible toughness and heart.  Its good to see this team finish the season with a win.  I feel especially good for Kenny Bell, he has been a joy to watch and it was terrific to see him catch the game winner.  That’s the small picture.

The big picture is that NU is an above average team incapable and at times clueless to how to get over the hump.  In Bo Pelini’s 7th year it appears this program is stuck in neutral.  What do you do?  Fire Pelini?  I could get behind that idea if you tell me who would replace him.  Scanning the landscape, I dont see many options that Ill sign off on.  My position is clear, fire both of the coordinators.  Tim Beck and John Papuchis have proven inadequate.  This team is far too slow to adjust and seems to have little solutions when things are going poorly.  Bo needs help, a jolt of electricity to shake up this program to get it over the hump.  I look at this team and I see talent aplenty.  To Bo’s credit, the horses are in the stable.  The staff, as presently constructed, is not capable of getting this team to the next level.  Its time that Bo makes tough calls regarding who is surrounds himself with.  There are tough calls that need to be made, but that is why Bo makes 7 figures.  Its not personal, its business.  If Pelini refuses to make the tough call then Shawn Eichorst will have no choice but to find someone who will.

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Which Way are you Going?

It was a tough week to be a Husker fan.  Last weeks shellacking at the hands of the Badgers was extemely tough to swallow.  This entire fan base has had to take an introspective look at our program.  Saturdays game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers was a chance to put last week behind us and go forward.  Unfortunatly the tough, physical Gophers showed Husker fans exactly what is wrong with a program that has gotten ultra stale in Bo Pelini’s 7th year.  NU was outsmarted, out played, out muscled but most discouraging is the fact that Bo Pelini and his staff were 100% out coached.  Its a god damn shame.  On a day when Husker fans said goodbye to 2 all time greats in Ameer Abdullah and Kenny Bell, the Huskers got beat.  It seems that Minnesota is a team that knows what it takes to win while Nebraska is a team that has no clue what it is going to take to get over the hump.  Time after time, at critical junctures, the Gophers made winning plays.  That is what good teams do.  Husker fans and administrators alike are going to be forced to make tough calls regarding the vision and future of this program going forward.

This season it seems that the Husker Offense has gone as Tommy Armstrong has gone.  Saturday was a departure from that.  I thought Armstrong played one of his best games of the season.  He was 12/19 for 223 yards, 11.7 yards per attempt.  He didnt throw an INT and was a force in the run game.  Late in the game, he threw what should have been a game winning TD pass.  It slipped through Jordan Westercamp’s hands on a play which he was injured.  I was awfully hard on Armstrong this week, Saturday he showed me why I was wrong.  Despite being harassed by Minnesota defenders, Armstrong kept plays alive.  He was effective despite losing 2 key WRs and having an obviously limited Ameer Abdullah.  The absolute failure of the Offense Saturday lies at the feet of Tim Beck.  The Offense never found a rhythm and at times it seemed that Beck was guessing.  In the 3rd quarter the Huskers were banging the Gophers around with 2 TE looks and down hill runs with Imani Cross.  NU moved the ball down the field but the drive ultimately stalled and the Huskers settled for their only 3 points on the half.  Cross was never seen again.  On the next drive NU was moving the ball and facing a 2nd and 1 in Gopher territory.  Beck dials up a play action pass, Armstrong is sacked forcing a 3rd and long and ultimately a squandered scoring opportunity.  These are far from isolated incidents.  4 years into Beck’s tenure and this unit lacks an identity and any semblance of consistency.  Its sad.  3 2nd half points in a conference game isn’t getting the job done.  Its time for this program to look elsewhere for leadership on the offensive end.

The NU Defense was even more disappointing than the Offense.  This unit allowed the one dimensional Minnesota Gophers to come in and consistently move the ball all game long.  It was not acceptable.  The Gophers are good, but the Huskers repeatedly looked befuddled at the zone read.  Mitch-freaking-Leidner ran for 110 yards on the day.  It seemed the Huskers were continually surprised that he was keeping it.  The Gophers were able to grind the Nebraska Defense into the dirt all day long amassing over 35 minutes in time of possession, 5.3 yards per carry, and 23 1st downs.  The Nebraska D-Line, a unit that should be a strength, was continually pushed back by a more physical Gopher front.  NU’s LBs and Safeties were continually confused by the myriad of looks the Gophers threw at them.  Worst of all is that Nebraska never really adjusted in the 2nd half.  The Huskers let a 21-7 halftime lead slip through their fingers.  The Gophers 2nd half drives consisted of 3 TDs and one punt.  This was another embarrassing performance for Bo Pelini and company.  The numbers may not have been as bad as a week ago, but his Defense let the team down and cost the Huskers a victory on Senior day.  I mean no disrespect to Minnesota, but a team as one dimensional offensively as the Gophers should never roll into Memorial Stadium and push Nebraska around like that.

I had a feeling that this would happen.  Minnesota is a gritty, tough bunch.  Its a bad matchup right now.  Still, this one stings immensely because it confirms that the Bo Pelini era is not going in a positive direction at this time.  For too long this program has been stuck in neutral.  Pelini needs to shake up this staff, get some new blood in the program, and a jolt of electricity going forward.  Tim Beck is the first name that comes to mind.  NU simple isnt getting enough from the Offensive Coordinator position especially when you factor in his salary.  John Papuchis has to be on that list as well.  Good coaches surround themselves with a good smart staff.  It seems that in year 7 that is Pelini’s biggest failing.  Will these changes be made?  Its tough to say.  Pelini has been resistant at times, and downright stubborn other times, regarding his staff.  Perhaps he will see the light and show some of the staff to the door.  If he doesn’t, it could be Bo on the way out.

 

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Beatdown in Madtown

Let me take you on a stroll down memory lane.  Last year against UCLA the Huskers led 21-3 before allowing 38 unanswered points to end the game.  In the 2010 Big 12 Title Game NU led 17-0 before losing 20-23.  There was also the Ohio State game in 2011 where NU held a lead before getting curb stomped.  Which beings us to Saturday.  The Huskers led 17-3 mid way through the 2nd quarter before a complete and total implosion.  Wisconsin scored 56 unanswered points before a junk time Husker TD.  This type of collapse is a disturbing trend and substantial black mark on the Bo Pelini era.  The Huskers just fell apart in every conceivable way.  This type of embarrassment is completely and totally unacceptable.  Worse than anything is the effort, which in my estimation was piss poor once Wisconsin answered the bell.  The Huskers showed absolutely no fight.  This loss not only ends Nebraska’s hope for a Big 10 Title it will also go a long way to define the 2014 campaign.  This loss will not be forgotten, just as the previously mentioned losses have not been forgotten.  There are more questions than answers after such an embarrassing performance.

Nebraska started out hot offensively.  The Huskers scored on short fields on 3 of their first 4 possessions.  I figured there were mismatches that could be taken advantage of and that the Big Red was in for a productive offensive day.  Both Abdullah and Armstrong were effective in the run game and it looked like UW was guessing.  Then the Badgers adjusted their game plan by blitzing and confusing the Nebraska Offense with different looks.   They also played more of a pressure defense at all levels.  NU simply could not get the Wisconsin defenders off of them.  Tim Beck’s head needs to be on the chopping block after this performance.  The Huskers managed a paltry 179 yards of total Offense and turned the ball over 5 times.  In a word, horrific.  Too often there were curious calls that were poorly executed.  The Huskers never really adjusted.  The numerous slow developing option plays come to mind.  This falls directly at the feet of the Offensive Coordinator.  One line of thinking is that he was protecting his young QB.  Let me swat that theory out to half court.  If Armstrong needs to be protected in his 3rd year in the program then the Huskers need to explore their options at QB.  Armstrong had his typical deer in the headlights look after UW defenders sacked him a few times.  He was completely inept in the passing game, going 6/18 for 62 yards a TD and a head scratching INT.  In a game of this magnitude, a performance like this is completely unacceptable.  I have growing concerns about Armstrong’s ability going forward.  He gets easily rattled, his accuracy is poor and its increasingly apparent that he struggles with the mental part of the game.  Those are not desirable qualities in your QB, regardless of his age.  To make matters worse the Offensive Line was bullied around by the Wisconsin front 4.  There was little running room in the final 3 quarters, several false start penalties, and penetration galore.  This was a total embarrassment on all levels by the Nebraska Offense.  No person, coach nor player, is exempt from blame or criticism after such a disastrous performance.

The Nebraska Defense was downright putrid Saturday afternoon.  The Wisconsin Offensive line slapped around the Huskers for the better part of the afternoon.  It was an absolute curb stomping.  The strange part is that for a time it appeared that the Huskers had the UW ground game solved.  There were a couple fumbles, some tackles for loss and some tenacious tackling.  It was tough sledding for Melvin Gordon.  I really thought the Huskers were going to be all right.  Then something happened.  It was like a switch was flipped.  All of a sudden NU defenders were out of place, missing tackles and spent the evening chasing Melvin Gordon.  Gordon is a hell of a player, one of my favorites to watch nationally.  He will make a hell of a pro.  That said, there is no excuse for allowing more rushing yards by any player in the history of College Football.  In the 2nd half in particular, it was clear to see that this squad flat out quit.  The effort was completely unacceptable.  There were half hearted efforts to get off of blocks and a whole lot of disinterested tackling.  This is a program problem.  I dont know how to fix that kind of quit, but solutions must be found.  I still feel this is a very talented unit.  I see studs aplenty.  That said, there is a difference between being good, and being talented.  That difference resides in mentality, attitude, and effort.  After Saturday’s embarrassment, it is clear that those are areas the Husker Defense struggles with.

Where does this team go from here?  Its title hopes are gone, they are left to play out the string.  The Huskers wont win another game playing like they did Saturday.  Everything is questionable after such an embarrassment.  Does NU have the right coach calling plays?  Calling the Defense?  Taking snaps? Managing the entire operation?  I am not sure about any of them.  Nobody is immune from blame for such an absolutely pitiful performance.  If I am Bo Pelini, heads should roll.  Something must change within this program to prevent such catastrophes from occurring.  The hard part to grasp is that I thought the Huskers were above this kind of performance.  I figured this team was better, more mature, than teams in years past.  I thought the leadership was too good to allow such a piss poor effort.  Sadly, I was wrong on all fronts.  I wrote in my preview that this was a game that would define the 2014 season.  I cannot think of a worse definition than what occurred Saturday.  Next up is a plucky, physical, Minnesota team that promises to come in and punch you in the mouth.  If the Huskers aren’t ready the results could be similarly disastrous.  David Cobb has to be licking his chops.  This team has its work cut out for them this coming week.  Are they up to the task?  After Saturday’s performance I just don’t know.

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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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Survive and Advance

It seems more and more that style points don’t matter in College Football.  It doesn’t matter how you win, only that you do.  The Huskers got the job done Saturday afternoon in a strange sort of game.  First off, Ameer Abdullah left the game with what is apparently a minor knee injury.  Lets keep our fingers crossed.  The Huskers, as a whole, looked spooked.  The leader, the torch bearer for this squad was out.  It seemed to take the Huskers a while to get their barrings, and put together a victory worthy performance.  Lets give credit for waking up and getting it done.  In years past I am not sure that would have happened.  This win was by no means perfect.  The Defense and the Special Teams did most of the heavy lifting.  The Offense was jumbled mess for most of the afternoon.  It matters little.  The Big Red beat the much improved Purdue Boilermakers, and got out of there alive on a windy day where their best ball was not played.

Husker fans, take pride in what you saw from the Blackshirts Saturday.  This unit was all over the Boilermaker Offense.  There was little room for Purdue WRs to maneuver.  CBs Josh Mitchell and Daniel Davie were both very good.  Purdue lacked a big play threat and as a result Husker D-backs smothered their opposition.  The Huskers had 11 pass breakups Saturday, their most in 5 years.  Nate Gerry had one of the prettiest INTs you will ever see.  Gerry is turning into a fantastic Safety.  His quickness, good hands and smarts make him one of the top defenders on this team.  The Husker front 4 was likewise excellent Saturday with 3 sacks.  This group was disruptive and downright physical.  Purdue QB Austin Applebee was harassed all afternoon, completing just 18 for 46 yards an average of under 5 yards.  Purdue converted just 2 of 16 3rd downs Saturday.  That stat is indicative of just how good the Big Red was on Saturday.  There were times when Purdue moved the ball, but I will cut this defense some slack. This unit was often put in a tough spot by their underachieving counterpart.  The Blackshirts were the bell cow for this team Saturday and led them to victory.  It is certainly a performance all NU fans should be proud of and one to build upon going forward.

The Big Red offensively is extremely bipolar through 9 games this season.  Saturday was a perfect example.  Even without Ameer Abdullah, there were times where the Big Red rolled over the Boilermakers with ease.  There were TD drives that went 8 plays 65 yards, 6 plays 56 yards, and 10 plays 45 yards.  These drives were impressive.  Imani Cross was running over defenders and Tommy Armstrong was sharp.  Then there were times where you wonder where that other team went.  This group shot themselves in the foot over and over again.  If it wasn’t a bad snap, it was a bad read or a poorly thrown ball.  Early in the 4th quarter with a solid lead, NU fooled around and did not salt away the game.  It was incredibly frustrating.  Indeed it feels like there are 2 different teams.  The good Huskers and the bad Huskers.  Likewise this is true with our QB Tommy Armstrong.  There are times when I want to compliment Armstrong.  Then I watch him make a horrible, inaccurate throw or a piss poor read.  If he gets an unfamiliar look, he panics.  This manifests itself with wild throws to covered receivers.  Its borderline painful to watch.  He was 8/21 for 118 yards a TD and 2 INT on the day.  That just isn’t good enough.  If this team is going to win a conference title, better play under center is required.  This Offense as a whole had better find consistency during the bye week, it will be necessary for the final 3 games of the season.

Lets have a big shout out to the most improved unit on this team.  The Husker special teams last year was poor, really, really poor.  It was so aggravating to consistently start with terrible field position due to a misplayed punt.  It happened all the time and in every game.  This year its a strength of the team.  Demornay Pierson-El has been a bolt of energy for this squad and it appears that the Huskers coaching staff are more involved than in Special Teams preparation than in years past.  It makes a huge difference in terms of field position.  Saturday Nebraska blocked 2 punts, a thought completely inconceivable a year ago.  These big Special Teams plays make an enormous difference in the game.  That said, the consistency of Drew Brown is causing me to go gray.  He has missed kicks in each of the last 3 games.  Having a reliable kicker is incredibly valuable in tight games.  It hasn’t cost the Big Red a game to this point.  Lets hope that it stays that way.

On the whole, this was not the Husker’s best performance.  The Offense was super inconsistent and at times an absolute liability.  In the end it doesn’t really matter.  Nebraska beat an outmanned opponent and improves to 8-1 despite being out gained 340-297.  There is plenty of heavy lifting left on the schedule, against teams far better than Purdue.  The Huskers will have to refine a number of areas including the center-QB exchange and get ready for an improving Wisconsin team with stud RB Melvin Gordon.  Early reports on the extent of Abdullah’s injury are positive, but we shall see.  Wisconsin is 2 weeks away.  That will be a game that defines 2014.  Saturday was different.  This was a day of survival.  Survive and advance.  NU did, now its time to move onto bigger and better things.

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Highs and Lows in Lincoln

You will have to forgive me.  I’m prone to excessive nervousness when it comes to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  Ive seen my beloved Huskers come out and lay an egg against a team they are superior than.  I was somewhat concerned coming into this game that the Big Red would fool around with Rutgers, keep them in the game and perhaps even lose the damn thing.  That didn’t happen.  The Huskers were just a whole lot better than the Knights and while this was far from a perfect effort, NU waltzed through this game like an old man in the park.  Rutgers simply had no answer for the Big Red Saturday.  To be frank, the Knights aren’t very good and may not win another game this season.  It matters little, on a beautiful day in Lincoln Nebraska, the Big Red slapped around an inferior opponent on a day when they did not play their best.

It was something of a red letter day for the Nebraska Offense.  Ameer Abdullah set the single game all purpose yards record with an astounding 341 all purpose yards.  He did it with incredible efficiency, 225 rushing ( on just 19 carries)  26 receiving and 90 return yards.  Ameer was routinely fantastic Saturday.  His efforts and the results he produced did not surprise me because I have seen him do it so many times before.  Saturday he slashed and darted through the porous Rutgers Defense all day long.  It was an incredible performance for one of the best players in College Football.  Kenny Bell also became NU’s all time receptions leader.  Personally, I am tremendously happy for Bell, who has been a favorite of mine for the last 4 years.  His style and productivity will certainly not be forgotten.  I also believe he will be sorely missed in the coming seasons.  He is the one deep threat that NU has on the outside.  That cannot be under stated.  Bell is an all time stud and I for one am thrilled he is now in the record books.

The warm fuzzies aside, I found Nebraska’s Offense to be somewhat underwhelming Saturday.  This was a Knight Defense that should be torn to pieces and at times it was, but it was not a great performance all around.  There were 5 offensive penalties, which is far too many.  It thwarted and in some cases killed drives.  There was also 3 misplayed snaps.  I dont know how this rears its ugly head in the 8th game of the season, but it is an issue that must be addressed.  2 turnovers Saturday do not sit well with this particular blogger.  One of those came on a botched snap and the other on a poor throw by Armstrong.  Tommy himself was just 6/14 with that INT and generally shaky in the first half.  Drew Brown missed a 42 yard field goal in the first half.  Brown is just 9/13 on the year.  I am growing concerned about his reliability.  There was also some curious play calling.  On consecutive drives in the 2nd quarter Abdullah ripped off TD runs of 53 and 48 yards.  It appeared that the O-Line was mauling the Rutgers Defense.  The next drive Tim Beck dials up 3 consecutive passes resulting in a 3 and out.  Huh?  NU spent the remainder of the quarter playing around with Rutgers like they were the family pet.  I found this infuriating.  The Huskers could have, should have, had 2 more TDs on the board at halftime.  Did it matter on a day when NU bullied an undermanned squad?  No, but why fool around with them?  I dont get it.  All of these things are concerning.  There was plenty of production to be pleased with, but as the game wore on, it became apparent that this is one of the 3 worst teams NU will play this season.

Defensively, Nebraska was fierce Saturday.  The Blackshirts got after Rutgers at the line of scrimmage from the outset.  The results were terrific.  Maliek Collins was a terror in the middle, Randy Gregory was all over the field and Rutgers had little answer.  The Husker front four got after Gary Nova and the Rutgers run game early.  Nova is a real gamer, but he stood little chance against Randy Gregory and the Nebraska pass rush.  Nova was harassed and later injured and did not play in the 2nd half.  The lone first half  TD came on a busted play when Nova found Leonte Caroo for a 71 yard TD.  After that Rutgers finished the half with 5 drives that totaled 25 yards.  The game was well in hand in the 2nd half, and there were some mistakes by this unit.  A 46 yard run by backup QB Chris Laviano comes to mind.  Regardless, the Blackshirt’s tenacity never waivered.  This crew came after the Scarlet Knights and stayed after them.  It was a terrific sight.  Caroo and Nova are probably the best QB/WR combo left on the schedule.  They gave NU a bit of trouble initially, but in the end Nebraska’s front 7 caused too many problems for the Rutgers Offense.  This was an imperfect effort, for sure, but another performance to build upon.

In retrospect I had very little to be concerned with.  Nova is a good QB, Caroo will be playing on Sundays someday, but otherwise Rutgers has little.  I have a shiny nickel that says they dont win another game.  They are simply ill equipped to play in this league.  Their line play simply isnt good enough to match up with Big 10 teams.  In the coming weeks Melvin Gordon, Tevin Coleman and Jeremy Langford will gash the Rutgers Defense just as Abdullah did.  This is why Im not over the moon, praising NU for a victory over the Knights  The Big Red slapped around an inferior foe.  It is what good teams do. There are much bigger fish to fry on the horizon.  Purdue, who is improving by the week, comes to town next week.  The Huskers should handle them with relative ease.  Then comes a bye week before a season altering 3 game stretch to finish the season. My nerves are in for a real test over the next 5 weeks.

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2nd half Domination

Since Nebraska has joined the Big 10, there has been one team that has been a pain in their ass.  This team always appears beatable, but come Saturday is always a tough out.  This team is NU’s latest opponent the Northwestern Wildcats.  The Cats just seem to bring out the worst in the Huskers.  For a half, that held true Saturday night.  The Big Red fooled around, screwed around and otherwise flubbed around for the duration of the 1st half.  The Cats were moving the ball while the Huskers could not seem to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them.  Nebraska trailed 17-14, I felt like the world was falling apart.  I figured the Huskers would play around with Northwestern in the 2nd half and drop a very important game.  I was dead, freaking, wrong.  Bo Pelini’s squad came out and scored 24 unanswered points in the 2nd half, in a work-man-like fashion, to take this one with ease.  It was an impressive half for sure.  The Big Red ground out a solid W on the road.  It was an uneven, imperfect effort, but this crew came out and got it done.  Its a win the Big Red faithful can surely be proud of.

Nebraska Offensively was a mixed bag for the first half.  3 times in the first half Nebraska started a possession  near mid field.  On all 3 drives, NU went 3 and out.  It was infuriating.  One of those drives included 3 passes, another included a run, a penalty and 2 passes.  There is no reason why field position that favorable cannot be taken advantage of and yet NU failed all 3 times.  The 2nd half was much more productive.  The Big Red shuffled its Offensive Line and the results were fantastic.  The Huskers took control of this game with a dominant run game and timely passing by Tommy Armstrong.  Armstrong was pretty damn good.  I have been critical of Tommy all season, but Saturday night he took control.  Armstrong never made the big mistake, did not turn the ball over and was effective in both the run and pass game.  He nearly made a ridiculous, acrobatic TD run in the 3rd.  He took a zone read darted forward and then attempted to scale 2 defenders on the way to the end zone.  He came up just short, but the effort was outstanding.  Im sure his teammates took notice.  Ameer Abdullah’s stat line looks pretty typical, but he found the running space scarce in the 1st half.  Northwestern defenders were all over him.  It was only after the 2nd half adjustment to the O-line that Abdullah was able to find the room necessary to have a 4 TD day.  Overall this was a very up and down performance by the Offense.  There was the awkwardness of the first half, followed by the effectiveness of the 2nd.  It makes one wonder what this unit could do if it played 4 quarters like it did the final 2 Saturday night.

NU’s defense took the role  of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.  On Northwestern’s 3 scoring drives, the Wildcats amassed 231 yards.  On their other 9 drives, they accumulated 59 yards.  As annoying as it was to watch Nebraska miss tackles and otherwise fool around with the Wildcats, Nebraska stepped it up in the 2nd half.  The pass rush in that half was impressive.  The Huskers got after Trevor Siemian and made him antsy.  This pressure came from the front 4, who had a terrific 2nd half.  The Blackshirts just whipped the man in front of them in that half and made life miserable for anyone wearing a NW uniform.  It was fantastic to see.  Northwestern RB Justin Jackson gave the Blackshirts fits with his quick, yet tough, runs to the perimeter.  It was a tough 1st half for Nebraska defensively, but NU came out and kicked ass in the 2nd half.  The staff deserves substantial kudos for this victory.  Like the Offense, the adjustments at half made the 2nd half domination possible.  Only 2 of Northwesterns’s 6 2nd half possessions lasted longer than 3 plays and Northwestern gained just 28 yards on 26 plays in the 2nd half.  That is domination!!  That is a credit to the Blackshirts pass rush and locker room adjustments.  This group was good, even great, at times.  A more even keeled performance will be necessary as Nebraska approaches the rest of its opponents. .  I would like to see what this unit is capable of if it were to play an entire game the way it did the 2nd half Saturday night.

This is a good win, a damn good win in fact. Based on the last 3 years, its safe to say that Northwestern brings out the worst in the Huskers.  Nebraska always seems to fumble and fool around with this opponent.  The last few years have been riddled with turnovers, penalties and an overall lack of execution against Northwestern.  Saturday night Bo Pelini’s club put a stop to that as they beat the pants off the Wildcats in the 2nd half.  It was excellent to see NU defeat the Kitties 24-0 in the 2nd half.  In the end this is just another check point for this squad.  The ultimate goal of a B1G West, and potential Big 10 title are still in play.  The Huskers need to learn from this victory and move forward.  Championships are not won in October in suburban Chicago.  There are still 5 more games and they all appear much more difficult than one would have previously thought.  Rutgers could be a bitch, Purdue appears much better than anyone would have thought a year ago.  Wisconsin has returned to its senses and have gone with a decent QB, and Iowa is well, Iowa.  The road to Indy will not be paved with patsies.  The Big Red will have to earn it every week.  Can they do it?  Absolutely, but NU fans had better realize there will be  dog fight each and every week.

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A Rough Night in East Lansing

Nebraska’s comeback bid falls short as Tommy Armstrong’s pass is intercepted by Trae Waynes with under a minute to go.  The Big Red loses on the road to a top 10 team by 5.  It all looks pretty good doesn’t it?  Plenty of good times and lolly pops with that storyline isn’t there?  I’m here to tell you there is a whole lot of lipstick on that pig.  The fact of the matter is the Huskers were dominated for a large portion of the game by a foe that was not vastly superior.  The Huskers can hang with the Spartans, but for a variety of reasons didn’t Saturday night.  NU staggered and stumbled around for most of this game without much of a clue what to do.  It was a real disappointment. I thought Nebraska would be far more competitive, especially on offense.   That is where the real disappointment lies.  NU just didn’t play their best Saturday night.  There were bright spots for sure, but Michigan State was the better team on this particular day.

Nebraska Offensively was absolutely putrid.  It was plain as day.  The Nebraska Offensive Line was manhandled by the Spartan front 4.  Marcus Rush and Shilique Calhoun lived in the Husker backfield.  No man on the Offensive Line is exempt from blame for such a horrid performance.  I would like to criticize the play calling, but it doesn’t matter what play is called if you cant block up front.  Nebraska could not handle the Spartan Defensive front allowing 5 sacks and gaining just 1.3 yards per rush.  As a result Tommy Armstrong was hounded, harassed and rattled all night long.  It also made Nebraska one dimensional.  The Husker run game, which was averaging 354 yards on the ground per game, managed a meager 47.  Tommy Armstrong was forced to drop back time and time again to face a rush of Spartan defenders with bad intentions.  He took a beating.  As a result Armstrong was wildly inaccurate and incredibly indecisive.  There were several occasions where Armstrong either didn’t see an open man or botched the throw.  It was incredibly frustrating to watch.  The Husker Offense had their chances.  They started 3 drives in Spartan territory in the first half alone, and walked out with 0 points.  This is unacceptable.  One of those drives ended on an Ameer Abdullah fumble from the wildcat formation from the 5.  It was eerily similar to a fumble he had last year against Penn State in the end zone. I have to wonder why you go to that play in that situation?  Then again its hard to be critical of Tim Beck on a night like this.  What call works when the Offensive Line cant block the man in front of them?

The Husker Defense will get a bad rap.  For much of them game the Blackshirts were hung out to dry by the Offense.  This unit hung tough, forcing Michigan State to make tough plays.  Unfortunately, Sparty is good enough to make those plays.  One TD play was a long pass to Tony Lippet who was covered by incompetent Jonathan Rose.  I have had such high expectations for Rose the last couple of years and he has consistently let me down.  After being inserted for the injured Daniel Davie, and allowing the long TD pass, he was promptly replaced by true Freshman Josh Kalu.  This unit fought and matched Michigan State for the better part of the night.  The Nebraska Defense forced 9 punts and 2 turnovers.  That is typically enough to get the W.  This may have been their best performance.  Even when the game was lopsided, this showed toughness.  Sparty had some big plays, but that is expected against such a good Offense.  Michigan State came in averaging over 50 points per game.  Connor Cook looked unsettled for the better part of this game.  That is a credit to the Nebraska front 4.  There was much to be pleased with from the Blackshirts.  This unit hung tough under horrible circumstances and fought to the end.  The Blackshirts should hold their head high, this loss does not fall at their feet.  Was it a perfect performance?  Of course not, but it was a damn fine, gritty, effort that should leave Nebraska fans proud.

Look beyond the score.  This was not a 5 point loss folks.  This was an ass kicking disguised as a 5 point loss.  Michigan State’s Defensive Front dominated NU’s O-line and it was plain to see.  Remember, this was a 27-3 game well into the 4th quarter.  Should the guts and fight of the Huskers be applauded?  I suppose, but lets not lose sight of the fact that this was a sound defeat by a team that was simply better on this particular night.  Over and over, Nebraska had chances to cash in on turnovers.  The Spartans were just begging NU to hang around.  The Huskers just couldn’t seem to take advantage.   It was maddening!!!  This loss is not the end of the world.  The Huskers need to get to work, improve upon the mistakes made and move forward.  Their goals are all still in front of them.   Win out and a date with Sparty can occur in the B1G Title Game.  First things first.  Up next is a trip to Northwestern.  This is a team that just beat Wisconsin and Penn State.  That team is starting to play good ball.  There is little time for the Huskers to lick their wounds.  If the Big Red isn’t ready to play next Saturday, the Kitties will beat them.  Then the sky will be falling.

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Huskers/Spartans Preview

If you read this blog with any regularity you will know 2 things about me.  First and foremost I live and die with Nebraska Football.  It is my favorite past time, and its not close.  Secondly you will know that I have tremendous admiration and respect for the Michigan State Football program.  Before the Big Red joined the Big 10, I considered Michigan State, along with Wisconsin, my favorite Big 10 team.  I always enjoyed the style of football played in East Lansing with players like Charles Rogers, Javon Ringer, Jeff Smoker and Drew Stanton.  Now that the Huskers and Spartans are conference bunk mates, I cannot cheer for Michigan State, but my respect for that program continues.  Mark Dantonio and Pat Narduzzi have built one of the finest programs in the country.  It doesn’t hurt that their smash mouth style and fundamental approach suites my personal tastes.  The 2014 version is no different.  If the Huskers are going to go into Spartan Stadium and come away with a victory, it will take a solid, fundamental and ballsy performance.

The Huskers last 2 performances Offensively have been pretty damn good.  The Huskers appear to have found an identity in the run game.  NU currently ranks 3rd nationally with 354 yards per game on the ground.  In particular, the last 2 games have been especially prolific.  Nebraska amassed rushing totals of 343 and 458 against Miami and Illinois.  I have a hard time believing that Nebraska will have that kind of success on the ground Saturday.  Michigan State is MUCH, MUCH, better defensively than either of those teams.  The Big Red will be forced to find some level of success through the air to keep Sparty on their toes.  Tommy Armstrong has been decent but is completing just 54% of his passes.  More concerning is the looks and pressure packages that MSU DC Pat Narduzzi with throw at him.  A major key to the game is how Armstrong reads the various looks and either checks to the correct play, or finds the proper receiver.  The Big Red cannot afford catastrophic plays as a result of poor reads or ill conceived throws.  NU must be efficient and effective in the passing game and maintain offensive balance.  If Nebraska is unable to move the ball through the air, and Sparty can lean against Ameer Abdullah and the NU run game, it will be very difficult for Nebraska to win this game.

Defensively, Nebraska’s Defense will have their hands full.  Michigan State QB Connor Cook is on another planet compared to where he was a year ago.  Thus far he is completing 69% of his passes with 9 TDs.  Cook is precise and very smart.  A year ago, in Lincoln, Cook completed 8 passes on 3rd down to keep drives alive including throws of 19, 13, and 27.  Nebraska’s D-backs will be thoroughly tested Saturday.  The Blackshirts can help matters with pressure from the front 4.  Randy Gregory and Company must get pressure on Cook and hold their own in the run game.  Last year Michigan State’s Jeremy Langford ran for over 1400 yards and 18 TDs as the Spartans went on to win the Rose Bowl.  He is capable of taking the game over behind a very good Offensive Line.  I think NU is stout enough up front to limit Langford’s effectiveness and force Connor Cook to beat them.  Unfortunately Cook is good enough to take care of that himself.

This is a monster Big 10 matchup between 2 of the best teams in the league.  Spartan Stadium will be blowing up Saturday night.  The Huskers are going to be forced to play their very best if they hope to come out victorious.  Even then, there is a damn good possibility that MSU holds serve at home.  Michigan State is as fine a team as any nationally.  There lone loss was @ Oregon against perhaps the nations best QB.  In that game Sparty had a 9 point lead at one point.  Michigan State is a tough test for any team, especially the Huskers.  If NU can come out with a W, we could be staring down a special season.  I think Nebraska is up to the task.  This team has taken on a different feel than years past.  There is a confidence that has been lacking for some time in Lincoln.  Hopefully the bright lights of East Lansing dont prove too much.  Is it Saturday yet?

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