HuskerWeekly.com

Final Drive Leaves Aggieland Stunned November 13th, 2006 By Josh Peterson HuskerWeekly.com Analyst ____________________________ What a win! Those are the only words to describe what happened on a great day/night for college football in College Station, Texas. Nebraska, needing only one win in its last two games to reach the Big XII Championship, pulled it off in amazing fashion, with a last minute touchdown drive to seal their plane ticket to Kansas City for a presumed matchup against the national champion Texas Longhorns. With a 28-27 win over the Aggies, Bill Callahan’s team showed that no matter what is going on, how bad they have played, or how loud the crowd is, they are never out of a game. Zac Taylor took over with 1:50 left in the game, and drove the ball down the field like John Elway. He looked calm. He looked smart. But most of all, he looked in control. He threw the ball where he wanted, when he wanted. Todd Peterson made catch after catch on the final drive of the game for the Huskers, his final being a 13 yard catch to get Nebraska to the 18 yard line. Some incomplete passes followed, until a roughing the passer penalty on third down gave the Huskers an automatic first down inside the 10 yard line. One more play was needed, as Zac Taylor just threw the ball up to Maurice Purify, and let him get it. He did, and the Huskers went on to the win. The offense had control like this earlier in the game as well. On three straight possessions in the first half, the Huskers made Texas A&M look like a high school team, running on them at will, and taking a 21-7 lead going into halftime. It looked like the Huskers would run the Aggies out of their own stadium, but like so many games this season it seemed the Huskers thought the game ended after 30 minutes. Slowly but surely, the blackshirts allowed bigger and bigger plays. While this happened, the offense seemed out of sync, not in rhythm, and just flat as possession after possession, they couldn’t muster anything. Going into the fourth and final quarter, the Huskers had still only allowed three more points to be put on the board. But that’s when it looked like they had lost it for good. Stephen McGee raced 57 yards for a touchdown, while the Huskers D didn’t look like they knew what to do. Suddenly it’s 21-19 after and A&M missed extra point. Huskers get the ball back, get a first down, and then nothing more, and Titchner comes back on the field for another punt. Another touchdown, followed by a two point conversion for the Aggies looked like the nail in the coffin, especially after a Zac Taylor interception with only 2:50 remaining in the game. But then something happened. Something that will remembered for a long time. A great stand by the defense, then a blocked kick, followed by the great drive that will put Zac Taylor’s name with such names as Tommie Frazier, Turner Gill, Scott Frost, and even Eric Crouch. If he and the Huskers can win the Big XII Championship, that legend will only grow larger. I, like many others in Husker Nation, am still worn out from that crazy ending. What a win! ----------------------- Comment on this article on Josh's blog here or below in this thread.

CAN YOU FEEL IT!!!! Wednesday, November 8th, 2006 By Trevor Martin (BIGREDIOWAN) HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst ------------------------------------------ Well it’s coming and everyone in Husker Nation can feel it. This is a very important game for us all and most importantly for this team. If we can win this game then for the first time since 1999 Nebraska 7-3 (4-2) will once again be in the Big XII Championship game in Kansas City on December 2nd. However, you can tell that a vast majority of Husker Nation is already looking ahead and past this very talented Texas A&M team, and it’s hard not to. We are on the doorstep of the Big 12 Championship game and beating on the door along with the Texas Longhorns. Both teams need to remain focused to get to this big game and have a rematch of the slug fest that was played on October 21st at Memorial Stadium. Unfortunately for Husker Nation we lost that game in the final minutes 22-20. The 24th ranked Aggies are not just going to roll over and let the Huskers have their way with them. A lot is riding on this game for the Aggies as well. They are all but eliminated from the Big 12 South Title. They need to win the rest of their games and have help from Texas and Oklahoma in the form of losses on their respective schedules. The Aggies 8-2 (4-2) have home field advantage and anyone who has ever been to Kyle field home of the 12th man can tell you that is a very big advantage. Any school that has yell practice the night before a football game is obviously going to be intimidating to any visiting opponent. Nebraska brings with it a very potent offensive attack with the hopes of coming away with a win and the Big XII North Title. The teams match-up fairly evenly on paper with the edge going to Nebraska on everything, but rushing. Nebraska ranks 8th in the country with an offensive average of 450.5 ypg while the Aggies rank 19th with an average of 415.7 ypg. Passing yards Nebraska is ranked 21st with 261.9 ypg and the Aggies are 65th with 203 ypg. Rushing yards Nebraska is ranked 17th with 188.6 ypg and the Aggies are 8th with 212.7 ypg. Points scored Nebraska is ranked 12th with 34.2 ppg and the Aggies are 18th with 31.3 ppg. You can tell that this game is going to come down to how the defenses play against the offenses. While neither of these defenses are having fantastic years they both have a lot of potential for the future. Nebraska’s defense averages 120.2 rushing yard per game, 221.9 passing yards per game, 342.1 total yards per game, and 17.7 points per game. The Aggies defense averages 128.3 rushing yards per game, 181.5 passing yards per game, 309.8 total yards per game, and 18.7 points per game. So the slight edge that Nebraska has on offense over the Aggies they give up on defense to the Aggies. Saturday is going to be a big day for both of these teams, but only one can emerge victorious and you have this feeling that the Huskers will pull this one out. They are in control of their own destiny and this would be a huge road victory for the Huskers not only because of the environment that they will be playing in, but also what it means for the Big 12 North Title. I see the first half as being 21-7 Husker’s leading at halftime. The Aggies will come back within a touchdown of the Huskers, but never get ahead of the Huskers and it will be a shootout till the end. Final score 31-24 Huskers. Comment on this article on BRIs HuskerWeekly page, or in this thread.

Can the I-back conspiracy be put to bed yet? October 9th, 2006 By David Rischling (DJR313) HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst _______________________________ Cody Glenn is being slighted. Callahan feels the need to force-feed his prized 5-star recruit Marlon Lucky and make him the man. Kenny Wilson is the hot up-and-comer. Callahan seems to have accelerated him up the depth chart because he likes his speed. Brandon Jackson is lurking in the shadows. Cody Glenn appears to be the odd man out. Bullsh#t. Those were all story lines in the local media in the past few weeks. On Saturday night, neither Marlon Lucky or Kenny Wilson had a carry against Iowa State. The result, Nebraska wins behind 2 gutty performances from the “overlooked” I-backs. Callahan, Norvell and Randy Jordan have maintained that playing time will be different for each back, each game and that they will go with the hot hand (or hands in this case) if it is working. Would it be possible to take what the coaches have to say at face value for once? The coaches made their stance known, and so far this season, they have stuck to that. It seems as if an I-back controversy is a lot more interesting than having 4 capable guys that would do anything to help their team win. It does not matter to me who is back there. I love to see the line fire off on their blocks and see the back hit the hole and make someone miss or run over a defender for an extra couple yards. Take a look at what Callahan has standing on the sidelines ready to play: Finish this article & comment here

Huskers back to early season form Sunday, September 24th, 2006 By Josh Peterson (ttheKid1*18) HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst ---------------------------------------- http://www.huskerweekly.com/?p=24 How would the Huskers respond? That seemed to be the question on everyone’s mind coming into the Troy game after the 28-10 loss to USC one week ago. Would the offense get back on track? Would the defensive backfield get burned again? Would the defensive line show why they received such high pre-season praise? Nebraska answered all these questions with great play in the 56-0 win over the Trojans, and everyone looked great. Read the full article, and make comments here: http://www.huskerweekly.com/?p=24 ---------------------------------------------

skers 33 jans 13 r: 250 p: 275

borNred's Big Red Rebound Kevin Sinnett HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst Sept 22, 2006 ----------------------------- Read & comment here: http://www.huskerweekly.com/?p=23 ----------------------------- One week after a disappointing loss to USC, the Husker’s have the task of taking on the smaller Trojans. Think of it as USC was the Magnum, and Troyis the well…Ultra Thin. Welcome to the pre-game point of view, and I am your host, Kevin aka borNred to my fellow Huskerboard.com members. Here we go…. Troy comes into Lincoln with a 1-2 record, with a two game road skid to Florida State and Georgia Tech. These games were close, and FSU could barely hang in for the W, but what the “experts” fail to realize is that those two teams have NO offense. Aside from GT’s showing last night against a dismal Virginia team, the Yellow Jackets gave no reason to believe that their offensive woes from last season are corrected. Florida State on the other hand does have an offense, it may only be by passing the ball but it’s there. However, the staff fails to utilize the talent of Drew Weatherford and the gifted receivers. Bowden seems determined to establish the run (Sound familiar? But I do agree with Cally’s game plan, difference is we have the backs, it’s just miscues and execution…or lack there of) before unleashing the big dogs of his offense; the problem is…they can’t run for squat. Enough about GT and FSU, I’m here for Big Red talk,nothing else. The Trojan’s run defense looks suspect, and by that I mean giving up over 3 hundred to a so-so GT team. This fact should play a big role in Callahan’s game planning. This brings me to NU’s run game…. Look for Lucky to have a big game, with what he’s showed so far it looks like another 100+ game is in order, as only one man on their D-Line is over the 300 mark. I also plan to see his receiving ability to play a decent roll as well, slide out in the slot and get some bubble screens, and dart plays to throw them off. Play action passing will reemerge with a vengeance, bank on it baby! This game will be a lot like last week’s match up with SC, only the roles will be reversed and there will be higher scoring. Troy will put up one hell of a fight, but count on this one to start slipping away from them in the third, when our superior depth starts to show its shining face. Pass the ball for God’s sake…sorry, I had a relapse for a second! I think that the passing game will be electric, hold on let me explain myself. For one, we have Zac Taylor and talented receivers; for two Troy’s tallest CB is Chris Bowen’s who is 6’0 and also third string. The others are as follows (LCB): Leodis McKelvin (5-11), Justin Bray (5-11); (RCB): Henry Chubb (5-10), Elbert Mack (5-10), and Darryl Watts (5-10). Now, you can’t sit here and tell me with a straight face that you don’t like the odds of that! Stick big Mo over there and play pitch and catch over the top all day long, what we have here is our own version of Dwayne Jarrett vs. NU secondary all over again in our favor. Now onto the Blackshirts…. and dominate is what comes to mind while eyeing their depth chart. Their starting receivers should pose a better match up then last weeks Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith show. Standing at 6-2, 6-1, 6-0, and 5-10 this shouldn’t be overwhelming for Jones and the rest of the Secondary, we just have to keep a lock on the Trojans QB Omar Haugabook, although not highly recruited out of JUCO he is still talented enough to cause some problems. This is what Carriker, Moore, Ruud, and McKeon are for, and I truly believe that they will hold him incheck with the help of the rest of the D. Finally the atmosphere on game day… this will have little effect on Troy, because they have been here before and they won’t be intimidated simply because they believe that they can hang with any team in the country and you know what? They are right on. On the other hand, crowd noise is ALWAYS a factor, so scream your little hearts out and it will be rewarded. In conclusion comes my prediction… NU – 42 Troy – 17 Passing: 339 Rushing: 215 Troy hangs in until the middle of the 3rd, but NU’s depth and talent pull them ahead big. Confidence and swagger return to top form and carry intothe Big 12 opener against KansAss. I bid you farewell Husker Nation, and you’ll hear from me on Sunday. GOOOOO BIIIIIG REEEDDDDD!!! --------------------------------------- Comment here: http://www.huskerweekly.com/?p=23

Hey guys, 2 of our writers have submitted some great new articles. One is a review of the Nicholls St game and the other a preview for USC. Check em out.. The Colonels Secret Recipe Not A Winner in Lincoln Finally, let’s get on to USC Great job David & Josh!

Finally, let’s get on to USC September 12th, 2006 By Josh Peterson (ttheKid1*18) HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst _____________________________ http://www.huskerweekly.com/?p=12 We can finally start to talk about the USC game. The game that Husker Nation has been waiting for since it was put on the schedule. The game that will show the nation that either Nebraska is back, or will be just o.k. The game that could give Bill Callahan all the support he needs, or bring more people against him. And it is now less than a week away. Nebraska dominated Nicholls State 56-7 in front of 84,076, and showed that with every passing week, they are understanding the West Coast offense more and more. The team was 7-12 on third downs. Zac Taylor was 19-23. The running game was again a four-headed monster amassing 261 total yards rushing. And the receiving corps are proving that on any given Saturday anybody can catch a pass. Overall this team is proving that they are coming together. Still though, there are some looming questions going into USC. How will the secondary fare against USC? This will decide who wins the game. USC has All-American Dwayne Jarrett, who is 6’5. They have potential All-American with 6’2 Steve Smith. And they have another big body with underrated 6’4 Patrick Turner. Those are some big receivers, going against a very thin and secondary. Cortney Grixby will have to step up and use his brain more than his brawn in this game. Andre Jones needs to show that he has picked up the “learning curve” of Division 1-A football. But I think the most important part of the group will be the safeties. They will have to make sure to always be back, so they don’t get burned by one of the receivers. If not, it could be a long game in L.A. How will the offensive line hold up? It is no secret that this was the one area that Nebraska worked on the most over the off-season. In the first two games, it looks like they have gotten better. But they haven’t gone against a line as athletically talented as SC’s. The Trojans have big, fast, and strong lineman who will do anything to put Zac Taylor on his back - and Mann and Co. must protect Taylor. If he goes down, the season will be soon to follow. This goes right into the next question… Will the running game continue to keep the running backs fresh?In the first two games, all four of the running backs have gotten their fair share of carries. Each has shown flashes of brilliance, and each has scored at least one touchdown. Will this gameplan that has worked against lesser competition, work against USC? I think it can, but there will be one back to emerge out of the pack in this game. Marlon Lucky has been the best runner so far. He can run, he can catch, and he has improved his blocking. I think he has a big game in his return to California, and really sets himself apart from the pack. The rest of the guys will still get carries, but I think Lucky will go into fans’ minds as “the guy”, and will continue to start. This game will be the biggest of the season for the Huskers. If they win, it sets them up for a potentially great run this season, and the start of something special. If they lose, it could be “just a loss”, or it could be a roundhouse punch to the stomach, that leaves the program shell-shocked for the rest of the season. But whatever happens in the game, it should make for an interesting time in L.A. Up Next: Do I even have to say it? We’re going to Hollywood baby!

The Colonels Secret Recipe Not A Winner in Lincoln September 12th, 2006 David Rischling (DJR313) HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst _______________________________ http://www.huskerweekly.com/?p=11 On Saturday, the triple option returned to Lincoln with little fanfare. Possibly because it was being run by Broderick Cole and Chris Bunch instead of guys like Tommie Frazier and Ahman Green. Aside from a Grant Thorne 49 yard fourth quarter scamper, the Colonels were rather unsuccessful. But that was to be expected. I think Nicholls St. quarterback Chris Bunch put it best; “They’re fast. That’s all I’m going to say-they’re fast. Our line did the best job they could. They’re just too fast.” Bunch, of course, was referring to the Blackshirts, which held the Colonels to 187 yards total, all on the ground. The goose egg for passing yards is less impressive when you see that only 3 passes were attempted. 8 players ended up with 4 tackles or more, with Adam Carriker and Steve Octavien leading the way with 6 apiece. Coach Bill Callahan talked all week about defending the triple option as assignment football. After watching on Saturday, not many assignments were missed. I think that Callahan, Cosgrove and Norvell should be very pleased with the effort and the outcome. Were the fans? First of all, there was about 1,000 less of us on Saturday. I’m sure that the rain and the opponent didn’t have anything to do with it. The game was well in hand at the half and many didn’t come back to watch some more fireworks. Most notably, Maurice Purify hauling in a 42 yard pass from Taylor in the third quarter. Seeing Taylor hit Purify makes me giddy. Many will say that this game didn’t show us much about the Huskers, that a week off would have served them better to prepare for USC. I say bologna! Yeah, Nicholls St. doesn’t necessarily have the firepower of a USC, or even a Missouri, but in this game Callahan was able to get a whole slew of newcomers some valuable playing time. Corey Young, Rickey Thenarse, Major Culbert, Tyrell Spain, Brett Byford, Bryan Wilson, Kenny Wilson and Joe Ganz all saw meaningful snaps. What did we learn? Rain won’t necessarily stop the WCO. Zac Taylor operated with surgeon-like precision in carving up the Nicholls St. defense like a Thanksgiving turkey. The rain didn’t seem to bother the receivers either. Taylor is well on his way to an All Big 12 season. Just remember, you heard it here last. Marlon Lucky might be worthy of all that hype. Well, maybe running for a bill against a D1AA foe isn’t much, but he looks good and most importantly, comfortable. His only gaffe was a dropped swing pass from Taylor. I think this was a simple case of that sweet smell of paydirt overwhelming his sense of sight - and he just took his eye off the ball. Nate Swift is a very capable punt returner. Swift was shifty, sure handed and showed great vision. When seeing Swift running with the ball, I didn’t hold my breath the same way I do when Terrence Nunn is on a return and carrying the ball like it’s a wet diaper. Some of these newcomers can really play. The experience that they gained on Saturday will be invaluable later in the season when a player or two goes down and one of these guys will have to step up. For one, I was impressed by the performance of Brett Byford. No exchange problems with Taylor (which is phenomenal on a rainy day) and he held his own in there blocking. If Mann goes down (God forbid it), Byford appears ready to step in. There is still no place like Nebraska. 84,000 showed up, ponchos and all and cheered like hell for their team. In this man’s opinion, not much tops a Saturday in Lincoln with good friends, some frosty beverages, and the opportunity to see the Huskers. The Men of Troy await; make us proud, gentlemen. Go Big Red and God Bless

Expect another day at the office for the Huskers By Josh Peterson (ttheKid1*18) with Contributions from Editor HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst “He’s to the 15, the 10, the 5, touchdown! What an option keeper that was.” Those were the words that seemed to come from every Husker announcer since the beginning of time. Well those catch phrases came to an end when Bill Callahan became head coach in January of 2004, but on Saturday September 9th, the once vaunted option of Nebraska makes a return to Memorial Stadium. And in case you’ve been in a Big Red coma, the Huskers won’t be the team running it. Fans couldn’t wait for the opener, and now no one can wait for “that next game” to end, when the Huskers travel to USC to play the game that could “bring the program back to prominence” in some people’s minds. Well in between that game and the opener, the Nicholls State Colonels travel to Lincoln for the second game of the season, to play the role of that ever dangerous “in-between game”.. which could very well be a trap. The option is always difficult to prepare for - just ask any Nebraska opponent from Husker heyday. It’s tough to simulate the speed of the quarterback - and this week Brian Hildebrand is tying to do just that. Will it prepare the players for what they will see on Saturday? It will, but not nearly as much as needed. However, the players will know what they are dealing with, once the Colonels take that first snap. The front seven are itching to show that the off-season hype was warranted. They didn’t have one of their more dominant games last week, and playing a ground oriented team will give a good opportunity to show that they can walk-the-walk, by stuffing the run. Those guys are excited about all the running the Colonels will do, and should have a big game. Unfortunately one area fans won’t be able to see improve much this week is the secondary. With the option offense, the Colonels only throw the ball a few times a game, so the likes of Andre Jones and Cortney Grixby won’t be tested as much as they would like to be. On offense, it will be business as usual for the team. Run the ball early and often, and let Zac Taylor pick apart the defense with nip-and-tuck like precision. If there is a running back that is going to set himself apart from the 4-horsemen before the SC game, it will have to happen here. Will Lucky and Glenn continue to shine? Will Jackson get more carries and show that his big run wasn’t a flash in the pan? When Wilson takes the field, will he prove he doesn’t have a nasty case of that F word that ends in “itis”? I think the answer to all of these is yes. It will resemble the spring game with little passing, and a lot of running. I think Lucky will continue to show fans why he was a five-star phenom out of California, and one of the top recruits in the nation. But I also see Kenny Wilson making some big runs, and show that all the summer talk surrounding him was, and is, true. The line has improved significantly from last season, and should play even better this week against a Division 1-AA opponent. Overall Nicholls State will be out of their element playing in front of 80K+, and the locals are still in an early season feeding-frenzy - which could make the Colonels wish they would have “opted” to stay in the air during this trip to Nebraska and College Football’s capital city. Josh's Prediction: Huskers-63, Nicholls State-7 Make your predictions here. Feel free to discuss this article in this thread. We also ask that you leave some quick feedback on the blog to help support HuskerWeekly - new registration is not required: http://www.huskerweekly.com/?p=10 Thanks guys - Blackshirt

An Open Apology to the Big 12 Monday, September 4th, 2006 Drew Altmaier - HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst -------------------------------- To all the teams that appear on our 2006 schedule, let me just say I’m sorry. I was under the impression that we might have a few weak spots, holes, and inconsistency with our game, my mistake. But seriously, looking this good on the football field isn’t easy, and I’ve decided to speak for all of Husker Nation when I say, I’m sorry. How do I feel bad for the Big 12? Let me count the ways... Finish reading this story here: http://www.huskerweekly.com/?p=9 *Comments are welcomed - no membership required.

That's More Like It, Eh? Sunday, September 3rd, 2006 David Rischling (DJR313) - HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst ----------------------------------------- September 2nd, 2006. Nebraska Football comes full circle. Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. The old: Smash mouth football, or "pounding the rock." Either way, 48 rushes for 252 yards, the most yards rushing from a Callahan-coached team. The new: The new jumbo-tron. The biggest television in the Midwest, and it's even got HD. When I say big, I mean big. Modular homes don't usually have the square footage of that thing. The borrowed: Keith Jackson and Lee Greenwood adding some flare to the pre-game festivities. Keith Jackson is like the godfather of college football and having him put a stamp on the new addition was a nice touch. What more can you say about "I'm Proud to be an American?" Simply, beautiful. Greenwood's song still inspires enough pride for our great country that it brings on chants of "U.S.A." The blue: George Darlington. Welcome to Ouchville, population; You, bro. Being on the other sideline for 30 years of spankings like this never quite prepare you for when it happens to you. Darlington apologized to the Louisiana Tech fans for not having the defense better prepared, but did they ever really stand a chance? The West Coast Offense this time around looks for real. Is it? Finish the story and post your comments here! (registration not required)

Room for improvement, but a win is a win Sunday, September 3rd, 2006 Josh Peterson - HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst -------------------------------- We saw shades of it against Colorado. We saw shades of it against Michigan. We finally saw the West Coast Offense in its full form against Louisiana Tech. Zac Taylor having time to deliver the ball. The running game looked great, with the backs actually having HOLES to run through. But how about the play from the tight ends? There were four touchdown passes in the game, and all four of them were caught by a tight end. Matt Herian looked great in his return to the field after a 22 month absence. Totalling three catches for 61 yards, he made his presence felt for the Huskers, and showed that he is back for another year. Were there mistakes? Sure... Finish the story and post your comments here. (registration not required)

What A Way to Open... Nebraska vs. Louisiana Tech - Sept. 2, 2006 John Jordan (motorboatjonesNU) - HuskerWeekly Sports Analyst ------------------------------- The beautiful facilities of Memorial Stadium have been christened... The population of "Nebraska's 3rd Largest City" has grown from 76,000 to 85,000... And Matt Herian opens the scoring of 2006. Sneaking behind the defense, he was wide open in the South end zone, where quarterback Zac Taylor flipped him a 13-yard toss. Twenty-two months of rehab, that included the whole state speculating over endless radio talk show questions and internet postings, came to an end as he put his hands up to receive a patented pitch-and-catch from Taylor. It was like old times for Herian. Surprisingly all alone, with a pass landing right in his hands, resulting in a touchdown. Indeed, after a somewhat shaky offensive start, the Cornhuskers got it going. Such a fitting way to open the 2006 campaign wouldn't have happened had the ref not flagged Dane Todd for a questionable holding call on Kenny Wilson's run - which was also somewhat YouTube-worthy... Finish the story and post your comments here. (registration not required)