Keys to Winning the West

[HuskerNation1]

So far this season is off to a good start, and I'm curious what your thoughts are on the keys to winning the West division so we can get back to the BIG Championship game. A few thoughts come to my mind.

 

1. We really must finally beat Wisconsin which won't be easy playing on the road with how good they look at the moment. A loss to them means they would have to end up with 3 losses in the conference if we were to also lose at OSU.

 

2. Stay focused each week even against the opponents we are supposed to blow out. Recent Husker teams had a habit of losing one or two games a year against teams they should have easily beaten.

 

3. Keep focusing on the run game in every game. I like how Langsdorf is calling most of the games this year, including his use of Tommy as a runner. This tends to open up the passing game and also allows us to wear down teams by the 4th quarter.

 

4. Get more pressure on the QB. I've been a bit disappointed with the play of our D-line. I realize they are young, but we are going to need them to start making plays as the level of competition rises.

 

5. Win the turnover margin. So far Tommy and the team have done a pretty good job of taking care of the ball, and we just need to keep that momentum going.

[GSG]

So far this season is off to a good start, and I'm curious what your thoughts are on the keys to winning the West division so we can get back to the BIG Championship game. A few thoughts come to my mind.

 

1. We really must finally beat Wisconsin which won't be easy playing on the road with how good they look at the moment. A loss to them means they would have to end up with 3 losses in the conference if we were to also lose at OSU.

 

2. Stay focused each week even against the opponents we are supposed to blow out. Recent Husker teams had a habit of losing one or two games a year against teams they should have easily beaten.

 

3. Keep focusing on the run game in every game. I like how Langsdorf is calling most of the games this year, including his use of Tommy as a runner. This tends to open up the passing game and also allows us to wear down teams by the 4th quarter.

 

4. Get more pressure on the QB. I've been a bit disappointed with the play of our D-line. I realize they are young, but we are going to need them to start making plays as the level of competition rises.

 

5. Win the turnover margin. So far Tommy and the team have done a pretty good job of taking care of the ball, and we just need to keep that momentum going.

 

 

[GBRHouston]

I really do like what I am seeing this year. It is not perfect, but we have time to clean them up. Indiana seems like the scariest game now until Wisconsin.

[NebraskaShellback]

If a mistake is made, do not dwell on it, go on. I think they done a good job of this.

[NebraskaShellback]

Saturday at Memorial in Lincoln

[Redux]

First and foremost we have to beat Wisconsin to even have a chance. Iowa we still have no clue how they will fare in conference play really, I doubt they beat Wiscy though. NW was a thorn and we plucked it. Minny would be the only other real divisional threat. Beat Wiscy...beat them badly. We owe them an absolute shelacking in front of their awful home crowd.

[GBRHouston]

We owe them an absolute shelacking in front of their awful home crowd.

This.

 

Under Pelini, we lacked the ability to keep it close outside of Lincoln. It's time.

[huKSer]

Keys to Winning the West:

 

Have a better record than Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue.

[marko polo]

First and foremost we have to beat Wisconsin to even have a chance. Iowa we still have no clue how they will fare in conference play really, I doubt they beat Wiscy though. NW was a thorn and we plucked it. Minny would be the only other real divisional threat. Beat Wiscy...beat them badly. We owe them an absolute shelacking in front of their awful home crowd.

Do you honestly think there is a ghost of a chance of this happening?

[Nebfanatic]

I liked Rileys emphasis on the big play differentials I think it's very important to keep track of a state like that

[Flood]

I LOVE Riley's seemingly new love for pushing the envelope. Tom used to blitz at every chance that seemed to make sense. 3rd and 12? Blitz. 2nd and 15? Blitz. We seemed to have lost that in the last decade. I am glad to see it back.

 

I think Riley said something like, "Luck favors the bold."

 

I agree heartily and I like the risks he has taken so far. Now, Illinois, Purdue and so on probably make that an easy call. I hope he keeps it up against OSU and Wisconsin and later in the year.

 

Mike reminds me a LOT of Tom and I hope he stays bold. Nothing to lose and everything to gain.

[The Dude]

(fortune favors the bold)

[huskered17]

I really do like what I am seeing this year. It is not perfect, but we have time to clean them up. Indiana seems like the scariest game now until Wisconsin.

 

 

GBR!!!

[NUance]

Our shot at winning the West depends on whether Danny Langsdorf we can figure out a way to score on Wisconsin. And whether Tommy and Co can implement it. LSU couldn't. Michigan State couldn't. Those two top 10 teams (formerly top 10) combined for a total of 20 points against the Badgers. Wisconsin's LB corps is among the best in the nation. And their D-line is nearly that talented as well. Plus we face those guys in Madison—one of the most daunting venues in all of college football. The Husker offense is going to have it's work cut out for it when we visit Camp Randall in four weeks.

 

Note: Wiscy's best LB, Vince Biegel, is having a screw inserted into a cracked bone in his foot this week. He'll miss the Michigan game tomorrow. Will be back by the time they face us.

[teachercd]

I am guessing that Michigan and OSU will take care of this problem.

 

I think NU can drop one West game and be okay.