You play like you practice.

[Caine Mutiny]

Tom Osborne's way of football wont get it done today. The game is different. Even in 97 TO was starting to run alot of shotgun spreads. What is the way of football you describe? Even the Wisconsins dont line up play in, play out in I form 2 tights and pound away all day, and TO never did that either. Our offense is fine, and is the least of our issues. I will one thing, that the tempo could be slowed just a little. I think the way we play now the defense gets caught up in a track meet type feel and that it really hurt against Ohio St. Not so much against Wisconsin because they were trying to slow it down.

Oh my, youre quite delerious. LSU and Bama do NOT run Osborne's offense. Maybe a similar philosophy, but no where close to the same offense. Obviously youre not smart enough to see the details. Osbornes played with straight ahead blocking and "belly" runs, isos powers. The game today is a lot of zone blocking predicated on getting guys one on one in space. Youre seeing a handoff resulting in a 5 yard gain and calling it the same, but it's not.

Bottom line is this is our offense. It's very good. Best we've has since probably 2000. May even have to go back to 97. It is NOT the problem. Did they have one of those days against NW? Sure. It happens. But they came alive when they had to. One things for damn sure, Osbornes offense would not have been able to over come a 12 point deficit in 8 minutes. Get off your high horse and get over yourself, and for damn's sake, quite pushing this substance-lacking agenda of yours.

Which Tom Osborne are you talking about? You must be talking about Frank Solich.. The one I am talking about didnt always run straight ahead early in the game.. But he did do a lot of running straight ahead near the end of the game. Because he was able to.. Because in the beginning of the game, he used misdirection, fullback traps, isos, and ocassionaly he would sneak in a bootleg by the qb.. He was always doing something to take the defenses legs, and the will away from the defense, he made them sitting ducks for his bigger lineman. Teams caught hell playing him. It would take teams 3 to 4 weeks to get healthy again. He was always the most physical...

And? you are dead wrong about Tom not being able to score 14 points in the last 8 minutes. He scored 14 straight points against Miami in 1994, within a 6 minute time period.. Miami Hurricaines were ranked 3rd in the nation... Which happen to be a helluva lot higher than puney Northwestern.. Oh yeah one more thing? that Miami team had Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, and other guys that played pro football..... Let me ask you who are the big bad boys on Northwestern? who are there W Sapps, Ray Lewises? Do you think they will have anyone on it that team that will make honorable mention for all big 10?

Bo and Tim are not the right guys for Nebraska. Its been 5 years, and this is what we have...... Because they neglected Tom, and continue to play weak.. Neglect Tom at your own peril buddy boy!!

 

[HuskerThor]

And? you are dead wrong about Tom not being able to score 14 points in the last 8 minutes. He scored 14 straight points against Miami in 1994, within a 6 minute time period.. Miami Hurricaines were ranked 3rd in the nation... Which happen to be a helluva lot higher than puney Northwestern.. Oh yeah one more thing? that Miami team had Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, and other guys that played pro football..... Let me ask you who are the big bad boys on Northwestern? who are there W Sapps, Ray Lewises? Do you think they will have anyone on it that team that will make honorable mention for all big 10?

Bo and Tim are not the right guys for Nebraska. Its been 5 years, and this is what we have...... Because they neglected Tom, and continue to play weak.. Neglect Tom at your own peril buddy boy!!

You do realize that you can't compare the '94 squad to this one, right? I mean the '94 squad was probably one of the best to ever step on the field.

 

[Caine Mutiny]

And? you are dead wrong about Tom not being able to score 14 points in the last 8 minutes. He scored 14 straight points against Miami in 1994, within a 6 minute time period.. Miami Hurricaines were ranked 3rd in the nation... Which happen to be a helluva lot higher than puney Northwestern.. Oh yeah one more thing? that Miami team had Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, and other guys that played pro football..... Let me ask you who are the big bad boys on Northwestern? who are there W Sapps, Ray Lewises? Do you think they will have anyone on it that team that will make honorable mention for all big 10?

Bo and Tim are not the right guys for Nebraska. Its been 5 years, and this is what we have...... Because they neglected Tom, and continue to play weak.. Neglect Tom at your own peril buddy boy!!

You do realize that you can't compare the '94 squad to this one, right? I mean the '94 squad was probably one of the best to ever step on the field.

Thats right! and? I am also compareing coach's offenses, I was just mentioning that Tom's offense came back against a great team. a much better team than Northwestern..... When someone tells me that Tom's offense wont work today, or cant come back, I have to mention that it can.. And thats not all.. ... Florida gators gave up 27 in the second quarter alone.. Florida won the national championship the next year.... Tennesse suffered 21 points in a matter of 6 minutes, That Florida team had Peyton Manning on it, and? it also won the National championship the very next year.... . I wonder if that tough and great Northwestern team, is going to win the national championship next year?

In my opinion.... The spread is not a good offense for Nebraska. And by running the spread, we will be recruiting and competeing against other teams, for the very same players that are coveted... And? who wants to come to the cold and snow of Nebraska, besides Nebraska kids, and a few others? .

 

[Caine Mutiny]

And? you are dead wrong about Tom not being able to score 14 points in the last 8 minutes. He scored 14 straight points against Miami in 1994, within a 6 minute time period.. Miami Hurricaines were ranked 3rd in the nation... Which happen to be a helluva lot higher than puney Northwestern.. Oh yeah one more thing? that Miami team had Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, and other guys that played pro football..... Let me ask you who are the big bad boys on Northwestern? who are there W Sapps, Ray Lewises? Do you think they will have anyone on it that team that will make honorable mention for all big 10?

Bo and Tim are not the right guys for Nebraska. Its been 5 years, and this is what we have...... Because they neglected Tom, and continue to play weak.. Neglect Tom at your own peril buddy boy!!

You do realize that you can't compare the '94 squad to this one, right? I mean the '94 squad was probably one of the best to ever step on the field.

Thats right! and? I am also compareing coach's offenses, I was just mentioning that Tom's offense came back against a great team. a much better team than Northwestern..... When someone tells me that Tom's offense wont work today, or cant come back, I have to mention that it can.. And thats not all.. ... Florida gators gave up 27 in the second quarter alone.. Florida won the national championship the next year.... Tennesse suffered 21 points in a matter of 6 minutes, That Tennesse team had Peyton Manning on it, and? it also won the National championship the very next year.... . I wonder if that tough and great Northwestern team, is going to win the national championship next year?

In my opinion.... The spread is not a good offense for Nebraska. And by running the spread, we will be recruiting and competeing against other teams, for the very same players that are coveted... And? who wants to come to the cold and snow of Nebraska, besides Nebraska kids, and a few others? .

 

[Count 'Bility]

I'll give you the two scores in that Orange Bowl. But dont forget the fact that EACH OF THOSE DRIVES CONTAINED A 25 YARD RUN AND A 15 YARD TD RUN, and then sandwiching one of the quickest 3 and outs (3 incomplete passes) in football history. Just as comparable to our quick strike offense today. Then you say Osborne would open it up early and then ground and pound in the fourth, well, hell yes he did, he was ahead 52-7. Dont try to teach me the workings of Nebraska football. I've forgotten more than you'll ever know. That is a fact, and you're making it clearly obvious with every demeaning comment about our offense. You're basically saying we need to drill for more water to lower the price of gas.

 

[Joe_5700]

I used to be a Bo Pelini supporter. I honestly did. But what is happening to Nebraska has made me draw a line, of who I like better, Bo or Nebraska.. And it was easy to choose Nebraska. Bo Pelini is not the man for the job at Nebraska. Nebraska is so unprepared, that in some games, it looks like we are overmatched. And why? It all boils down to lack of discipline, and unpreparedness, and that all comes from coaching, or lack of coaching. Last weekend, I heard Mike Wilborn, say it himself that Nebraska has a physical advantage over everyone, except for maybe the SEC.. and yet there we were, near the end of the game, praying for a Northwestern miss..

We have the talent to beat anyone out there. But we dont, because we are under achievers. And its all because we play weak... We are always unprepared, whether its penalities, or fumbles, or interceptions, or something else, ... And the worse thing is, we as fans have been conditioned to it, by the last nine years of mediocrity, first by Bill and Shawn, and still today by Tim and Bo.. We have to go back to Tom Osbornes way of football.

Tom Osborne's way of football wont get it done today. The game is different. Even in 97 TO was starting to run alot of shotgun spreads. What is the way of football you describe? Even the Wisconsins dont line up play in, play out in I form 2 tights and pound away all day, and TO never did that either. Our offense is fine, and is the least of our issues. I will one thing, that the tempo could be slowed just a little. I think the way we play now the defense gets caught up in a track meet type feel and that it really hurt against Ohio St. Not so much against Wisconsin because they were trying to slow it down.

The game is different to you because you have bought into the hype of novelty. People still put on pants one leg at a time, People still eat food and poop.. For that matter, nothing has changed in football either. Running and blocking still dictate who wins..... Who said that Tom always ran plays in the I formation? Tom's first priority was to be the most physical.. Because usually the most physical football team wins.... Not always but usually.

That game against Northwestern was a joke.. We could have dominated them, but we played to there level by running a freaking WEAK spread offense... The spread offense was designed for teams like Northwestern..

Tom Osbornes offense is alive and well.... Alabama, LSU run Tom Osbornes offense... Its physical and punishing. We run Tim Beck's offense. and we barely win at BIG BAD Northwestern..

You do not know much about football do you? With the turnovers that we had, we were lucky to pull off that win.

 

[Saunders]

Bo and Tim are not the right guys for Nebraska. Its been 5 years, and this is what we have...... Because they neglected Tom, and continue to play weak.. Neglect Tom at your own peril buddy boy!!

Tom hand picked Bo to be HC... therefore, Tom is neglecting himself.

 

[junior4949]

And? you are dead wrong about Tom not being able to score 14 points in the last 8 minutes. He scored 14 straight points against Miami in 1994, within a 6 minute time period.. Miami Hurricaines were ranked 3rd in the nation... Which happen to be a helluva lot higher than puney Northwestern.. Oh yeah one more thing? that Miami team had Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, and other guys that played pro football..... Let me ask you who are the big bad boys on Northwestern? who are there W Sapps, Ray Lewises? Do you think they will have anyone on it that team that will make honorable mention for all big 10?

Bo and Tim are not the right guys for Nebraska. Its been 5 years, and this is what we have...... Because they neglected Tom, and continue to play weak.. Neglect Tom at your own peril buddy boy!!

You do realize that you can't compare the '94 squad to this one, right? I mean the '94 squad was probably one of the best to ever step on the field.

Thats right! and? I am also compareing coach's offenses, I was just mentioning that Tom's offense came back against a great team. a much better team than Northwestern..... When someone tells me that Tom's offense wont work today, or cant come back, I have to mention that it can.. And thats not all.. ... Florida gators gave up 27 in the second quarter alone.. Florida won the national championship the next year.... Tennesse suffered 21 points in a matter of 6 minutes, That Florida team had Peyton Manning on it, and? it also won the National championship the very next year.... . I wonder if that tough and great Northwestern team, is going to win the national championship next year?

In my opinion.... The spread is not a good offense for Nebraska. And by running the spread, we will be recruiting and competeing against other teams, for the very same players that are coveted... And? who wants to come to the cold and snow of Nebraska, besides Nebraska kids, and a few others? .

First of all, I will agree with you that TO's offense could be just as effective today as it was when he was coaching. However, I don't at all agree with your last paragraph. When TO was coaching, very few teams ran the offense we did. Therefore, we almost had the pick of the litter when it came to option QB's. Today, several teams run the spread option which has created greater and greater competition for those same QB's we were getting when TO was coach. As great as Tommie Frazier was, the only competition we had to get him for QB was Notre Dame. Today, there would be a long list of teams competing for a talent like Frazier. Back in TO's day, we would have gotten an RG3 or Shoelace.

 

[CheeseHusker]

I think "play like an Osborne team" is more directed at playing clean, inspired, disciplined football and less about the plays being run.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

And? you are dead wrong about Tom not being able to score 14 points in the last 8 minutes. He scored 14 straight points against Miami in 1994, within a 6 minute time period.. Miami Hurricaines were ranked 3rd in the nation... Which happen to be a helluva lot higher than puney Northwestern.. Oh yeah one more thing? that Miami team had Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, and other guys that played pro football..... Let me ask you who are the big bad boys on Northwestern? who are there W Sapps, Ray Lewises? Do you think they will have anyone on it that team that will make honorable mention for all big 10?

Bo and Tim are not the right guys for Nebraska. Its been 5 years, and this is what we have...... Because they neglected Tom, and continue to play weak.. Neglect Tom at your own peril buddy boy!!

You do realize that you can't compare the '94 squad to this one, right? I mean the '94 squad was probably one of the best to ever step on the field.

Thats right! and? I am also compareing coach's offenses, I was just mentioning that Tom's offense came back against a great team. a much better team than Northwestern..... When someone tells me that Tom's offense wont work today, or cant come back, I have to mention that it can.. And thats not all.. ... Florida gators gave up 27 in the second quarter alone.. Florida won the national championship the next year.... Tennesse suffered 21 points in a matter of 6 minutes, That Florida team had Peyton Manning on it, and? it also won the National championship the very next year.... . I wonder if that tough and great Northwestern team, is going to win the national championship next year?

In my opinion.... The spread is not a good offense for Nebraska. And by running the spread, we will be recruiting and competeing against other teams, for the very same players that are coveted... And? who wants to come to the cold and snow of Nebraska, besides Nebraska kids, and a few others? .

First of all, I will agree with you that TO's offense could be just as effective today as it was when he was coaching. However, I don't at all agree with your last paragraph. When TO was coaching, very few teams ran the offense we did. Therefore, we almost had the pick of the litter when it came to option QB's. Today, several teams run the spread option which has created greater and greater competition for those same QB's we were getting when TO was coach. As great as Tommie Frazier was, the only competition we had to get him for QB was Notre Dame. Today, there would be a long list of teams competing for a talent like Frazier. Back in TO's day, we would have gotten an RG3 or Shoelace.

^^^ old Big 8 coaches used to say what made us so tough to defend was only having one week to prepare for an offense that they only saw once a year.

 

[Caine Mutiny]

Well? I agree with you, but I have to disagree with you... Tom didnt alway have the pick of the litter back then, He had to compete for many of his players. He had to compete against Clemson, NC State, and Miami, for Tommy Frazier.(Miami wanted him as a DB) Because many of those teams, (excludeing Miami) ran the same type of offense as Nebraska, in the early 90s.... The real big difference was, when he got them, he was able to galvanize them... he did this by haveing very physical practices... He remained basically the same offensively all through the late 70s to the mid 90s. But what really changed in college football, was more teams began to throw the football more., They became lighter, but faster. and what does it take to stop this faster offense? The answer is a faster defense......Because it was in the early 90s that versions of the spread began to sprout. Bill McCartney said "throwing the football is the future of offenses" Yet he won a national championship running the football. Darian Hagan, Eric Bienemy, George Hemeningway,all were great runners... but why did he change? The answer is simple. It was his perception that changed. It wasnt just Bill's either..Lots of teams began to recruit the same type of athlete... Offenses all over began to catch the itch, and what you saw were multiple recruiting pushes at the same type of player, which was required to run that type of offense... Colorado switched to, to throwing the football with Kordell Stewart, which was changed over by Bill, and left for Rick Nueihesel, and Colorado hasnt been back since...

The biggest thing that flipped the dynamics of winning for Tom Osborne was, he recruited speed to shut down these lighter faster arial attacks.(the Miami's and Florida States).. Once he did that, the game was over.. Because? His defense was able to shut down the opposeing teams attack, and consequently? their defenses were designed to stop similar arial attacks, there was no way these defenses could stand up to the heavy weights pounding on them. They were brutalized, by Tom's offense. Because Tom first priority was to always take the legs away from the defense... Thats really important too. Tom's first objective, was always to attack the opposeing defenses legs . He did it by useing misdirection a 4th of the time.. Because that very trick made the defense stay home to absorb whatever the offensive line was going to give them.. and that usually lasted about 2 quarters on most teams..

Now lets look at the spread offense? The spread offense is designed to spread out the defense. The goal of it, is to get the ball to fast players in space. Its similar to basketball, because you want your fastest players to handle the ball. And? what does it take to stop the spread?? A lighter yet faster defender, just like the offensive player....You cant have the majority of your defense being big physical heavy weights on defense.. You can have a few big heavy guys up front, but the back, and the outsides of your defense has to be fast.. . So? You need a defense that can run.(Period) Speed is the most important element on all defenses.... Because if you cant get to them, you will never tackle them. Now lets flop this around again? If Tom was here yet today, he proved that he can recruit speed...and? he proved that these little light weight defenses cant hold up to his style of attack....

The Big 10 today is primed perfectly for Tom to pound.. Just like the Big 12 is for K-State. Everyone except for K-State, and maybe Iowa State, has the itch to want to run the spread. Texas, Oklahoma, OSU, Tech, Baylor, TCU, WVU, all of these teams are just to light weight to do anything against a Tom Osborne team, or a SEC team..

Shawn Watson tried to run the spread for Nebraska, and he failed miserably at it... Because he ignored Tom. Tom even tried to help Shawn Watson, but for whatever the reason, Shawn thought he knew better... I am afraid for Bo, because Tim Beck is doing the same thing..

 

[Caine Mutiny]

To Accountablity..

I am not trying to teach you anything about Nebraska. All I am saying is, you mentioned that Tom Osborne's offense wouldnt of came back against cheesey Northwestern. And? all I did was correct you by showing, or stateing that Tom did in fact score 14 within that time period, Against a much better team than Northwestern... But you are stateing that happened because of only the 2 long runs. Well?.. why do you think the 2 long runs happen in the 4th quarter? Well if you dont know, I will be very glad to tell you. The 2 long runs in the 4th quarter happened because Miami broke down physically, by Tom's offense. They got brutalized!! Its simple physics really?.. Because if you get in a fist fight, and get your face caved in, the next time,you come up, you learn to keep your mouth shut.....

Miami gave up the 2 long runs, because they couldnt stop it if they wanted to, because all that pounding made them tired of getting pounded on, because there legs were shot... and? I dont care what you know about Nebraska. All I care about is why Tim Beck keeps ignoreing Tom Osborne..

 

[Caine Mutiny]

I hope Oregon and Alabama meet.. Blowout for Alabama!!. Oregon will get its lunch handed to them, because they are to little on defense...and Alabama has the athletes to keep up with Oregon's offense.. Which means Oregon's defense will be out on the field the majority of the game getting stepped on..

 

[NUance]

Bo and Tim are not the right guys for Nebraska. Its been 5 years, and this is what we have...... Because they neglected Tom, and continue to play weak.. Neglect Tom at your own peril buddy boy!!

You seem to want to compare our team this year to the 1994 Huskers, or the other great teams we had in the 90's. But it doesn't really make sense to cherry pick your comparison like that. So let's compare apples to apples.

In Osborne's fifth year, 1977, we lost a fourth of our games, going 9-3. Two of those losses were to unranked teams, Washington St and Iowa State. We edged out one top five team (#4 Alabama, 31-24), and got creamed by another (#3 Oklahoma, 7-38). So Osborne's fifth year was a decent season--but nothing to compare to the Husker dominance of 1994, 95 or 97.

Don't get me wrong--I think Osborne was a GREAT coach. But Osborne's team his fifth year was closer to Bo's team this year (his fifth) than it was to the best team Osborne fielded during his 25 years as the Husker head coach. I want the Huskers to be a dominating team once again. But that just doesn't happen very often. It took Osborne over 20 years. It might not happen again for quite a while, regardless of who we have coaching. So be patient grasshopper.

 

[maskershake]

I also like how everyone wants to compare Bo's coaching to Snyder this year. It's like just cause Bo is at Nebraska he should have all the knowledge Snyder has... we do realize that Snyder is one of the best college football coaches ever correct? Bo's not there yet, may never be, but i still believe he will be a good one in time.