Huskers to tweak home game routine.

[huskerscott]

Huskers to tweak home routine 

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini isn't sure his team's pregame routine for home games is broken, but he's going to try to fix it anyway.

 

The No. 14 Cornhuskers have been better on the road than at home, as measured by winning percentage, in Pelini's three seasons.

 

Pelini said he doesn't know if it's a coincidence or if there are tangible reasons for the discrepancy. With unbeaten Missouri (No. 6 BCS, No. 7 AP) visiting on Saturday, he's taking no chances.

 

Pelini said Tuesday he would change a couple items on the schedule the team follows in the 24 hours before a home game. He declined to go into specifics.

 

"I'm not totally buying into the whole thing, but you just don't want to assume it's not an issue," Pelini said. "We'll do some things just a little different. It's nothing drastic. To me, it's all about making sure the distractions are eliminated and give them the best opportunity to have their focus in the right direction."

 

Receiver Brandon Kinnie said he hasn't heard what the changes will be. He said he doesn't consider the home-road issue significant.

 

"It should be the same wherever we play," he said.

 

The Huskers' 51-41 win at then-No. 17 Oklahoma State last week marked their seventh straight Big 12 road win. They were dominant in their two other road games, at Washington and Kansas State.

 

They opened the season with easy home wins over Western Kentucky and Idaho, but they've turned in two straight lackluster performances in Lincoln, beating South Dakota State 17-3 and scoring no offensive touchdowns in a 20-13 loss to Texas.

 

"Last week, everyone built up Texas into being a big game and we didn't win," receiver Mike McNeill said. "All of a sudden, we're not good at home. We won all the home games before that. I don't know that we're trying to erase that. It's just another game, and whether it's home or away, we've got to go out and execute."

 

Pelini has lost three of his last five conference home games and is 5-4 all-time in Big 12 games in Lincoln. Overall, his winning percentage is .737 at home compared with .750 on the road.

 

Pelini has said he senses his team concentrates better on the road because the players don't have to worry about things on the periphery, such as entertaining family members. Neither do they have to worry about the high expectations of fans, who have sold out Memorial Stadium an NCAA-record 308 straight times since 1962.

 

The Huskers have had three home win streaks of 20 games or more over the past 25 years, including a 47-game streak. They haven't won all their home games in a season since 2001.

 

"I think everyone says it's their house, protect it, you've got to win at home," McNeill said. "Obviously that's important. We've been pretty good on the road. Not that we haven't been good at home, but it's definitely something that we know we need to do better at. Just little things, for whatever reason have made us play differently at home."

 

Missouri (7-0, 3-0 Big 12) also has been tough on the road, going 10-3 since 2007. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert is 5-1 in away games. The Tigers beat Texas A&M 30-9 two weeks ago in their only road game this season.

 

They welcome the challenge of going to Lincoln. Missouri, off to its best start since 1960, is a half-game up on preseason favorite Nebraska (6-1, 2-1) in the Big 12 North. The winner gets the inside track to the division title.

 

"Nebraska has been ranked in front of us up until the last two weeks, so I think there is the same target on their back as there is on ours," Missouri receiver T.J. Moe said. "Maybe they stumbled a little bit against Texas, but the same thing goes for them. They've been picked in front of us in the North all season long and we've been playing with a chip on our shoulder."

ESPN Big 12 blog

 

[I am I]

Kinnie said it should be the same wherever they play. Pros talk like that. These aren't pro players. They have distractions, class, family, comfort, etc...

Glad to see pelini might do something different. Even though they aren't terrible at home under Bo, they definetly come out flat, no question.

Maybe if our fans are ABSOLUTELY apesh#t then we wouldn't have this problem. I could NOT believe I actually had to 'encourage' the people around me in section 36B to stand up, yell, cheer, particitpate, have fun, high five, and get loud during the texass game. Watch the Oregon or Alabama crowd and they look crazy from tailgate to time over.

When a couple people around me mentioned, "is that guy going to sit down? It's a timeout for heavens sake??!!?" and I politely resonded, "it's the biggest game of the year so far--get UP AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE"

win or lose, I did my part. Do yours. f'ing get nuts and go home hoarse and deaf. what else are u doing there? No excuses. You're lucky if you get 6 home games a year and 20 seasons to go to them that's only 120 games in your whole life. do it the way it was meant to be done.

 

[huskerscott]

Kinnie said it should be the same wherever they play. Pros talk like that. These aren't pro players. They have distractions, class, family, comfort, etc...

Glad to see pelini might do something different. Even though they aren't terrible at home under Bo, they definetly come out flat, no question.

Maybe if our fans are ABSOLUTELY apesh#t then we wouldn't have this problem. I could NOT believe I actually had to 'encourage' the people around me in section 36B to stand up, yell, cheer, particitpate, have fun, high five, and get loud during the texass game. Watch the Oregon or Alabama crowd and they look crazy from tailgate to time over.

When a couple people around me mentioned, "is that guy going to sit down? It's a timeout for heavens sake??!!?" and I politely resonded, "it's the biggest game of the year so far--get UP AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE"win or lose, I did my part. Do yours. f'ing get nuts and go home hoarse and deaf. what else are u doing there? No excuses. You're lucky if you get 6 home games a year and 20 seasons to go to them that's only 120 games in your whole life. do it the way it was meant to be done.

I had alittle bit of this problem during the Texas game, too. I was screaming and yelling at the top of my lungs. I'll i could hear in the backroom was, "chill out" and "relax" and crap like that. I even had one guy tell me to quiet down so he can listen to his radio. I told if he wanted to listen to his radio clearly he could go to parking lot. what a Jack#$%.

 

[Hingle McCringleberry]

Maybe if our fans are ABSOLUTELY apesh#t then we wouldn't have this problem.

This is not the issue, neither is "fan expectations". These guys were fired up for the Texas game, then proceeded to play like crap. The crowd was into it, you will have people sitting on there hands no matter what, but the truth is the large majority of fans clap and cheer. The closer you sit to the field the louder it gets. Is it like the mid 90's, I dont think so, but to say the crowd isn't into it is BS...

 

[irafreak]

Huskers to tweak home routine 

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini isn't sure his team's pregame routine for home games is broken, but he's going to try to fix it anyway.

 

The No. 14 Cornhuskers have been better on the road than at home, as measured by winning percentage, in Pelini's three seasons.

 

Pelini said he doesn't know if it's a coincidence or if there are tangible reasons for the discrepancy. With unbeaten Missouri (No. 6 BCS, No. 7 AP) visiting on Saturday, he's taking no chances.

 

Pelini said Tuesday he would change a couple items on the schedule the team follows in the 24 hours before a home game. He declined to go into specifics.

 

"I'm not totally buying into the whole thing, but you just don't want to assume it's not an issue," Pelini said. "We'll do some things just a little different. It's nothing drastic. To me, it's all about making sure the distractions are eliminated and give them the best opportunity to have their focus in the right direction."

 

Receiver Brandon Kinnie said he hasn't heard what the changes will be. He said he doesn't consider the home-road issue significant.

 

"It should be the same wherever we play," he said.

 

The Huskers' 51-41 win at then-No. 17 Oklahoma State last week marked their seventh straight Big 12 road win. They were dominant in their two other road games, at Washington and Kansas State.

 

They opened the season with easy home wins over Western Kentucky and Idaho, but they've turned in two straight lackluster performances in Lincoln, beating South Dakota State 17-3 and scoring no offensive touchdowns in a 20-13 loss to Texas.

 

"Last week, everyone built up Texas into being a big game and we didn't win," receiver Mike McNeill said. "All of a sudden, we're not good at home. We won all the home games before that. I don't know that we're trying to erase that. It's just another game, and whether it's home or away, we've got to go out and execute."

 

Pelini has lost three of his last five conference home games and is 5-4 all-time in Big 12 games in Lincoln. Overall, his winning percentage is .737 at home compared with .750 on the road.

 

Pelini has said he senses his team concentrates better on the road because the players don't have to worry about things on the periphery, such as entertaining family members. Neither do they have to worry about the high expectations of fans, who have sold out Memorial Stadium an NCAA-record 308 straight times since 1962.

 

The Huskers have had three home win streaks of 20 games or more over the past 25 years, including a 47-game streak. They haven't won all their home games in a season since 2001.

 

"I think everyone says it's their house, protect it, you've got to win at home," McNeill said. "Obviously that's important. We've been pretty good on the road. Not that we haven't been good at home, but it's definitely something that we know we need to do better at. Just little things, for whatever reason have made us play differently at home."

 

Missouri (7-0, 3-0 Big 12) also has been tough on the road, going 10-3 since 2007. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert is 5-1 in away games. The Tigers beat Texas A&M 30-9 two weeks ago in their only road game this season.

 

They welcome the challenge of going to Lincoln. Missouri, off to its best start since 1960, is a half-game up on preseason favorite Nebraska (6-1, 2-1) in the Big 12 North. The winner gets the inside track to the division title.

 

"Nebraska has been ranked in front of us up until the last two weeks, so I think there is the same target on their back as there is on ours," Missouri receiver T.J. Moe said. "Maybe they stumbled a little bit against Texas, but the same thing goes for them. They've been picked in front of us in the North all season long and we've been playing with a chip on our shoulder."

ESPN Big 12 blog

This bothers me. It's a red flag comment. I still believe this is a Bo Pelini issue that translates down to the team. Now that we're not in the title hunt and the expectations have been tempered a bit I think the coach and team come out more sharp this saturday. Our biggest win last year was at home over OU.

And to comment about the players saying they don't understand how one loss suddenly makes the home game more of challenge...it's the way the team comes out in home games. On the road we start sharp and stay sharp.

Edit: didn't realize the whole article was bolded so I had to underline and italicize what I was trying to emphasize.

 

[Hingle McCringleberry]

Huskers to tweak home routine 

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini isn't sure his team's pregame routine for home games is broken, but he's going to try to fix it anyway.

 

The No. 14 Cornhuskers have been better on the road than at home, as measured by winning percentage, in Pelini's three seasons.

 

Pelini said he doesn't know if it's a coincidence or if there are tangible reasons for the discrepancy. With unbeaten Missouri (No. 6 BCS, No. 7 AP) visiting on Saturday, he's taking no chances.

 

Pelini said Tuesday he would change a couple items on the schedule the team follows in the 24 hours before a home game. He declined to go into specifics.

 

"I'm not totally buying into the whole thing, but you just don't want to assume it's not an issue," Pelini said. "We'll do some things just a little different. It's nothing drastic. To me, it's all about making sure the distractions are eliminated and give them the best opportunity to have their focus in the right direction."

 

Receiver Brandon Kinnie said he hasn't heard what the changes will be. He said he doesn't consider the home-road issue significant.

 

"It should be the same wherever we play," he said.

 

The Huskers' 51-41 win at then-No. 17 Oklahoma State last week marked their seventh straight Big 12 road win. They were dominant in their two other road games, at Washington and Kansas State.

 

They opened the season with easy home wins over Western Kentucky and Idaho, but they've turned in two straight lackluster performances in Lincoln, beating South Dakota State 17-3 and scoring no offensive touchdowns in a 20-13 loss to Texas.

 

"Last week, everyone built up Texas into being a big game and we didn't win," receiver Mike McNeill said. "All of a sudden, we're not good at home. We won all the home games before that. I don't know that we're trying to erase that. It's just another game, and whether it's home or away, we've got to go out and execute."

 

Pelini has lost three of his last five conference home games and is 5-4 all-time in Big 12 games in Lincoln. Overall, his winning percentage is .737 at home compared with .750 on the road.

 

Pelini has said he senses his team concentrates better on the road because the players don't have to worry about things on the periphery, such as entertaining family members. Neither do they have to worry about the high expectations of fans, who have sold out Memorial Stadium an NCAA-record 308 straight times since 1962.

 

The Huskers have had three home win streaks of 20 games or more over the past 25 years, including a 47-game streak. They haven't won all their home games in a season since 2001.

 

"I think everyone says it's their house, protect it, you've got to win at home," McNeill said. "Obviously that's important. We've been pretty good on the road. Not that we haven't been good at home, but it's definitely something that we know we need to do better at. Just little things, for whatever reason have made us play differently at home."

 

Missouri (7-0, 3-0 Big 12) also has been tough on the road, going 10-3 since 2007. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert is 5-1 in away games. The Tigers beat Texas A&M 30-9 two weeks ago in their only road game this season.

 

They welcome the challenge of going to Lincoln. Missouri, off to its best start since 1960, is a half-game up on preseason favorite Nebraska (6-1, 2-1) in the Big 12 North. The winner gets the inside track to the division title.

 

"Nebraska has been ranked in front of us up until the last two weeks, so I think there is the same target on their back as there is on ours," Missouri receiver T.J. Moe said. "Maybe they stumbled a little bit against Texas, but the same thing goes for them. They've been picked in front of us in the North all season long and we've been playing with a chip on our shoulder."

ESPN Big 12 blog

This bothers me. It's a red flag comment. I still believe this is a Bo Pelini issue that translates down to the team. Now that we're not in the title hunt and the expectations have been tempered a bit I think the coach and team come out more sharp this saturday. Our biggest win last year was at home over OU.

And to comment about the players saying they don't understand how one loss suddenly makes the home game more of challenge...it's the way the team comes out in home games. On the road we start sharp and stay sharp.

Edit: didn't realize the whole article was bolded so I had to underline and italicize what I was trying to emphasize.

Is this truly a quote from Bo, or is this media interjecting there own BS? I dont see how fan expecations are to high. If people dont get excited about being in the top 5 and start speculating about MNCs and everything that comes with it I would be worried about our fans...

 

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Is this truly a quote from Bo, or is this media interjecting there own BS? I dont see how fan expecations are to high. If people dont get excited about being in the top 5 and start speculating about MNCs and everything that comes with it I would be worried about our fans...

You don't see how high the expectations are from fans? It's absurdly outrageous at times. Guys trying to compare last years defense with the '95 team, Martinez being compared to Crouch, Crick to Suh...the list goes on and on. And when these guys don't meet these expectations, fans can come down hard on the players (read: Niles)

 

[Enhance]

Seriously, if Nebraska doesn't win this game, then I'm not sure how much these players really remember last year. Not only did they make a big deal out of beating Texas, one second on the clock, finishing in the North, etc., we're also leaving the Big 12. We should have a bigger chip (and rightly so) on our shoulder than any other team right now.

 

[sd'sker]

i am just worried that doing anything different will create more distractions and make their home field woes even worse.

 

[TRIPP]

I don't know what the pre game routine all consist of, but they should do the "Remember the Titans" pregame dance. Take away some jitters and minds off the big home game woes against big name teams. I know it could take away from focus etc, but a good laugh could also take away some bad thoughts of "I better not drop any passes today" etc etc.

 

[huzkerbob]

Is this truly a quote from Bo, or is this media interjecting there own BS? I dont see how fan expecations are to high. If people dont get excited about being in the top 5 and start speculating about MNCs and everything that comes with it I would be worried about our fans...

You don't see how high the expectations are from fans? It's absurdly outrageous at times. Guys trying to compare last years defense with the '95 team, Martinez being compared to Crouch, Crick to Suh...the list goes on and on. And when these guys don't meet these expectations, fans can come down hard on the players (read: Niles)

Well boo freagin' hoo! I never thought I would witness a Husker team or it's fans using our high expectations as an excuse for poor performance. This is the university of Nebraska, high expectations come with the territory. If these players can't handle that maybe they should transfer to North Dakota Polytechnic and play where no one gives a damn how horrible they play.

It seems to me like some players are more than willing to accept the god treatment at frat parties and local bars, but as soon as they have a sh#t game we are supposed to act asa if they are poor "kids" just playing a game? Give me a break!

To quote the only smart thing CU coach Dan Hawkins ever said, "This ain't inter murals brotha!"

 

[Ratt Mhule]

Is this truly a quote from Bo, or is this media interjecting there own BS? I dont see how fan expecations are to high. If people dont get excited about being in the top 5 and start speculating about MNCs and everything that comes with it I would be worried about our fans...

You don't see how high the expectations are from fans? It's absurdly outrageous at times. Guys trying to compare last years defense with the '95 team, Martinez being compared to Crouch, Crick to Suh...the list goes on and on. And when these guys don't meet these expectations, fans can come down hard on the players (read: Niles)

Well boo freagin' hoo! I never thought I would witness a Husker team or it's fans using our high expectations as an excuse for poor performance. This is the university of Nebraska, high expectations come with the territory. If these players can't handle that maybe they should transfer to North Dakota Polytechnic and play where no one gives a damn how horrible they play.

It seems to me like some players are more than willing to accept the god treatment at frat parties and local bars, but as soon as they have a sh#t game we are supposed to act asa if they are poor "kids" just playing a game? Give me a break!

To quote the only smart thing CU coach Dan Hawkins ever said, "This ain't inter murals brotha!"

Hey, you shut your mouth when your talking to me...? :huh: I go to that school, it's great! :sarcasm :laughpound

 

[mnhusker]

To me this whole deal is odd and maybe it is just a fluke ..... genreally the home field advantage is a given and I don't see how the team can screw that up (although this appears to be the case). The fans may not be a drunkn' SEC crowd but holy sh*t it's not like it's a friendly environment.