Huskers..Unbeaten with 3 Losses

R

robsker

Starter
My opinion --- for what it is worth --- is that NU was not beaten once this year. That is, no opponent played sufficiently well against NU so as to earn a victory. Against Texas, Texas A&M, and especially against OU, the Huskers lost the game by turnovers, penalties, and blown plays (pass drops, blown tackles). Rarely did the other team contribute overly to the Husker implosions --- they were self-inflicted. The Huskers gave the victories to teams that were undeserving --- none of the three (Texas, A&M, or Oklahoma) played well enough to win on their own merit --- each were the gracious recipients of gifts from the Huskers.

We almost gave one to SDSU as well.

My point? Washington is likely not capable of beating NU on their own merit --- but the Huskers are perfectly capable of imploding and beating themselves (as they have three... and nearly four times this season already).

With this Husker team... do not assume anything.

So my question is this.... why do we self destruct so often? And, perhaps more difficult to answer.... how do we make it stop?

As we go against a schedule next season that is roughly twice as difficult as the one this season, well... small implosions that we may get away with now (like those against SDSU and ISU) will end up in the "L" column next year. How do we prevent this from happening?

 
When was the last time Nebraska actually got beat by a team that was just downright better than them? 2008?

 
I hear you and agree with what you’re saying. Unfortunately the scoreboard doesn’t have any place to light up an asterisk on it.

 
we need to find a way to play with the fury and passion that Bo wants, but have enough self-discipline to contain ourselves from the late hits and lack of focus on ball handling and pressure situations.

I think it comes from finding one or 2 great leaders on each side of the ball who absolutely holds their teammates accountable when they lose that focus, but aren't playing with a certain level of intensity. just take Suh for example, on sunday he got another penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. I personally don't agree with it, but that's what they are calling nowadays. He got his fair share with us too. So obviously, he wasn't necessarily holding his teammates accountable when they made penalties like that, although he plays with fury.

Bo coaches a certain way, but it's up to the players to respond to that type of coaching within the bounds of excelling on the field. I could Rex having the passion, yet discipline on O

And I could see Crick or David having it on D

 
I'd say Texas Tech in 2009 flat-out beat us. I realize we made some mistakes in that game but I don't think you just hand the other team 31 points.

But that was the last time.

 
This really doesn't prove much. If you really want to play the "We just beat ourselves in all our losses game", then about 30 other teams in college football can probably say that too. So big freaking whoop.

 
Turnovers, penalties, officials etc... are all part of the game, if you can't control those, better teams will beat you. NU was not the better team on their 3 losses.

 
holvy83 said:
Turnovers, penalties, officials etc... are all part of the game, if you can't control those, better teams will beat you. NU was not the better team on their 3 losses.
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Except we also had poor showings when we did win. Just doesn't happen when we lose but every game this year. If we had a competent OC we would be sitting here with the Big 12 Championship trophy.

 
Zaimejs said:
I don't agree with this assessment. I think Oklahoma is a better team than NU.
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Perhaps OU is a better team. But... that night, what resulted in the "W" for them and the "L" for us what so much what OU did --- but what NU did. NU beat themselves.

 
No, Texas certainly beat us. Save one crazy Hagg return and they win 20-6. Yes I know we had 3-4 crucial drops but Texas had at least one dropped TD as well. Bottom line is the Texas defense played the game of the year that day, and we weren't prepared for their running game or expecting Gilbert to beat us with his legs.

 
holvy83 said:
Turnovers, penalties, officials etc... are all part of the game, if you can't control those, better teams will beat you. NU was not the better team on their 3 losses.
Click to expand...

True enough. Turnovers, dropped passes and missed tackles and penalties (and note.. when I said penalties were a reason we imploded so often I did not mean to imply that these penalties were illicitly called... no, we just have way, way too many dumb procedure penalties and personal fouls).

The thing is this --- NU cannot control how well their opponents play. If their opponent is simply too good, executing such that NU cannot contend with what they are doing and end up on the short end of the scoreboard then that is something outside the teams control. The better team simply wins. But...... this did not happen this year. The three losses NU suffered were not because the other team executed so well that it was beyond the Huskers ability to contend with.

Rather... all three losses resulted from NU doing poorly in what they could control. They could hold on to the ball and not fumble. They did not. They could catch passes that hit them in the numbers in the end zone (and elsewhere) where they were wide open. They did not. They could throw the ball away rather than take the sack. They did not. They could refrain from throwing into double coverage. They didn't. They could wrap up a player they had dead to rights after a 2 yard gain and not let them break the tackle and go 60 for a TD. They could focus and not take uncalled for penalty after penalty. Sure, every team has its breakdowns and self-inflicted wounds plague every team --- but NU is approaching Guinness Book of World Record amounts of self-inflicted wounds. The point being is that the critical 5-7 plays that swung the game from NU to their opponents in each loss were not the result of the opponents excellence --- but NU's propensity to self destruct.

 
If we are viewing games this way does that mean we didn’t beat Iowa State, Iowa State beat themselves? Or did we almost beat ourselves that game and the end result had nothing to do with Iowa State? Or is it split with us partially beating ourselves and partially Iowa State beating themselves and us partially beating them outright? Or is it all us beating them outright on our own even though they biffed the two point try and threw an interception?

I’m confused how this whole concept works. :moreinteresting :facepalm: :nanalama

 
I agree that we had opportunities to win every game we played this year. But to say that we lost 3 games as opposed to saying the other team won these games is exactly why other fan bases look at us as arrogant and delusional. Now....I'm not calling you out on your opinion...becasue as a die hard Husker fan I know where you're coming from. But the truth is we got beat... It sux! But it's true....

That said, I am encouraged to know that the reasons we got beat are ultimately "fixable". Hang on to the ball...play more disciplined...execute!

 
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