Washington at Nebraska Preview

[DawgDaze]

Hey Husker fans.

Looking forward to another great game between our two fine schools. Here's my thoughts on the subject.

In essence it's all going to come down to OL play. I know that OL is a concern of ours and it has been for some time.

We're trying to get quality depth but big bodies have to be strong and play co-ordinated. Late last year our OL decided

they liked to run block the most and Chris Polk had a field day. This years OL is going to have to develop that mentality

early if we're to have any success.

Lineback play is our next concern. We're replacing Mason Foster our tackling machine with a new body. Luckily we'll have

Cort Dennison there (missing from last years game) to ameliorate Foster's absence.

The key to stopping big plays and not get your azz beat 56-21 is to play your position correctly. We had young guys

freelancing too much in the first game and we paid for it.

Having the TE as an option again is refreshing. Our 3rd efficiency went in the toilet when we booted our best TE before the

season started.

It could come down to anything in this game. I like Rex Burkhead but adding studs like Aaron Green (loved his highlight reel)

and other fleet tailbacks is going to add a few wrinkles. I came away really impressed with Levonte David. He's not a thumper

but he's a tackling machine. What a great nose for the ball. Frankly I loved the physicality of Amukamara and Dennard. I

felt like our WR were playing too soft and in turn that means our DB weren't playing a physical brand and I think that we

learned a lot from watching the Husker secondary. We're by no means close to playing Dennard style but we at least

know what a Top 5 Defense Backfield plays like.

I'm most excited about watching Chris Polk run the ball and watching a return to the type of Husky Defense that we expect

around here. Depending on the return of Tokalahi (injured) our DL depth is "ok" at the tackle position but the area to watch

are the young guys at the ends. Jamora and Shirley should be fun to watch this year.

It could be a blowout but honestly the team you met in the Holiday Bowl was in fact a better football team and the team coming

in to Lincoln this year will be even better with more speed and young depth. This will likely be the last UW team you face where

Blowout can be used. Sark and staff are good recruiters and we've definitely see an improvement in size and quality of player.

Looking forward to seeing how much of the talent gap we've closed with a Top 20 team like Nebraska. Ciao

 

[HowlingHusky]

Good post DD. The brevity in which you gave Shirley and Jamora is the focus I hope the attention NU give them as well. I think the the game changers we have been looking for.

 

[walksalone]

No disrespect meant by this, but you if you guys score more than 10 points, I'd be shocked. You're going to be facing a defense that has one thing on their mind, payback. They got embarrased in the Holiday Bowl, and i'm pretty sure, that's not going to happen again.

You'd better hope that our offense sh*ts the bed, because the only way UW will get a victory will be is if we score a touchdown or less....

 

[Enhance]

No disrespect meant by this, but you if you guys score more than 10 points, I'd be shocked. You're going to be facing a defense that has one thing on their mind, payback. They got embarrased in the Holiday Bowl, and i'm pretty sure, that's not going to happen again.

You'd better hope that our offense sh*ts the bed, because the only way UW will get a victory will be is if we score a touchdown or less....

The revenge card doesn't always work (see Texas 2010), however I do still agree with you. We have better talent at most positions in comparison to Washington, and we still have the guy who was responsible for putting 56 on them before he got injured.

 

[ADS]

No disrespect meant by this, but you if you guys score more than 10 points, I'd be shocked. You're going to be facing a defense that has one thing on their mind, payback. They got embarrased in the Holiday Bowl, and i'm pretty sure, that's not going to happen again.

You'd better hope that our offense sh*ts the bed, because the only way UW will get a victory will be is if we score a touchdown or less....

The revenge card doesn't always work (see Texas 2010), however I do still agree with you. We have better talent at most positions in comparison to Washington, and we still have the guy who was responsible for putting 56 on them before he got injured.

Texas was motivated to win that game, we were not. If we come out flat, again, against UW it will be a tough game. Sayin that, I agree with Enhance and walksalone this game could turn out to be another beat down.

 

[BroncoTed]

What a bunch of excuses. Wahhhh, we already beat Arizona, wahhh we weren't motivated.

You guys proved over the course of the season that you got worse while the Huskies proved that they got better at the end. And that's why you lost the Holiday Bowl. Not because Martinez was injured, not because you weren't interested, its because Washington was a better team at the end.

Washington won, despite your illegal tactics on pass defense, end of discussion.

 

[The Dude]

What a bunch of excuses. Wahhhh, we already beat Arizona, wahhh we weren't motivated.

You guys proved over the course of the season that you got worse while the Huskies proved that they got better at the end. And that's why you lost the Holiday Bowl. Not because Martinez was injured, not because you weren't interested, its because Washington was a better team at the end.

Washington won, despite your illegal tactics on pass defense, end of discussion.

Luckily, you get a chance to prove it wasn't a fluke in a couple months.

 

[ADS]

What a bunch of excuses. Wahhhh, we already beat Arizona, wahhh we weren't motivated.

You guys proved over the course of the season that you got worse while the Huskies proved that they got better at the end. And that's why you lost the Holiday Bowl. Not because Martinez was injured, not because you weren't interested, its because Washington was a better team at the end.

Washington won, despite your illegal tactics on pass defense, end of discussion.

Illegal tactics? What are you talking about?

Washington is not the better team, never was last season, and won't be this season. End of discussion.

 

[The King]

Aw, that was cute. You really think our starting QB being injured had nothing to do with the end of our season? Some fans really aren't that knowledgeable and it really doesn't represent your fan base well, at all. Please use a little reason and logic next time you try and degrade the Huskers.

 

[knapplc]

What a bunch of excuses. Wahhhh, we already beat Arizona, wahhh we weren't motivated.

You guys proved over the course of the season that you got worse while the Huskies proved that they got better at the end. And that's why you lost the Holiday Bowl. Not because Martinez was injured, not because you weren't interested, its because Washington was a better team at the end.

Washington won, despite your illegal tactics on pass defense, end of discussion.

What's funny is, your fellow fans are still making excuses for the 35-point smackdown we laid on you last year. Some player of yours was injured on defense and your WRs played too soft or some such nonsense. I guess those excuses are OK, right? Because it makes your team look good, right?

Washington didn't win the Holiday Bowl, Nebraska gave it away.

 

[DawgDaze]

What a bunch of excuses. Wahhhh, we already beat Arizona, wahhh we weren't motivated.

You guys proved over the course of the season that you got worse while the Huskies proved that they got better at the end. And that's why you lost the Holiday Bowl. Not because Martinez was injured, not because you weren't interested, its because Washington was a better team at the end.

Washington won, despite your illegal tactics on pass defense, end of discussion.

What's funny is, your fellow fans are still making excuses for the 35-point smackdown we laid on you last year. Some player of yours was injured on defense and your WRs played too soft or some such nonsense. I guess those excuses are OK, right? Because it makes your team look good, right?

Washington didn't win the Holiday Bowl, Nebraska gave it away.

We're returning most of our DL as some of us said before and Ta'amu was a bit too much for single coverage. He's in the best shape of his career he knows he has an opportunity to play at the next level.

It could be a blow out ...you never know but the reality is this team is slowly rebuilding from 0-12 three seasons ago. We don't have depth or speed at every position but what you found out in the Holiday Bowl

is that we are in fact getting better.

I don't expect a win ...I hope for it but I know we're still a season away from that. What I do know is that if our Linebackers are playing well and in their spots we shouldn't be giving up huge runs like last year. I

do know we're going to be much quicker on the edge. If Ta'amu gets double covered we're going to get to the opposing QB.

I'm looking forward to seeing how we match up. The Husker defense is going to be improved on the line and Dennard is yet another NFL class DB we'll be going against. I think the TE play is going to be crucial for

us as well as coming into the game injury.

 

[jsneb83]

What a bunch of excuses. Wahhhh, we already beat Arizona, wahhh we weren't motivated.

You guys proved over the course of the season that you got worse while the Huskies proved that they got better at the end. And that's why you lost the Holiday Bowl. Not because Martinez was injured, not because you weren't interested, its because Washington was a better team at the end.

Washington won, despite your illegal tactics on pass defense, end of discussion.

Illegal tactics? What are you talking about?

Washington is not the better team, never was last season, and won't be this season. End of discussion.

I guess having the receivers covered for more than 10 seconds is illegal.

 

[Joe_5700]

What a bunch of excuses. Wahhhh, we already beat Arizona, wahhh we weren't motivated.

You guys proved over the course of the season that you got worse while the Huskies proved that they got better at the end. And that's why you lost the Holiday Bowl. Not because Martinez was injured, not because you weren't interested, its because Washington was a better team at the end.

Washington won, despite your illegal tactics on pass defense, end of discussion.

Martinez was very much injured after the Missouri game. He was never the same... When he did return to action after a few games there were times when he took off and pre-injury Martinez would have been gone for an easy TD against Texas A&M etc. but he was caught being hobbled. Martinez was still very much injured as well as our center who had zero problems in Husky stadium, but got pushed around like a rag doll in the bowl game. Did your players really improve that much? Did our center just really forget everything and get weak? We didn't have a capable backup, so he played. It was quite evident the team was also not motivated to play. Still in the end Washington won, so it doesn't matter. Those of us who live in relaity just know HOW the victory happened for Wasington and see that it isn't as likely of a scenario this fall.

 

[knapplc]

We're returning most of our DL as some of us said before and Ta'amu was a bit too much for single coverage. He's in the best shape of his career he knows he has an opportunity to play at the next level.

It could be a blow out ...you never know but the reality is this team is slowly rebuilding from 0-12 three seasons ago. We don't have depth or speed at every position but what you found out in the Holiday Bowl

is that we are in fact getting better.

I don't expect a win ...I hope for it but I know we're still a season away from that. What I do know is that if our Linebackers are playing well and in their spots we shouldn't be giving up huge runs like last year. I

do know we're going to be much quicker on the edge. If Ta'amu gets double covered we're going to get to the opposing QB.

I'm looking forward to seeing how we match up. The Husker defense is going to be improved on the line and Dennard is yet another NFL class DB we'll be going against. I think the TE play is going to be crucial for

us as well as coming into the game injury.

You guys are rebuilding, and I think Sark is going to take you pretty far. But you're still rebuilding, you're not there yet. Nebraska should have won the last two conference titles. That's the big difference between the two schools right now.

 

[carlfense]

What a bunch of excuses. Wahhhh, we already beat Arizona, wahhh we weren't motivated.

You guys proved over the course of the season that you got worse while the Huskies proved that they got better at the end. And that's why you lost the Holiday Bowl. Not because Martinez was injured, not because you weren't interested, its because Washington was a better team at the end.

Washington won, despite your illegal tactics on pass defense, end of discussion.

You're mostly right. We are making excuses. There is no doubt that Washington was the better team on December 30. Washington was mentally and physically prepared for the game. Nebraska was physically prepared but they were clearly not mentally prepared. That's not Washington's fault. That's OUR fault. If Nebraska had shown up mentally prepared they would probably have won. The talent gap was (and is) quite large.

Bo does coach his secondary to play right up to the limit of what is allowed by the referees. Your defensive coach is a damned fool if he doesn't do likewise. Those guys play right at the edge of what is legal . . . and they do a fine job of it. If you don't like it, change the rules or make some excuses (but only NU fans make those right?) about the refs.

Hope you come to Lincoln in September. It sounded like the thousands of NU fans who made the trip to Husky land enjoyed themselves. I think you'd have a good time here, win or lose.