Stickney

Oh, I think weight max's can be kinda misleading. For example take a short armed guy and compare him to a long armed guy on the bench. Long armed guys have a much tougher time, but when it comes to blocking/defending, long arms are big bonus.

The 10 other games featured some "wildly" impressive offenses. Like IA. Or MN. Or Idaho state. Folks, NU won (by luck or by will) 10 games that it SHOULD have won. It then lost 4 games in ugly defensive fashion, 2 of which it should have won (WI and UCLA) on paper. At the end of the day, for Bo's sake, all these rumored talented youngsters better be as rumored or Bo will be in a bad place come this time next year. (It certainly is possible -- reference Louisville vs Florida last night).

It's just Taylor being Taylor. Sorta like when he launches a fluttering duck up for grabs. YOLO. ;-) I think it is fair to say that from a distance it is difficult to determine if Taylor is being honest or simply toying with the media and fans. In either case, it is what it is, though I do think the "brashness" of it is a hint to why Bo has ridden the T-Mart roller coaster for 3 and going on 4 seasons (results be damned).

Numbers can be made to do many things. NU had 10 wins! NU had 4 ugly losses!!! If Bo thinks there has been pressure before, just wait until next year and/or the year after. As T-Mart goes next year, so will Bo's fate. If T-Mart continues improving, Bo will be in good shape with a new QB in 2014. If T-Mart's history repeats itself with turnovers and big-game losses, 2014 will be a make or break year for Bo, period.

Georgia is a solid team. NU played hard. Next year's schedule is on paper, a much easier schedule (though Michigan will be tough and UCLA as well). There is reason for hope. But that hope is tied to T-Mart learning how to limit TOs and the rumors of defensive talent emerging from redshirt freshmen(?).

Bo needs to address the lack of pass rush. Is that lack of execution? It sure seems as if Bo teaches a d-line scheme to dance and contain. Yesterday Murray made Bo pay for that. Are T-Mart's INTs execution errors? All in all this game showed that NU has some talent and some fight which is good. But REX will be missed. 2013 WILL only be as good as T-Mart is. He has great potential, but unless he can solve the TOs, he will continue to be simply a roller coaster.

Georgia looked unfocused for 2 1/2 quarters. Then their talent won out. If T-Mart could ever curtail the turnovers he could be truly exceptional (ditto for Abdullah). Rex will be missed. No pass rush absolutely KILLED NU yesterday. Pelini needs to go back to the drawing board to figure out ways to get pressure.

When Bo is able to put together a top-tier defense without Callahan's recruits and stop opponents from 70 point and 600+ yard outbursts then I think it is fair to ask people not to panic a bit. Let's hope that is next year. It's hard to think that on paper though.

Look, the defense was awful. But football is a team sport. The offense HAS to protect the defense and vice versa. In big games (and most games) T-Mart has been a turnover machine. Now, I think the issue is more than simply T-Mart's turnovers. It' the accountability. Last year Abdullah was scintillating in the return game. But, when he got a case of the fumbles, he was replaced. Since then, our punt return game has been heart burn if not a nightmare (shades of Santino Panico -- you can't cede one phase of the game for half a season). My point, if there is no back-up QB competition, you have to at least have the threat of accountability, Even if this is meaningless to T-Mart, you need to show the team that accountability exists for ALL positions. (and no you don't have to use Kellogg (though you should be able too), you could have used Burkhead in wildcat, or Turner in wildcat, there are options).

The D-Line issues are either talent, missed evaluation, or poor coaching (losing Baker, though huge, shouldn't leave you with the depth chart they listed for Wisconsin (http://www.huskers.com/pdf8/1005791.pdf)). I don't have a solution for that (actually I do, hand out blackshirts to every 4 and 5 star dline recruit in the country). There are certainly D-Lineman on the roster. The question I have is, can't any of these guys play at ALL?? Eric Martin is a case in point. Is there anyone on this board who couldn't see he could rush the QB as a freshmen? Put him on the field on 3rd down. Instead he was here there and everywhere but on the field much until the end of last season and this. We used to say Bo is a defensive genius we can't question him on personnel. But, I'm sorry, Cosgrove supposedly had no talent either. If the cupboard is bare then that is as much an indictment of Bo as BC's mismanagement from 2004-2007.

Getting "woodshedded" like Saturday brings out the fears of fans. And it should. THAT was ugly. My mother-in-law who doesn't watch football flipped by the score and told me it was ugly. Bo should be going out recruiting with Coach Kaz and handing out blackshirts to any JUCO D-Lineman they find. Bo's defense is WAY to reliant on the front four holding up and when they don't, it gets ugly. Second, Bo and Beck need to figure out a way for T-Mart to stop the turnovers. They KILL NU. T-Mart has improved. But, as my wife remarks constantly when T-Mart scores or gets knocked down -- his teammates don't exactly rush to his aid. The defense was atrocious but the Offense HAS to stop the bleeding as well not drop the ball, fumble, and 3 and out.

I agree with this theory on several levels. 1. NU has lost some definitive swagger or confidence or fight. You can't have pride and let that happen. 2. The COACHES CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN. They invented the four corners in basketball for just this reason. 3. You can blame the Defense certainly. But this is a team sport. The offense HAS to milk the clock and stave off the opponent as much as possible. Bo's offenses have been incapable of this. 4. Playing for the Team or playing for the coach -- whatever the reason -- NU's teams under Bo are SOFT. Mentally in particularly. Again, I think this comes back to having faith in the coaches. When you believe the coaches will find a way to put you in position to succeed it is psychologically empowering. I think this team looks over at the sideline and doesn't feel that way.

Agreed. Folks -- the Big XII was imploding under Texas's weight and the pacified majority (KSU, KU, OSU, TT, etc). Second, the B1G is/was terrible this year and NU couldn't win the CCG. Meanwhile, the Big XII was DEEP.

I've been critical of Bo's handling of T-Mart as well as T-Mart's play.. Why it took 3 years in the program before his footwork issues were addressed is one primary issue. I've said a few times, the T-Mart legacy is tied to the fact that Bo decided to ride this horse for 4 seasons (potentially). NU expectations are championships. Until Bo and team win a championship the legacy is rather thin, despite what the record books may tell you. Hear hear for T-Mart's improvement this season, it puts hope (and pressure) on next season.

The losses of Baker and Justin Jackson, I am afraid, are significant. Bo has done well prepping his teams for CCGs. His issues were more about in-game adjustments. The TX game was masterful in many ways, but, I would have liked to have seen 2 or 3 really aggressive play calls (like Black 41 Flash Reverse Pass). Had NU gotten up by 7 or more, Suh might have had 20 sacks. The OU game, similarly, in my mind came down to the decision to keep a struggling, dinged up, freshmen QB on the field. T-Mart has definitely improved. But under the spotlight he has shown to be equally electrifying and electrocuting. All in all, I can't wait to see what happens.

Clearly IA's thought process on this is governed by big donors and the administration. Having worked with big donors and university administration I am not totally surprised as neither parties are particularly accepting of change (and administrators are usually very short sighted). Delany and NU see the value in this game not being in competition with MI vs OSU. Some other school will jump at this chance. PSU makes logical sense, but then you have the same risk as MI/OSU with a possible rematch the next week. WI same issue. MSU might be an option. Clearly MSU and NU don't like each other. NW has been the most competitive game the past 2 years. But, in the long run, I suspect Delany and the B1G are going to pressure IA heavily to get on board. Heck if Hawkeye fans can't sell out Kinnick I am sure you could round up a bunch of Clones fans to cheer against both IA and NU, haha.

1. The run out really could be more coordinated, it's sorta disjointed now. 2. I really liked the Keith Jackson intro. I wonder if you could have a former Husker do a new welcome and narration for each game. 3. More highlights. Really, is there any reason Frazier's run, Davison's catch, Rozier's run, Johnny's punt return AREN'T shown during EVERY tunnel walk? (if there are video rights issuess I think there is money somewhere to pay those royalties). Sprinkle in some historic hits and then current season highlights and viola. 4. Sure, Sirius is old, but someday Enter Sandman will be too. I don't think the music is the issue. It's more of a directorial and content issue. 5. Keep it simple. Embrace history. Thank the fans. Highlights. Loud music.

Yeah, sounds like he is playing, but this is what his second or third concussion this season? He should be sitting. I don't condone targeting . . . . On another note . . . any chance Burkhead could get some reps at Defensive Tackle? ;)

Yeah, I don't necessarily disagree. I don't think there was much out there for him to investigate. Miami is a private school and in Miami where there isn't always a media focus. From what I have read and read between the lines, I think Miami was surfing a rather slippery slope and knowingly left Eichorst hanging in the wind. That being said, this is big boy business and I think both Miami and Eichorst did what I would expect -- Miami withheld info and Eichorst chose not to be "loyal." I understand both sides. There may be plenty of ammo in the future on which to criticize Eichorst, I just don't think the Miami situation fits into that category.

Comparing Watson and Beck isn't fair. Watson was attempting to coach an offense designed on the fly with personnel recruited for 2 differing systems. Had Joe Ganz and Swift/Pedersen been around for one more year (2009) Watson might have had a much different exit from NU (hired to be a HC somewhere). Beck is running an offense from which he has his roots -- KU 2005-2007 -- and one that I think has a lot of the best elements of run and pass -- plus he is now coaching guys recruited to that system with veteran QB.

If you go read some of the articles when Eichorst was hired by NU it was rather clear that Miami did not inform him of the looming scandal during the his interview process at the U. Instead it was dropped on him soon after he started. So, he wasn't party to the issues AND Miami misrepresented itself to him when they hired him. I think that is fair grounds to leave the scene of the crimes for "honest" employment.

ESPN, like all entertainment outlets knows exactly how to move the ratings meter. The perceived slights of NU is solid ground to up the number of emails, tweets, etc that ESPN references when they sell ads. Nebraska, OU, OSU, Notre Dame, Texas -- these legendary programs generally have one thing in common -- you either love them or loath them (but in either case people watch).

I heard Shatel talking about this. I think it would be a very cool idea. I doubt TO would want too, but it sure would be neat.

Have you seen rugby player's noses? The rugby point is worth making though. Tackling is a fine art. Done correctly it puts the blow on the shoulder and torso. The head and helmet shouldn't be involved. If you watch old tapes from the 50s or 60s after leather helmets but before really good helmets you see some crushing "hits" but they involve much more of a shoulder/arm to the torso. The great Chuck Bednarik hit on Frank Gifford -- legendary -- in the views I see, I don't think their helmets ever touch. Which isn't to belittle that hit, it's to point out football is a vicious sport. That is why these targeting the head penalties are being thrown, which is probably for the best. I think they need to be rethought though. Instead of 15 yards and a 1st down, just award a 1st down and don't move the ball.

I experienced concussions as a player. I do wonder whether my bouts with mild depression are linked. It is a very serious and interesting question for the future. We didn't have an opportunity to play padded football until junior high which I think was a good thing. However, I can say with some certainty that the playground, friday night, sunday afternoon football games we played as kids were not exactly "safe" either. I can still remember one of my friends/classmates yelling "No HEAD TACKLES, No HEAD TACKLES!!!" Which did little to discourage the act. I will say playing without pads does teach you how to tackle as opposed to hit. But there certainly werehits. With that said, my most recent concussion occurred about a year ago, when my then 2 year old ran at me while I was watching the Huskers and managed to head butt me forehead to my chin. He nearly knocked me out. I saw stars for 30 minutes and was nauseated and dizzy for a couple hours. With talent like that how could I possibly tell him he can't play?