Stickney

Except, it seems, for opponents of Nebraska's running QBs.

With how hard and expensive it is to schedule non-conf cupcakes, why not create an annual rivalry game -- certainly TV would love it, you get another early season recruiting opportunity, if you lose, it's early and it is against a premiere opponent. And, with the way the play-offs are shaping up, I don't think that loss would be crippling for either program.

THAT. I remember always thinking that the MN Viking field at the Metrodome was really pale and quite ugly. Then I saw a game in person and realized it was the camera and TV.

If the Huskers make it to Pasedena and make it a game against USC or Oregon or whoever. You might change your tune when he starts riding the "Rex Burkhead" bandwagon. Musberger, like Madden or Thai food, is great if you like it and horrible if you don't. Because Nebraska has been, fairly horrible in Primetime ABC games covered by Brent the past decade -- can you really blame him for being a bit negative? Toss in an open container violation and I am surprised he even will cover them in a game anymore.

Musberger is a play by play guy (not a commentator) and as such he has, like many of the legends, both proponents and opponents. Brent likes good games. He likes underdogs. He likes favorites. He'd make a great politician. I loved John Madden. My wife's family hated him over his perceived love for 'ole #4 (they are Vikes fans). Heck even Vin Scully and Jack Buck have critics (why, I do not know). Like Keith Jackson, I would argue Brent is on a slow, but noticeable decline in his announcing prowess. But, you KNOW it is a big game when you hear "You're looking live at [stadium name] on the campus of [university name]." With that said, I prefer Brad Nessler, Sean McDonnaugh, or Verne Lundquist.

Doyel is a columnist. He is not writing straight news reports. Hence his creative license and subjectivity. He draws page views. Objective journalism has been waning for decades as more and more newsrooms have been managed more like factory floors (profits and margins and share price).

Regardless of Doyel's quote -- can we all now agree that if Bo Pelini answers a reporter's inquiry with "He's fine. He's good. He's fine" it really means the guy has a shredded ACL or a broken leg? I watched the film last night and the half-time interview is hilarious -- "Coach we saw your pulse being taken" "Yeah, I'm good. I'm fine. Doing fine. I don't feel very well." haha.

I liked how Cross looked immediately for the O-Line after his TD. And the O-line were the first to arrive to celebrate. That is a GOOD sign. It reminds me of Correll Buckhalter staying out on the field with the O-line during a TO rather than head to the sidelines with all the other skill guys in a game I saw in 2000. I loved that. With that said. Cross should have redshirted.

I understand that. I think he is out of position. Leverage for a DT is different than leverage for an OT. But you could be right. I'd sure like to see him at OT though.

I could have posted this thread in March or June. The UCLA game is immaterial to my point. I am simply saying that the 2 decisions may be very impactful on the nature of Bo's tenure due both to the duration of the decision and the ramifications of said decisions. I'm hoping the ship rights itself and the season finishes strong. History, however, isn't exactly buoying that hope.

I get that. It's a reflection of how talented a kid he is that he can be pretty good at a position that probably does not come naturally to him. I will be really curious if the NFL looks at him as a D-Lineman, or if they look at him as a OT.

Well, my point is actually, most QBs would already be done as starters after 2.125 seasons due to their eligibility running out. That is why Bo's decision is so impactful. Further, it affected who was willing to sign at QB for NU. Moreover, T-Mart began starting due to his legs. Now, it appears they are trying to have him toss the ball around. Like Baker, is he out of position? I will be more than happy if T-Mart continues improving and the season ends well and next year looks bright. Answer the question. The answer is that Bo and staff have yet to figure out how and what to replace Joe Ganz with. Here are the QB recruits since 2009: Cody Green (transferred) Brion Carnes (on the bench -- who knows what he is) Bubba Starling (baseball) Jamal Turner (wide receiver) Tommy Armstrong (true frosh) T-Mart was recruited and listed as an Athlete. Your question is presented as choosing from what is available on the bench. But, if I was paid 2.5 million a year I would have been pushing hard since 2009 to bring in more QB talent. I'd probably not have signed T-Mart to begin with honestly. I sure as heck would have got him to work on his footwork and throwing mechanics before he starts his 4 full year on campus.

Well, my point is actually, most QBs would already be done as starters after 2.125 seasons due to their eligibility running out. That is why Bo's decision is so impactful. Further, it affected who was willing to sign at QB for NU. Moreover, T-Mart began starting due to his legs. Now, it appears they are trying to have him toss the ball around. Like Baker, is he out of position? I will be more than happy if T-Mart continues improving and the season ends well and next year looks bright.

1. Many starting college QB's make <20 total starts. That means both that greatness can be short lived or that mediocrity can be churned. Bo has coached 56 games at NU. It is likely that when T-Mart graduates, he will have QB'd 65% of ALL games coached by Bo. I'd say that is "hitching his wagon." Here's hoping that turns out well. My argument is simply that it could very well have a direct impact on whether Bo remains at NU. 2. Baker -- the reason I think this is/was a fateful decision is pretty simple. The left tackle position in football is a super premium position. When you get handed a pedigreed 5* LT talent and you put him on the d-line, I think it is fair to question the logic of that decision. I think it is fair to say that Baker's production on the d-line, while certainly good, probably acknowledges how great an athlete he is to be that decent playing out of position. It is no guarantee that he could have been a great OT, but I think it is fair to say he might have been plenty solid. Simply put -- I think Baker at OT might have elevated the O-line greatly. That means a few more 3rd and shorts turn into 1st downs instead of punts. I think we can all acknowledge quite a number of those situations that might have changed game outcomes the past 3 seasons.

Texas; Colt McCoy Boise State; Kellen Moore People will probably argue with the second pick but I think in any other conference he would have been pretty average. His statistics and records are more a reflection of the lack of competition they played than how good he was. McCoy just had talent all around him and was put in a position to succeed with the offensive schemes. It'd be pretty hard to do anything less than he did with another good QB. The big difference with those two names -- They each won big games. They did it early and they did it often. After McCoy left Texas went in the tank. We shall see what happens with Boise.

You know what, there are a lot of Husker fans who do know a great deal about football. Certainly enough to know that 600+ allowed, the most since 1956, is a BIG deal.

Some are jumping to the conclusion that my OP was regarding the UCLA game. It isn't. The post is my opinion on 2 major decisions that Bo made that have had a long term and sustained ramifications for this team. The defense does not operate in a vacuum. One of the prime reasons the Defenses of the 90s are viewed as so good was because the Offense protected the Heck out of them by KEEPING them off the field. The O-line is and has been maligned since Bo returned. Don't you think that having one solid (and remarkably durable) left tackle would have shored up that line over the past 4 years? And that left tackle would have made T-Mart or whatever QB better (as well as the run game).

Any QB is prone to that. One more reason having Baker on the O-line would have helped.

I think we have seen enough tape of T-Mart to know that he has some limitations as a QB. Bo hitched his wagon to T-Mart and thus the roller coaster ride will likely continue. I have tired of the nausea that that decision continues to produce. Just my $0.02. Is there a better option? Well, I think that speaks not only to the Bo's decision but also to the overall talent issues that are also hard not to see.

One critique I have had with Bo is the lack of seeing many Safeties turn into LBs, and LBs into DEs. You can't always do that, but looking at the roster there seem like a lot of reasonably touted guys sittin on the bench. I understand the practice well theory, but honestly, there are many great players that practiced abysmally but you play them anyway because they are gamers. Sat night did not set an optimistic tone for this season that is for sure.

Actually I am not hating on T-Mart, but I am stating what I think is pretty clear, he is likely a 4 year starter that is good, not great. Name other schools that have had 4 year starters that were merely good. The issue isn't simply T-Mart's effectiveness it is the fact that it is, potentially, a 4 year commitment. We've seen alot of film of T-Mart in big games and though there has been improvement I would hardly consider his big game record an accomplishment. But if Baker was on the O-line, he might make T-Mart look more than just good and perhaps great simply by having that left side locked down.

Although there are many, many questions that I would like to ask Bo, there are two decisions I think that may end up deciding Bo's future at NU. 1. Hitching his wagon to T-Mart at QB. 2. Placing Baker Steinkuhler on the D-Line. 1. T-Mart remains an average to above average QB. Unfortunately, he does have some significant liabilities. But, despite them, the problem for Bo was not simply T-Mart's limitations, it was that Bo hitched his wagon to T-Mart for (possibly) 4 seasons. This obviously could have a happy ending, let's hope. 2. I realize the Defense is weak. I realize Baker has been ok on D-Line. I just happen to think that having a 4 year starter at left tackle would have had cascading benefits. An anchor there would have greatly improved the O-line AND helped the defense by KEEPING them off the field. It also would have made the staff recruit replacement d-tackles. I will be interested whether Baker is drafted as a d-lineman or auditioned for the O-line in the NFL. The season is still young and the B1G is weak.

That. Particularly on Defense.

That is the same uniform Alabama wears regularly -- it won't sell more jerseys for adidas, which is half the reason for having a cool alternate (the other being recruiting). Every school and their sister has a black helmet variant. Big Deal. If you are gonna go, go all out. Go green and yellow, make it look like Green Bay with an N on the side. Put ears of corn on the side. Who cares. Have Ahman lead them out of the tunnel wearing a green #30 (we know he looks good in that).

Corn Helmet = AWESOME