Ronznotes

I have been silent for a while. I hope you have enjoyed the respite. Many have said it is crazy to fire a 9 win coach. I ask is it too much to expect a BCS bowl (4 bowls = 8 teams per year times 7 seasons = 56 teams) or a conference championship one time while my dog ages 49 years? I can't imagine interviewing Bo 7 years ago or any candidate today and them saying "whoa, slow down there big fella, you are expecting me to win something that involves an actual trophy? Now that is just crazy talk, let's set the standard more like programs with far inferior facilities, no reputation and half our budget, then I will sign on as the new coach of the Huskers". I think you get my sarcastic point. Meanwhile, who's the next coach? I suggest to you, while our fate hangs heavily on the decision, the mere fact we made the change is the biggest decision to propel Nebraska forward in decades. This is not like firing Solich -- we fired Solich because no one in 2003 was willing to say 7 more years of middle of the pack is okay with us. Firing a coach when you are drifting from 1st to 5th to 23rd is the obvious thing to do. This was a much harder decision. We are beginning to accept being middle of the pack, inertia was with Bo. A body at rest stays at rest. We were beginning to accept 22nd place. My old coach Fred Biele used to yell to his middle of the pack runners "do something even if it's wrong". His point was that if you were running in the middle of the pack (I was quite slow, being middle of the pack was a good day for me) and you make a move that doesn't work, then what did you really lose? You were losing (by not winning) just as much in 20th place as you were in 10th place. But you tried -- trying gives you a chance! Kudos to Eichorst, who, for all of our sakes, had the guts to try.

The Rutgers game should play out about like Northwestern. This is a match up of our strengths vs. their weaknesses. They will want to keep the ball but don't have the passer to do it. He is streaky, so they will sometimes move the ball, but lots of 3 and outs. We run the ball well - they don't tackle much. They get in long 3rd downs -- we are amazingly effective at stopping 3rd down conversions. They don't stop dual threat QBs. We have one. They don't have a dual threat QB. We like that. They punt a lot. We really like that. Toss on a home game - the first in a month or so and we've got a nice homefield advantage. Silent but good: Gregory has been without super stats, but seems to be crucial to the chemistry of the D-line. The guy seems to be given free reign to line up and do what he wants. Looks tired at times. He is tough because the opposition tries to put him on the ground every play. I would guess his profile is that he's too small to give his best on every play and if you rough him up, he'll coast. Mitchell and Rose have been quiet but effective. I hope Mitchell gets a couple more key picks - he deserves the attention. Silent: Cooper - why hasn't this guy made a memorable play in 7 games. Stanton - how has he not passed up Fife? Elite QB camps, etc. This is not about taking away from Fife. But Stanton came in with a lot of attention. Seems like an attitude/preparation issue. Likely transfer case. Loud: Some new guy is returning punts. I need to learn his name. Kalu. True freshmen blackshirts are nice surprises. Gerry - the guy was born to play safety for Bo. Ameer - Northwestern was the first game I saw him tackled more than one time in a one-on-one situation. The first guy never gets him. Amazing. Armstrong. I lamented his running stats from last season. He has done a great job running the ball. How can he do a better job on the harder pass routes than he does on the easy ones? Puzzling. Gotta improve: O-line consistency. Finding other receivers for Armstrong. His completion percentage is almost double when he throws to Westerkamp or Bell. Linebacker play. Surprises with Rutgers: Blow out - we win by 30. Finally some carries for Newby and Cross. Stanton in game. Special teams are dominant and set up the easy win. NU 49 Rutgers 16

I'm curious how many other freshman QB's in the nation were ...forced into the starting role ...because of injury to the actual starter ...and split time with the 3rd string And didn't perform to the standards of the fans? I'm a little confused. You are judging a guy who went through all that in 2013, and undercutting his 2014 performances that haven't happened yet? How pessimistic is that? Do you not believe that kids work hard in the summer to improve and develop their skills? My point, maybe not so well stated, was that I recognize Armstrong's leadership skills and respect within the team, but i have not seem him display skills higher than that of a "game manager". Nebraska had good years with Senior game managers when a suitable "wow" athlete was not available - Garcia, Luck, Sundberg, McCant, Jerry G, etc. I said I wanted to believe in Armstrong but had not seen the "wow" and if Stanton or Fyfe has more "wow" or upside, then let's plan for the future now, not at mid-season. Armstrong is not a senior, let's not settle on a game manager for 3 more years,

Offensive Line- Bad Facts- We have a total of 19 starts spread across 5 positions. By comparison we graduated guys with 120 starts. We are almost the lowest in the nation when it comes to starting experience on the O-line. Brandon Stai resigned as grad assistant. The pre-season predictions have Ben Cotton as 4th string all - Big 10. So those paid to be "in the know" think we have 1 lineman in the top 20 in the conference. There are only 5x14 = 70 starting linemen in the conference. We have 4 that are perceived to be in the bottom 50 and one in the top 20. Let that sink in. Let it sink in deep. One O-lineman perceived to be in the top 20. We are inexperienced nobodies on the O-line. Silver Lining- The starts are spread across guys and with the exception of Sterup were projected to start or did start because of talent, not purely injury. We are supposedly more athletic and potentially very deep at every position. Garrison seems to be a good coach and getting guys to play. The starting experience does not consider Lewis and his 12+ starts at Colorado. This could be the start of about 3 years of reloading the pipeline as we have good, highly recruited prospects that are sophomores and juniors. My take - This O-line will be quite good by the end of the season. The left side could be All-Conference. I think they will get stymied a time or two by aggressive run-stopping defenses and we will look really dominating when the game plan is perfect. The O-line will look much worse if we have some QB shuffling and therefore have to modify our game plan throughout the year (more option with Tommy, more zone-read with Fyfe or Stanton). This is potentially harmful, as the players have repeatedly said this spring they practiced the plays they were most likely to use over and over. In the past Beck had them practice many plays with about equal repetition. It seems he liked to be able to use the whole play book. A quote I have heard used is this spring "We don't practice until we get it right, we practice until we can't get it wrong". Changing game plans due to QB talent was obvious last year. It hurt us a lot in a few games as it made a sometimes spastic Beck seem even more chaotic.

QB- I wish I believed in Tommy Armstrong. But I don't. Passing percentage: 52% Yards per Rush: 3.7 Interceptions to Touchdowns: Even I know he was a freshmen and I know he is a "leader" on the team. But I see virtually no reason to believe he has the skills to win 1, 2 or 3 of the games on our schedule that we don't have superior talent. That is what we have to have out of a position with youth. A game manager or whatever is what you can settle for with a Senior while the very talented underling learns the ropes. Martinez had his issues, but he put fear in a defensive coordinator with his feet and his arm. He was very high or very low, but as a linebacker, you didn't dare assume the next play was a "low" play. Armstrong seems to have none of those skills. If I were a defensive coordinator playing Nebraska with Armstrong, I would do everything possible to force him to beat us. Cover the pitch man on the option, cover Amer on the zone read, and confuse him with the pass coverage. Stanton. Is his potential higher? Seems like it. His running threat seems higher and the spring game shows that when he knows what to do, he delivers the ball. Fife. Is his potential higher than Armstrong? I am so unconvinced about Armstrong, that I will say "yes". Good passer and quick running the ball. This would be difficult selection for Beck or Bo. it would signal that our recruiting of QBs is lacking when a walk-on takes the job. It also sets us up for another first time starter for another season; then Fife likely gets beat out a year or two later by Stanton. I will be shocked to have Armstrong end the season as the starter. I would rather gamble early on Stanton or Fife and get through the first few games as warm ups. I predict Armstrong struggles at Mid-season develops a semi-mysterious injury and we make the move to Stanton. This locks us into another 4 loss season. We are Armstrong or bust. He has to stop throwing picks that look intentional and develop into a gitimate running threat or we will waste a talented 2014 season. p.s. I have been trying to decide who Armstrong reminds me of, and it's a less talented Steve Taylor or maybe he is just Cody Green transferring back from Tulsa. We would be blessed if he turns out to be Joey Ganz, but he's probably Mike Grant.

I saw that quote on a Michigan State T-shirt. Funniest T-shirt I think I ever saw... Ann Arbor is a whore

Is a whore

Two factors or Nonfactors? UCLA opens on August 31, then has a bye week. So UCLA is playing us as their second game while we play Wyoming and Southern Miss the previous weekends. No bye week but an extra game of experience. Also, the game is at 11 am - or 9 am California time. It will be interesting to see how Mora practices for us - a morning practice or two to get his guys used to playing pretty early (I don't normally place much weight on the time a game is played, but it's only the second game and it's very early by their body clocks.) What do you all think?

he's a safety prospect - the name is Newsom - no E.

Family friend said he got offer today - has offers from NU and UCLA and handful of Texas schools, but not the biggies. Delete if this considered rumor - but someone with premium info should check.

So this is what Rex does when not on the field... he's a side judge.

I don't think that you are giving enough credit to the difficulty involved in running the zone read wildcat (like Rex).... The safety last Saturday shows the difficulty involved.... I have said nothing of the "difficulty" involved in running the zone read Wildcat -- I simply asked if someone had heard of any other players practicing at the position. Turner makes sense. I believe it also requires the ability of an inside runner. Turner would be at higher risk of injury running inside like that. What is he, 170 lbs.? So, I guess you're saying you have no actual answer to the question, but you have opinions of the idea of another player in the role of the Wildcat QB? That is the insight that makes this board so valuable.

I don't think that you are giving enough credit to the difficulty involved in running the zone read wildcat (like Rex).... The safety last Saturday shows the difficulty involved.... I have said nothing of the "difficulty" involved in running the zone read Wildcat -- I simply asked if someone had heard of any other players practicing at the position. Turner makes sense.

I miss PO Pears Burger Madness!

Has anyone heard of any other player besides Rex ever practicing at WildCat QB? Is this offense essentially off the table as long as Rex is hurt? I have heard that Heard is supposed to get more playing time - could he be a Wildcat QB?

UCLA- I find this game to be very similar to Southern Miss. The "home" field will help UCLA very little other than the fact NU traveled a few time zones and mixed up it's routine, the crowd will be not much difference in favor of UCLA. In fact, the sea of red might play to NU's favor and certainly help us with recruiting in SoCal. I don't expect Rex to play unless he is used as a decoy or if one of more of the other backs go down. We are out to win the BIG and Bo and Company will sit him accordingly. UCLA has 3 freshman on the O-line and a Freshman QB. I can only imagine what the 95 or 99 defenses would have done to UCLA. But this is a different group of players - we don't have that crazy level of talent, but it will be a bad sign for us if UCLA runs the ball well and our blitzes are unsuccessful. Bo himself said this is a Big XII offense --- we should be pretty familiar with how to play against that type of personnel grouping. Athletically, UCLA isn't much more talented than Southern Miss - a few more highly rated recruting classes, but we aren't playing against 22 NFL bound guys. We should not, other than their TE, have match up problems. Martinez plays well, runs more, and misfires a couple more times. Completes 60% with 3 obvious drops. Defense has 5+ tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Defense does better on 3rd down because UCLA will face more 3rd and longs due to their mistakes. Kicking game is definately our advantage. Our running game - 3 rushers over 50 yards 7 players catch the ball We collect our first INT - we're plus 1 on turnovers 1:2 NU 38 UCLA 13

The use or non-use of the redshirt plays a meaningful part of any consideration of transferring - many redshirts are used duing the transfer season. Those examples are almost countless. The kid from Auborn (Rose?) is transferring here and using his redshirt this season. Same with JUCO transfers. Same with medical. Thank you for confirming the fact that the redshirt can be used, per rule, during the 5 to play 4 career. Zoogies makes good points about the decision being "defining" for many players. p.s. I heard rumor our kicker - Bondi could redshirt this year so he has a full 3 years after Maher graduates.

so it is or isn't now or never? you seem to admit I am right, it can happen any time in a career but then you say it has to happen now.... technically I am correct that a redshirt can happen anytime. Does that fact bother you?

"Burning Redshirts" A player can be redshirted any time in their careers -- a player can play as a freshman and still redshirt the next year. I don't understand why people make it seem like it's a "now or never" decision.

Sorry, my man. Pet peeve. +1 to you for your trouble. I have a pet cat. Are peeves bigger or smaller than a cat?

I did not realize this until I looked it up and am disappointed by my discovery. I attended the win over NC State on 9/22/1973 and the following game 9/29/1973 over Wisconsin. The disappointment is that if I had gone to the game one week earlier, I would have attended Osbornes first game as head coach --- i attended his last game for the Orange Bowl.

I am surprised no one else has posted about Bo's comment about not talking to his brother in "several months" --- did they part on tough terms? Is Carl's divorce complete yet - would that be part of the parting of ways?

I sat next to his mom on the flight up for their visit in September. I think at that time he was leaning toward the Huskers. If he has half the character and composure of his mother he will be a wonderful addition to the University of Nebraska.

NU destroyed Peyton Manning. Michigan needed help from the clock keeper to hold off Ryan Leaf. Any questions? Apparently reading is optional for you? I used the AP poll because it has a 50 year history. Sorry that somehow, intellectual concepts are too much for some on here.

Fixed it for you. Not in the AP. Don't give a crap. Look at my sig...one of those giant trophies witht he crystal football is for our championship in 1997...and we won the bowl alliance game...mich. wasn't in the bowl alliance game. Exactly. Who gives a rip about the Pac-10/Big Ten's little exclusivity party back in the 90s? They were stupid and blind not to join the bowl alliance and they don't get a share of the 97 title in my eyes. If they wanted to be champions they should have played the best of the best, not some hack team on a hot streak. I find it hard to stomach Nebraska fans who would give the 1997 title to Michigan rather than Nebraska. We were willing to play them. They were not willing to play us. Case closed. Guys, if you managed to read, rather than just pump your man tit chests about how "much better of a fan you are than some other guy that just happens to type something that causes your fingers to rage" If you look at the link or read the words, i explained that I used the AP poll - if you go back to the 60s there were 3,4, 5 diiferent polls. So have to use ONE poll - I selected the AP. Read more, type less guys. It's really a viable method to learn.