MichiganDad3

If watching a sport/sports team/sports team's upcoming season terrified me, I probably wouldn't watch. Silly thing to be terrified by, really.

 

I'll be there with bells on.

Of course you are right. Terrified, scared, frightened, etc. are probably not well chosen words. But, for fans with an emotional attachment, I think we all understand what is trying to be conveyed. Concerned, disappointed, etc. are certainly more appropriate. In the grand scheme, really doesn't matter if they go 0-12 in the most pathetic way imaginable.

Terrified is the correct word. I live 30 minutes from Ann Arbor Michigan, and the grief I took after this years loss was unbelievable. I had to hear all the 1997 garbage again. I really don't want Nebraska to be Michigan's whipping boy for the next few years. It would be worse than the Texas situation.

1. Nebraska's defense was disappointing this year and loses its 3 best players
   
2. Very little development of backup players. Starters seemed to play even when hurt.
   
3. The offense is built on a running QB that rarely scrambles from the pocket.
   
4. Special teams stink. Nebraska has a great kicker, but all other aspects are below average.
   
5. Penalties and turnovers haven't improved in years.
   

That's a lot of hopefully and a lot of needs to get better. We are on the same page, then?

 

If Taylor were deadly with his scrambling and mobility inside and outside of the pocket, he could be pretty deadly, period. If we're going to have a running QB, let's get one with shake-and-bake and dynamic running ability, not one who will burn you if given a hole to burst through but is otherwise helpless.

 

I think ALL of Nebraska's players need to get better. I'm more optimistic than most about Taylor because I already think he's pretty darn good, and most of the improvement needed is mental, not physical. As opposed to a guy like Rex, who is mentally as sharp as you're going to get, but may be more limited physically than some other RBs. (For example, I tend to think that Martinez's lack of 80 yard runs this year has less to do with him not being as explosive, and more to do with defenses not being worried that Rex Burkhead is going to go 80 yards the other way, like Roy Helu could).

 

I see people constantly say, "Well, we should get a QB who can do this or this or this." If we could come up with some hybrid clone of Peyton Manning and Michael Vick, I think those people would be happy. But there's no such thing as the perfect dual-threat QB, and in college, you can't just hire whoever you want. Right now, we have Martinez and Carnes, neither of whom are perfect.

 

I guess instead of wishing we had someone else, I try to look at the positives we had from QB play (of which there are many), and I realize that QB play was far from the issue that caused us to lose games this year. Shoddy defense, special teams implosions, and lack of discipline where much bigger problems than QB play. In addition, the offensive line, wide receivers, defensive line, and secondary were all position groups that were more inconsistent and more accurately the reason for our struggles this year than QB play. Why aren't there 3 billion threads about those issues?

I am not anti Martinez nor am I am in pro Martinez. I just find it odd that Nebraska is so afraid of a running QB that the DL will not rush the passer yet Nebraska's running QB rarely looks to scramble out of the pocket. This has to be due to coaching. I would also like to see Martinez run with more authority. If Martinez dives for the endzone in the citrus bowl I think he scores. Instead he steps out at the 8 yard line. This also has to be coaching. What happened to Nebraska never runs out of bounds and Nebraska QBs running over defenders?

My major complaint is that Nebraska fears running quarterbacks but the opposition does not fear Nebraska's running QB. The huskers fear running quarterbacks so much that the DL does not even rush the passer in order to prevent long scrambles. On the other hand how many times have we seen Martinez break out of the pocket and scramble for a big gain or a big 1st down? Opposing defenses don't reduce their rush pressure so Martinez can be contained. Why have a running QB only for designed runs? Nebraska should benefit from a running QB on pass plays, and Nebraska should be able to rush the passer and contain a scrambling QB.

Why isn't our DL trying to push? They are just standing up at the line and it isn't working. Please change the scheme.

Has Caputo blocked anyone today?

Nope.

We just lost our MVP

Bad read by TM

Fake injury Can they be flagged?

A giant FU to which ever coach decides to keep Thorell out there. Horrid.

Where is SJB? Has he been on the field today?

That was not PI. If Thorell turns around it is a pick.

Just gave DR a yard with a bad spot.

Why does the defense line up a yard off the line?

I have no idea but I feel pretty good about our chances of a W. Just a hunch. I can't believe we're only down by 7

Ciante should have had a pick on the 1st series, and Dennard has an int on the long pass if he doesn't fall down.

Martinez needs to run from the pocket when there is any daylight. This will make the UM secondary nervous and open up passing lanes. We are losing the threat of the QB scramble.

Defense needs to take away the run and make DR throw. He will get yards and some big plays, but he WILL make bad decisions. If we let him run (even with containment for 7 to 15 yards) UM will score and there is no chance for the turnover.