Mavric

Eighth Possession - 2Q 9:05 1&10 +24, pistol, TE & HB right - inside zone, looked like AA had a seam left of the center but went right 2&8 +22, diamond formation - play action, pass to AA in the flat on misdirection 1&10 +12, pistol, TE right - zone read, TA keeps and makes Calhoun miss but Sterup can't hold a block 2&6 +6, wildcat, jet motion - AA keeps and fumbles

Which is exactly what happens if you use a raised foot. And it's exactly what happens when you drop an arm. For that matter, it's exactly what happens when you use a verbal count. There just aren't that many options. I think it's a bit of an over-reaction when we had problems one game in two years. Especially when it's pretty well shown that they were doing it on purpose and it shouldn't be allowed to happen again.

And there's your answer.

Sean Callahan ‏@Sean_Callahan 8m8 minutes ago RT @BTN_Nebraska: Listen to what @BoPelini had to say as the @Huskers head into their bye week. http://snpy.tv/1xmjDSj Big Ten Network Play

A smart decision would be to get into a stance that one could hold for more than ten seconds...he couldn't pull that off after how many years in football, and that is why he is getting the sh#t he's getting. Yep. It's like he's the first lineman to false start in the history of the game.

I haven't gotten to that point in the game yet. Did the defense move when he clapped?

We used to use a dropped hand. Other teams use a picked up foot. The problem with either of those is other QB actions can be interpreted as calling for the snap. I.e., the QB starts to walk up to the line or gives a hand signal to a WR and the center thinks he's calling for the snap. A clap also helps because the line doesn't have to look for it (as you mentioned elsewhere). The can keep there eyes up to make the line calls and adjust to movement from the defense. I'm curious - as we stole it from Ohio State - if the Spartans were using claps in last years B1G CCG and if it affected the Buckeyes at all.

Better make the number one priority KB with that a&m offer now in hand I would be shocked if someone didn't make a swing through Louisiana to see Bussey and several others.

Samuel McKewon ‏@swmckewonOWH 2h2 hours ago MSU coach Mark Dantonio said Spartans use clapping to move D-linemen. Said opposing C has to look at his QB.

Just now saw that Stanford had 47 rushing yards against Notre Dame, averaging 1.5 yards per carry. Considering how Stanford is often pointed to as how Nebraska should run it's power running game, it caught my eye.

I was wondering about this. Seemed really odd that it hadn't been a problem and all of the sudden it happened a lot. Dan Hoppen ‏@danhoppen 5m5 minutes ago Pelini attributed the miscommunications on snaps against Michigan State to the MSU defense clapping and confusing the center.

Yeah, looks like the first report wasn't correct. Hopefully he's back quickly. Also good that Bell, Davie and hopefully Reilly will be back.

Reportedly having surgery and out for the season. Not sure on the exact injury. Was reported as hamstring but was also reported to be in a walking boot so that sounds more like broken ankle to me. Edit: Bo says he's out a couple weeks. Much better news.

Sounds like several coaches will be headed out Wednesday after practice to do some recruiting. Did the same thing last year. Good chance to visit some guys in-season. Will be interesting to see who their top targets are.

^ Didn't notice that until you posted your picture but with that route combo, DPE should have been on the line with Hovey off. That's probably why Hovey had to slow up to let DPE clear. If DPE would have been a step ahead to start, it probably would have gone smoother.

Three straight games forcing three turnovers. Much better.

I don't think I've seen him back on kickoffs all year. Maybe he has a couple times and it just wasn't kicked his way but I've never noticed him back there. The only ones I know that have been are Moore, Newby, Ameer, and KB. Agree with gbr.

2 - This is just totally inconsistent with what plays were called. If Benning actually said this, I don't trust his analysis as much as I used to. DB was just trying to find a way that we could've possibly run the ball, IMO. They had more men in the box than we did all night. To have a prayer to get the rush game going, we'd need an extra man or two (TE/FB) and I guess he thought using option would've tested if they were assignment-sound and disciplined. I have my own doubts how well it would've worked the way they were knifing through the line Saturday night. Plus we were down to Cotton and god knows who else (Sutton?) at TE. We often did have two TEs in the game but it didn't help. And bringing more offensive players in tight only brings more defensive players in as well.

1 - This is very common across football. If the defense shows one look and the offense audibles, the defense will often make their own audible. The Huskers do this all the time. I don't think we had any more or less success when they made their own check as when the didn't. They are just a good defense. 2 - This is just totally inconsistent with what plays were called. If Benning actually said this, I don't trust his analysis as much as I used to.

There are a lot of "ifs" in there but the fact is, the scenario of cutting it to a two score game only works if you make the tremendous leap-of-faith that NU would have been able to successfully convert THREE CONSECUTIVE two-point conversions. That just wasn't going to happen. When they scored the TD they had nearly a quarter of football left. A couple of three-and-outs and use of the time-outs and it was just a lot more likely to get the ball back, score two TDs and be set up for a field goal to tie the game. Just to prove my point...let's look at what we are arguing here.... You say going for two to ATTEMPT to cut it to a two score game was the right choice because any other outcome would be a "miracle". Successfully scoring three consecutive two-point conversions in your mind seems more feasable. However, they were 100% unsuccessful in their two-point conversion attempts, but in actuality they scored two TDs and had the ball in field goal range with some time left on the clock (which did them no good because they threw away two near automatic points they would have gotten by kicking extra point, on missed two-point conversion attempts). So you can list your little fantasy argument about how it COULD have worked out, but I'm dealing in reality and the reality is, they got what would have been a shot at victory had they not squandered it away going for two. And I don't know if it's you or someone else that keeps saying my opinion is hindsight, but my opinion has never changed...it is almost never the right choice to go for a two-point conversion...I was screaming it at the TV as they lined up for the first failed attempt (I don't think Bo heard me). To that point, there had been 47 minutes played in the game and that was only our second score and the first time we'd gotten into the end zone. Since we'd scored twice in 47 minutes the odds were not good that we'd be able to score three times in the last 13 minutes. In fact, our offense only got inside their 36 yard line one more time for the rest of the game. Every other coach who had not given up would have gone for two in that situation.

I definitely saw a lot of Kalu and none of Rose. Kalu made a couple errors coming up in run support - most notably on Lippet's reverse TD - but he was going full speed. He's going to be good.

No. The position he's in-the two point-qualifies as set. He was gonna get a penalty if he moved a foot to regain balance. While it's funny and ridiculous and par for the course for the offense's performance, I understand why he did what he did. He was trying to hold on till the ball was snapped. This is exactly what he was trying to do. It was rather funny to see but he was trying to hold on to his stance Even famous Husker-lover Herby said he was trying to hold on as long as he could hoping they'd snap it. Would people feel a lot better if he just gave up and stood up? Just an easy target because of everything else that went on.

Totally agree. Only real questionable coaching decision I had in the game. I was on the fence. The problem is the time left. If there was another 40-50 seconds, I'd definitely kick it deep.. If we were only down by three, I'd kick it deep. If we had at least one timeout, I'd kick it deep. But there was only 3:22 left and we were out of timeouts. That means, best case we could expect to get the ball back with about one minute to go and probably need 60-65 yards to get into the end zone. Not impossible but our offense wasn't exactly rolling and we we'd be in obvious passing situations and hadn't handled their pressure very well. And there's a chance that one first down could end it.

... I mean, I guess they can let the Huskers do their scouting for them ....

Mavric (Arizona State, Texas A&M, Mississippi, Georgia, LSU, BYU ) StPaulHusker (Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, Auburn, East Carolina) NUance (Stanford, South Carolina, Baylor, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Georgia)