Maxconvert

Article looks familiar...it's the same one I posted originally

Yeah except in football you're basically getting high fastballs off the temple, and many other parts of your head, many, many, many times. Baseball players don't take that sort of beating...not even close

I get where you're coming from, but this comparison between tackle football and riding a bike, etc are way off. First of all, kids riding a bike or 4 wheeler are not regularly experiencing jarring contact to their noggin. Secondly, multiple research has found that even contact that does not cause an immediate concussion can built up over time and lead to early brain disorders in adult players. Third, researchers have found brain damage on brain analysis in kids as young as high school who didn't have an unusually high rate of concussions. Fourth, all the talk about "making the game safer" relies on trusting people around you to become less effective hitters/tacklers. Qbs are supposed to trust pass rushers to not spear them in the head with their helmet. Question is, do you really trust competitive kids and their coaches to worry about your kid's safety over their chances of winning a trophy, championship, or scholarship?

I'm guessing schools will start protecting themselves by tougher rules on the field, and also making parents sign waivers stating that the parent and child waive any future claim against the school for future injuries, even once the child is an adult. A lot of parents are gonna think twice if they have to sign such a scary form to allow their kids to play Pee wee football.

True, but I'm guessing they were thinking of injuries like arthritis, bad backs, missing teeth, scars, and stuff like that...not dementia, depression, suicidality, and other brain disorders

You guys are probably right that it will be the more upper-class parents that would restrict their kids first, but once regulations and rules restricting stuff get started it will affect all kids

I think you're right. We're already seeing lawsuits from former NFL players who now have dementia, depression, or other debilitating injuries now. That's where all this crackdown business from Gooddell is coming from...to have a defense in the courtroom when future litigators ask them "shouldn't you be held liable for this condition that you did nothing to prevent?" There's been several well-publicized cases of former football players committing suicide, Junior Seau is the best example. In a few years there we'll prob start seeing lawsuits against universities, high schools, or the NCAA for the same reasons.

This is a huge topic now for all categories of football-the impact of concussions, head injuries, and subconcussive damage to the head over time for football players. For those who haven't been following this stuff closely, one of the first experts in "chronic traumatic encephalopathy" (basically head contact related brain damage and early dementia) Robert Cantu is now recommending no tackle football for any kids until age 14 or so. This is a good article that sums it up http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2012/11/pop_warner_football_kids_should_not_be_allowed_to_put_on_helmets_and_knock.html. Apparently there's even research now that 7 year old players get as much brain jarring as adult players. I really think ten years from now there will be a huge dropoff in the amount of kids whose parents let them play full tackle football, which will really change the game as we know it. We are just seeing the effects of rules changes right now, but eventually this will really alter recruiting.

I agree big-plays are difference-makers in most games, no matter who you are, and this year's offense has skill players who can explode any given play. However pound-and-play-action, sounds good in its simplicity, but the problem is that it all rests on an effective running game. Even if you're an amazing rushing team, you're gonna get the run game stuffed against elite defenses. NU is a pretty good rushing team, not an elite one. That's where having a passing game that's not based solely out of play-action long passes is a huge asset. TMart has shown a lot of growth with his passing and decison-making this year, and we're seeing him making good passes in the short and medium-range passing game. The dead-accurate slant pass to Jamal that put us up in the 4th quarter against PSU is an example. Especially when teams run blitz, having an accurate slant-route and crossing-route game takes advantage of the middle of the field.

While we're on the topic of new D-linemen, anybody focused on the play of Aaron Curry? Haven't heard his name called at all in any recent games. Is he making a difference, or is this a wasted redshirt year like with Jamal?

I agree--the "he goes away from the running game" criticism fails to account for the fact that one of the best things about a running game is it sets up the passing game...especially in the middle of the field and over the top due to safety run support. I don't think the mistakes of UCLA will happen again...after four 10+ point second-half comebacks, with two of those on the road, TMart and the offense have definitely developed some confidence about being down in the second half.

These next two weeks would be the perfect time for him to rest up. I could see us needing him against Wisc's massive O-line and Montee Ball in Indianapolis

True, but you'll remember we also had Braxton contained in the first half in Columbus and we know how that turned out! Northwestern oddly kept using their pocket-passing qb and putting Colter at WR instead of sticking with Colter the whole game. They've done it all year like that, but you would think that given the way Miller ran on us the week before that they would try the same.

Does anyone have any updates on how Todd Peat is coming along? He didn't play a single snap in the PSU game--not sure if that's because his back is worse, or if the rotation of Rome-Randle-Steinkuhler-Williams was good enough.

Maybe, but not sure that Bo has solved the "mobile Qb" problem yet. Michigan solved it for us when Dennard tweaked his elbow, and Northwestern brilliantly underutilized Kain Colter at qb when we beat them.

Speaking of power backs, anyone know why Marrow hasn't been used more? I've only seen him carry the ball once on a goal line dive that he didn't score on. Janovich seems to have taken primary FB blocking duties.

Acoustics is right--the one thing I dislike about Memorial stadium is the pseudo-bowl shape that lets noise escape. A true, sealed in bowl would reverberate crowd noise a lot better

I'm not worried about Heard returning too fast--we've playing two of the bottom-four teams in the B1G next, so let both Heard and Rex heal up. Ameer and Cross should be able to rack up 200+ between them both games.

If ND thought Oklahoma's receivers were fast, just wait until they have to deal with Abdullah/Bell/Jamal/Reed/Martinez! I would love to knock the usual overrated hype off their "Luck of the Irish" B.S.

I would guess that if you take away the first half miscues and turnovers, the Huskers would have had a lot more blowout wins instead of comeback wins, and would thus be ranked higher right now

Oregon eat us alive yes, but the Irish--hell no. Those guys are lucky to be undefeated and mostly rely on a very good defense. They barely beat a bad Purdue team that even Minnesota trounced. They beat BYU by only 3 points. They had to come from behind at home against a bad Pitt team and win in overtime. Their best win of the year by far was beating the Sooners in Norma 30-13, but OU is not its dominant self this year. I wouldn't be surprised to see Notre Dame go down to Wake Forest this Saturday.

This is the best interview I've read from Beck about why the Huskers seem to start slow and then turn it on in the second half the last few games (not including Michigan, of course). He basically says that opposing defenses view the Husker offense as so multitalented that they come out with exotic schemes/fronts that they haven't shown on film before. Although, to that I would add that shooting ourselves in the foot with turnovers in the first half has also been a big part of it. I think Beck is doing a good job overall, but I still think our passing game is underutilized. People can rag on me all they want, with all the "Beck knows what he's doing", "people want us to run now you want us to pass--what's wrong with you?" comments that are sure to come, but our WR and TEs are truly the best ever at NU. They have great athleticism and almost never drop the ball. Here is the link: http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/football/2012/minnesota/red-report-husker-offense-sees-each-week-as-a-/article_969bafdc-b8a1-5dc5-bf0d-f9d30da1cc57.html

True, but why is play-action pass the only other option? A trap play using FB dive or naked run by Martinez after faking it to Cross are other high-percentage options

The lack of punt returns was brought up in this Tad Stryker column http://forum.huskermax.com/vbbs/content.php?324-Husker-coaches-make-the-right-moves-to-shut-down-Penn-State. I know that since Ameer Abdullah has taken up the #1 RB position with Burkhead out it's necessitated coaches "resting" him by not having him return punts, but we've gone from having regular electrifying returns to nada. Hopefully our next two games against Minnesota and Iowa should be old-fashioned butt-kickings, but something to keep in mind in the Big 10 title game against Wisconsin. Abdullah is a huge weapon in PR, the problem is he will also fumble about 1 out of every 10 that he fields.

Overall good win and good offensive play-calling by Beck, but I was a little puzzled why he telegraphed the power play with backside pulling guard with Imani Cross so much. On the 3rd and 1 play on the series right after the "no-touchdown" TD controversy, even the announcers were all over it when they saw Cross lineup in the I-formation. Would have loved to see Beck pull a switcheroo there and do a quick fullback dive since PSU was obviously expecting the play. But overall the second half was pretty well-managed by Beck, and it was good to see him establish a rhythm with Ameer and the O-line.