EmeraldIngot

Just now, Waldo said:

Imagine guaranteeing Satterfield 3 years at 1.4 million after 2 foot games at SC… thanks Rhule 

Makes me wonder if he bought scouting reports from Michigan for those games...

Just now, HuskerNation1 said:

What is the record for the most different QBs by one team to throw an INT in the same game?

Dunno but we might find out. 

Oh no! The receiver stopped in the middle of his route! 

He threw it away! Wow! So at least 1 of our QBs know how to do that!

Emmett Johnson with a big run! So close to breaking that one free, too!

Hey, he completed a pass! 24 yards, might be the longest so far today!

Just now, StuckinCO said:

Problem now is, we’re going to see nine or ten in the box,  going to be damn near impossible to sustain a drive just running it. As much as I hate to say it, we’re going to have to throw to win it. 

Then we better hope Purdy has been spending a lot of time with his brother...

I'll give Haarberg this: he responds well to pressure. Not talking about the pass rush, but when he absolutely needs to make a play, he plays better. 

Well there was a run!!

Yeah, the refs screwed us. They didn't have to do much, since we played so terribly, but they definitely put their thumbs on the scale to make it just a bit harder. SMH. 

Just now, Decoy73 said:

How are we the “outsider?”

We're not a traditional Big 10 team. We are relatively new to the conference, despite 12 years. And we haven't earned respect like Penn St has in the East.

Just now, Decoy73 said:

No.  There’s literally no west team who doesn’t suck. 

It's not about who sucks. It's about keeping the outsider from representing the West. I'm certain they'd prefer a sucky Iowa or sucky Wisconsin in the championship than a sucky Nebraska. 

Just now, Born N Bled Red said:

Jesus. Everybody anywhere saw that and saw the ball hit the ground, except the refs. ESPN/ Vegas must need Mich st. to win this game.

It's probably the B1G tilting the scales a bit. Because let's be honest, I highly doubt they want Nebraska to represent the West in the last year of the divisions. Especially not this Nebraska team. 

Interesting. When Haarberg throws overhand, and not sidearm, he can complete a decent pass. 

Maybe he should do more of that...

Hey, I'll take it! 

Michigan State is a dumpster fire this year, so we're very likely to win that game.

Maryland looked good for most of the year, but recent games have shown their offense struggles against good defenses, and the Huskers have a top 25 defense. Also, they lost to Northwestern. I think there's a good chance of winning that game. 

Wisconsin struggled early, but had improved with every game so far. They kept up with Ohio State for most of the game and looked pretty good while doing so. We'd have to play mistake-free to pull off that win. 

Iowa... Their offense is terrible. For all of Nebraska's offensive struggles, I think we've put up better numbers than Iowa has, and that's after losing the turnover battles and suffering many injuries. Their defense is very good, though. Top 25 at least, maybe better. I think this game will be a close, defensive battle. Whoever scores more than 17 will probably win. 

Going 4-0 is possible, but unlikely. 3-1 is achievable, even without expecting an unusually good performance in any of these games. 

But by that token, 2-2 is also possible, depending on how the offense does against Iowa's defense; the Iowa D and special teams has shown the ability to make points where their offense can't, so fumbles, interceptions, or poor special teams play could give them points we might not be able to match. 

To go 1-3 or 0-4, the Huskers would have to drop one or both of the MSU and Maryland games. Maybe, if Maryland can pull it together and get back to how they looked earlier in the year, 1-3 is possible, but unless the Huskers have a total meltdown, 0-4 is highly unlikely. 

Given how Haarberg has improved in the pass game (in large part thanks to the freshmen receivers Coleman, Lloyd, and Doss, their improved grasp of the playbook, and their speed and athleticism) and the incorporation of some play actions looks that actually seem to work (Thanks, Coach Osborne!) I actually think 4-0 is well within our grasp! 

The Huskers ran some mesh concept and levels concept against Purdue, as well as those pop passes/jet sweeps by Fleeks, and had a lot of success. When defenses stack the box and jam the middle of the field, it opens up the perimeter or the deep middle in the pass game. It keeps defenses honest and opens up a bit of room in the run game. If Haarberg can complete 10-15 passes for 200 yards or more, we'd have a more balanced attack; it would take the pressure off the O-line and help us move the chains and put up points. If we can do that (and limit/eliminate turnovers) we can beat anyone left on our schedule. 

GBR!

On 10/28/2023 at 10:57 AM, commando said:

not sure how Rhule got that flight canceled but hats off for getting it done.   lol

He put on a pilot's hat, said some mumbo jumbo about maintenance issues with the plane, capped it off with "If we die, we die!", and posted the video on Tik Tok. 

Obviously, the flight got pulled for maintenance. 

Purdue is stacking the box and daring us to pass. Gotta get the pass game going if we want any success today, force them to back off so we can run it. 

Need to call more short routes; slants, quick outs, crossing routes, etc. 

Nice little crossing route. Do more of those!

Just now, Terrabus said:

So who put Vaseline on the ball?

Someone switched out the stick'em container...

Just now, PasstheDamnBallGuy said:

Has Harberg ever pitched a ball though? I honestly can't recall one. 

He did just a little while ago on this game. 8 yard run by Grant. 

Just now, PaulCrewe said:

By being the Wierd Wally's Car Lot Offensive Player of the Game Fleeks gets sprinkle on his ice cream

Sprinkles are for winners! Lol

1 hour ago, El Straino said:

The overall lack of buzz for having the number 2 team in the country in town speaks volumes on our faith in our OL and offense in general.

Michigan, up to this point, looks like a legit top 5 team. Sure, they haven't really been tested, but they haven't exactly struggled much either. Sure, they haven't put up big, gaudy numbers like a lot of other top teams, but that's because they're built to chew clock. They run the ball very well, and can pass it well if and when they need to. They haven't needed to score a lot because their D is also really good. Overall, Michigan doesn't look like they have a lot of weaknesses this year.

After the past... let's be honest, the past two decades of Nebraska football, I think a lot of Nebraska fans are burnt out a bit. As a fan base, we've gotten our hopes up for big games, showed up and rocked Memorial Stadium, and did our best to will our team to victory... only to be let down time and time again. Our record against ranked teams is atrocious, and there's a ton that needs to be fixed before Nebraska football is 'back'. 

Our defense has done well shutting down the run against weaker teams. Michigan, though, has probably the best O line we will face all year, maybe the best in the country. While I think we can slow their run game down, we won't be able to stop it completely. However, even if we do, Michigan can throw the ball well enough. The Blackshirts have struggled at times in the pass game, and opposing QBs have put up yards and points on us through the air. We will have to stack the box to stop the run, and that will open up opportunities for Michigan in the pass game. They will move the ball and they will score points. The only question is how hard the Blackshirts can make it for them. 

On O, we have one of the top running attacks in the country... against weak opponents with weak defenses. Is our running game legit, or a product of our opponents? We will find out this game. Our passing attack has been mediocre at best, disastrous at worst. Unless there's been major improvements over the past week, we will struggle to throw the ball, and Haarberg will probably throw at least one INT this game.

Winning this game is going to be almost impossible, and I think everyone knows that. There's so little buzz around this game because pretty much everyone has written it off as a loss before the cleats have event hit the turf. 

But that fact right there is probably our only real chance of winning. That, and the option run game and the play action pass game. IF the lack of buzz has lulled Michigan into a false sense of security, they may not have game planned well enough against our O or our D, might not have practiced option run assignments well enough, and might come out flat. 

If they do, we have a narrow path to victory. We will need to lean on that option game to score first, and on our D to stifle their first possession. If we can do that and go up 14-0 or 10-0, we can force Michigan to have to pass the ball to catch up. Then, we can drop 8 in coverage and hope that Hutchmaker and Leinhardt can get pressure/sacks while only rushing 3, and that our DBs can get one or two INTs this game. At that point, we can force Michigan to stack 8 or 9 in the box to stop the run and cover both the QB and pitch man. At that point, we run play action to Coleman (or any other speedy receiver we might have) and hope that Haarberg can actually hit them this game. Once we're in the lead, we just need to hold it; Michigan isn't really built to come from behind.

If all of those factors come together, we CAN win. It's just very unlikely. 

Personally, if we look competitive, cover the spread, and don't make a lot of mistakes, I'll be satisfied with this game, even if it's a loss. 

But if we win... If we win, the entire narrative around the Huskers completely changes. So I, for one, am praying for a victory today! 

GO BIG RED!

2 minutes ago, TGHusker said:

4 turnovers - gave Co the game

It would have been closer, but I still think Co would have pulled off the win. Haarberg wouldn't have turned the ball over as much, but he's pretty poor in the passing game. Co would have eventually pulled ahead. 

1 minute ago, knapplc said:

We could be 3-1 at worst, and likely 4-0 if Haarberg had started the season.

Colorado probably would have still beat us, but I think Haarberg would have led us to victory over Minnesota.

3 minutes ago, Hagg said:

 

He's on something.  Hoping it's just something caffienated.

Well, with all the Red Bull commercials...