84HuskerLaw

Last thing I ever remember Steve Spurrier saying about the Huskers was "Their just too good for us! Just too good!" Shaking his head in amazement and shame.

I like our chances in the two point conversion attempts generally, assuming (a big assumption I know) that we use Tommy as a runner/thrower etc. We have plenty of offensive play choices to give us better than a 50/50 shot of making the play. We have, in my opinion, better than a 50/50 shot of just running the ball in with Cross or even Ozigbo. Newbe not so much but maybe 35% chances. therefore, we could likely benefit by going for two all the time, (routinely). Between our running options and many passing options and a QB who avoids the pass rush very well, I think we could get 2 about 65% of the time. Over a season, that adds up to serious points and can get us off the one score and tie deal that creates all the stress down the stretch. If we had picked a couple extra poiints earlier in the game in this way, we would have been further ahead in the final seconds perhaps. A number of these nail biters would have been wins, maybe.

Yup, there were several more sequences in the course of the game where you really just scratch your head and wonder WTF? The failure to ram the ball in on first and goal from the 4 with Imani Cross that turned into a pick and could have been pick 6 for MSU was horrible. That got boos from about 50,000 fans too who recognized the brainless calls immediately. The squib kick instead of kicking deep is really very tough for me. If they needed a TD, I could consider the squib theory. I think you squib kick with less than 10 seconds left and or no time outs. You are trying to burn clock and maybe even use it up with the return being the final play. In this case, they used a sum total of 3 seconds and got a gift of about 15 yards of good field position. Additionally, the biggest problem with unorthodox kick offs of any kind is that the often create unusual returns and coverage mix ups as the timing is often abnormal and can create big return possibilities, much like the cases where the kick returner mishandles to catch of the ball on the kick, often dropping it for a couple seconds, allowing the return coverage guys to respond and converge prematurely. This often leaves gaps and lanes in the field for big returns to be made. The best strategy in my opinion is to kick off deep and out of the end zone if possible. You want to avoid giving the opponent any extra chances for 'big' plays. Kick returns tend to be 'all or nothings' and game breakers if the returner breaks through the initial wave/wall of would be tacklers. Let your defense get set up and prevent the big play. You want to force the offense to have to use several plays to move down the field, using up the clock in the process. I know this is rather rudimentary and presumably is obvious to the readers but I am expecting perhaps someone who supports the squib kick approach Riley/Company used will explain to me and others what the logic is for using this squib kick. Of course, if the answer is that Brown messed up and was supposed to kick the ball differently, perhaps further down the field or in a different way or trajectory, etc, then that may be find and dandy. But, you better have a senior kicker who has a bunch more experience and lots of practice because you are gambling the entire outcome of the game on his ability to perform magic with the kicked ball. Brown, to date, has not demonstrated to me, he is that kind of special / gifted kicker.

This can be a turnaround moment in the big scheme of things but the only way we can actually see that be the case is if this team rallys and starts playing like a Husker team. The Blackshirts have to dig deeper and find more effort and energy in the second half. Rutgers should be prepared. I think this team will go traveling with the idea of kicking some butt. Then Iowa will have to be ready because this will be for a bowl game and redemption of sorts. Finish with three wins over top 20 teams in 4 weeks. No, we won't be anywhere near rated but this could end up being a season with three wins over top 20 teams. Been a while since that happened and that would be a tremendous boost going into the final push in recruiting and to give us more practice time, a trip to play one more game and get better. Next fall, we can start out with a 4 game winning streak. We could ride an 8 game win streak into next season's conference schedule. With a good recruiting class then coming in, we can actually see this all work out. There is at least a small amount of hope! But Riley and coming must be a hell of lot smarter in these clutch moments.

So did Steve Spurrier help call a few plays down the final stretch?

That would be a dramatic turn around. Still, I think the coaches have some serious soul searching to do. They have really hurt this team this year. The players have not played well more than about half the time but if they win out (I find that very hard to believe considering we haven't played a good 4 quarters yet - not even tonight). But, assuming such a miraculous finish, it would be a great way to try to secure a decent recruiting class. I think we already blew a great or even real good one. Might save a top 40 level class - maybe? But top 15 or 20 even seems out of reach completely.

That was the right call to make. Done correctly and it kills 10 seconds off the clock. The execution was as pathetic as the onside kick was. I would consider firing the head coach as well as special teams coach because of the last kick off strategy. It is dumb! Kick the dam ball out of the stadium!!!! You don't take a chance of a kick off return. A short kick can be fair caught without any time running off the clock and get field position near the 30 or even further as it turned out. Christ, they only had 17 seconds. Put them on the 25 yard line (40 yards or more of required field to move in about three plays and must save a TO for the kick. They had a terrible field goal kicker thank God or we'd have lost. A good one could maybe have hit that 58 yarded instead of trying to throw for another 10 yards or so. Just pure luck we didn't lose. Coaches also about cost the game and some people could reasonably argue to fire them over the lousy calls on plays down near the goal line.

Who can be disappointed after a miracle in Lincoln. Can you imagine the absolute gut sick feeling for the Spartans! These kind hurt them cause they lose the chance again for the national title. Their fans have waited for ? ever? I dont' suppose they have ever won a title. They won't this year! LOL

Well, maybe God has not totally forsaken us! Perhaps our 40 years wondering in the football desert will only be about 22 years. It took Tom about 22 years of patience from the fans to get a championship. We are now winding down the 18th season. That gives us 4 years to turn this thing around. Games like this one can start something. We still have to get some serious brain washing with these coaches. Gee whiz!

Now, if we had the TD we fu cked our selves out of earlier with the idiotic play calls. We WIN!

Still, they gave the game away with those bonehead passes with 1st and goal at the 3. We could have taken the lead and momentum away. Instead we got down two TDs as a result. That changed the entire complexion of the game. The team with the edge mentally would have been Nebraska. We go into our try to not lose instead of win the F ing game. They team that wants it the most usually wins. Our coaches just didn't let our team win it with their effort. Instead, our coaches feel they must 'out think' and finesse the last 3 yards. The very next possession proved the point when the coaches realized they would be in deep trouble with everyone if they failed to score the TD.

We just can't stop them. they won't blitz.

Again, I can't get over that we are in this position. Christ.

No pressure. We got to stop them. We lose if we don't.

Pressure the QB

They don't get it. Run the dam ball again. Just cram it in.

The offense can't outscore that kind of stuff. I am so angry. Not sure why as we expected to lose. But, golly boys, we had this game in our reach. They are shredding us. The offense is in do or die mode.

This is just sickening! There is NO excuse and no justification for this now! This entire drive.

They will drive down and bury us on this one. Stupid coaching. Dam. Dam. Dam.

You can feel this one going south in a hurry. We can't stop them guys.

Mindblowing !!! Holy crap! That just is stomach churning! We are averaging 4.5 yards per carry with Cross and need 3 in 4 snaps and throw twice !!! Lunacy! Awful. I can't help it. That is just terrible - anyone in the stadium could have called the plays on that series!

Worst play calls of the season!!! Run the f ing ball in from three yards out. Stupid!!!!!!!!

Bonehead call . 1st and goal at the 3.

Got to change our coverage up big time. They adjusted to our first half coverages and they are just gutting us. Gonna shred us.

Coach should have had a time out. Awful. they bring in a special package and gut us. We were not prepared on that at all.