Husker4Real

In a dog-fight. With Fordham.

I think I agreed with everything he said. Every word.

The truth is, very little good can come from this game. If NU wins big - no one will care or be impressed at all. If NU struggles, which - given their history under Frost - is entirely possible, it is yet another stain on the program. All is not lost, though. There is a scenario where some good can be gained from this game. If NU gets out to a big lead, back-ups can play. In particular, back-up QBs. Even more ideal, NU will race to a big lead in the first half, and Smothers/Haarberg can get some snaps with other first team players. I say that knowing that "ideal" scenarios are quite rare for Nebraska, these days. The Illinois loss is going to be a dark cloud that will linger for at least a month. No one will be impressed if NU beats Fordham and Buffalo (and we all know Buffalo won't be a 'gimmee'). I have absolutely no hope NU is going to beat OU. That means we will have to wait for the game at Michigan State for a chance for a win that that may actually feel like an accomplishment. And, we can't assume anything in that game, either. What a mess.... .

You know, I held on to this same thought for a long time. Cancelling the Akron game was the buzzkill of all-time. I thought it carried over to the CU game - resulting in a mistake filled game that NU would have won if they could have worked out the kinks in the opener against Akron. But think back to that CU game. Why did NU lose? Well, -3 in turnovers was crucial. But the biggest play of the game came with 1 minute to go. CU had 3rd and 24 from their own 45 yard line. They threw an incomplete pass....BUT, instead of facing 4th and 24 - NU was called for a personal foul, giving CU a first down in NU territory. Next play was the game-winning TD. That script is the 'movie' that Frost referred to in his post-game yesterday. NU continues to make catastrophic errors that turn wins into losses. CU 2018 was the premiere...below are the sequels: Tory 2018 (turnovers and punt return for TD) Northwestern 2018 (Penalties that kept a 99! yard drive alive in 4q to tie the game and send to OT) Colorado 2019 (Dominated in 2nd half after leading 17-0; AM 4Q fumble deep in NU territory that gave CU their go-ahead TD) Indiana 2019 (Vedral fumble returned for 70 yards that set up IU go-ahead TD) Purdue 2019 (Walk-on back-up QB leads two long scoring drives in 4Q; NU has to settle for FG after a 1st and goal at the 2 after INT). Northwestern 2020 (NW picked off 2 NU passes at the goal line; Warner dropped a TD Pass). Illinois 2020 (5 NU turnovers - including on the first play of the game) Minnesota 2020 (Complete cluster-f*** from the first play). Illinois 2021 (already detailed) Those are the games I remember that NU simply gave away. You could add in the 3 Iowa games - all close losses, that NU could have won if they played cleaner football (remember the fumbled punt last year?). But If NU is a better coached team - they would have won those 10 games listed above. Instead of being 12-21, Frost would be 22-11 at worst.

Except that it wasn't just one game. What we saw yesterday is the same thing we have seen the past 3 seasons under Frost....ridiculous errors that are hard to explain, along with crippling, game-changing penalties. It's also not the first time a back-up QB has had his way with NU under Frost. Regarding AM...we all know he has short-comings with ball control and accuracy. I guess he is what he is, and in his 4th year - this is probably what we are going to get. What is alarming is that we hear that Haarberg and Smothers struggle with accuracy, too. Are we really incapable of recruiting a QB that can't throw the ball where he wants?

It would be interesting to know how many teams, over the course of a 12 game season, will do the following: Field a punt for a safety Miss 2 PATs Have a fumble returned for a TD Have 30 yards in penalties on one play Have 2 punts travel less than 30 yards Mistake 1st and goal for 4th and 1 Nebraska did all of that in one game. One game.

Not sure I agree with your analysis, there, Norm (lame Fargo reference)... Those things are definitely an indicator of a poor program, as you suggest. But those 4 points were just part of the 18-25 points NU donated to UI with their mistakes. I also suggest that it may have contributed to some fatigue by the NU defense, as Illinois got two possessions in a row, while the NU D was on the field in that 95 degree heat. And, NU would have had the ball at the 20 yard line, instead of giving up the free kick. After the missed FG, NU actually had two of their best drives of the game - leading a TD and a FG. It all adds up to mistakes you are not likely to see any other team make all season - let alone in one game.

To add to the litany of mind-boggling mistakes from the game, I'm not sure who is to blame for the confusion on NU's last TD; but we ran a QB sneak on 1st and goal from the 5 - for 1 yard. We did not realize that the officials had given us a first and goal on the prior play. So, we wasted one of our 4 tries from the 5. It took 1 minute and 40 seconds off the clock from the first down to the touch down. It would have been nice to have had another 1:40 on the clock when we got the ball back on the final drive. That turned into a 19 play, 91 yard scoring drive that took nearly 7 minutes. That is a fantastic drive when you are up by one score in the 4th quarter. When you trail by 14 with 9 minutes remaining, however.... Just more fuel on the fire of a poorly organized football team....

If you were trying to lose the game, you might do those things. I mean, what in the h*ll is Taylor-Britt thinking there? It is a microcosm of the Scott Frost era - an incredibly mind-boggling, game-changing mistake that you are not likely to see ever again.

If you were trying to lose the game, you might do those things. I mean, what in the h*ll is Taylor-Britt thinking there? It is a microcosm of the Scott Frost era - an incredibly mind-boggling, game-changing mistake that you are not likely to see ever again. If you were trying to lose the game, you might do those things. I mean, what in the h*ll is Taylor-Britt thinking there? It is a microcosm of the Scott Frost era - an incredibly mind-boggling, game-changing mistake that you are not likely to see ever again. If you were trying to lose the game, you might do those things. I mean, what in the h*ll is Taylor-Britt thinking there? It is a microcosm of the Scott Frost era - an incredibly mind-boggling, game-changing mistake that you are not likely to see ever again.

Scott Frost will not be coaching next year if the team continues to play like it did today. If, after 4 years, the team continues to blunder it's way through the B1G, you have all the evidence you need. I was 100% on board with the Frost hire 4 years ago. I thought this was the guy. I was wrong. Instead, Frost has been in over his head from Day 1; and he just is not getting better. Add this game to the long list of losses that would have been wins if NU simply avoids making incredibly epic mistakes. It is mind-boggling how this team continues to beat itself with incredible mistakes - seismic, back-breaking, game-shifting mistakes. Every team makes some mistakes...but how many teams will field a punt for a safety, miss two XPs, have 30 yards of penalties on one play, and give up a scoop and score.....all in the SAME GAME! Most teams will go all season with none of those things happening at all. Nebraska did it all in ONE GAME!

We lack an identity. What do we do well on offense? Do we run the ball well? Once in a while, but it is not something we can turn to for reliable results. Do we throw the ball well? Once in a while, but it is not something we can turn to for reliable results. Once again, when NU needs to convert a key 3rd (or 4th) down, they turn to the QB run far too often. We are told we've got 3 running backs that can could be the feature guy. Who led the team in carries? The QB. We are told the receiver room looks like it is full of NFL prospects at WR and TE. On the rare occasion they get free, our QB is liable to miss them. The inconsistent o-line may be the underlying cause of all of it. It prevents NU from having something in the took-kit they can consistently count on. Like the OWH article said, it looks like NU's offense is just "Pick a play".

I was not particularly impressed with Illinois. They are going to struggle in the B1G this year. But they knew how to win this game....wait for Nebraska to screw up. Everyone knows that in the B1G. They are an infinitely better coached team than Nebraska. Nebraska is quite likely the most poorly coached team in the B1G. It's maddening...we are making the same mind-numbing, back-breaking, game-changing mistakes in year 4. Veteran players are making these mistakes! We are woefully coached. It is absolutely disgraceful (in the context of football) for a program that invests the kind of money it does into the flagship program to be so pitifully inept at basic things. It is 100% the fault of Scott Frost. The chips will fall where they may with respect to his job. I was excited when he was hired. But it was clear in year 1 that he needed to be better at his job in order to build Nebraska back up. He is NOT better at his job. He is in over his head.

We learned that Nebraska is still one of the most poorly coached teams in major college football. They absolutely GAVE THIS ONE AWAY with mind-numbing mistakes that simply should not happen. I posted this in the game thread, but Frost needs to speak to these mistakes. Or maybe Trev Alberts will. Incredibly poor decision on fielding a punt (by a Senior) that results in a safety. 2 points Missed PAT #1. 1 point. INT that would give NU the ball in IU territory up by 7; negated by not 1, but 2 personal foul penalties. Instead of NU ball at the IU 45, up 7. IU gets 30 free yards and a first down inside the NU 25. 7 - 14 points. Fumble returned for TD at the end of the half (SMFH). 7 points. Missed PAT #2. 1 point Add it up, and that is 18-25 points. NU lost by 8. Illinois had two strong drives to open the 2nd half. That was it. We can talk about how Frost got schooled in half-time adjustments, yet again, some other time. A disciplined Nebraska team should have led anywhere from 10 to 24 points at half. Instead, they trailed by 7. 4 straight years of Nebraska donating football games to the opponent. Side note - considering they lose so many one possession games, you would think they would be a little more crisp with that hurry up offense at the end of the game.

Let's see.... Field a punt for a safety = 2 points. Missed XP #1 = 1 point. Negate INT with 30 yard penalties = 7-14 points. Fumble return for TD = 7 points Missed XP #2 = 1 point So that is 18 to 25 free points NU has donated with their mistakes. Mistakes on fundamental things.... I am not even counting the over-throw in the end-zone that would be 4 more points....well 3, considering our kicking adventures.

Oh man...he's got to power across the line to gain there....

How could I forget the bad snaps....another resume' staple of Scott Frost.

Well, add to that the 7 free points on the AM fumble. And, INT that would have given us the ball in Illinois territory, up 7 - that turned into a 30 yard penalty and cheap TD. And a missed PAT. That is at least 17 points.

Here's where we go on a nice, 7 minute drive.

Special teams fail again....

And now holding that negates a first down run....JFC

It's one thing if your penalties are things like false starts on 1st or 2nd down; or defensive holding on 1st or 2nd down....things that hurt, but are survivable. But look at our penalties today. Roughing the passer - though questionable - negates a turnover. AND...another 15 yards added for taunting. 30 yard penalty instead of NU ball in Illinois territory. Now an OPI that negates AM's best pass into the red zone. We are just a mess.

Aaaaaaaannnnddddd, another back-breaking penalty.

Our coach is 2 of those 3 things.

I guess we can add 'back-up QB torching NU' to the Frost resume.