huskerdude171

I understand trying to be optimistic and all but how the hell could you be optimistic after last night. Truth is this team is a lot farther away from competing with the big boys than a lot of people thought at the start of the season. The offseason hype is always unrealistic and out of control.

Oh look, someone who's actual giving an actual analysis of the game instead of drinking koolaid.

After that first botched kickoff return out of our own end zone by Robinson, he started fair catching each kickoff in the first half even if it was in the field of play. While that may have been smart because our blocking on kickoff returns was terrible last night, doesn't that just show that this team is afraid to make plays? Every big game it's just a total deer in the headlights look. That was a very small part of the game, but I felt it symbolized what was going on as a whole. A team that just doesn't have the want or desire to make plays. And if that's the mentality we have, then no wonder we get stomped out by each decent team we play, and that's why we have these late game collapses in close games such as NW last year and Colorado this year.

Can't have a second half letdown......need to keep it up defensively.

I learned this is gonna be a long season. Also just questioning the whole mentality of this team. They seem to be just going through the motions, not really grasping what it is exactly they should be doing. I sit on the west side so I see the husker bench through the whole game. I'm really sick of that group of special teamers or offense, can't really figure out who is exactly, that always jumps and dances around during each kickoff. I'd be okay with it if things were going well, but why the hell are you jumping around when the team is losing, and it's always the other team kicking off after another touchdown. If I was Frost I would shut that down immediately. But it's disturbing the tendencies that have been shown even though it's only been 4 games. Next week could be real ugly.

I don't know why everyone thought that Nebraska had a shot at a B1G title after they were 7-0 just because they were barely beating teams like Purdue and Indiana.

Looking a lot like a 9-4 Bo Pelini style year, probably get beat by Iowa, go to a bowl game against someone with better coaching and lose that

Which is why Nebraska lost tonight, the bold are those who are rewarded

We all need to watch this right now, its what we should have done

I'm not saying they should have run, just that it might have caught them off guard. Whatever you choose, you can still control the clock. But at least if you use the TO and get everyone knowing what's going on for the next two plays, I think you have a better chance of at least giving yourself that FG opportunity. I would rather do it that way as opposed to basically wasting 20-25 seconds and then throwing a Hail Mary. High pressure situations like that, I would rather slow things down so everyone is together. If your defense is going to give up 50-60 yards in 30 seconds then there's a good chance they'll give up a score it OT too. If your defense is going to give up 50+ yards in under 40 seconds, you don't deserve to win the game in the first place. Go for the kill, don't play for what could happen later.

That was their best chance to win, there are too many variables in OT in college football. If you have a chance to finish it in regulation, you take full advantage. That's Rileys flaw, we saw it last year with all the close losses, and we saw shadows of that today with how the last drive before OT was managed.

I agree that not giving Wisconsin time to do anything other than take a knee was a smart idea, so not calling the timeout wasn't too terrible of a mistake. The mistake was calling a deep pass on 3rd and 10 with a chance to get into FG range and win the game, instead of run routes towards the line to gain and hope to get a first down and set up a game winning FG.

You play to win the game, assume you will need the time to set up a FG, don't play not to lose, which is exactly why that decision was made. We still had plenty of time. We did have plenty of time. But nothing was organized and smooth. Call the timeout, get your offense all on the same page with the call. And you can have a couple of plays called for the ensuing play also, based on what the first play does. Th biggest thing the timeout does is make sure everyone knows what your plan is. You can still control the clock from that point forward while still maintaining your last timeout for a field goal attempt. Thats exactly what should have been done. The coaching staff needed to know that was their best chance to win the game was having a time out, almost a minute on the clock, a timeout to regroup and plan the next plays, and then go out and execute. If you don't gain a 1st, so be it, Wisconsin gets the ball back with about 30 seconds left worst case scenario. Their kicker just missed a FG the drive before, so what the guarantee he's gonna hit a long FG as time expires, or that the defense doesn't hold them out of FG range? The highest probability to win the game was to get a FG at the end of regulation, gving Wiscy a chance in OT was what killed the team and lost them the game. Be the last one with the ball, go out on top without giving the other team a chance to answer is the best way that situation could have been managed.

You play to win the game, assume you will need the time to set up a FG, don't play not to lose, which is exactly why that decision was made. We still had plenty of time. Then don't throw a f'ing go route on 3rd and 10 with a safety over the top, simple f'ing play calling

You play to win the game, assume you will need the time to set up a FG, don't play not to lose, which is exactly why that decision was made.

This isn't NFL, you want to see what the other team does so you know if you can win the game on a TD+ PAT or with a field goal It was set up perfectly for them to get it done, just didn't happen

Ok so Nebraska gets the ball back with almost 2 minutes to go, tie ball game. Driving down the field near midfield, 2 time outs, full playbook can be utilized. Not sure what down it was but Tommy dumped it off to Newby in the flat with about 55 seconds left, goes down with maybe a 1 yard gain. Clock continues to run, team is all trying to get organized, get back to the line of scrimmage, while precious seconds tick away. With 2 timeouts at your disposal, now is the perfect time to call one, re group, get ready for 2 and 3rd down which are coming up where all you need is basically a little over 15 yards to get into FG range. But instead of calling a time out, they let 20 seconds run off the clock, run a play that was a rushed play call, turns out to be incomplete, now its 3rd and 10. Here you have a plethora of options, you can play it like 4 down territory if you're aggressive, call a play that gets them just short of a first down which would be on the Wisconsin 40 yard line, or near there, then you have 4th and short and can make a decision to go or punt the ball. Or you run a play like when NU converted 4th and 9 against Oregon late in the game, and continue the drive with still a timeout left and ample play call options. There could be multiple routes run across the middle, maybe throw to someone in stride and let them break a tackle for a 1st down, and then hurry to the line as the clock stop when you move the chains. But of course, Tommy locks on to a deep ball with a cornerback and safety converging on the play, a 3rd and 10, and basically you are just praying that your receiver make a play on the ball, rather than putting him in space and a position to make play after the catch. The play isn't there, the ball goes incomplete, and here you are in overtime, where anything can happen. Then in OT, after a TD and a missed PAT, you call 2 straight runs up the gut for no yards. Then we have the botched PI where they picked Westy which was uncalled, but there's no guarantees he's gonna be open cause 2 other guys are coming back up in coverage, ball goes incomplete, its 4th down and 10. Instead of having Tommy go through progressions, look at the field and maybe roll to his right to buy time, he takes the snap, chucks in into the end zone when all you need is a 1st to keep the game going, ball isn't exactly where it needs to be in that's the ball game. Terrible, terrible clock management and playcalling on the last 2 drives cost Nebraska the game, and there's no one else to blame but the coaching staff, not the refs, the coaching staff, for letting 2 golden opportunities to put the game away slip by due to inept playcalling and not having decent clock management and situational awareness. I don't blame the refs at all for the no call on Westy, it was a dicey pass in the first place because they were all over him cause they knew the ball was coming his way. So many different ways of playing the situation that would have been beneficial and given them more opportunities to win the game it was just squandered by going for it all at once instead of trying to plan ahead.

I believe that we will win

Great article, for some reason I don't feel the same type of tension leading up to a big game that I did under Bo. Seems like the team is more cool and collected, so hopefully that translates into better play on the field with the pressure on. Bo just put too much weight on their shoulders because of his coaching style and his sideline temper tantrums. Riley seems to let the players build their own bonds and relationships based on trust, instead of forcing a strict philosophy of discipline on them.

You know it bud. A combo of strong kool-aid and good smoke leaves the mind in a very positive place. I just want to enjoy the ride, I'm sick of thinking about this team screwing up. People are just waiting on it to happen, and there's a realistic chance that they do, doesn't mean I can't daydream.

He's oo do kinda game plan, we'll play the tough defense, special teams etc.... Would probably be 42-17 if Nebraska played Bama, just a fact of life

Ohio State lost to Purdue? Wow

Ye have little faith, why not have this thread start right now, so it can keep going towards January? I'm just a realist. I have no doubt that we could win out and make the playoff, but the odds are low. Here is my estimate: Odds of: Undefeated regular season + winning CCG: 2000:1 Undefeated regular season 1000:1 1 loss regular season: 10:1 2 loss regular season: 1:1 3 loss regular season 1:1 Flights to Vegas out of Grand Island are cheap, might as well get on the plane now.I like this guy Hey, we have on this board for quite a while, and I appreciate what you're saying, but I have been a negative person for so long, and this is the time for me to realize that we need to just give in and believe. Nothing else to possibly do, just like the tunnel walk intro says, " If we should win, Let it be by the code, With faith and honor held high, If we should lose, We’ll stand by the road, and Cheer as the winners go by. Day by day, We get better and better, Til we can’t be beat, Won’t. Be. Beat."

Ye have little faith, why not have this thread start right now, so it can keep going towards January? I'm just a realist. I have no doubt that we could win out and make the playoff, but the odds are low. Here is my estimate: Odds of: Undefeated regular season + winning CCG: 2000:1 Undefeated regular season 1000:1 1 loss regular season: 10:1 2 loss regular season: 1:1 3 loss regular season 1:1 Flights to Vegas out of Grand Island are cheap, might as well get on the plane now.

I like with all the perceptive of how strong the B1G is this year, they totally sh#t the bed in last year's CFP. Obviously we saw that Michigan State was just smoke and mirrors, given the loss in Lincoln where they blew a 12 point lead in the last 2 minutes, then Tim Beck gifted them a victory by refusing to use his stud RB in Ezekiel Elliot. Ohio State was the B1G's best team last year, followed by Michigan, followed by Michigan State, then Iowa, with that weak schedule. But if Nebraska is to slip up it would be best to be against Wisconsin, since B1G championship is the first and foremost goal, a CFP berth or national championship would be a cherry on top. I'm not trying to drink all this Kool-Aid right now, but for some reason I like doing it.