robsker

Red..... you cut to the chase really rather nicely. Excellent effeciency in word usage. And, you are 100% correct. I am baffled that Cally got this far in the coaching world with his play calling. But, maybe he's holding back for USC

The complexity is in the interior line zone blocking schemes and the timing associated with such. this makes it difficult for OL to learn quickly what is going on. The complexity also is in the diversity of subtle line blocking schemes --- each of which has its own, complex terminology. Plus, the switching and shifting of receivers and backs have a terminology. So the terminology is tough for everyone to be on the same page. The Callahan offense is hard to learn by all. That said, it is easy to determine whether the Huskers will run or pass on a given play because Cally broadcasts what he is doing by the personnel packages he uses and by the amount of time spent in the huddle (plus his tendencies are very easy to follow --- what he will do on 3rd and long, etc.). So the offense is tough to execute and easy for the defense to predict (at least in terms of run vs. pass and who, typically gets the ball). We do have some skilled players and so, sometimes even broadcasting what you will do works. But when the talent gap between the offense and the opposing defense is small (or favors them), then this offense will shut down. Some offensive game plans can enable an offense that is less talented than the opposing defense to still modestly prosper --- because they can often catch the defense in the wrong package. The NU offense is not one of those. Predictability has been a Callahan trademark from day one. ok, i'll bite. if we can see this, why can't cally see it and move away from it?? change can be a good thing or you can wallow in the same routine forever, thinking it is the best?? makes no sense to me either?? You ask a very good question. I have no idea what Cally is thinking. Perhaps it is in his "we take what we want" mentality that says that it matters not if they know its coming if execute well they can't stop it anyway. If so, and I am only guessing here, that mindset may get you there against the WF and nevada's and the bottom end of the B12 teams, but against good athletes, probably not. I am baffled by the predictable play calling. Your guess is as good as mine as to why this is the case.

The complexity is in the interior line zone blocking schemes and the timing associated with such. this makes it difficult for OL to learn quickly what is going on. The complexity also is in the diversity of subtle line blocking schemes --- each of which has its own, complex terminology. Plus, the switching and shifting of receivers and backs have a terminology. So the terminology is tough for everyone to be on the same page. The Callahan offense is hard to learn by all. That said, it is easy to determine whether the Huskers will run or pass on a given play because Cally broadcasts what he is doing by the personnel packages he uses and by the amount of time spent in the huddle (plus his tendencies are very easy to follow --- what he will do on 3rd and long, etc.). So the offense is tough to execute and easy for the defense to predict (at least in terms of run vs. pass and who, typically gets the ball). We do have some skilled players and so, sometimes even broadcasting what you will do works. But when the talent gap between the offense and the opposing defense is small (or favors them), then this offense will shut down. Some offensive game plans can enable an offense that is less talented than the opposing defense to still modestly prosper --- because they can often catch the defense in the wrong package. The NU offense is not one of those. Predictability has been a Callahan trademark from day one.

Great point. My take is this --- it is tough to play with fire when the scheme and assignments are complicated and one is thinking rather than reacting. If your mind is absorbed with "am I in the right spot? What is my assignment here?" then the fire and intensity will be down. Watch the Husker "d" prior to many snaps --- confusion is an issue on many plays. A confused defence will not play with fire. Coaches enable athletes to play with fire by placing the player in a context where they have simple assignments and can focus in on execution of the play (with intensity) rather than execution of the assignment. Simple is always better as regards defensive schemes. When Pelini was here there were simple assignments and much fire. Now he is at LSU (they, of course, have better athletes to execute their plays than does NU, but still) --- and LSU has fire.

True fans most certainly can be objective. I have been a Cubs fan, a true Cubs fan for 40+ years. I root for them constantly. I go to games. I cheer them on. I support the players and coaches. Yet, I know that they will not win the World Series anytime soon (but, there is a slim chance). I enjoy following them as a fan. I grew up there they are my team. But, I do not assume they are always the bast and that they will win every game. Nor do I fail to point out what are, at times, things that appear to need work. Same with the Huskers. NU is a great institution, my alma mater, and was a wonderful place to study and the people in Lincoln and in Nebraska are awesome. The Huskers are my team. I love them. From the time I attended NU (starting in 1983) until now, and until death, I will root for NU and always hope for the best. But, I'll also be objective. Some things need work and while USC is not "God" they are quite the load to contend with. It seems to me that placing reasonable expectations consistent with objective assessment is best for everyone. By the way, the Lombardi quote that someone else posted is an awesome one. Participants should always live by such a creed. Fans, well, we are not participants, let's not place undue expectations upon these kids that, if not lived up to, appears then to be failure. This season will be a success if NU ends up ranked and wins the B12 north --- even if we do not really compete well with USC. To measure success by the USC measuring stick is asking a bit much.

Travis9 --- What you say makes sense to me. Predictability in play calling has been a problem. By formations, personnel and/or time spent in the huddle it is possible to predict 90% of the Husker plays before they take place (at least in terms of pass vs. run --- but often in terms of who, specifically, will get the ball as well). It must be a defensive coordinators dream to play NU. Holding USC to 31 points might be difficult. The bast chance is for the NU offense to have some sustained drives and for the punter and specialty teams to assist in helping the field position game out (forcing USC into long drives). I also concur that WF is only a decent team. They will be fortunate to finish much above .500 and will almost certainly not be ranked at any time in the polls from here on out. Still cheer the Huskers on. No matter what happens, back our young men.

just winning the north will never be enough and it shouldn't be. we accomplished that last year, we need to go beyond that this year or at least contend competitively for the Big 12 championship, but to tell you the truth, OU looks unbeatable right now, don't think Texas can get by them either. there freshman qb looks awesome. I agree, Oklahoma does look really, really good. The bad thing for the rest of the B12 world is that their QB will only get better and has three more years of eligibility after this year. That is the way to set up championships --- having a QB that will be there for more than one year of excellence. By this I mean that typically it takes year one for a QB to learn the system and become proficient (and in the process there are multiple losses, typically). So, in that QB's 1st "developmental season" the team will not really compete for the biggest prize. Year two they have a shot and, if there is a year three, a great shot. So, my concern for NU is that with ZT he had but one year after his developmental season and was gone. We are in Keller's developmental season as I write this and then he is done. Next year will be yet another developmental season for an NU QB. To compete at the highest level, this pattern must not continue. Back to OU. Bradford may be an exception. In this, his developmental season, he already looks great. Maybe next year with Lee, or Witt (or, I guess Gabbert) NU will be so fortunate. In the meantime, OU continues to pull away. I wish it were not so.....

Since when does Nebraska simply hope to be ranked? How about now since it has been years since the team was ranked at seasons end with regularity. This is not the 1970's, the 1980's, or the 1990's --- assuming that NU will finish ranked then was like assuming that the sun would again rise the next morning --- it was certain. This is 2007. How many other programs that have been out of the rankings as has NU (of late) assume that they can expect more than a decent ranking?

He doesn't have another game or two. USC will be here Saturday night. Win or lose, the USC game has little impact in the conference race. You hit the nail on the head. People seem to think that this game is a make it or break it game for NU. It is not. The reasonable goals for this year are to repeat as B12 north champs and hopefully finish the season ranked. The USC game has no bearing on the former. On the latter, well no one (except some Husker faithful who would expect the "Skers to beat the NE Patriots) expects a victory against the #1 team in the nation. A loss to USC will not (in and of itself) be the determining factor as to wheteher NU finishes ranked. You have settled for Mediocracy. Your Goals for the Team is what they already did last year. No. The Huskers were not ranked at the end of last season. That would be a reasonable goal for this year. Do not think it automatic. USC, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, TAM, Kansas State and OSU are all games that could go either way. That is seven games against teams capable of beating us (and with a reasonable probability of doing so). If NU does not win at least four of those and then win the bowl game then they will finish outside of the top 25. So, winning that often and winning the bowl game --- and thus being ranked at seasons end would be a serious step up from last year (especially given our more difficult schedule this year). Once more, how many programs out there that have not been ranked at the end of the season in the past few years have goals beyond finishing ranked? Mediocrity no. Realism, yes. Anything beyond that would be gravy.

He doesn't have another game or two. USC will be here Saturday night. Win or lose, the USC game has little impact in the conference race. I thought the goal was to get back to competing for National Championships. I guess we have fallen so far that winning the north is enough. When was the last time that the Huskers finished the season ranked? When was the last time a team, any team, has transitioned from a team that has been historically (last 3 - 4 years) unranked at seasons end and turn around and actually compete for a MNC the next year? To expect this now, for the Huskers is not even remotely realistic. Have we fallen that far? Yes. Are we getting better? Yes. The Big 12 North is maybe not enough for the expectations fans have --- but is it about what this team can reasonably do? Yes. NU is not yet remotely ready for OU or Texas --- so the B12 championship would be a strech. A national title?

They will always be breaking in a new QB now. You will not see a Fresh/Soph running this offense. A Junior at the youngest and that is if there isn't a Senior with more experiance. If your statement is true --- that NU will always have a Jr. or Senior at QB, always breaking in --- well, then NU will never be a top 10 team (at the close of the season). You may be right. If so, then the system must change. I hope that you are wrong!

He doesn't have another game or two. USC will be here Saturday night. Win or lose, the USC game has little impact in the conference race. You hit the nail on the head. People seem to think that this game is a make it or break it game for NU. It is not. The reasonable goals for this year are to repeat as B12 north champs and hopefully finish the season ranked. The USC game has no bearing on the former. On the latter, well no one (except some Husker faithful who would expect the "Skers to beat the NE Patriots) expects a victory against the #1 team in the nation. A loss to USC will not (in and of itself) be the determining factor as to wheteher NU finishes ranked.

Well, I hate USC. That said, they are exceedingly well coached in the x's and o's. Maybe not in terms of keeping the guys motivated (and not overconfidant). But I assure you that they will bring the house against Keller and that they will run outside and exploit our LB's who have had trouble getting there and trouble tackling when they are there. Also, our offensive game plan better become more creative or the USC defence will eat NU alive. I have a feeling that USC will make this a statement game and really bring it. Man, I hope not.

I think its an uphill battle for us, but I dont think USC is as good as you are giving them credit, and I think that playing in lincoln is harder than you are making it out to be. I dont see USC having on of their better games. of course if we play like last week it wont matter. You might be right. Maybe USC is not as good as I think. But, I'll tell you this.... they should be. The crazy number of highly rated recruits they have on that team should make it such that they have no excuse not to beat anyone placed in front of them. And USC does tend to, I think, underacheive. So, maybe they come in flat and not taking NU seriously. We can only hope.

I will assume that the coaches pretty much knew how well Keller would be playing --- they see him in practice each day and know his understanding of the game plan, etc. They know the same regarding Ganz. So.... I surmise that NU ran so much against Nevada so as to let Keller settle in slowly, ease him in. And they have not rotated Ganz in much at all to get him some snaps. Now Keller has been, well, OK. I'd also guess that he is the best we have at the moment. That we have seen so little of Ganz tells me that he is not in the picture unless Keller gets hurt. If I were coach.... you cannot give up on Keller now. Stick with him. This is a non-conference game of little meaning (in terms of the reasonable goal of winning the Big 12 north). To yank Keller now would not bode well for him comes conference time. Further, it likely will not matter who is the QB on Saturday, the immediate result will be the same (USC wins).

I think you are right on all counts. We are a top 20 team. Maybe top 15but not top 10. Agreed. And, yes it will likely be two years before top 10 is reasonable as an expectation. Fire the coaches? Of course not. The Huskers are on the right track. They are inching up and headed in the right direction. It’s a very, very competitive college football world out there (arguably tougher than any time before as the parity in the college game is very high) And I also agree --- I am likely to be attacked.

Ok.... Here goes. If the Husker's bring their "A" game, the best they can play (of course, we do not know what that is, yet... so this is guess work) and US C brings their "A" game --- then I see USC by 14-17 points. If the Huskers bring the "A" game and USC brings their "B" game --- USC by 3-7 points. If the Huskers bring their "A" game and USC brings their "C" game, the Huskers win by 3. If the Huskers bring their "B" or "C" game, then this thing gets real ugly, real fast (unless USC is also off as well) Moral of the story --- hope the Huskers play their "A" game and that USC is not on their game. There is hope..... slim, but we can hope. No one should expect victory on Saturday, be reasonable. Hope, certainly. Expect, no.

Once more folks --- throw this kid a bone. He is a 19 - 20 year old kid. Adversity is a major thing for 40 year old men and woman to deal with in private with few, if any, watching (much less boldly talking about on the internet) --- it's really, really, really tough for a 20 year old on a public stage. The last thing he needs from his "fans" is a beat down. This young man is one of our own. Root for him and hope he gets back up to where he was (in all aspects, physical and psychological). Perhaps he was not all there today --- maybe he will be next week. Let's hope and cheer him on as he gets back into things. Ever have an off day at the office? I thought so.

You are correct with your statement; however, last year, Glenn would have hit the hole hard. Today he showed no emotion and did not seem to care about being on the field. Friends --- hold off now. Cody Glenn has done nothing but work his butt off for the Husker team and the fans. He has been hurt for a long period of time and is not himself. Imagine how hard that is on a young competitive man. The window to play major-level college football is narrow --- and imagine how frustrating it is to have had months of nagging injuries slowing you down as you watch others (in this case Castille) come in, healthy, and do what you cannot do (because of your health). So, would you be down? Of course you would. Would it get in your head? I'm sure it would. So.... what Cody needs now is the Husker nation to rally around him and encourage him --- not call into question his heart. So, Cody, if you are out there, listen up: Get healthy and keep the chin up --- you are a Husker and we, the fans, appreciate what you are going through.

Folks, the Murillo thing and the Grixby issue are good news. If you look at last year, statistically, the Husker pass efficiency rating was actually not at all bad (I think perhaps third best in the conference). Now Grixby is back and almost certainly improved. Jones has been doing very well according to practice reports and is much improved (as any first year starter improves in the second year). That Murillo beat out Jones is great because that means that on that side, we now have two people who are better than what we had there last year. As Bowman gets back in shape the depth gets even better. The safety play will be much better too --- with an improved Tierre Green, a more mature Thenarse, an improved Bryan Wilson and the new talent in Asante should also help a great deal. So, lighten up and be happy --- the secondary should be much improved overall.

OK. I have not quite figured this system out. Anyway... Our developed talent --- that is, our juniors and seniors who constitudte most of this years starters --- are developed in that they have been in the system, know the system and have experience. My point is that when you compare our developed talent to that from USC or Texas (or other top 5 teams) the talent we are fielding is well behind the big boys. ONCE our younger players (from the last two recruiting classes) are developed (learn the system, get some experience, etc.) --- in a few years, well then perhaps the gap will have closed between what we field then versus what the USC's of the world field. My point being that the effect of the new (and encouraging) recruits will not pay out for some time. So it may be that NU will be moving significantly in the right direction this year yet, in view of the schedule difficulty, not have an improved record.

I have been thinking lately that some of the extreme optimism for this years team, in terms of projected record, stems from the enthusiasm that people have for some of the new talent that has been recruited (in the last two, three years). It strikes me that the issue is not really one of where our freshman, redshirt freshman and sophomore talent level resides — these players are, largely, undeveloped talent. What matters for this year is the developed talent — the juniors and seniors who know the system, are trained, experienced and will comprise the majority of the starters (and even most of the #2 players). If you compare NU’s developed talent with that for Texas and USC — well, then predicting victories over Texas and USC become really rather a long, long, long shot. Might happen if they bring their C games and we bring an A game and catch a break or two. But to expect a victory (or even much a of a game) is a stretch. Now, our undeveloped talent MAY be closing the gap with the big dogs and so, in two or so years, maybe. But now, I think not. The Huskers are undoubtedly improving and on the right track. We are closing the gap. But this year, improved as we will be and taking all the right steps — well, ... our record likely will be the same as last year (or modestly worse). Our schedule is brutal and our talent that is most promising is largely undeveloped. Should be a great and entertaining season — even if the record is in as stellar as many predict