Jeremy

One of my good friends on Facebook went into a HUGE rant about the horrible officiating that shafted the Huskers out of a Big 12 Title. And he's a aTm fan/alumn. It's not just us. On the thread topic - sure we've gotten away with some, but I think it balances out in the end. Hopefully we'll get a big call go our way soon on the big stage. I think +:01 may just have been penance for the Flea Kicker, the +:01 put back on in the '94 Orange, Costa over-throwing the wide open fly route to tie the '95 Orange, etc. Something tells me we're due pretty soon...

I'm not ashamed to say that my two favorite teams are Nebraska and whoever's playing Texas. That said, I don't have any animosity toward aTm, in fact I have some good friends who went to college there, and besides some of the 'good-natured ribbing' CornBall spoke of, there's nothing but congratulations and well-wishing the whole season. With the university of Texas and their fans, it's entirely different. In my experience, if there's any school and fanbase that gives the Nebraska program respect besides OU (Switzer, at least), it's aTm.

Sour grapes, but what a bunch of horsecrap. Suh is the best defensive player in the country, end of story. But anyway, let's get Suh back home and ready to beat up on some (more) Wildkitties!

"Don't Mess With Texas" is an advertising campaign of the Texas Department of Transportation, and was begun in an effort to reduce litter on Texas road and highways. It worked. It's not a slight against Nebraska. I would challenge you to find me any article in Texas that has been written by a reputable news organization that blatantly slighted Nebraska or the University. Texas was in fact its own sovereign nation at one point. People in Texas have a certain pride about that. It isn't a slight against Nebraska. The Texas state flag is going to fly at most any public event in Texas, but subordinate to the U.S. flag. I'm not real sure how that's a slam against Nebraska. I have never been disrespected for getting my MBA from Nebraska or supporting Nebraska. Except for good natured fun at work, lunch, etc. You're thin-skinned. Get over it. I KNOW it's not a slight against Nebraska. But the phrase has been used in a plethora of different contexts, and very few times did it have to do at all with litter control. Maybe they should've used it to curb drunk driving in Texas... http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news.../1204kelso.html Boom. I KNOW Texas was a country at one point. Normally, this was a fact ground into my ears once the other Texans in the conversation learned that I wasn't from Texas - as though I needed to know all the special things about their state contrasted to mine. I see that flag everywhere they play, whether they're in Texas or not. If any fan base would have the justification to feel they represent their state, however, it would be Husker fans. Maybe it was just the area I lived in, but nobody I met had any respect at all for the University of Nebraska in any context. If I never had to live there, I probably wouldn't have any problems with Texas.

Having lived in the Lone Star State for 6 years, I feel I can weigh in on this issue. 'Don't mess with Texas.' That right there just sticks in my craw right off the bat. I could make an incredibly long post about all the undue crap I was given not only because I was a fan of the Big Red, but because I was from Nebraska, a free state no less. I can't tell you how many conversations I had with Texans about how Texas was and could be their own country again. Do you ever see the blue and gold of the Nebraska state flag at any Husker athletic event home or away? No, but you sure as hell see a whole bunch of Texas state flags wherever the Longhorns are playing, although they are one of several major colleges in the state. Speaking of flags, how about the Longhorn flag that a Texas LB attempted to plant into the Memorial Stadium field turf after they barely escaped with a win in '02? I don't care who it was - you don't do that in Lincoln. This is little stuff, to be sure, but suffice it to say that all I ever got from the Texas faithful was DISrespect. Never once did I hear any positive comments about Nebraska athletics, much less our state. It was quite simply an atmosphere of arrogance, and I couldn't wait to leave.

While I can't speak for Erroll Flynn, the size of the offensive line, as in what would be most appropriate for whatever offense we might run, seems pretty dang relevant to me. Joey Ganz - future intern for Nebraska football, coaching the offensive side of the ball. Also relevant. We're just trying to prognosticate what might happen, because it seems a lot of people aren't going to get their wish of Watson getting his walking papers...

If this is true, and we are going more toward a power run game, why is Joe Ganz interning as a QB's/Offensive coach? Nothing against the guy (I thought he did great), but I don't think Ganz is going to know much about quarterbacking that kind of offense. I just have my doubts as to the possibilities of returning to a power-run offensive philosophy. Do we have the kind of athletes on the offensive line or in the backfield to be successful with it?

Here's my diagram for it. Fairly rudimentary, but it wouldn't be too susceptible to blitzes. Both Burkhead and Paul are very shifty, so I don't see why it would not work.

The funny thing is - McCoy either didn't know how much time was left, or thought there was more time than there was. If Suh doesn't bust through his double team like a broken door and run McCoy down, forcing the heave out of bounds, we win the game. Okay, I guess that's not a funny thing...

Nebraska's tradition-rich program has always been pushed along on the ground. "And the Prussians kept coming..." Remember this line from that incredible Sports Illustrated article detailing the Game of the Century? It was Kinnie who repeatedly punished the Oklahoma defense, and created/perpetuated the message that the Cornhuskers will RUN YOU OVER. It was Frazier, Schlesinger, and Phillips. Ahman Green. Eric Crouch, even Dan freaking Alexander. We were one of the few if not the only offense that looked to deliver physical blows with the ball-carrier. Looking back, it was really amazing. Blue-collar, yoeman, lunch-pail characteristics, just like those of the state. Yes, it matters. Should we throw it? Of course, but it should be set up off the run. Should the Huskers commit to excellence in the running game, there is a good likelyhood it will happen. Smallish defenses recruited to out-athlete spread offenses will have a heck of a time taking on the New Pipeline and bruising Nebraska backfield. We can go back in time, at least in this instance - there's no reason it can't work.

0-21 vs. top 18 since Black 41 Reverse Flash. Lotta hurtin for a long time. Gotta say, though, there's more love in my heart for the Big Red than there ever has been, in spite of :01...

Watson - good guy, but not the right fit. We need to bring someone successful in from Div 2 or somewhere with a background in the fundamentals of a tough power-run/play action game. Sure, we can still go after good receivers, but if Nebraska's gonna be 'back,' we need to go back to what has always moved the Big Red along - the big boys up front paving the way for a bruiser with the ball looking to punish any and all that dare to get in the way.

Here's what we may be running- and it could be the best idea watson has had all year. Wild Husker, baby. Burkhead, a former HS qb, taking snaps, keep and pound the gooey texas inside, or give to helu to find some space outside, or pull back and find a wide open McNeil, or niles paul behind the safety. But, it probably won't happen. get used to three and outs.

2nd and goal from the five, after burkhead had just bulled for 5 on 1st down. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't break it, right? Give it to him again! But no, let's try some fancy play action and lose 15 yards so that KSU and the world know that a deep throw is coming the next playso they can pick it off, return it to the 40, and totally swing momentum in the game. With 2nd and goal from the 5, give me 2 ISO's and a cloud of dust, and come away with at least 3 points.

The Holiday's other conference tie is the Pac 10, so possiblity of a Nebraska-USC matchup? Probably Arizona though...

Solich won a BCS game, too.

Maybe we start with the 4-3, but if it isn't getting the job done, I say go back to the nickel and have gomes come up and fill for run support. as far as the HB Pass is concerned, if that's their most dangerous play, they are in a world of trouble. Against a running offense, we probably won't blitz much, and we'll have coverage back there for whatever crap they try to bring. All we have to do is be aggressive, flow to the ball like we have all season. Offensively, it's the same plan as we had vs. KU. Smashmouth, over the top, maybe some zone read, and WCO stuff to keep them honest, I guess.

So what is it? We have a huge detailed banner on the Kearney overpass, graffiti painted on I-80 just across the state line, and bumper stickers galore. I've even heard several people say they saw a banner in the stadium during the game in Boulder. Two hacks put something in print about this (still with NO PHYSICAL PROOF AND/OR EVIDENCE) and suddenly it's gospel. Give me a picture of anything that resembles this horrible act and I'll buy in and start shaming the Husker fan base, but until then, it sounds and smells like crap.

The reason he didn't see it was because the ref was standing right in front of him and sidestepped just as the ball got there. Stinkin refs job us every chance they get.

It was a horrible pitch. It was a horrible playcall. Anytime we have Zac Lee run zone read or sprint option is a bad decision, no matter who we're playing. Cody Green? Sure. However, Shawn Watson doesn't understand how to really implement the option into our offense, and it's really not going to work this year, anyway. If we're going to get any significant yardage with the option, we HAVE TO INVOLVE THE FULLBACK. We have to keep those linebackers from sprinting to the edge and preventing the numeric advantage required for a successful option play.

hmmm...notice the date that reality check joined. how convenient. scoreboard.

Or even 2003. Notice the final score in the Iowa State game that year?

The hell they didn't boo when Osborne was coach, and we didn't really have 'struggling teams' - we never lost more than 3, remember? Mauer was booed, as was Frost (during a great year, no less). I've heard a lot of stories of For Sale signs ending up in Osborne's yard, and he even took a trips to Boulder and East Lansing - and there weren't a lot of Husker fans opposed to it at the time. Right after we got railed by Georgia Tech in the Citrus Bowl, Osborne and his coaching staff were all brushing up their resumes, expecting to get the axe. As a Husker fan, I love Husker fans, but we're pretty much the same as we've always been. You could go back in history and see the discontent in our fan base. The thing is, though, when we fill up the stadium 302 consecutive times, and with the kind of donations that are given to the athletic facilities, we expect to see a better effort than 8 turnovers and a loss to IOWA FREAKING STATE at HOME. hmmm, well i guess i just kinda figured we were classy respectful fans, but i your right we are normal college football fans. No, you have a point, though. The minute we start fighting with opposing fans and players as they're leaving the stadium instead of applauding them and wishing them luck the rest of the season, we lose the title of 'greatest fans in college football.' We're known as good fans for our knowledge of the game as well, and that will never change. The thing that's so frustrating though is the kind of support that the university gets from the entire state and pockets of other states is staggering. You'd figure that alone would push this team to at least one conference title since '99, wouldn't it? Have you ever seen the athletic facilities at UNL? Absolutely top of the line, and they will only get better, as there is more to come. Even in '04, they were some of the best in the conference. You know who had some of the worst athletic facilities in the conference in '04? Texas Tech. I saw a tape of one their spring practices, and they were outside in the 90 degree heat basically running drills in a sandlot. So, when we played them, you'd figure we'd at least stand a chance? How about the worst loss in school history. Absolutely unacceptable, and things haven't improved much since.

The hell they didn't boo when Osborne was coach, and we didn't really have 'struggling teams' - we never lost more than 3, remember? Mauer was booed, as was Frost (during a great year, no less). I've heard a lot of stories of For Sale signs ending up in Osborne's yard, and he even took a trips to Boulder and East Lansing - and there weren't a lot of Husker fans opposed to it at the time. Right after we got railed by Georgia Tech in the Citrus Bowl, Osborne and his coaching staff were all brushing up their resumes, expecting to get the axe. As a Husker fan, I love Husker fans, but we're pretty much the same as we've always been. You could go back in history and see the discontent in our fan base. The thing is, though, when we fill up the stadium 302 consecutive times, and with the kind of donations that are given to the athletic facilities, we expect to see a better effort than 8 turnovers and a loss to IOWA FREAKING STATE at HOME.

Very true, Husker33, I was picking up on that, too. Maybe the ground game will come out strong vs. Baylor next week.