Jeremy

Who was the Tiger who threw the ball, after the play was done, at our defense once the play was done. Not once but twice? I know he was only flagged for it once but what a sissy...

Sorry, if this has been brought up

That was CJ Spiller, the 'Lightning' portion of 'Thunder and Lightning,' although there wasn't much stormy weather as the Blackshirts held them to a combined 44 yards. I only saw him throw the ball at a Husker once - Blake Lawrence, I believe, and Blake did push him roughly out of bounds.

As an Oregon grad, Fouts (and Ahmad Rashad) was smacked around by the '71 Huskers as the Blackshirts dominated and Kinney pounded to an easy 34-7 victory. He probably still holds a grudge over that, as Oregon was probably one of the best teams on the West Coast that year.

Whoa, that turned out bigger than I thought...

There is no place...like Nebraska.

It's always nice to visit the beaches or mountains, but there's nothing like coming back home to the wind-swept plains. Nebraska football has been a model for greatness, and not only in the sports world.

This is an early August morning just south of York.

Good luck to the Clemson Tigers in the future. Classy team, fans, and the only real football program their state, kinda like the Nebraska Cornhuskers...

That fumble on the punt return was huge. We had all the momentum, but gave all of it back on that one mistake.

Course, other players have made similar mistakes, including Nate Swift. I hope Niles turns it around and becomes a weapon defenses have to worry about.

Not a bust. Not even close. Marlon is a good player and a good kid. I wish him the best.

I think we were returning a small part of the favor. What about the fact that the Horns basically Xeroxed Nebraska's Diet and Strength Training Regimen back in the late '90's?

That was fine, though, because a lot of other schools were seeing the benefits of the groundbreaking research done at UNL.

Except it was Texas. So it wasn't fine.

Texas.

Pfft...

Whoever said defense matters more is spot on. Show me a defense that's in the top 10 nationally, and I'll show you a team that's in every game, and easily the top 25.

That said, the main reason we were in a position to beat the Red Raiders was because of the solid running game and getting so many first downs. We kept the ball away from the Mad Scientist, and there was nothing he could do.

It's good to have a passing game (Ganz is doing great), but it seems we're competitive when we establish a running attack. This was the case vs. Texas last year and Texas Tech this year.

The ESPN promos certainly aren't showing the 'Every Tiger Loves a Heisman Chase' graphic anymore...

-hiding snickers-

Shatel used to rip Osborne back in the day - I'm used to it. After the 'Noles beat us at the end of the '92 season, I believe good ole' Tom was letting all the OWH readers know that Osborne's refusal to change from the ancient option offense was the reason the Huskers couldn't get over the hump. Little did he know...

On the 10-70 drubbing from the hands of Texas Tech in '04:

"Yeah, it was hard to do much with that Jammal Dailey. Just couldn't really run my kind of football on the football field with the football. So, I took him out and put in that Davis kid who was 1-7 with 12 yards and 3 interceptions. But, you know, that 12 yard completion, that's coaching, that's system."

Wow, I didn't know Dillard was hurt, too. That really makes me stop and do a double take for this game, because, all told, Pelini is operating with a bare cupboard - Dixon kicked off team(pretty good on the interior line), Turner out for the year (maybe our best DL), Glenn out, and now Dillard out?

If Dillard and Glenn can heal quickly, I like our chances vs. ISU and getting to a bowl.

N

I'm more N than I ever have been! I don't care what happens - I bleed Husker Red in all kinds of weather!

Nebraska 28

Missouri 27

Go Big Red!

WON'T BE BEAT!

We'll definitely be in if we beat the Hokie Pokies. I was on HP and noticed that we were ranked in the top 10 EVERY WEEK from '85 in to '90, almost 5 full years!

Watching the game on PPV, I didn't really notice the crowd except on Suh's return (Asante's lick on the WR was NICE, too), and some defensive plays. There were a few key third downs that I couldn't hear much.

The noise DOES make a difference. It makes it harder for opposing QB's and offensive lines to audible, it pumps up our guys, and makes the opposition a little more frantic.

I guess it's kind of reciprocal - they give us something to cheer about, we yell loudly, and they play better - normally.

After Niles' return, it sounded very loud on TV the rest of the game, especially on defense.

I agree completely, x.

I don't know if he'll get more carries or not, but it seems we'll be using Lawson at FB out of the I, and while he has great hands, I'm sure he could pick up some tough yards in key short yardage situations.

Castille is a bruiser, too, but I guess he's more in the mix for RB instead. I was watching last year's SEC Championship, and aside from Pelini's defense saving the game for LSU, the Tigers' bruising back, Hester, was just killing the smaller, faster Tennesse defense. He looked like a carbon copy of Castille, although I'd say Quentin is more versatile and shifty. I'm expecting good things this year from the running game...

I'll start by accepting the fact this post will be booed and laughed all the way back to 2003 by some, but hear me out.

From what I can tell, stopping the spread means smaller, quicker DE's and LB's, right? Just imagine this:

A simple ISO from a huge beefy Husker squad reminiscent of the '90s. The center handles the nose, the gaurd combos to the MIKE, and our huge over-powering tackle clears the smallish DE out of the play. Then, a huge FB comes busting through the line like a snorting bull and turns the smaller, quicker SAM into roadkill. All that's left after that is a 6-1+ 220+ lb. ball carrier to come behind the FB and stomp a mudhole in the safety, if he dares get in the way. The corner, by the way, will either be on his back, or out of bounds after a great block by our receiver.

I could describe a power option situation, but let's just say the story ends the same way - with a Husker TD.

Sure, it could be wishful thinking, but I believe the logic is there. In the Big 12, the big thing is the spread, and as mentioned; it seems stopping it means having quicker DE's and OLB's that can make plays in space and open-field tackles instead of taking up space and stuffing the run. I remember Osborne saying that the toughest team to prepare for was Oklahoma, because they were the only team that ran the Bone, and it required a completely different strategy and mindset than almost every other game on the schedule. I'm sure even back before the spread, Nebraska was an incredibly hard film study, as we were one of the only successful teams in the nation to utilize the power run/option game as a viable offensive strategy.

Now, I'll concede that it would be very hard to find a good option QB these days, but I think we could get someone. Also, this isn't totally just reaching for the past. It seems to me that if opposing defenses get smaller, a smashmouth running game could do quite nicely in controlling the clock, and keeping opposing offensive talent on the sidelines.

Once again, this is just a discussion, not an attack on the WCO (which definitely has its merits), and I'd like to know what others think in regards to the changing landscape of Big 12 football, not to mention around the nation.

Texas Tech is a strange pearl of a team in a vast ocean of already-taken talent. Most of their players are pretty local, most-times picked over by the Horns and Aggies, but Leach knows who he wants, and he knows how to turn them into passing gurus. As much as I hate to say it, the guy has quietly created a force to be reckoned with out there on the flatlands of West Texas.

It's gonna be a tough one, but first off, I think Watson knows he definitely can't do what Callahan did 4 years ago, and Pelini is almost an opposite to Cozgrove. Our offense will be different. The Blackshirts will definitely be different. So, I'd say the outcome will be different, whether we win or not.

If I were coach, I'd do a lot of what people are saying here. Pound the rock, maybe stretch it with some zone reads/options under center and out of the gun. Just mix it up with jet sweeps out of the Bronco bunch, counters and iso's (capitalizing on Cotton's blocking schemes), not to mention hitting Lucky/Castille/Helu out in the flats.

I'd just nickel and dime as much as I could to keep Harrell, Crabtree and Co. off the field. Then, when they get ansy and stick 8 in the box or try to blitz too much, let Ganz pull the trigger on a deep one to Gilleylen/Holt/Swift/Peterson - see what happens.

I just think we bring a whole different set of weapons offensively than we did in '04 (most notably - back-up QB). New Tech DC or not, we SHOULD be able to move the ball on these Dead Raiders.

Defensively, a pass rush is important, but smart LB play is just as integral. There's one play, a doube drag play out of a 4-wide that's their bread and butter that basically has the QB reading where the LB's go to find those empty spaces between them for their Y and slot receivers. Very hard to stop without smart LB's that put themselves in position to make a play instead of taking themselves out it. We should really watch TCU film, because they shut Tech down the whole game, as did Mizzou.

Most of all, I just want to see HEART and FIRE from the Blackshirts. Go out there and make those Texas boys sorry you ever came!

Not that I would know if you'll get married to this girl or not, but these kind of things are tough to smooth out until you're both wearing rings. This is how it was for me, anyway.

My wife's from Seattle, and her family is either Husky or Cougar fans (the Apple Cup is a fun discussion). When my son was born, my mother-in-law had the gall to bring a jersey that was worn by Billy Joe Hobert to put on him and take a picture. Didn't happen. My boy's already a Husker to the core, at only 3...but I digress.

Anyway, one thing that helped me with my wife (then, girlfriend) that wasn't much into football, much less the Huskers, was to be very cordial about it, and warn her ahead of time, like it seems you already have. I tried to control my emotions as best as I could, and she seemed to appreciate that. Now that we've been married 4 years, I can go all out, and guess what - she's a big Husker fan, too. She listens to the games sometimes, and went with me to the ISU smashing last year (sorry, cy). She even listened in on some of the rumors and gossip last year during the Pederson/Callahan axing. Fun stuff.

Sorry this was so long, but I hope it helps, at least a little.

State College in '02 was a poor experience from the start. Just driving through town in the morning before the game garnered middle fingers and profanity galore. Going into the game was an adventure in itself as those in blue decided that we in red had to wait until they entered the stadium before we could, not to mention the parking guy trying to charge us twice what the parking was worth. We almost had to get out of the car and approach this guy physically before he'd give in.

There were the expected boos and other jabs, but I've never heard so much profanity in my life - kids under 10 and old ladies alike. During the game, it wasn't so bad, as long as I didn't audibly cheer for the Huskers (not that there was that much to cheer for). When Lord broke a long one, I stood up to cheer and was pelted by various projectiles from all directions. At the start of the 4th, my brother and I had to leave because he was seriously afraid for his life (yes, he's a wimp). Earlier he'd been struck in the leg by an errant horseshoe. I'd like to say it was a bad throw, but there wasn't a horseshoe game in sight. As we left, we were spit on and dodged FULL beer cans thrown at us. Right before we got out of that hell hole, there was one belligerent drunk man who positioned himself about 3 inches from my face and screamed "YOU SUCK." He would not move out of my way. I finally balled up my fist to lay into his face, but he moved.

We drove all the way back to Norfolk, VA where I boarded a flight back to Texas (where I lived at the time), and the freaking airport security searched me because they thought it was strange a Husker fan was on board. Good God what a horrible weekend.

1) How long have you been a member of Husker Nation?

19 years

2) What/who led you to The Nation?

Listening to the Big Red on the radio as a kid.

3) Where are you from originally?

Orchard, Nebraska

4) Where do you live now?

Randolph, Nebraska

5) Favorite Husker memory?

Black 41 Flash

6) Worst Husker memory?

Texas '98

7) Number of home games attended?

1 - ISU last year

8) Number of away games attended?

1 - Penn State '02. Brutal.

9) Favorite Husker memorabilia/apparel?

#7 Home Replica Jersey. No name, though, so it represents whomever is #7. Last year, Franz Hardy. This year, Cody Spano.

10) Favorite place to watch a Husker game? (section in Memorial, bar, friends house etc.)

If not Memorial, any sports bar in Nebraska.

11) Favorite all time player?

Crouch

12) WCO or Option?

Power I Option (Ozbone), none of that flexbone stuff out of Airforce.

13) Stevie Pederson or Billy Byrne?

Dollar Bill

14) Lil Red or Herbie Husker?

Herbie. Lil Red's for the kids.

15) Favorite Husker play?

Screen to Marlon Lucky, currently.

16) Favorite game-day beverage?

Diet Pop

17) How did you find HuskerBoard? (referral source)

google...? not sure

My brother and Johnny the Jet

Photos I took in Memorial:

Potter getting personal with ISU RB

Spring Game from the Nosebleeds, but worth it.