indianahusker

This isn't about one game. It's about a continually under-achieving defense at NU. After 4 years, you don't expect better? Most everyone is complaining about the defense. Not the entire coaching staff. If you'd look at it rationally, you would see that NU's defense under Cosgrove has not been up to snuff.

I thought that one of the reasons this staff was assembled was to bring in top-notch talent. Is it better than it was? I believe it is, but only mildly so, IMO. This staff has had 2 top-10 classes, and 2 mediocre ones (although their first doesn't really count). After all the hype, I expected better talent in year 4...but as one article pointed out, NONE of the guys NU had visiting this weekend were even being recruited by SC. What gives? I've tried to be patient, but NU should have better talent by now, don't you think? I certainly do. I haven't given up yet, I still think this team can accomplish some good things. Winning the north (although I'm sure Mizzou and KU's offenses are salivating), upsetting OU in the Championship game, and going to a BCS bowl certainly aren't out of the question. But the Defense and running game had better improve (needless to say).

As my ol' grandpappy used to say, "If if's and but's were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas."

Defense did awfully well against highly ranked OU and Auburn last year.... No they weren't outmanned against Wake......it was 96 hot and humid degrees and we won...We only let up 17 points. Not to mention 3 INT's and a several goal line stands along with an awesome 4 and out on their last drive. Cos doesn't get any credit there huh??? So when the players play well it's all them, but as when we lose it's all on the coaches......this sounds like my teaching career. Student gets an 'A' they did well.....when they fail, it's the teachers fault So, 2 good games in 4 years? You're missing the point. Coz's defenses have consistently underachieved. Last I checked, Wake had to play in 96 degrees and high humidity, too. 236 yards rushing...on pretty much the same play, over and over again against a team that had 2 net yards rushing the week before. Zac Bowman's INT sealed it for NU...on a pass that was gift wrapped for him. Backup QB engineers more total yardage against the blackshirts than NU had on offense. Did I mention Wake is 1-2? The point is, Coz hasn't had a good defense since he got here. This staff was brought in to upgrade talent and be better. Statistically, Coz's defenses have been worse since he got here than Pelini's was in the only year he was here. Isn't 4 years enough to bring in better talent? IMO, it is. Hence, the defense should be better than when he got here. It isn't.

So...was NU outmanned by Wake then, too? Just wondering...if, after 4 years of "great" recruiting, why did NU get manhandled by unranked Wake Forest up front too? Why did Wake run for so many yards? Do they have more talent than NU? I think not. I'm not saying USC wasn't great. But Coz has consistently bad defenses, against KU, Wake, and many others. Sure, there have been times NU has had good defense (OU...sorta, Auburn). But there have been waaaaay too many times NU hasn't.

I think a little zone D versus the almost exclusive man to man Coz runs would have helped...mayhaps could have at least slowed them down a tad.

Keller looked sharp and focused. He was definately ready for this game.

I think right now LSU is better than USC. OU and Florida are just as good, IMO. USC's DB's may cost them a game down the road.

Cally called a decent game. NOBODY on the OL can run block against decent defenders. Pass pro was decent. Coz needs to go. He simply cannot adjust. It isn't lack of talent on Defense, the LB's were nowhere to be seen...and I thought this was the strength of NU's team. NU's defense will cost them 1-2 more games. NU is a decent team this year, and still should end up in the top 25. USC was better, to be sure. But they weren't so good as to blow NU out like that on their home field. Coz simply sucks. Poor tackling, bad angles, out of position...you can coach up guys on stuff like that. Getting blown off the ball? Well, Cally doesn't need 10 QB's and 10 RB's...he needs more DL's and an OL that can run block. Suh was OK when he wasn't double teamed...but everyone else got beat 1 on 1. He can't do it himself. NU still can have a good season. An upset at UT or MU is still possible...but not with Coz at the forefront. And KU has to be licking their chops. Oh, and I've been told to be patient over and over again...but I think 4 years should be enough for a good coach to bring NU back to the top 10. I don't see it happening even in the next 2 (and that would be six).

Start HERE. Thanks!

I will be stuck in Iowa City this weekend in a hotel, and need somewhere to watch the Huskers, as ABC isn't carrying it in that area...is there a sports bar somewhere that will carry it? Or, even better....does anyone wanna have me over? I'll bring the beer/soda! Please help! Thanks!

Well, I will be stuck in Iowa City this weekend as well. Can anyone tell me where a good sports bar is so I can at least try to watch the Huskers? Or does anyone wanna invite me to his house? I'd even bring the beer/pop! Anyone?

My son is 10 and his name is Mike Clark. I doubt they met, my son is very shy at making friends, and told me he didn't meet anyone. Sigh. It MUST have been a great camp if he didn't meet anyone and still had such a great time!

It's a memory I will have for the rest of my life...my wife keeps saying that we got two great experiences for the price of one! By the way, my son did say that the only coach who was crabby was Coz...I laughed and told him that he's like that, but he's like a grandpa...crabby yet loving at the same time. Also, I can't get over how good the coaches were with the kids...VERY positive. No yelling, just positive remarks, even for the kids who sucked at everything. Again, it was one of the best experiences of my life, as well as my son's...but he's to young to appreciate it as much as me!

My son went to the Husker Youth Camp last week. He had the time of his life. Every assistant was there, leading drills. The camp was fast-paced, organized, and fun. The best thing? I got to watch my son play a game (they call it Huskerball...kind of a loose version of the actual game, but fun for the kids) in Memorial Stadium. He even caught a TD pass. Met Callahan. He was very friendly. So were his assistants. I know this is somewhat a PR tool for them, but they were genuine (I know they liked my $$, too). I met Gillmore on the first day of camp, and then saw him again as we were leaving, and he told me to have a good trip back to Indiana. Imagine how many people he had met in 3 days, and he remembered me...I was impressed. All the coaches seemed to be that way. Is this the staff to take NU back to prominence? I don't know. But my son had an awesome experience. Plus the fact that I may be moving back to Lincoln in '08. After camp, my son is ready to move tomorrow...all I had to say was "season tickets". Anyway, I guess you could just say that the Husker Youth Camp was worth every penny I spent, and the 12 hours there and back!

I have two words for you guys. Marlon Lucky.

I watched the 1994 Orange Bowl game against FSU in the US embassy in Nairobi. At 3 am, with not a soul moving about on the streets except me, the heavily-armed marine guard lifted a steel roll-up gate from the front door, and I watched the game with two marines from Florida, a marine from Alabama, and a Kenyan friend who later attended the 1996 Fiesta bowl with me. I distinctly recall Bob Trumpy as one of the announcers of that game, and he was very fair to Nebraska, and said with emphasis he saw no clip on the Dixon punt return. I think his announcing mate was Bob Enberg, Chris Collinsworth - and the guy who does the Notre Dame games - announced the OB the next year (1995), as I recall, and had to finally shut his trap when Tommie Frazier and Cory Schlesinger made him. Terry Donahue and Jim Nantz did the Fiesta Bowl in 1996, although I had the distinct pleasure of NOT hearing them live, because I was at the party itself in Tempe. Husker fans arrived FIVE HOURS early for that game, and turned the stadium into a home atmosphere. My son gave me that trip, and it was a great present! But when I heard them later, I especially had to laugh when Donahue was trying to set up the old line about Nebraska not having Florida's speed. That was right, they had Nebraska speed. I have an email from Danny Wuerffel. I wrote to him when he said, not long ago, that the Gator's game his senior year against FSU for the championship was the biggest clobbering he had ever been part of as a quarterback. I reminded him he was in a far worse clobbering the year before, and he wrote, "Wow. That's true!" One of the Florida players said before their (2nd) 1997 game against FSU, "At least we aren't playing an NFL team this year" for the championship. On august 7th, 1998, I had the unhappy circumstance of being once again at the site of the US embassy in Nairobi, only this time it was partly in rubble. The young Marines guarding it had orders not to use their weapons while it was being ransacked by hundreds of looters following a truck bombing, said to have been done under the direction of Usama Bin laden. I was perhaps the first white civilian on the scene. Hundreds of people were buried beneath the rubble caused by the blast. A blue pickup truck was wedged in the west wall of the embassy, not far from the second floor office of Ambassador Prudence Bushnell, who, thankfully, was in the next building at the time of the attack. The 1998 Husker season did not seem especially important to me. Once again, I bow down to the greatness that is a vet. Thanks for your service and keeping me free!

Being 60 years old and retired from the Marine Corps may give me a little broader look at the real world, but to me it was no big deal, and deserved no apology. Skers, We don't always agree. But your opinions are well-thought out, and you have strong Husker beliefs. But this is why, even though I don't know you personally, I love you, man. You served my country. I will always be in your debt. Oh, and I have to get this shot in...man, you're old!

Interesting question. My answer is...I don't know. It all depends on how Cally does this coming year, I suppose. If Callahan does well, I want him to stay, I can tell you that!

See? Predictions are very much like the "What if?" game. Everyone wants to play the preditiction game (many of us have done it in other threads), but you guys get down on someone for wondering about Cally's future...wow.

C'mon guys...everyone plays the "what if" game. You guys need to calm down. It's the off season, and we don't have enough to talk about. I believe it is a legitimate question. We all have hopes and dreams about the Husker program.

Just an update...I helped him put together his highlight video yesterday to send to the coaches. NU contacted him this weekend, asking for a video of his best game as well as a highlight video. They also needed his transcript, and so he sent everything in today. He seemed very excited about it...I want so much for this kid to go to Lincoln, he is talented enough to play there.

We all needed something to talk about in the offseason, but this is ridiculous. I'd rather talk about Ganz vs. Keller. Can I get an "Amen!" from the congregation??!!

I believe the biggest knock on NU RB's was that they couldn't block in TO and Solich's days. They weren't asked to block, so they couldn't do it very well...however, the FB's were good blockers AND good runners, so they were better pros. I always have said that Roger Craig moving to FB part time for his senior year was the best decision he ever made...

You could see in Cally's eyes how much it meant to him that he could give the kid tix to USC...